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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-10-21-HSC-rpt.pdf Report of the Human Services Committee on Needs and Priorities in Human Services-- from the Hearing of June 19, 1986 Presented to the Board of Selectmen, Town of Lexington, October 21, 1986 Purpose The purpose of this report is to review the findings of a June 19, 1986 hearing conducted by the Human Services Committee on needs and priorities in human services and recommend a systematic response and feasible plan for the coming year 45 representatives of human service agencies and Town departments and committees gave oral and written testimony Prominent areas were youth, housing, recreation, transportation, and crisis management. The Committee believes that enhanced communication is a key ingredient to making progress in responding to human need in Lexington The Human Services Committee The Human Services Committee recommends to the Board of Selectmen human service policies, goals and priorities Its members are from planning, evaluation and management of human services and health care and prevention backgrounds, and include other interested citizens Funding requests from human service agencies are reviewed, and citizen partici- pation leads to making recommendations on such issues as responding to crises of the mentally ill and elderly, and providing youth and recreational services Background In its Charge to the Human Services Committee (August 3, 1981) the Board of Selectmen asked the Committee to assume roles of "planning, coordination, evaluation, and communication" as part of a human services planning process During this past year the process has been highlighted by two town-wide forums on human service issues in which the Selectmen and other groups participated. Looking back, the Committee has been struck by the degree of fragmentation existing between agencies, associations, and other groups concerned with quality of life issues In addition to such gatherings, the Committee has sought to ascertain need through needs assessments and through circulating Requests for Proposals (RFPs') whereby different groups, through the proposal mechanism, could bring needs, and recommended ways of responding to need, to the attention of the Selectmen and the Town Stance of Committee The Committee has come to appreciate through the June 19th hearing that there is considerable isolation among different groups of citizens--the physically handicapped, people with special needs, single parents, middle-aged parents, etc. ._ e Needs and Priorities, page 2 __ _ _ C At the same time, there appears to be a sense of isolation among• the very groups to which we look to provide human services in the sense that they do not always have sufficient opportunities to communicate with each other about common problems Therefore, the Committee has become convinced thatit should promote communication within and among groups of citizens and human service providers Additionally, the Committee will encourage feasible planning. matching appropriate resources and situations where intervention is most likely to make a difference; avoiding duplication of services while reducing costs; and seeking financing mechanisms that are innovative in nature Feasibility Approach to Need/Problem Areas Youth, housing, and crisis response are among the problematic areas that would benefit from more communication between the individuals and groups committed to finding solutions. Our members will participate with these experts Moreover, the Committee will bring to bear its critical perspective, based on its experience in the human service field, and will propose ways either for the Town to fund programs or for funding to be obtained from other sources -YOUTH- Examples of Testimony "Anecdotal and indirect evidence suggests that Lexington families cannot find the daycare they need for their children. For instance, the Children's Center of Lexington with 68 slots was able to accept only 19 new children this year They have a waiting list of 110 " --Lexington Pre-School PTA Marsha Baker, Stephanie Monahan "More and more these days my office receives calls from parents looking to the state to provide direction and support for their troubled children. I think we can all agree that it is necessary for us to place a premium on the well-being of our adolescents and teenagers so they are best prepared to become effective members of our community " --Senator Richard A. Kraus "I am recommending three specific programs which are aimea at identifying troubled adolescents and then providing services to this group in the earliest stages of symptom development. Adoles- cent Health Clinic ("well-teen' typemodel) Comprehensive Education/ Prevention Programs ("psycho-educational programs') .Early Inter- vention Program for Adolescents (peer counseling' ) --William L. Blout, Director, PEPlace , Inc. (_ Needs and Priorities, page 3 Findings d Youth present problems of drug and alsohol abuse, a sense of not belonging to the community, family dysfunctioning and homelessness Day care resources for various age groupings and recreational facilities for infants and toddlers and special needs youth were found lacking Community Response A survey is being undertaken by an ad hoc youth survey committee to elicit the views and feelings of young people with respect to "family life, school, peers, how time is spent, food and drugs, sexuality, pressures and where to go for help, suicide, needs and wants" (A Proposal for a Study of Lexington Youth, September, 1986) With a Selectman acting as liaison, representatives of groups which have been working with youth on drug and alcohol abuse, e g , Youth Commission, Re- place, Everyone's Youth Group, ad hoc youth survey group) will be meeting periodically A survey has been proposed for preschoolers Collection, updating, and dissemination of day care information has been proposed. A health clinic, education and peer counseling programs have been proposed. The Library will continue to assemble a computerized data base of resources and bibliography for citizens and students who seek information on the quality of life of young people and their families Human Services Committee Response The Human Services Committee will offer consultation to the Lexington Youth Survey Project and report on this process to the Selectmen, cooperate closely with community groups coping with problems of