HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-03-23-HSC-min.pdf HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Minutes of the Meeting of March 23, 1981
Present Carol Perez, Ruth Butler, Ruth Nablo, Steve Baran, Howard Levingston
also Bea Phear
Minutes
The minutes of March 9 were ammended according to Steve Baran's memo (attached)
School Budget
Ruth Nablo reported that the school budget lists transportation for seven
people to CMARC and two to the Four-in-Hand She questions whether this is
an accurate number This is transportation for these over age 22, and is
probably for DMH and Mass Rehab people Bea will check if this number of people
is accurate
Policy Statement
Ruth Butler distributed a Rough Draft Working Statement for a Lexington human
services policy She attempted to demonstrate that there has been consensus on
prevention at the philosophical level for a long time, but had been originally
identified as primary prevention dealing with specific single causes Now
the issues for the young, old, and teens are that these populations are vulnerable
from a variety of environmental contributing factors as well as normal growth
and development age-related functioning She feels that at the point of entry
a great deal of non-problem related data is routinely collected and then dis-
carded This data could be used to identify strengths, and we could be giving
this support without interrupting treatment There is a need to reinforce those
systems that are related to the positive aspects, and resources should be brought
to the family rather than being operated on in a categorical structure
Ruth Nablo stressed the importance of being able to relate this perspective and
goals into the structure section of the committee's recommendations
Steve said this sounds like we are focusing on the positive attributes of an
individual as seen by a social agency, rather than anticipating for a group
He thought we were working towards a definition of vulnerability that would be
more inclusive, but now he hears more of a focus on individuals with problems
Ruth Butler said these needs are related to progressive change for everyone, not
only those with disease The point of debate is where we start to focus in the
service delivery system.
Bea said it needs to be translated into behavior/action for the Selectmen What
do we want them to do? How can the Town make the first steps in this direction?
Ruth Butler said that's easy to see We must take related groups like the
extended family and neighbors and get sancion for their involvement In this
community REPLACE is doing that with their volunteer program and we should really
push it and help with coordination of their resources This community is rich
in these resources
Minutes of Human Services March 23, 1981
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Carol felt it is necessary to talk about what is meant by point of, entry
It is not just when one seeks help, but also schools, well clinics etc That
has to be made clear We're talking about using current resources & current
staff in a different way
It was decided to take the draft home and think about it It was also thought
to be valuable to add vignettes using a composite "index child" to demonstrate
points
Howard said the Selectmen see us differently from the way we see ourselves We
are responding to the mandate to create a philosophical stance and we have to
impress them that we have a direction that is different CMARC is an example
of what we have done to implement some of these philosophies
Meeting with Jim Crain
The meeting will be at 5 30 p.m in Room 111 for supper Ruth Nablo will bring
a quiche, Beu.,will bring salad, and Howard dessert
It will be pointed out that this is a first step in our conclusions policy
position, related human services committee structure with procedures and
channels of communication Steve will draft a letter and agenda Ruth said
that our major conclusion is that there has to be a structure with clarity in
function that relates itself to vulnerabilities and can work with resources to
reinforce the strengths With 2-1/2 we have an opportunity to encourage people
to use their resources and we see a need in assisting with the development of
administrative kinkages A long range intention is to work with the schools
Announcements
Mystic Valley is inviting all to an open house on Wednesday, .April 15 5-8 p.m
Althea Korte, Board member of Mystic Valley, wants to arrange a meeting between
Dr Lund and the Committee She suggested April 13 at 8 p m It was decided
to meet at 7 30 (on that date) with him in order to allow time for other business
afterwards
David Enman, a disabled citizen, would like the Town to appoint a liaison to deal
with issues of the disabled e g an accessibility study or monitoring role The
Committee recommended that he be referred to the Community Health Committee
Bea asked the Committee to think about information and outreach, and publicizing
hot line numbers She is compiling a short list of about 40 primary resources for
Lexington & is considering the best way of getting the information out One
possibility is through a "call forwarding' network with a single agency acting as
the recipient of calls instead of multiple answering services This would assist
in ongoing needs assessment as well as having a trained person dealing with re-
quests Another possibility is using the Chamber of Commerce telephone book or a
Minutes of. Human Services March 23, 1981
- 3 -
regular section in the newspaper (as is done with the Vineyard Gazette)
which lists primary resources Bea plans to get the agencies together to
discuss this, as a first step
Bea suggested the committee consider recommending that REPLACE funding be moved
from the Board of Health
Next Meetings
March 30 5 30 p.m Room 111 - Pot Luck with Jim Crain at 8 00 p.m
April 13 7139 p.m Room 111 with Dr Lund of Mystic Valley (he can 't come
at 7 30) g+ SY0
8 30 p m with Youth Commission (Marcia Feakes called me and re-
quested this I said o.k )
Respectfully submitted,
Bea Phear
TO Bea Phear
FROM Steve Baran >
SUBJECT Revision of Minutes
DATE March 17 , 1981
The first paragraph of the Minutes of the meeting of March
23rd, if approved by the Committee, should read as follows
Steve suggested that the para raph in the March 9 minutes de-
scribing complementary functions of the Human Services Committee
and the Town Manager be revised as follows
Steve passed out two diagrams placing the Committee in a pivotal
role between the Selectmen and the social agencies they fund,
focusing on the effects or outcomes which the agencies would
be responsible for achieving with consumers, The purpose of
the Human Services Committee would be to understand what effects
have been or should be achieved for vulnerable populations
The expectation that an effort would be made to achieve these etc:- _
effects or outcomes would be written into the contracts o:f he
Town-funded ageencies The purpose of the Town Managers : ' fid be c__ . 4 -
to assist and audit agencies both in their processes and in
their achievement of effects or outcomes and report to the Human
( Services Committee and Selectmen mainly on what effects had been
achieved The Selectmen and Human Services Committee would be
mainly concerned with whether or not "end products" were de-
livered ( effects, outcomes) The Town Manager would be mainly
concerned with monitoring the efficiency of the process and measuring
and reporting effectiveness, i e , effects achieved
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3/23/81 f'
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ROUGH DRAFT A WORKING STATEMENT
C Purpose The Human Service Committee (HSC) set an _ I
overriding theme--promotion of well-being--as the
long range purpose for human service resources
offered by the Town of Lexington The theme of
well-being is not new among care givers repre- ( .
