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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-01-13-LCSR-rpt.pdf ery -R 174 HUMAN SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE Final Report to the Commission on Suburban Responsibility January 13, 1976 Members of the Subcommittee Jacqueline B. Davison, Chairperson Margery M. Battin, Selectmen John Campbell, TMMA Elizabeth Clarke, LCSR Marcia Feakes, LWV Paul Goldmuntz, Re-Place, Inc. Michael Forten, Lexington Police Department Joan Chapin, LWV Nancy Haley, Lexington High School Mary McKenney, MVMHA Area Bd. Edwin D. McLane, Council of Congregations Katherine McGraw, MVMHA Setha Olson, Children with Special Needs - 1 - Organizational Background At the June 25, 1974 meeting of the Lexington Commission on Suburban Responsibility it was voted to establish a subcommittee to do research on the nature of the problem of people with special needs and to report to the Commission with recommendations, for trans- mittal to the Selectmen, of a longer-term organizational framework for dealing with the problems. The motion was acted upon by the Selectmen at their meeting on July 15, 1974. At the December 10th Commission meeting various members were selected to serve on the subcommittee on Human Services. In early February the first meeting was called by Mrs. Margery Battin. The discussion centered on the needs of people who were being re- leased from institutions or not being sent in the first place. What were these people's problems? Did Lexington have the resources to meet their needs? The population who would need help was defined as those people involved in drug abuse, alcohol, juvenile and adult offenders, the mentally retarded, physically handicapped, and the mentally ill. The meeting decided not to address the problems of the elderly because a Council on Aging was in the process of being formed. The group decided to call a meeting of the various indiv- iduals and agencies involved in meeting the special needs of this population. A letter was sent February loth inviting this group to an organizational meeting on March 4, 1975. A questionnaire was included asking people to list their various areas of concern, to describe the services and opportunities needed for persons with special needs, and to list the existing resources in Lexington to meet these needs. The final questions asked what additional ser- vices Lexington should provide to help integrate these people into the life of the community and to help them to become self-sufficient. (See Appendex for copy of the letter and questionnaire answers ) At the March 4th meeting discussion included concern over the lack of facilities for the alcoholic, the troubled adolescent, the released mental and retarded persons from institutions. The need for half-way houses and co-op apartments, and for services for children under Chapter 766. It was agreed that the group should break down into a smaller group to carry out the study The list of members precedes this report. - 2 - Subcommittee Meetings Held The subcommittee met seven times with an invited guest at each meeting. In addition Mr Arthur Johnson, Director of Human Resources for the Town of Arlington was interviewed. Outside meetings attended were a seminar on human service technical assistance needs in July and a meeting called by the Mass. Health Planning Association to access health needs in Lexington. The seven meetings were as follows April 1 - Ron Skinner from the Middlesex County Hospital Alcohol Treatment Unit. April 29- Dr Lars Guldager, Administrator of Lexington's Special Needs Program (Chapter 766) May 13 - A panel on troubled juveniles with Lt. Michael Forten, Lexington Police, George Kennedy, Probation Officer, Concord District Court; and David Wilson, Assistant Principal Lexington High School. June 10 - Mary R. SanMartino, Mystic Valley Mental Health Assoc. July 22 - William Sommers, Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns Dec. 10- Meeting to discuss an information center and recommendations to the commission. The minutes of these meetings are included in the appendix. Findings The subcommittee found that to confine the study to the needs of deinstitutionalized persons was too narrow It was decided to broaden our study to include all persons in Lexington with special needs or in need of human services. We felt that we could not provide the solutions to the unmet needs we identified but we could recommend ways to begin the process. Human Services is a broad term used to define resources available for providing an economic or social good. Most lists of human services include the following headings. - 3 - n Mental Health Recreation Public Health Veteran's Services Mental Retardation Public Assistance Corrections Social Services Youth Institutions Aging Employment Services Physically Handicapped Vocational Rehabilitation Drug and Alcohol Abuse Housing Some lists also include police protection and schools. It became apparent from our meetings that Lexington had many agencies, both public and private, dealing with human services But there was little or no coordination or communication as to what each was doing. Each seemed to be earnestly providing services in relative isolation, with no understanding of overall needs. There was no way to identify overlaps or evaluate the quality of services available. Many gaps were identified, especially the need for various kinds of community residences but few attempts were being made to institute ways of prov- iding services. There was no overall leadership. A mechanism had to be found to bring people together to discuss mutual problems and seek solutions for the benefit of all. In addition, we found that many towns people were unaware of the services we had and how to get them. Recommendations Telephone Information Service Our first recommendation would be to set up a Human Services Information Center to provide information and answer questions of citizens seeking help in human service areas. Information about the following community resources could be made available• health both public and private ambulance service welfare assistance recreation facilities and programs employment services social organizations religious services town government functions elderly services help for children Initially the telephone service could be located in the Town Office building or in the Public Library The library has many advantages for it