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Human Services Committee Minutes
December 7, 1994
Present: Donna M. Hooper, Chairman; Rosalyn L. Gittleman; Eva S. Glick; Eva Havas; Jeanne S.
Luongo; Richard Safford; Jolley Anne Weinstock; Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator;
Ellen Widen, Director of Clinical Services, Meg Anzalone and Siegrid Burke, Lexington
Youth Services staff, Eliot Community Human Services; Nancy Adler, Judith Zabin, RePlace;
Dan Fenn, Selectman; Bill Deveney, Elise Bon-Rudin, evaluators; Christine Chase,
Enablement Committee; Julie Fenn, visitor
Update by Eliot staff
Open now ten days. Utilization of drop-in center has been high: 40 attended a pizza party two days before.
High utilization had not been anticipated and merchant opposition to having drop-in center in Depot Square has
been stressful—letter signed by 27 kids saying that they wished to behave as responsible citizens. 15 have
signed up for community service and have initiated a food drive and cleaning up Depot Square. A peer
leadership program will evolve out of drop-in activities. Its planning involves seeing what is comfortable for
kids rather than duplicating the RePlace drop-in. Some kids are taking a leadership role. Counseling is off to a
slow start due in part to lack of a guidance director in the high school; meetings are scheduled to seek referrals.
Themes brought up at drop-in center include: drugs, alcoholism, sexual abuse, suicide.
Ms. Bon-Rudin commented that this Eliot Youth Services was a "customer-oriented" model; kids may not wish
to characterize themselves as being in need of services.
( ' Seven Metco kids have been coming; they feel accepted.
Evaluation
Bill Deveney said that there needed to be a period of stability before evaluation could fully go forward. He
suggested a mode of evaluation for the program that would not be seen as hostile. It would be simple and not
burdensome. Assessment tools being used elsewhere could be adapted for use by Eliot, such as self-anchored
counseling scales or instruments developed for a community service project for which Bill has done the
evaluation.
Elise Bon-Rudin said that she had done program evaluation in the public sector, suggested a type of evaluation
that would focus on implementation(including seeking changes in program design)and accountability(program
performing as stipulated in contract). Measures of success would help to reveal if goals and objectives had been
realized. Evaluation would be useful in building support for the program, clarifying what the program does and
providing a perspective on how the kids involved in the program fit into the total population.
Due to a confusion in communication, Elena Lundren-Gaveras, a Lexington resident and research instructor at
the Boston University School of Social Work, was not present. Steve Baran said he would be in touch with her.
Julie Fenn
Julie Fenn was introduced to the Committee. She has been sent background materials. Julie related to the
Committee some of her interests including domestic violence and diversity She may become a candidate to join
the Committee if she can work out a schedule.
V
Human Services Committee Minutes, 12/7/94 Page 2
Minutes of 11/3
The Minutes of 11/13 were corrected to avoid the impression that the Enablement Committee was about to
pursue a complaint against MacKay Hardware with the Department of Justice whereas their intent was to debate
appropriate action including filing a complaint with the Department of Justice.
Enablement Committee(Rick Safford)
Rick Safford and Christine Chase will test equipment for making Cary Hall hearing-accessible. Their
timetable looks forward to having a low-cost system in place before Town Meeting.
Rick has been seeking to ensure that the pathway between Lock Village(new condominiums opening on
Lowell Street)will be accessible to people with disabilities. This may necessitate hand rails.
Needs Assessment (Jeanne Luongo, Eva Glick, Donna Hooper, and Roz Gittleman)
Donna summarized previous discussion of Committee's goals and objectives with focus on reporting out
needs assessment findings and service integration including sponsoring an open house and developing
an evaluation tool. Finally, the Committee was committed to furthering diversity
A Table of Contents has been drafted by Donna Hooper. It will lead to the completion of a final report.
Meeting with PTA presidents: they expressed concern that middle school kids tend to get lost in the
cracks as opposed to high school kids. The parents expressed support for a drop-in center.
Evaluation (Rick Safford, Eva Havas, and Jolley Anne Weinstock)
Steve Baran will prepare a Request for Proposal.
New business
The Health Protection Advisory Committee will set up town-wide forums on various subjects. The School
Department and Board of Health will be involved.
Eva Havas is interested in working with the Police Department on how to avoid liquor being sold to minors.
She suggested that representatives of the Police Department and Board of Health come to a future meeting of
the Human Services Committee.
Developments pertaining to diversity were noted including planning for a diversity curriculum in the School
Department. A workshop on diversity will be conducted at Pollen Church