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sented in health/medical , psychological , economic t: 9I '
relief, special education, nursing, social service
today The theme of well-being enunciated by the
St.
World Health Organization during the 1940 ' s has
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persisted as the star that draws the various ser- a,
vice systems toward the purpose of promoting a I .
state of total health, physical, intellectual ,
emotional, social, in contrast to defining health
as merely the absence of disease and infirmity
At the philosophical level concepts such
as betterment of well-being - quality of life are ! ` `
reinforced by policy makers and officials in
standard setting agencies , members of human ser-
vices , citizens in voluntary groups , etc
Philosophy contrasts sharply with pro-
cedures applied at the entry point into human
service systems when €in wts focus solely upon
problem identity and treatment
Interventions after rather than before
this fact of problems defines prevention in the fs
negative sense - directed to reducing complica-
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tions and lessening dysfunctioning Applying iRverfrw
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procedures at this time is costly and the services I
are less effective
The perception of prevention called for
by the HSC addresses positive prevention focused
upon promoting capabilities and healthy function-
ing that are intact--irspite of the presence of p:r
problems and negative factors of illness and
handicapping conditions This newer orientation
to prevention requires action which directs exist-
ing resources in a specific community to full i ;t;
utilization of all its available resources The
social and economic dividends of this approach I
are documented by the stunning accomplishments of
the many handicapped who have taken their place
in the market place and also live full lives as }
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family members j
The approach requires as a common base
early recognition and reinforcement of strengths
and abilities possessed by vulnerable groupsYkrr" I
the very young and overloadzd--the very old sd
alone--confused teenagers and their troubled par-
ents--without neglecting those with vulnerabili-
ties relattvei to disease and handicaps...
Feasibility of The idea of promotional care underlies
Positive
Interventions public i4MNIA programs i e , well child programs ,
school health sea nutrition services and screening
programs for adults and the aged
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The administrative structure is in place
The missing factors center upon policy and fiscal
ccs
support acquired for -a-sic-plying mechanisms in the
form of routine entry tools These tools could
enable personnel who perform these tasks to pro-
vide community outreach and services available
in other community resources Policy and practice t'
changes are required to permit incorporating out-
reach and positive services within current struc-
ture and can be done without interfering with
traditionally providgat problem identification
and treatment
How can this be Two populations have been brought to the
(done n.re.� Ats
attention of the HSC a frequent t3fini
�s snce its
beginning during the fall of 1979 fi,
The two groups 1) the teenagers represented if
by Replace, 2) the elderly represented by the sur-
vey for the needs of the elderly and the health
conwiittee
Problems reflect that several agencies are
concerned Teenagers raftt among interested parties j"
3
such as the School Counseling dept , Mystic Valley
Mental Health, the police, church groups ,rou s etc -- i"
the elderly are of concern to the Council on Aging ,
Minuteman Services , church groups , housing author-
ities , transportation, health committee , etc
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Clearly--causal factors and needs for
human services in the twentieth century are not
related to specific causation as in the past yet , �p
in the structure from the past continues to govern
practice This structure addressed to categorical
service produces waste shown by inefficiencies
i e , duplication, fragmentation, and underutili-
zation--Lexington has-an exceptional positive
resources manifested by the numbers of promotional ,
services - recreation - church - cultural - educa-
4 7
tion programs , etc - a structure is needed to
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increase their accessibility to families - of the ;+!
teenagers and families of the aged
The choice to be made by the HSC as an
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initial step requires realistic appraisal of
policy, structure, mechanisms applied at entry
into human services -- shifting focus here to a,
position and outreach automatically directs all
recourses offered by a system-- to improvement
in functioning--in addition--to lessening problemsril;
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