is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. (The town of Wilmington is studying this type of service in their library ) Many of the library personnel are already trained in reference and research skills. - 4 - Telephone Information Service con't The service would be on a trial basis with no funding. Volunteers could man the phone or paid employees asked to assume this task in addition to their other assignments. If the service proves valuable and needed, then requesting funds for full-time help would be justified. For after 5 p.m. or 9 p.m. calls, an answering service could be used. Publicity would be needed to make residents aware of the service. Newspaper articles and posters could launch the service. A constant reminder could be made available in the form of a stick-on for the phone or telephone book. Perhaps the telephone company would include the stick- on in a monthly billing. Mystic Valley Mental Health Association has a 24 hour telephone service, but their service only answers questions and provides informa- tion about mental health problems. There is a Help sfor Children infor- mation and referral telephone service in Winchester covering six towns. They have a full time Child Advocate to provide information about where to go for service, referral to an appropriate agency providing the service, and follow-up to assure that the service provided was satisfactory (See their pamphlet in Appendix. ) Rationale The need for a telephone information service was identified by many people we interviewed. The churches often get people calling and asking where they can get services such as an ambulance or doctor after hours, or whore to go when they run out of money Many tourists need to know where they can get help for their particular problem. People often call the police station seeking help for they didn't know where else to call. The police would find it most helpful if they had a number they could give people to call for help which they cannot give. Inter-Agency Human Service Council Our second recommendation is to establish an Inter-Agency Human Service Council with representation from all the public and private organi- azations and agencies providing human services to Lexington residents. Members and alternates would be appointed by the member agencies them- selves. '!'he Council should be established by vote of the Town Meeting to give it official town sanction and more power than a Selectman appointed committee The Council should report to the Town Meeting but work closely with the 'Town Manager and Selectmen. (See copy of Framingham s town meeting warrent article in the Appendix. ) I - 5 - n Inter-Agency Human Service Council - con't Monthly meetings of the Council would be held to act on policy decisions. Special projects and studies could be undertaken by sub- committees. Initially no funding from the Town would be called for, but member agencies could be assessed expenses for a part-time secretary to take minutes and perform other secretarial duties. The Council would essentially act as a coordinating agent to 1 ) avoid duplication of services, 2) identify gaps in services, 3) propose additional services, 4) pool resources, 5) monitor delivery of services, and 6) evaluate effectiveness of our various human service programs. The first project such a Council could undertake could be to re- search the needs and problems in human service delivery in Lexington. The following is a list of suggested tasks 1 The Council should agree on what kinds of human service should come under their concern. 2. An inventory should be made of all services and agencies now available in Lexington or on a regional basis. 3. A questionnaire should be sent to the agencies identified requesting information on their structure, purpose, pro- grams, and funding sources. (See sample questionnaires in the Appendix. ) These questionnaires would be helpful in identifying overlaps and gaps in services. 4. Research what other towns have done in coordinating and delivering human services. (See material in Arlington and from Mass. League of Cities and Towns in the Appendix. ) 5. Consider recommending to the Town Meeting a formal human services structure with a director as part of our town government to coordinate and monitor delivery of services. This would require an article in the warrent. 6. Undertake a town-wide survey to identify unmet needs and problems in receiving services. Rationale The subcommittee found that our many human service programs and agencies are uncoordinated and not communicating. Unmet needs are not being addressed. There needs to be a formal mechanism for providers to share information and work together Lexington ranks 25 in a list of 35 towns in its expenditure per capita on human services. Lexington spends $3 per person where as Amhurst spends $38, Brookline $28, Harvard $27, Medford $17, and Arlington $16. (See ranking and article in the Appendix. ) I ' 1 Ji - 6 - Rationale - con't Through the questionnaire and the interviews with various repre- sentatives from human service agencies we identified many unmet needs. In the area of alcoholism Mr Skinner described the need for expanded detoxication and rehabilitation services and much needed public education. Youthful offenders need supportive service not provided by the courts and difficult to obtain in the community Residences for children needing emergency temporary shelter are not available in an organized manner Jobs are needed by adults with special needs as well as the adolescents. Chapter 766 has put a strain on the school budget. Services beyond education are now mandated by the law and could be found in the community if an organized human services program was in operation. Mrs San Martino from MVMHA emphasized the need for an adolescent residential programs or foster homes and a crisis intervention program for troubled youths. She also saw the need for a drop-in center for the elderly as well as for the young, day care centers for the elderly open five days a week, and a half-way house with job opportunities for adults with special needs Expanding human services will meet with indifference and opposition if increased taxes are called for The need for coordination of human services will have to be justified to the Selectmen and towns people. An inter-agency human services council could set the stage for Lexington to accept its responsibilities. COPY TO Dr Kassler 4 Mrs Miley 11-29-76 {