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Home My WebLink About1995-01-12-HSC-min.pdf ( Human Services Coninittee Minutes January 12v 1995 Present Donna M. Hooper, Chairman; Rosalyn L. Gittleman; Eva S. Glick; Eva Havas; Jeanne S Iuougo/ Jolley Anne Ineinotock; Steve Baran, Human Services Coordinator; Ellen Widen, Eliot Community Human Services; Nancy Adler, Roberta Black, Jan Howell, Suzanne Tarsen and Kathy Mislan, RePlace YOuth services budget RePlace representatives expressed their concerns the Committee s needs assessment had shortcomings; counseling and crisis intervention were being omitted in Eliot s youth services under the present contract; recreational activities were being promoted exclusively; and there was a need for a preventive orientation in youth services Donna Hooper replied that the needs assessment was not as yet completed; the Committee planned to convene a meeting of RePlace and Eliot staff to obtain their perspectives on needs Steve Baran questioned the lack of mention of services to single parents in a report prepared by Ellen Widen who noted that she had focused on what was in ( the youth services contract Eliot was, however, moving ahead in reaching out to single parents although there was difficulty in setting an agenda Ellen Widen reviewed her report dated 1/12/95 and explained current budget needs She further commented that no area of emphasis currently in the FY 95 contract should be de-emphasized in FY 96. Drop-in was important and was seen as having a preventive thrust although it might seem recreational on the surface Counseling utilization was currently low but would build There was some discussion about how the Town might need to take more responsibility in an area where the classic, insurance-reimbursable 50-miuute hour was no longer meeting need Crisis intervention was also not insurance-reimbursable Since Ellen s report was written there had been crisis intervention that was addressed initialll, through the drop in center It seemed likely that outreach, drop-in and counseling would have considerable overlap since many services provided are not easily labeled under one specific budget item. Eva Glick asked for a definition of the target population Were kids with problems being overlooked? Ellen Widen felt that kids being served should not be defined as having problems, that actually a mix was to be found between kids who might have actual and incipient problems and others Moreover, there ( was a mix of age groups--70% 9th and 10th grades, 30% lltb and 12tb grades, and a considerable proportion of kids from the Mmtoo program. The atmosphere was one of a family promoting tolerance for one another Ellen Widen went on to describe the nature of activities in the drop-in center--kids come in to check the drop in center out, congregate in groups Human Services Committee Minutes, 1/12/95 Page 2 while staff circulates There is ample parent involvement, and an intern and volunteer supplement the staff s efforts Most of the staff activity has been concentrated spatially within the drop-in center More staffing would allow more attention to providing a presence outside—in Depot Square or at the high school Roberta Black asked if FY 96 allocations would be in different categories and, if so, how this would affect accountability Judy Zabin asked if the contracting agency had to fulfill the contract She thought that if the contract were renegotiated, it might have to be put out to bid. Donna responded that she thought the contract could be renegotiated between the Town and Eliot if mutually agreeable In any case, she added, the Committee s emphasis was on what was needed and made sense for FY 96 The legal issues could be addressed subsequently In discussing the amount to be recommended, there were the following considerations This is a transition year ( The Committee is not prepared to consider amounts for line items Needs assessment conclusions are not completed An evaluation of services provided will not be conducted until after the FY 96 budget recommendation The experience with a new agency has been brief The possibility exists of enhancing outreach through additional staffing Donna Hooper sought motions from Committee members for FY 96 funding, then recommended level funding with the possibility of making shifts between line items Jeanne Luongo made the motion for level funding The Committee voted 4- 2 for level funding at $67,800 There was further agreement that the Selectmen should be prepared for significant changes next year With RePlace representatives noting that other towns, according to a study completed by Bill Blout, made larger appropriations for human services, Jolley Anne Weinstock envisaged the possibility that a coalition might be formed to work to increase the Town s contribution There were increasing numbers of both youth and aging so that both the Human Services Committee and the Council on Aging might request more funding 0 ( Human Services Committee Minutes, 1/12/95 Page 3 Among the factors that might lead the Human Services Committee to seek more funding were high school survey Dept of Education grant escalating substance abuse and drug abuse diminished staffing in high school guidance Suzanne Larsen thanked the Human Services Committee for inviting comments from RePlace while establishing its EY 96 funding recommendations