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HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE
January IS 1993
Present Renee Cochin and Donna Hooper Co-Chairmen ; Ann Irving
Ruthie Liberman ; Rick Safford Steve Baran Human
Services Courdinator (Recorder ) 8i | | 8 | out Executive
DireoLur RePlace
Hearing Impaired
A warrant article will be prepared for Town Meeting calling for a
feasibility study by a Selectmen-appointed committee to make ary
Hall accessible to the hearing impaired
Rick Safford talked with Mark A 8attiLe contractor whu
estimated the cost to be $ 1 200 for a simple portable system and
$3 500 for a more extensive system
RePlace budget
Bill Stout provided the LommitLee with memos and budget ( see
attached )
The following issues were discussed
Utilization Anticipated RePlace utilization in FY ' 98--
diffLnu ) ty of projecting from FY ' 9-4 figures to
date since the larger part of crisis utilization
occurs between January and May The staff member
from RePlace who dealt with crises in FY ' 91 is
now performing some v" the same functiors in the
schools while working for the Schoul Department
HLurly rate The RePlace hourly rate has up until now only been
for face- to-face interviews , but RePlace has
actually been billing for collateral ( see memo
activity as well Bill said that reimbursement
fur one huur of counseling takes into account two
hours of collateral activity and one hour of
administrative time
Blue Cross/Blue Shield allows $54 per hour DSS
pays $50 per hour John Hancuck pays $40 per hour
up to $ 1 , 500 per year
(
Minutes Human Services Committee 1 / 13/93 Page 2
Long term A number of families without insurance are in need
of lung-term counseling Is there some potential
for the Human Services Emergency Fund paying for
some of this? The high school would refer to
RePlace if RePlace were able to take on this kind
of case Could the Town pay for a longer stay in
treatment uf up to eight sessions at $48 per hour '
Group RePlace has a new group for parents of younger
children We have been paying $42 per session for
the first three group interviews Is this fair
since a lot of staff time goes into organizing a
group? On the other hand , does RePlace charge by
the number of individuals in a group e g 10
group members x $42 members = $420 per hourr In
the future RePlace billing should distinguish
between group and individual interviews
Indirect It is difficult to quantify time spent on
professional development contavts , being
availab | e , in-service training, etc
New cases Limited approximately $55 per year
Peer leaders 200 session hours are anticipated in FY ' 93 The
largest benefit is to the kids who do the
counseling There are now IS on staff and 16 are
being trained
Violence /
battering RePlace is encouraging schools to take this up
through the Life Skills and CAPP programs in the
middle schools The relationship with the Support
Committee for Battered Women is getting underway
Two of their staff are coming to train RePlace
peer | eaders , and sessions are being planned for
middle and high schools for FY ' 94 RePlace has
proposed $3 400 to be budgeted for Peer Program
Coordinator for four additional hours ; $2 000 to
reimburse the Support Committee to do training
Renee asked why Bill had not earlier proposed new services in
view of changing needs Bill replied that RePlace thought the
Town was comfortable with paying for both primary and collateral
interviews
(
It was agreed that there needed to be a policy to avoid double
billing the Town should be the provider of last resort
( Minutes Human Services Committee, 1 / 13/93 Page 3
Agreed
I Reimburse up to 6 hours short term counseling @ $48 per
hour
2 Reduce rate per client in group sessions to 50% of the
counseling rate with payments of up to 6 per hour
3 Other services
Peer leadership
LEXCAPP
Violence prevention
4 In meeting with the Selectmen, the Committee will explain
how rate was derived; make comparison with other insurers;
recommendations to be cost-based ; emphasize that RePlace is
providing services to people who have no other place to go