HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-10-02-HSC-min.pdf Human Services Committee Minutes, 10/2/89
Present Renee Cochin and Bob Cushman, Co-Chairmen; Ann Irving;
Seymour Mandel ; Dick Dougherty; Leonora Feeney; Dick
Dougherty; Sheila Martin; and Steve Baran, Human
Services Coordinator
1 Minutes of 9/11/89
Bob was not present at the Selectmen s Breakfast (see
page 2, item 3)
2 Minutes of 9/23/89
Page 1 , item 1
The PTA Standing Committee on Substance Abuse, not the
PTA Council , has endorsed the Substance Abuse Forum.
Seymour Mandel has prepared a letter to be sent to the
invitees (not just the School Committee)
Page 1 , Item 3, par 2
Change " the current emphasis in direction for the
Committee should be in emphasizing planning" to " the
current emphasis should be in planning RI
U Page 1 item 3, par 4
Change " It was recognized that moving away from
advising the Selectmen on how monies should be
allocated to specific service providers to determining
needs and estimating costs to meet those needs might
have to be a two-step process. " to "It was. Selectmen
on how contract awards should be carried out to
determine needs
Page 1 item 3, par 4
Change "The Selectmen may look to the Committee for
designating specific agencies in the coming year " to
"The Selectmen may look to the Committee to determine
needs of various town populations and delineate goals
and objectives for meeting those needs "
Coordinator s Report
Ground breaking for the Post Office ramp took place
Friday, 9/29 Nancy Schoch was pleased with her
reception by the Human Services Committee
The council on Aging has undertaken a review of their
( fee structure, is experiencing budget problems with its
Human Services Committee Minutes, 10/2/89 Page 2
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\ Meals on Wheels program' has proceeded with an RFP for
the Senior Health Monitor program which in the month of
September served 30 clients.
The Le: ington Citizens with Special Needs was pleased
with the opening of a community residence for the
mentally ill at 282 Bedford Street and club house for
the mentally ill at 286 Bedford Street The
Committee s members have been active on the Affordable
Housing Options Committee and in revising the wording
of its Statement of Purpose It is planning to meet
further with the Recreation Committee
The Town Manager has requested that Steve Baran set up
a meeting with the Police Department to discuss
relations between the Police Department and RePlace and
training on youth/family problems to be conducted by a
trainer from outside of the community
4 Substance Abuse Forum Planning
Janet Kessler, school guidance counselor, declined the
invitation by the Committee to appear at the Forum.
Other from the Guidance Department were considered, but
it was decided that there was a sufficient number of
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Dick , as moderator, will ask the audience to represent
the local community as it relates to the panelists who
are from outside the community and apply what the
panelists have to say to the Le^ ington situation
Other preparations for the Forum were discussed
including an article in the Minute-man, an article in
the newsletter to the teachers, notifying various
groups about the Forum, and videotaping
5 Committee Liaisons. Organization for Budget,
Recommendations
The Committee discussed a liaison to the Council on
Aging and appointing members as liaison to a number of
local human service agencies Steve urged that the
Council on Aging be treated as a special case since it
was not a vendor and since it was important for the
Committee to improve its relationship with that body
In view of the potentially large number of
organizations, committees, boards, etc , to which the
Committee might relate, Steve suggested that it
( ) designate members to relate to areas of need, e g v
Human Services Committee Minutes, 10/2/89 Page 3
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the elderly, special needs, youth, rather than to
specific organizational entitities Each member might
then relate to vendors and committees concerned with
areas of need
Renee e'pressed the importance of thorough reporting
from Town-funded agencies so that the Committee would
be able to justify its recommendations to the
Selectmen She thought the Committee should continue
to review Town-funded agencies, especially important at
a time of fiscal austerity Bob felt that visiting
agencies was still in order since the Committee could
learn from them what are needs and give them
recommendations on how they could be more useful
Renee felt that there was a continuing need to review
the Senior Health Monitor program since the funds are
in the FY 90 human services budget Also, the
Committee had an interest in their evaluation
mechanism.
Respectfully Submitted,
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<D\eek)t—
Stephen
'Baran,
Human Services Coordinator
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ENABLEMENT COMMITTEE
Town of Le' ington
Statement of Purpose
September 11 , 1989
The Enablement Committee seeks to make the Town of Lexington
hospitable and accessible to persons with disabilities in such
areas as transportation, housing, recreation and opportunities
for socializing; and to make programs, as well as facilities,
accessible It works to improve the quality of life for all
Le` ington residents by facilitating the integration of people
with disabilities into everyday life and by promoting attitudinal
awareness among members of the general public concerning the
needs and abilities of persons with handicaps
A special interest of the Committee is to assure that Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibits discrimination
on the basis of handicap is implemented It also seeks to
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implement the regulations of the Massachusetts Architectural
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/ Barriers Board by
working with officials towards the accessibility of
buildings serving the public;
performing accessibility studies of such buildings;
educating the public about accessibility;
making recommendations to the Human Services Committee
The Enablement Committee is a subcommittee of the Human Services
Committee and consists of individuals with a concern for the
needs of persons with handicaps" Its membership, which serves
for two-year terms, is nominated by the Enablement Committee and
agreed to by the Human Services Committee
The Enablement Committee will recommend a plan, to be annually
updated, for carrying out its statement of purpose It will
report annually in writing and semiannually through personal
appearance on the Committee s activities and accomplishments
while periodically reviewing its composition, purpose and charge
A liaison from the Enablement Committee will be appointed to the
Human Services Committeev and there will be a liaison from the
Human Services Committee to the Enablement Committee
The Human Services Coordinator will supply staff support to this
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Committee
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
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/-� Le; ington Citizens with Special Needs
October 5, 1989
Eight members serving staggered two-year terms acting as a
steering committtee will be named by agreement with the Human
Services Committee by September 30 of each year
Members will have actual life experience or professional
experience related to the Committee s purpose
All persons on the mailing list are members-at-large and are
welcome and encouraged to attend meetings
BACKGROUND
The Le| ington 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 Le; ington
The needs of these adults are to continue their lifetime tasks of
/�\ growth and development which include separating from their
\ parents and becoming as independent as possible while enjoying
the companionship of people of their own age It is imperative,
as their parents grow older, that such aspirations be realized
before excessive dependence sets in or life crises force hastily
contrived living arrangements.
STRUCTURE AND OBJECTIVES
The Committee, serving as a Subcommittee of the Human Services
Committee, will seek to represent all Lexington citizens with
developmental disabilities, mental illness, and other lifelong
disabilities with particular emphasis on the needs of adults
Its tasks will include
1 education of the general public as to the needs of
these citizens to the end of integrating them into the
everyday life of their home community;
2 organizing advocates so that needs may be met through
housing, social , vocational and recreational programs;
� enhancing communication within and between public and
private sector organizations serving these L.e; ington
citizens;
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Purpose, Le' ington Citizens with Special Needs, 10/5/89 Page 2
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\ > 4 recommending a plan, to be annually updated, for
carrying out these tasks; reporting to the Human
Services Committee annually in writing, and
semiannually through personal appearance, on the
Committee s activities and accomplishments;
5 periodically reviewing its composition, purpose and
char9e
The Human Services Coordinator will supply staff support to this
Committee
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