drug and alcohol abuse among the youth, and be available to participate in responding to other areas of study and action concerning young people -CRISIS- Examples of Testimony "The main problem is in dealing with the elderly who are living alone An elderly person has called at 3 a.m. on the weekend complaining of being without heat. Such old people do not want to leave home There is an increasing number living alone and in poverty " --Assistant Chief John McDonough, Fire Department Needs and Priorities, page 4 "Over the course of a year the Police Department receives a number of various requests which would be classified under Human Services These range from care of the mentally ill or intoxicated to the sheltering of visitors without funds "Generally speaking we have found the services provided to the mentally ill to be inadequate at best The people in a position to accept responsibility for the evaluation and care of the mentally ill never seem to want to make the necessary judgement The evaluation system becomes very time consuming "In order to hospitalize a person we have to tie up at least two officers for lengthy periods of time " --James Kilmartin, Captain of Operations, Police Department Findings Uniform policies and procedures are lacking for responding to crises of the elderly living alone, the mentally ill, the intoxicated. 'and the homeless Community Response Upon invitation of the Board of Health the Human Services Coordinator is participating with the Director of the Council on Aging in, clarifying the role of the Visiting Nurse and Community Health, Inc. in preventing,, as well as responding to, crises among the elderly Human Services Committee Response The Human Services Committee will review and respond to fact finding on crisis response and health visiting to the elderly The Committee has asked for a report from the Crisis Intervention Team, Choate Symmes Health Services, Inc. , and a copy of its cotract with the Mass Department of Mental Health, Mystic Valley Area, concerning the Team's experiences and impressions on the subject of crisis response to the mentally ill in Lexington. Following the example of the Police Manual Committee, an end-product is envisaged for Standard Operating Procedures with respect to emergencies of the elderly, the mentally ill, the homeless, destitute, and intoxicated. -HOUSING- Examples of Testimony "Housing seems to be a major area of concern for the Town The issues ranging from suitability to affordability with the different groups focuing on their partgular concern Recently, at a special session of the C.0 A. Board, it was decided that the housing issue would be their priority focus for FY ' 87 .How can we better coordinate the efforts of the Planning Board, LexHab, Housing Authority, Housing Committee and now the C.O.A.?" --Linda Crew Vine, Executive Director, Council on Aging Needs and Priorities, page 5 strange and a different experience for people that in the end, they dcide they are not ready to make the step It might be that this issue could be addressed by having a group of Lexing- tonians of diverse racial make-up who would be willing to communi- cate with people when they become eligible for housing in Lexing- ton about the advantages of living in the community, transporta- tion, employment opportunities, etc. " --Robert Pressman, Chairman, Fair Housing Committee Findings Affordable housing was noted to be in short supply for the elderly and special needs citizens, low income and minority persons, and Lexington employees or residents Community Response A study is underway by the Planning Department to review the history of affordable housing and make recommendations for the future The Human Services Coordinator has been interviewed as part of the study He has made available the names of other key informants knowledgeable about the history of afforeable housing from the point of view of the physically handi- capped, minority groups and poor people, and with respect to human service needs A special Board committee is being formed by the Council on Aging to review and make recommendations on housing issues as they affect the elderly The Fair Housing Committee, Enablement Committee, and Parents' Committee for Special Needs will seek to make the transition to Lexington for poor, minority and handicapped citizens both feasible and practical Human Services Committee Response The Committee seeks to cooperate with groups concerned with housing issues from a human services perspective in order to promote communciation and coordination among these parties -OTHER PRIORITIES- There were other areas of need emerging prominently from the hearing It is obvious that in certain instances the different issues overlap In each area it is quite possible that Human Services Committee members will participate bringing to bear the same approach mentioned previously These areas are as follows Different groups of citizens have various recreational needs Special needs young people and young adults are becoming educated users of programs including new after-school activities and summer camp The elderly will increasingly make use of outdoor, as well as indoor, amenities Pre- schoolers require renovation or replacement of delapidated or missing equipment in their neighborhoods The handicapped are in need of weekend transportation while the elderly require individual rides for shopping, errands medical appointments and 3 > Needs and Priorities, page 6 visiting friends Special needs persons need help in getting to paid employment - Financing and Evaluation In addition, as in part urged by the Appropriation Committee, a potential role exists for the Human Services Committee to act in a brokering capacity with potential funding sources (corporations, foundations, the United Way, and State agencies) recommending to them ways in which they might finance thoughtful and well planned programs By the same token, the Committee will seek to fund through an RFP (Request for Proposal) programs that respond to the areas of problem and need mentioned above By continuing to monitor human service programs funded by the Town, while advising the Selectmen of feasible and economical aporoaches to human problems and needs, the Human Services Committee will continue to avoid duplication of services and reduce costs Harvey Lowell and Judith Zabin, Co-Chairmen Robert Cushman Janet Eustis Leonora Feeney Sheila Martin Sylvia Perlman Marion Shepp L