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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-07-10-HSC-min.pdf nMinutes Human Services Committee 7/ 10/89 Present Renee Cochin and Bob Cushman Co-Chairmen Harvey Luwell ; Leonora Feeney Beth Klarman ; Sheila Martin Ann Irving and Steve Baran Human Services Coordinator l Minutes of 6/28/89 The Minutes were accepted Seniur Health Monitor Program Beth Klarman said that she had not proceeded with site visiting but would be attending a meeting of the Senior Health Monitor Subcommittee scheduled for 7/ 14 and subsequently report to the Committee Beth said she sensed a lack of clarity on the part of the Subcommittee about reporting Also she gathered, t was their understanding that the bid process was a customary part of Town procedures Renee felt that the Cuuncil on Aging and Human Services Committee, not the Subcommittee should make the final Cdecision on who would hold the contract for visiting nursing in the coming year Steve was asked to assure that the meeting that had been set up to report to the Town Manager on the findings of the pre-bid process was arranged at a time when the Co-Chairmen could attend 3 Meeting of Co-Chairmen with Town Manager The Town Manager in a meeting with Renee and Bob on 6/28 emphasized the planning, coordination, integration and policy-oriented functions of the Human Services Committee as outlined in the Committee' s Charge, clarified boundaries with respect to the Council on Aging and Human Services Coordinator being accountable to him, saw a useful role for the Committee in serving as a resource for reviewing COA and other human services ' budgets A subsequent meeting is planned with the COA leadership to clarify how this will be done Steve indicated his interest in prioritizing program budgets as he has already requested in the case of RePlace subprograms () Minutes Human Services Committee, 7/ 10/89 Page 2 4 Human Services Department Goals Steve reviewed draft first quarter goals for the Human Services Department It was suggested that as part of the communication goal with the Human Services Committee that there should be reguiar reporting not only of subcommittee activities but of funded programs reporting to the Human Services Department as required by their contracts It was observed that the Human Services Committee could serve as a resource to human service programs but should not be seen as a "technical " resource as would be the case in providing technical assistance since this was seen as overstepping the Committee' s responsibilities 5 Drug Forum It was agreed to hold the Drug Forum on the evening of 10/ 19 at the Clarke Junior High School Steve will (I) check to make sure this date does not conflict with plans of either the League of Women Voters or the Guidance Advisory Committee 6 Life Skills It was agreed to invite Assistant Superintendent David Wilson to review the Life Skills program with the Human Services Committee on 8/7 7 Human Services Committee Candidates It was agreed to invite Human Services Committee candidates for either August 7 or August 21 to be interviewed by the entire Committee Resumes will be obtained from candidates who have not submitted them. Questions used in last round of interviews will be used again 8 Discussions around RePlace contract with the School Department A review of Steve' s notes from his last meeting with Bill Blout, RePlace Director, and Peter Burke, Director of Guidance, suggested that there remained considerable lack of clarity about the independence of the school program in an nMinutes , Human Services Committee 7/ 10/89 Page 3 eventual program to be carried out in the schools Steve was asked to clarify with Dave Wilson who is on the Board of RePlace whether there was any conflict of interest involved in his representing the School Department in negotiating a contract with RePlace 9 Parents' Committee with Special Needs It was agreed that Steve will draft a charge to facilitate the Selectmen determining whether the Parents' Committee with Special Needs might become a subcommittee of the Human Services Committee 10 Preliminary report special needs recreation in neiehburine towns A brief analysis of prelimninary report data showed the relatively large expenditures in most other neighboring towns un special needs recreation as (I) compared with Lexington It was felt that there needed to be considerable educational efforts to acquaint the Recreation Committee and the Recreation Department with the normalization philosophy Harvey said that he understood Rick White intended to make special needs efforts a part of the expectations for the Recreation Coordinator who was being hired It was agreed to write a letter to Judy Marshall and Joan Halverson thanking them for their visit to the Human Services Committee and expressing interest in a continuing process of focusing on special needs beginning with their meeting with representatives of the Parents' Committee with Special Needs U Minutes Human Services Committee, 7/ 10/89 Page 4 11 RePlace Steve suggested inviting RePlace representatives to discuss their accomplishments during the past year, and it was agreed to do so Respectfully submitted, G177 P � l>l Stephen Saran Human Services Coordinator U TnWN liE LEXI 4CiTfN 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington MA 02173 Memorandum 12 89 To Marion Shepp and Martha Ziegler , co-Chairmen, Lexington Citizens with Special Needs Fr Steve Baran Human Services ;.uordinator Re Proposed charge for Lexington Citizens with Special Needs so that they may become a subcommittee or the Human Services Committee n order fo he Se ectmen tc consider your request to become a ubccmm - tee he H'.man = s .m ` e�=_ .,uuii seem appropriateu =uggest to them a charge Please review the draft worm g Pel w CHARGE Lexington Citizens with Special Needs MEMBERSHIP =rive members will act as an ongoing steering committtee to be appointed by the Human Services Committee Regular membership will otherwise be open to all persons whose concerns are pertinent to the committee' s purpose Members wi 1 have actual life experience ur professional experience elated to the Committee purpose BACKGROUND -he Lexington Citizens with Special Needs began as a group of parents organized in 1984 to advocate for their adult mentally ill and developmentally disabled children living with them at home in Lexington "he needs it these young adults are to continue their lifetime `asl. it 'r wth snd velupment whi h Id?g canPrntinu rrrm heir parents and becoming as ndepenoent as possible while enjoying the jmpanionship of peuo e of `heir own age It is ,operative as their parents grow older that such aspirations be ealized before excessive dependence meets in or lige crises force hastily untrived living arrangements U ^ Charge to Lexington Citizens with Special Needs Page 2 } /� \ :HA6GE The Committee serving as a Subcommittee uf the Human Services Committee will seek to represent all mentally handicapped citizens with special leterenoe to mentally handicapped young adults Including those with mental reterdation, mental illness epilepsy and other lifelong disabilities Its tasks will include | Education of the general public as to the needs of mentally handicapped citizens to the end uf �ainio� acceptance for a philosophy of normalization acceptance and integration of the mentally handicapped Ito it r*ti \ ainstream \ is/ i1g } Jrgaoiz^ I4 of entaily handicapped citizens and their advocates so that the needs of the mentally nanUicapped may be met through housing , social and recreational 1:ro&rams 3 Enhancing communication between the subcommittee and the Human Services Committee and Human Services / \ Department and between those entities and other groups `— with related activities and goals such as the Enablement rommittee the Recreation Committee and Recreation Department of the Town the L&88 program, the Special Needs/Pupil Services program of the School Department the Central Middlesex Association of Retarded LlLizeos the Mass Department of Mental Health and the Mass Department of Mental Retardation 4 Recommending a plan to be annually updated, for carrying out these tasks The Town Manager ' s office will supply staff support to this -ummittee The Lexington Citizens with Special Needs Committee shall report at least annually in writing to the Human Services Committee eview period catty its composition purpose and charge, e'ummendinv h.cin ee « ne eFear FD +he Penan rer / i -es ' ummittee Renee Cochin Bob Lushman Harvey Lowell