BELOIT, Wis. – Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services Dawn Crim kicked off a series of Rotary Presentations in Beloit on Tuesday, January 25. She was the guest speaker at the Beloit Rotary Club, where she presented an agency overview as well as updates on department projects and priorities.
These updates included agency work to update the commercial building code with more expansive allowances for mass timber construction, a sustainable alternative to concrete-and-steel construction. She also discussed two significant technology projects that will automate the occupational license application process, which is still largely paper based. One of the technology projects is an application that uses artificial intelligence to enter data and begin initial document management. The other will create an online application portal to replace paper forms. Together, all this work reflects Crim’s ongoing efforts to modernize agency operations while meeting the increasing demand for agency services.
She also used the Rotary four-way test to examine the value of another DSPS project, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. The PDMP is a database that enables physicians and other health professionals to access information about a patient’s pain prescriptions in real time. The PDMP also aggregates the data and provides state- and county-level prescribing information, which informs policy decisions. The PDMP has transformed opioid prescribing practices and is part of the state’s multi-faceted effort to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.
As part of her remarks, Secretary Crim also shared news from the governor, including updates on his $4.5 billion allocation of federal funds to help state residents, businesses, schools, colleges and universities, farms, and communities recover from the effects of the pandemic.
“As a Rotarian myself, I know how committed these groups are to the wellbeing of their communities. These are civic leaders and public servants who want the best for the people of Wisconsin,” she said. “It is an honor to be able to share with them the work we are doing at the agency and in the administration to help Wisconsin recover from the pandemic and build back better so that we are a state where everyone can thrive and prosper.”
Crim says the Rotary meetings are valuable points of connection between DSPS, the administration, and communities in Wisconsin. “These interactions provide a venue for invaluable direct feedback on our work and impact,” Crim said, “plus, they may lead to valuable future collaborations on important issues.”
A 15-year member of the Madison Rotary Club, Crim has scheduled a series of Rotary talks throughout the state. She will next travel to Neenah on Tuesday, February 1, to deliver remarks at the Fox Cities Rotary meeting. Later this month, she will be at the Janesville Noon Rotary on Monday, February 21. After that she will speak at the Edgerton Rotary Club on Tuesday, March 8, and the Oshkosh Rotary Club on Monday, March 21.
Other Rotary clubs interested in a presentation can contact DSPS Director of Public Affairs Jennifer Garrett at 608.576.2491 or Jennifer.garrett@wisconsin.gov
About the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
The Department of Safety and Professional Services issues more than 240 unique licenses, administers dozens of boards and councils that regulate professions, enforces state building codes, runs the state fire prevention program, and maintains the award-winning Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is a key tool in the multi-faceted public health campaign to stem excessive opioid prescribing. A fee-based agency, the Department of Safety and Professional Services is self-sustaining and receives no general fund tax dollars for its day-to-day operations. With five offices and 250 employees throughout Wisconsin, DSPS collaborates with constituents and stakeholders across a wide range of industries to promote safety and advance the economy.
