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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-10-13-HSC-min.pdf Minutes Human Services Committee 10/ 13//92 Present Renee Cochin and Donna Hooper Co-Chairmen; Ann Irving; Dennis Murakami ; Rick Safford; Ruthie Liberman; Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator Absent Eva Glick ; Eva Havas Ruthie Liberman Ruthie Liberman was welcomed as a new member of the Committee Minutes The Minutes of 9/ 16/92 were approved Steve' s notes on meeting with RePlace of 9/21 /92 were corrected to show that RePlace should not shift funds appropriated without the express permission of the Human Services Committee Co-Chairmen Report There will be a meeting with the Trustees of Public Trusts on 10/21 A reply is awaited from Rick White to the Committee' s earlier letter to him expressing concern about the Town' s letter of intent with RePlace Renee has been trying to reach Jacquie Smith to determine status of Committee' s Selectmen liaison Coordinator' s Report Steve reported his attendance at a meeting to introduce a new infant preschool program at Choate Health Management Inc open house on Monday, October 5th; Steve was impressed by the level of interdisciplinary competence shown; they are prepared to do in-depth assessments, particularly for preschoolers with disabilities and emotional problems ; need for therapeutic day care for Lexington pre-schoolers' data has been arrayed to show history of human services emergency fund utilization; patterns are suggested ; 35 cases to date ; needs assessment subcommittee needs to review; Recreation Subcommittee on Disabilities has been surveying physical and policy aspects of programs vigorous and informed approach under Harvey Lowell , Chairman; Eva Glick is representing Human Services Committee Human Services Committee 10/ 13/92 Page 2 RePlace budget negotiations Renee reported RePlace wanted to be paid in FY ' 93 for on-call availability while providing less counseling, has had no rate increase for counseling in last three years ; request to be submitted for FY ' 94 budget with consideration to building on-call availability into basic counseling rate; while RePlace has made progress in their reporting, it remains difficult to know what the Town is paying for RePlace continues to lack a clear sense of priorities ; with more counseling in school department owing to Martha Queenin ( former RePlace staff member ) becoming a full -time staff member for the School Department, can funds be reallocated into the community? what is the proper school responsibility for youth services complementing what RePlace does? Ann and Rick will continue on the RePlace subcommittee and will be joined by Donna Long and Short-Term Goals Plans developed in special subcommittee meeting on planning were reviewed Ruthie Liberman has agreed to do analysis of town agencies with Eva Havas likely to join her after being approached by Renee Renee will send copy of plans to Jacquie Smith Subcommittee Reports Needs Assessment Committee Needs Assessment Committee is looking at U S Census data Bob Bowyer has offered his assistance as needed Renee suggested additional possible data resources Medicaid, Mass Rehabilitation Commission, Mass Commission for the Blind, Mass Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing ; Mass Department of Public Health (Early Intervention Program) Council on Aging Donna reported "upbeat" feel of COA with special interests in linkages and elderly abuse ; housing is not a priority Human Services Committee, 10/ 13/92 Page 3 Disability Rick reported that there was a special table for equipment for hard of hearing at Chamber of Commerce Expo event Renee suggested that first step toward making Town more accessible to hard of hearing should be educational with Donna asserting the principle ( familiar to the Enablement Committee) that accessibility to the disabled benefits everyone Cary Hall auditorium was adduced as a case in point Rick had attended meeting on co-housing ; Renee alluded to continuing Lexington Housing Authority problems in coping with one or more mentally ill tenants (also a Statewide issue owing to deinstitutionalization) Rick recently attended Eliot Community Human Services open house, spoke with housing manager