HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-02-23-HSC-min.pdf HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE - MINUTES
February 23, 1981
Present Ruth Butler, Nickey Osborne, Carol Perez, Steve Baran, Ruth Nablo also
Bea Phear
Meeting Schedule
Howard was unable to attend and has trouble with Mondays; Carol is in school each
evening Nicky is in a very busy period doing contracts There was a sense that it
is difficult to accomplish a lot without the continuity of regular attendance There
was an attempt to find a better day, but all are just as difficult It was decided
to plan to meet on alternate Monday evenings, to lighten the commitment
Committee Role and Structure
Ruth Butler showed a transparency of different orientations to human services problem,
prevention, and management/accountability Each is flawed, and she felt there is a
need to find a new way to focus that incorporates the best of these Nicky said that
that issue of role is not incompatable with addressing the question of committee
structure and communication, and once the structure is in place, any one of many
different functions and/or philosophical thrusts could be followed
Bea will incorporate John Mackey's comments into Nicky's rough draft for a second
draft of recommendations for a committee structure There will be two versions for
membership terms (one formal with rolling two year terms and one more informal with
a statement of goals) and two versions regarding composition ( one as drafted and one
with an articulated link with the school department ) The emphasis on a multi-
disciplinary team and on consumer input will be retained
Ruth Butler will draft a position paper on the purpose and role of the committee,
including the philosphical base of prevention and the mechanism of contract
These drafts will be reviewed on March 9th and the discussed with the Selectmen's
liaison on March 23rd at 5 30 if he's available
Relationship to Selectmen and Manager's Office
Ruth Nablo asked about the job descriptions in the Manager's office in terms of
human service functions The Committee felt a coordinator might make that more
comprehensible, but came to the conclusion that it was most important that the functions
be spelled out and how they were delegated was somewhat less releventi as long as
teh competancy and accountability were there Carol suggested a "Human Services
Coordinator and Accountability Monitor
There is still concern about the Selectmen not having used the Committee enough Bea
felt that it was primarily an issue of timing and that the Committee needed to be more
proactive Carol pointed out that one of the educational functions of the Committee
is to educate the policy makers Nicky felt that they are open to attending to
human services, but they are busy so we have to communicate with them The programmatic
issues can't be divorced from the financial issues
Funding Questions
Steve reported that he had talked with the director of evaluation for informational
services who is very positive about the computer system that Mystic Valley is using
She also said the new director, Dr Lund, is oriented towards quality and evalaution
Ruth Nablo asked if this meant that the Committee would discuss Mystic Valley again?
We felt no, but that the Appropriation Committee.,would want to talk with us Ruth
2/23/81 p 2
will talk with Barry Marshall about scheduling a meeting
Community Health Committee
Steve reported on the workshop of the Community Health Committee around issues of
the frail elderly Focus will be on prevention, using the elderly needs assessment
as a base He reported that Bea had raised the issue of the purpose of the workshop
a show and tell forum or bringing providers together as a first step in collaborative
planning Steve felt that question is not yet worked through, but the sponsors are
taking an educational role and asked us to give our stamp of approval on their
general approach with small groups discussing health, nutrition, transportation, ,{
home maintenance, consumer education, and stress management Ruth Butler pointed
out that the area of economics had been left out and the need to focus on organizing
financial resources in retirement Ruth Nablo was concerned about resolutions being
passed to promote certain goals, also from the point of view of the League of Women
Voters as another cosponsoring group which sees this workshop as an educational
function It was decided that the Human Service Committee will continue to co-sponsor
and will stress the need for financial discussion and discourage the use of this as
a resolution passing forum Ruth Butler suggested using booths to publicize the
available programs, and Ruth Nablo suggested evalaution sheets
Next Meetings
March 9 at 7 30 p.m to discuss drafts of structure (Bea) and purpose (Ruth Butler)
March 23 at 5 30 p.m. with sandwich supper to present drafts to Jim Crain and
discuss them with him
Respectfully
9i.� Submitted,
C3.7i/� •" n
Beatrice Phear