MON AM News: Findley Foundation looking to expand into larger facility; UW-Extension report highlights potential for housing bubble

— The vice chair for the Findley Foundation Board says the Milwaukee organization wants to expand into a larger facility to boost capacity for job training and social and medical services. 

“We are busting out the seams where we are,” Stephanie Findley said in a recent interview. “Right now we’re trying to figure that out, the board is trying to figure that out. And so until then, we’re just going to take it one day at a time, and make sure we’re able to take care of as many patients and clients as we can.” 

Through the Findley Medical Clinic and the Findley Vocational Institute, she said the foundation has been providing a number of services to underserved communities since 2017. She explained this approach addresses the social determinants of health through individualized care plans “that will help the individual navigate through some of the challenges they’re experiencing.” 

Along with literacy programs and job training in areas such as auto repair, construction, manufacturing, heavy machinery operation and more, the foundation provides case management and behavioral therapy to ensure participants have the support they need, Findley said. 

The clinic, launched in 2020, focuses mainly on primary care to help community members stay healthy, she said. It employs both primary care providers and nurse practitioners, with a total of 12 employees and 30 volunteers. 

She noted the clinic can also help those without health insurance, who pay a minimum of $20 depending on their income level. 

“If they don’t have any insurance, we don’t get any reimbursement … we’re still working to get grant money to cover the expenses for those who are uninsured,” she said. 

As part of a blood pressure monitoring program, participants send in health data to the clinic to inform treatment regimens. Meanwhile, the clinic is recruiting diabetic patients for a glucose monitoring program and recently launched a dental telemedicine program. 

Many of the clinic’s patients have struggled with alcohol or drugs, and some haven’t received any medical care or checkups in years, she said. Findley noted “every day is a challenge,” but said the clinic is devoted to improving the outlook for the community. 

“We’ve had tremendous success with our patients and meeting their needs,” she said. “Has there been some hiccups? Oh absolutely. Absolutely. But we remain faithful.” 

See more on the foundation’s work here: http://findleyfoundation.org/ 

— A recent UW-Extension report highlights “rising concern” that another housing market bubble could be on the horizon. 

“While safeguards have been put in place to prevent a repeat collapse of secondary financial markets, the potential economic pain to homeowners if history repeats itself could be significant,” wrote Steven Deller, a professor in UW-Madison’s Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. 

Using state housing data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he noted home prices have been escalating rapidly in recent years. While those figures illustrate the growth, collapse and slow recovery of the housing market that began in the mid-2000s, Deller says they also suggest a similar scenario could play out in the near future. 

While some areas of Wisconsin such as Eau Claire have seen a steeper increase over the past five years, he noted “every market examined here” saw sharp price increases through 2021 despite the economic challenges of the pandemic. That includes Fond du Lac, Janesville, Beloit, La Crosse, Madison and Milwaukee. 

“The strong growth over the past few years coupled with the spike in 2021 is not only evidence of shortages of houses on the market, but also the start of another housing bubble,” he wrote. “While the growth rate in the last quarter of 2021 slowed, the sharp increase in housing prices across Wisconsin is further evidence of challenges with the housing market.” 

See the report: 

— The state Department of Workforce Development has released new county workforce profiles including economic data through the end of 2021. 

The profiles provide an update to a 2019 data series compiled by DWD’s Office of Economic Advisors, capturing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local workforce trends throughout the state. They include information on employment by industry sector, industry-level patterns, payroll, wages, as well as unemployment and labor force participation. 

See the DWD release: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/press/2022/220324-llm-snapshots.htm 

Find the data here under 2021 Wisconsin County Profiles: https://jobcenterofwisconsin.com/wisconomy/pub/publications 

— Gov. Tony Evers has appointed Scale Up Milwaukee Executive Director Elmer Moore Jr. as CEO and executive director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. 

Moore will take over as head of WHEDA April 11, a release from the guv’s office shows. 

Along with this position with the Greater Milwaukee Committee’s Scale Up Milwaukee initiative, Moore is also chairman of the board for Milwaukee’s Social Development Commission, board member for the Harbor District and an adjunct professor at Marquette University and UW-Milwaukee, the release shows. 

See the release: https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/gov-evers-appoints-elmer-moore-jr-to-serve-as-wheda-ceo-and-executive-director/ 

— The Department of Health Services says it has broken ground on a three-year, $65.9 million expansion and renovation of the Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center in Madison. 

The center is located on the grounds of the Mendota Mental Health Institute and provides mental health treatment to “the most troubled offenders” in the state’s juvenile justice system, a DHS release shows. It currently only serves boys, but will provide treatment for girls as well once the project is complete. 

