HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-01-06-HSC-min.pdf Minutes
Human Services Committee
1/6/99
Present: Helen Cravis, Co-Chair; Nancy Bartlett: Barbara Ciampa, Co-Chair
Roz Gittleman; Eva Glick; Christine Yedica; Nancy Freed, Director,
Social Services Department; Steve Baran, Human Services
Coordinator, Staff
Absent: Kathleen Palmer; Gregory Kotonias-Payne Dan Fenn, liaison from
Selectmen
Minutes of 12/9/98
The revised roster of those present and absent is as follows:
Present: Helen Cravis, Co-Chair; Nancy Bartlett: Roz Gittleman; Eva Glick;,
Gregory Kotonias-Payne; Christine Yedica; Laura Kurman, Becket
Rhodes and Arnie Berger from RePlace; Steve Baran, Staff
Absent: Barbara Ciampa; Khalil Khatri; Kathleen Palmer, liaison from PTA
Association; Dan Fenn, liaison from Selectmen
Item 2 under 'preschool scholarships" was revised to show that most
scholarships are awarded by the preschools themselves.
Preschool Survey and Need for Financial Assistance
It was noted that over 30% of those families surveyed had returned the
questionnaire. Further, it was noted from the survey that 21/66 families stating
they were not sending their children to preschool cited financial reasons for doing
so.
Steve commented that Communities United had budget d for a more extensive
need assessment and Nancy Freed noted that the School Department was also
looking into need. This led to a discussion of what should be the role of the
schools in taking responsibility for preschool education. Should it be free with
teachers adequately compensated? Steve suggested that this issue might be
appropriate for a forum sponsored by the Human Services Committee and
others. It was agreed that such a forum might be held after a permanent
superintendent was appointed.
2
RePlace Utilization
It was reported that RePlace had not yet been successful in finding space to
house it s administration after June 1999. This led to an expression of concern as
to whether RePlace had sufficient financial support from Wayside Youth and
Family Support Network.
There was question about justifying an additional grant RePlace had received for
case management in light of underutilization in areas other than counseling in the
first five months of FY '99. Were people going unserved? Was the high school
doing more while RePlace was dong less?
Liaison Reports
1 Elderly Roz Gittleman reported on "grad for a day" seminars at the
Council on Aging. Barbara Ciampa was planning a series of teas on the
stories of new arrivals from different ethnic groups and how they came to
this country and to Lexington.
2. Health: Khalil Khatri reported on a meeting of Health PAC HIV positive
students were being sought to relate their experiences to the student
body Khalil was planning to talk with the students about skin cancer
3. Youth: Helen Cravis was planning to meet with the RePlace advisory
board and talk with Phil Lanoue.
Responding to the Needs of Low Income
1 Fund for Lexington. Dan Fenn reported that the Fund for Lexington had
collected $13,600 to date during its FY '99 fundraising campaign
compared to $10,000 last year
2. Social Service Department response to low income: Steve Baran reported
on tracking of families who might be losing their Transitional Assistance to
Families of Dependent Children grants.
Efforts had been coordinated to reach out to families during Thanksgiving
and Christmas.
Next Time
1 Steve will report on the Town's Affirmative Action Working Group
2. A potluck dinner will include members who had left the committee last
year— Rick Safford, Linda Pucci and Lauren MacNeil.
K'