HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-06-01-HSC-min.pdf Human Services Committee Minutes
June 1, 1994
Present Donna M. Hooper, Chairman; Rosalyn L. Gittleman; Eva Havas; Jeanne
Luongo; Richard W Safford; Jolley Anne Weinstock
Minutes of May 18
These minutes consisted of a comparison of the three bidders Change "Eliot
gave the impression of being the strongest organizationally" to Eliot gave the
impression of being organizationally strong and best able to respond to the
RFP as an organization Delete comment referring to Eliot s superior knowledge
of the community
In addition to other competencies displayed by the Center, add its outreach
capability
Minutes approved as amended
Jennifer Wolfrum, Health Coordinator for the School Department
She began 1/6/94 (grant began 7/1/93) and now feels she is really beginning to
know the system, began by conducting mini-needs assessment, then did "health
and wellness" day oo-sponsored by Emerson Hospital--poor attendance Had good
response to "What is Health Education?" forum with 25 people attending; 35
people attended "Coping with stress in the 90s
Curriculum planning
Elementary
thru 4th grade sexual assault
5th grade DARE + "Making Choices" with teachers getting substance abuse
training
Middle
Life skills one semester 2x/week Quest curriculum seems light on content
Curriculum is not up to date Life skills are most needed in the middle school
since this is a pivotal age Training had been in eighth grade but was cut
Should be extended to 7th grade
High
Life skills offered as one-semester courses in 9th and 11th grades Lots of
topics covered; a few need to be covered in more depth Teachers feel
overloaded
Questions from Committee Are students turned off? Jennifer doesn t hear this
from student evaluations What about bullying? There will be evening meetings
for parents to express preferences
L
a
Human Services Committee Minutes, 6/1/94 Page 2
Students need skills for dealing with peer pressures; must know how to
negotiate How do kids deal with pressure of parents who smoke and drink?
Jennifer likes CAPP program in K, 2 & 4 Will be looking at parents
responses, particularly concerns about what are negative effects of bringing
up the topic She believes RePlace and other agencies have a lot to offer She
is developing a directory of resources, will meet with community agencies
There is no tobacco money for these agencies
A new health protection grant is being submitted for FY 95
RePlace
RePlace wants to shift funds from counseling to outreach and drop in and make
it retroactive Approved by Committee with reservations 5-0 with one
abstention
May 18 letter is read from RePlace their plans for hiring are contingent upon
Town funding
It was reported that RePlace felt the Committee was biased against them and
the Human Services Coordinator was unprofessional Committee was not seen to
be mindful of their lengthy service to the Town, its development of a nudel of
services Committee members commented that they felt they had done their best
to be objective
CMARC
Funding for CMARC of $10,400 was recommended