NEW ULM — By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, Brown County commissioners approved adding a full-time social worker position to the 2026 budget.

Brown County Human Services Director Anne Broskoff said an aging and disability services position was requested due to specialization caused by complexity and program volume, assessment challenges and time burden, to enhance case management and that earned revenue is anticipated to cover position costs.

Broskoff said the position would focus on doing MnCHOICES assessments to determine eligibility for home and community-based services.

MnCHOICES is Minnesota’s assessment and support planning system.

She said a thorough evaluation of staff responsibilities shows that the current model–where staff juggles multiple programs and roles–creates inefficiency and dilutes the quality of service delivery.

“By enabling staff to focus more deeply on clients they know and understand, we can improve service continuity, strengthen relationships, and increase overall efficiency in case management,” said Broskoff.

She said several Minnesota counties have implemented a model that separates assessment duties from ongoing case management and report success.

Commissioner Dave Borchert said some area counties have hiring freezes and are considering unpaid furloughs, cross training and hiring consultants.

“I think we maximize as much as we can now. I think we’re more cross-trained than most counties. We’d like to spend more time with clients, but we can’t. There are things not being done that we need to be doing. The revenue for this position should be self sustaining,” said Broskoff.

She said the new position supports her department’s mission to service individuals who are aging or living with disabilities by ensuring timely access to assessments foundational to receiving home and community-based services.

“These services help individuals maintain independence, dignity, and stability in the least restrictive setting,” she said.

“I think if the (state and federal) revenue is there, I support this,” said Commissioner Scott Windschitl.

Approval came on a motion by Commissioner Brian Braun, seconded by Jeff Veerkamp. Commissioners Tony Berg and Dave Borchert cast dissenting votes.