HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-04-03-HSC-min.pdf Minutes Human Services Committee 4/3/89
nPresent Bob Cushman, Co-Chairman; Dick Dougherty;
Seymour Mandel ; Harvey Lowell ; Sheila Martin;
Ann Irving ; and Steve Baran, Human Services
Coordinator
1 The Minutes of the meeting of 3/ 13 were accepted
2 Steve had no report to make
3 Harvey inquired why special needs recreation was not on
the agenda Steve said that Paul Lombard, Bob Renna
Rachel Rosenblum and Debby Packard were being invited
to appear on 4/24 Debby Packard was unable to appear
this evening
4 Options for a school -based counseling program were
discussed It was noted that the Human Services
budget was open for reconsideration in Town Meeting
Also, Jean Sidman, the school social worker who had
been dismissed effective September, 1989 (a year prior
to her retirement) was interested in providing input to
planning and was prepared to talk about need for
counseling in the schools with the Human Services
Committee
( Options considered were
a changing the outreach worker position into a
school counselor position since the one full -
time equivalent outreach worker was already
in the schools;
b request the equivalent of an additional 0 5 FTE in
funding;
c try to construct a proposal for school -based
counseling that would not require additional
funding (not considered feasible in view of time
limitations ) ;
d investigate fund raising capability of
RePlace and Trustees of the Public Trust as
additional funding sources (not considered
feasible since RePlace fund raising was
needed to respond to its deficit and Trustees
would probably not be interested in making up
for School Department cuts ) ;
e permit RePlace to negotiate unilaterally with the
School Department since the Superintendent was
prepared to offer in-kind contributions (office
L) telephone, etc ) while RePlace was strongly
Minutes, Human Services Committee, 4/3/89 Page 2
n
motivated to be more accepted in the schools ;
f do nothing at this time since there is no emergency and
RePlace is already receiving $73, 000 in funding (not
considered feasible since this would allow the
opportunity to slip away to move forward on installing
a community oriented counseling program in the schools;
moreover there was concern about real extent of need
since Steve noted that Peter Burke, Director of
Guidance, had referred to 13 suicide ideations so far
this year and was planning to forward more data
There was unanimous agreement to seek an additional
$ 10, 000 in funding for RePlace contingent on the
Selectmen showing interest (since Steve had indicated
the mood of Town Meeting was to vote no additional
funding in view of a very deliberate negotiating
process already having taken place between the School
Committee and the Selectmen and one motion to approve
additional funding for a school program already
defeated) The $ 10, 000 would make up the difference
between the existing full -time equivalent outreach
worker position funded at around $ 18, 000 and what a
full -time Master ' s degree position would cost
( ) It was also agreed to write a letter to the Selectmen
expressing concern about the perceived extent of
problems in the school and the need for counseling
noting that the school proposal had been received very
late and time was needed to study the situation The
letter would indicate the current thinking of the Human
Services Committee on the general philosophical
approach needed for school counseling along the lines
of the recent memo pertaining to substance abuse sent
to the Selectmen
It was noted that while RePlace had been prompt in
submitting a proposal , that proposal revealed a
problem in RePlace defining itself
5 Bob Cushman reported that the Selectmen had agreed to
support the request of the Human Services Committee to
do a forum on substance abuse It was agreed that the
form should address the need for a comprehensive model
of school counseling Committee members asked how
there could be a desire on the part of the town for a
strong substance abuse policy while eliminating a
counseling position, and what was the position of Leo
McSweeney as Selectmen' s liaison to the Human Services
( Committee
Minutes, Human Services Committee, 4/3/89 Page 3
n
Steve suggested (on behalf of Renee Cochin) that the
Committee begin to think of possible panelists for the
drug abuse forum, and it was suggested that Wallis
Court Associates might be such a resource in view of
the survey they had carried out in the Winchester
school system There was some feeling that local
people be considered among panelists along with experts
who would come from outside of the town and include
Jean Sidman Other considerations are the date and
time for the forum
6 Requests for agenda for next meeting were
special needs recreation to be scheduled for
one hour ;
school -based counseling
Respectfully submitted,
( ) Stephen Baran