Dr. Gregory Van Rybroek, the institute’s director, says its approach involves “a gradual compassionate process” to help offenders deal with past trauma and other psychological issues. 

“Research results from MJTC stand in contradiction to the common belief that nothing works to help these youth,” he said in the DHS release. “In fact, the model of care at MJTC is effective with helping youth in the worst of circumstances.”

The project is expected to be completed by early 2025. It involves about 102,000 square feet of new and renovated space, including 50 new single-occupancy bedrooms and larger areas for educational, medical and therapeutic services. The release shows the expanded facility will have capacity for 93 patients, including 73 boys and 20 girls. 

See the release: https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/dept-of-health-services-groundbreaking-launches-construction-phase-of-mendota-juvenile-treatment-center-expansion-and-renovation/ 

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#TOP STORIES#

# Peshtigo residents grappling with PFAS pollution send petition to EPA for Superfund designation

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# Biscuits or bratwurst: GOP weighs its convention choices

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#TOPICS#

# AGRIBUSINESS

– Wisconsin cheese makers announce scholarship winners

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=308&yr=2022

– DNR issues expansion permit for Kewaunee County factory farm

https://apnews.com/article/business-wisconsin-environment-pollution-e935bc3992e9be69cd6b5c1b729f924a

# CONSTRUCTION

– C.D. Smith offers $9.3M low-bid for ventilation upgrades at Milwaukee detention facility

– Findorff starts work on $65.9M juvenile prison in Dane County

# ECONOMY

– Inflation puts pressure on Wisconsin food banks

https://www.wpr.org/inflation-puts-pressure-wisconsin-food-banks

– Wisconsin’s job growth was in the top 10 in February, but longer term, state still lags nationally

# EDUCATION

– A record number of Wisconsin students were home-schooled last year. Here’s why

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/education/2022/03/22/home-schooling-grew-record-numbers-wisconsin-during-pandemic/9162457002/

# ENVIRONMENT

– Wolf conflicts grew last year as bipartisan proposal seeks to delist wolves

https://www.wpr.org/wolf-conflicts-grew-last-year-bipartisan-proposal-seeks-delist-wolves

# FOOD AND BEVERAGE

– Beer gardens planned along RiverWalk north of downtown Milwaukee

# LABOR

– Fiserv Forum workers union adopts changes to 2020 collective bargaining agreement

– Colectivo is officially a union shop, following NLRB final decision

# MANAGEMENT

– Elmer Moore Jr. of Scale Up Milwaukee named WHEDA executive director

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2022/03/25/elmer-moore-jr-of-scale-up-milwaukee-named-wheda.html

# MANUFACTURING

– Franklin-based Steele Solutions acquires Ohio company

# REAL ESTATE

– Buying a house in Wisconsin has been getting more expensive. Inflation isn’t likely to help.

https://www.wpr.org/buying-house-wisconsin-has-been-getting-more-expensive-inflation-isnt-likely-help

– Multi-family development, industrial park planned in Germantown

– Germantown officials planning new public works building, 37-acre industrial park

# SPORTS

– Milwaukee Bucks convert artist space into premium hospitality

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2022/03/25/milwaukee-bucks-convert-artist-space-into-premium.html

# TECHNOLOGY

– With tech launches, Epic Systems looks to future of healthcare accessibility

https://madison.com/business/with-tech-launches-epic-systems-looks-to-future-of-healthcare-accessibility/article_6edc8b40-477b-5d98-a212-ffd308087bbf.html

– Founder/Fest at Milwaukee’s new Eagleknit space convened entrepreneurs, awarded $3,200 microgrant: Slideshow

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/inno/stories/news/2022/03/26/founder-fest-eagleknit-slideshow.html

– Walmart putting millions into automation at Menomonie DC

https://www.leadertelegram.com/news/front-page/walmart-putting-millions-into-automation-at-menomonie-dc/article_152c8cf3-dc95-5cc5-b0bf-783f5ed48863.html

# TRANSPORTATION

– Gov. Evers approves $9.4 million in WisDOT harbor grants

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=306&yr=2022

– Amtrak Hiawatha restores two daily round-trip options that were suspended for two months

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2022/03/25/amtrak-hiawatha-restores-two-daily-round-trip-opti.html

– Lawmakers want a $350M icebreaker to improve Great Lakes shipping

https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2022/03/25/lawmakers-want-350-m-icebreaker-improve-great-lakes-shipping/7038977001/

– Rock County plans to add 100 solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations

https://www.gazettextra.com/news/local/rock-county-plans-to-add-100-solar-powered-electric-vehicle-charging-stations/article_606f4568-abe3-11ec-86ab-8720112618ca.html

# PRESS RELEASES

<i>See these and other press releases:

http://wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 </i>

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