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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-06-HSC-min.pdf Human Services Committee Minutes 8/6/97 Present: Barbara Ciampa; Eva Glick; Lauren MacNeil; Rick Safford; Laura Kurman, Director of RePlace and Becket Rhodes, Assistant Director of RePlace; Arnie Berger, RePlace board; Nancy Freed; Steve Baran (recorder). Absent: Julie Fenn; Roz Gittleman; Jolley Anne Weinstock Minutes of 6/4/97 Helen Cravis noted that she was not present at the meeting of 6/4/9. Also, Lauren MacNeil and Rick Safford had volunteered to be on the subcommittee on drugs of HealthPAC; they had not agreed to assist in planning for the role of RePlace in the schools. The minutes were accepted as otherwise correct. RePlace FY '98 Contract: Arnie Berger introduced Laura Kurman and Becket Rhodes, respectively the Director and Assistant Director of RePlace. Laura noted that the contract for FY '98 reflected a redesign and streamlining of counseling services which were now divided into Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling (Clinic Based) and Outreach Counseling/Community Support. Outreach involved going into homes and working in the community Arnie noted that there was provision for group counseling in the contract but with flexibility as to just what kind of groups might be provided. Prevention services included an information and referral service. The majority of requests to date have pertained to counseling. The Student Assistance Program will take place at Clarke Middle School. The Peer Program will eliminate the Hot line which has not been productive Assault prevention will be provided in the middle school, and, as in Watertown, will include date rape and sexual assault among other issues. In relation to sexual assault, it was noted that the Human Services Committee had been particularly concerned about bullying. Steve Baran explained that reimbursement involved payment for units of service rendered; there will be no further cost reimbursement. Administration. An Administrative Assistant had been hired, and Becket Rhodes was now the Assistant Director responsible for direct services. Laura Kurman, the RePlace Director, gives 30% of her time to RePlace and 70% of her time to the Watertown MultiService Center Human Services Committee Minutes 8/6/97 Page 2 Domestic violence. A separate domestic violence advocate will be hired under a contact funded for $25 000.1 The approach will call for the victim to be interviewed within 48 hours after the Police Department responds with a backup team available to furnish resources as needed. It is expected that there will be times when the victim is not interested in participating. The program will respond to the full range of abuse. Schools: Helen Cravis asked about the interface between RePlace and the schools. The question had come out of a meeting earlier between the School Department and RePlace. The schools had reported experiencing poor communication with RePlace over a two-year period. Eva asked if there needed to be a single point of communication between RePlace and the schools. Becket Rhodes said that the high school wanted one person whom they could contact when making referrals. Nancy Freed commented that there needed to be a reestablishing of communication with Arnie Berger suggesting that this might coalesce around the new Director of Guidance. Helen Cravis was also interested in knowing what services the high school was outsourcing since this might point to services that RePlace could eventually provide upon demonstrating its areas of expertise (e.g. home visits). Single parent study Sherri McInnis, a first-year student from Salem State College, supervised by Steve Baran, reported that out of a total of 57 cases receiving emergency assistance through the Human Services Fund 29 involved single parents. She referred to the range of problems experienced by single parents including locating suitable housing arrangements, perception of racial discrimination, difficulty of affording child care, and the embarrassment of asking for help. Many parents reported that support from their former husbands constituted just a small portion of their incomes. Preschool Steve Baran reported that he was in touch with Communities United about funding for preschools. The Committee urged him to locate statistics through the Town. The earlier findings of the preschool subcommittee concerning need were reviewed-- testimony of providers of the need for parent support groups and a coordinator Helen Cravis suggested that the Committee be clear about the distinction between need and goal. Rick Safford thought that goal clarity would evolve upon further study A potential 1 Becket Rhodes clarified later in response to the Committee's question, that ( the program is funded by the Executive Office of Public Safety Mass. Office on Victim Abuse Human Services Committee Minutes 8/6/97 Page 3 goal statement offered by Helen was that preschool should be available to any Lexington resident in need. Eva asked why the preschool program under Lexington school department auspices was underutilized. Next steps were identified: Develop parent support groups Investigate funding sources Agenda items for next meeting The role of the Human Services Committee in the preschools Committee's goals and priorities for the year Preschools Youth Draft mission statement Membership on the Human Services Committee