HomeMy WebLinkAbout1982-07-12-HSC-min.pdf HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
Minutes of the Meeting of July 12, 1982
Present Steve Baran, Stan Finkelstein, Tom Zarle , Nancy Zarle,
Judy Zabin, Howard Reynolds ; Bea Phear, Staff; Kelly
Bates, observer; Joan Danziger, Heller School student
Minutes The minutes of June 28, 1982 were accepted as ammended
Add Several times during the meeting the committee expressed
its appreciation for David Enamn' s coming in to discuss
handicapped affairs with us
Muzzey
Steve announced that the Selectmen would be discussing Muzzey later
this evening, and that Howard would go as planned as the committee' s
representative Steve read the Planning Board' s letter to the Selectmen
to members of the committee The committee agreed to support the
process of refining the charge and request for proposal statements
prior to going out to solicit bids or advertizing Howard will say
that more time is required for us to provide input either in preparing
the charge or in providing data
Steve would also like to see the committee review the need for a senior
center, as well as other human service needs It is incumbent upon us
to determine what information and input should be
Intern
Steve welcomed Joan, who is considering being an intern She said her
interests were in evaluation, as she was now in the management training
program, and she would like to work on the suggested CMARC evaluation
and perhaps expand that to looking at a variety of services for the
mentally retarded She had worked at a sheltered workshop in San Diego
prior to coming to Heller Roberta had thought Joan might also be
interested in handicapped affairs Joan was concerned about her time
constraints, and wanted to see what she could do before committing herself
Nancy mentioned that perhaps a nurse training in rehabilitation would
be interested in handicapped issues
Joan will talk further with Steve and Bea, and will start in the fall ,
Mystic Valley
Stan distributed a revised draft, which was discussed by the committee
and amended slightly after input from from the committee Stan plans
to wait another week, for comments from the Selectmen and Manager, and then
procede with the process for signing
Stan said it looked like they would need about $7, 000 for emergency
services and get $3,000 for early intervention Judy wondered if they
knew they woudl only need $7, 000 when they first applied Stan thought
ves, probably, but some funding had been up in the air
There was discussion about Stan attending MVMH Board meetings in
order to be able to offer more constructive suggestions
Handicapped Affairs
Bea distributed a proposal from David Ehman for an Advisory Committee
appointed by the Town Manager The committee felt that the proposal
was much stronger in structure than they had expected, and the
committee asked Bea to speak with David to determine if that° was
what he intended The Human Services Committee is reluctant to make
a recommendation to the Selectmen to form a new committee until a
demonstrated need showed that a sub-committee was insufficient
It was decided to ask Bea to give David the message that we are
supportive of the concept, and definitely interested in having some
group, but can' t move until we get more focus on the committee
structure issue in general Meanwhile, David should go ahead and
begin the planning steps to begin work - expand the needs assessment
concept and his idea of an accessibility study The Human Services
Committee, through Steve, will also talk about this with Jim Crain
Muzzey
Howard reported on the Selectmen' s meeting The Planning Board
presented their letter Howard said he thought 30 days would be
a reasonable goal for input The manager proposed that each group
provide a written proposal by August 9 , with data for input in order
to draft a charge The period from August 9 - 23 will be used to
review and synthesize these with chairmen from each board By Aug 25
a charge will be drafted and a committee appointed, still aiming at
a special town meeting in December Prior conversion committee
members will be invited to participate again
What statement does the Human Services Committee want to make?
1 Are there agencies interested in or able to locate in Muzzey, and
their space needs?
2 Comment on the senior center issue
Next Meeting
Monday, July 26 Review of senior center needs and space report
Bea bring inventory of space requests from agencies
Sub-committee structure
Respectfully submitted,
Beatrice Phear
ih7
July 12, 1982
TOIL,
of tom" tp
TO Robert M Hutchinson, Jr
FROM. Bea Pheax "'
RE Handicapped Affairs
For Your Interest
Attached is a brief proposal written by David Enman regarding
establishing a committee on Handicapped Affairs
David approached the Human Services Committee two weeks ago, to
request that they create a new sub-committee He proposed that
this sub-committee, under the charge to the Human Services Committee
of identifying gaps and educating citizens , would perform a needs
assessment, study accessibility of buildings and routes throughout
Lexington as a public service, explore compliance with section 504,
and set some priorities for action and recommendations
The Human Services Committee was very supportive of the goals and
asked him to write a brief proposal so they could then discuss
possible structures, considering the potential advocacy stance and
funding needs
A A sub-committee of the Human Services committee, created
by the Human Services committee
B A totally independent citizens group that occassionally
talked with Town boards and committees and might apply
for town funding, but was not part of the town structure
C An ad hoc committee somewhere in between, with a Human
Services committee liaison and charge from the Human
Services committee
D A separate town committee established by you or the
Selectmen
The Human Services Committee will be discussing this issue tonight,
along with a broader discussion of sub-committees in general, and
will probably be making a recommendation I will keep you informed
00,00 MOPkNe
1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE LEXINOTON. MASSACHUSETTS 02173 TELEPHONE (617) 662-0500 t M6St*
f i c.
PROPOSAL TO THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
The Advisory Committee on Handicapped Affairs would be
r.ardated by the Town Manager to act as a centralizing force in
-be Town of Lexington and the community relative to all handicapped
_ssues The Committee ' s functions would include but not be
II .ited to the following providing information, referral,
guLdanoe , coordination, and technical assistance to public
ager. es and private persons , organizations, and institutions
engaged in activities and programs intended to enhance the well-
being of persons with handicaps ; promoting attitudinal awareness
ar tg members of the general public as to the needs and abilities
of persons with handicaps ; serving as liaison between Lexington ' s
hardicapped residents and employees, and the Town government ; and
insuring that appropriate regulations are adopted and enforced
pursuant Lo the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as well as other legislation upholding and advancing
the right of individuals with handicaps
The At isory Committee on Handicapped Affairs would be com-
posed of residents of Lexington who are handicapped ; parents ,
friends , or other persons interested in the handicapped; and at
least two representatives of Town government, one of whom currently
serves on the Human Services Committee Each member• would be
appointed by the Town Manager Individuals who have already
consented to be nominated for appointment to the Committee include
Daysd Enman, Dan Murphy, and Nancy Schock
In establishing such an Advisory Committee , Lexington would
a growing network of cities and towns across the state and a,
throughout the country which have formed similar committees to
address the concerns of what has been recently recognized as the
rat_on ' s last minority group -- the handicapped Within Massachusetts •
say% committees haze been organized in Auburn, Beverly, Boston, •
Bra_rtree , Brookline , Cambridge , Danvers , Fitchburg, Framingham,
,_oucester , Holyoke , Lawrence , Lee , Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead,
cd`ird, Needham, Newton, Northampton, Norwood, Peabody, Pittsfield,
ca_es Saugus Springfield, Stoneham, Westwood, and Worcester
In keeping with Lexington ' s tradition of commitment to personal
f: eedom, it Seems appropriate that an Advisory Committee on
rardicappcd Affair:, be establ1 hed in the immediate future