HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-04-05-YSC-min YOUTH SERVICES COUNCIL MINUTES
April 5, 2006
Present: Becky Rushford, Hank Manz, Deborah Strod, Jennifer Wolfrum, Amy Berger,
Ellen McDonald, Allesandro Alessandrini, Laurie Atwater, Karen Simmons, Tim
Johnson, Bill Blout, Betsey Weiss, Bill Kennedy, Mary Sullivan Kennedy
Introductions and welcome to the Youth Services Planning Group (YSPG) who attended
to share what they are doing in order to have coordination from and support of the YSC
This group is focusing on creation of a"master plan"for youth services in Lexington.
Although they were unsuccessful in their attempt to have Town Meeting pass a budget
amendment, which would have replaced the $75,000 when the SAMHSA grant was lost,
Sandro Alessandmi stated that it raised Town Meeting awareness about the need for more
youth services.
Group members have had significant involvement in youth services. Debby Strod spoke
of her professional work in Boston where the emphasis is on weaving a network of adults
into kids' lives, therefore, building a safety net. Ellen McDonald spoke of the teen
survey and extensive work toward a Teen Center in Lexington. Laurie Atwater spoke of
her interest in coordination, marketing, strategic planning and implementation. Betsey
Weiss, a past LHS PTA President, spoke of her involvement with the Academic Stress
Group and the Academic Stress Parent's Group Tim Duggan, a child psychiatrist, is also
a member of the YSPG
Bill Blout expressed excitement that so many people are working toward expanding
youth services. Jennifer Wolfrum raised a question about where the $10,000 CHNA 15
grant fits into the youth services plan. Ellen said that it is a community-wide (all ages)
grant designated to coordinate a project for a"healthier community" for all age groups.
Laurie stated that 20-20 has done a lot of work on this in past.
There was then discussion on how YSPG and other community groups relating to youth
services would fit into the structure of the YSC The proposed structure with the model of
task forces, (including YSPG)under the coordination of the YSC,was endorsed. The
need to coordinate with and do a presentation to Superintendent Ash was discussed. The
need to have some/most of financing for youth services be independent of grants, instead
coming from a line item in the Town budget and from private donations, was
emphasized. This would require educating Town Meeting members about the need for
and value of youth services which are community-based and have community ownership
In addition, this would provide better base from which to apply for grants, many of which
have been turned down because Lexington doesn't demonstrate sufficient support of
youth services. It was suggested that it might be advantageous for grant applications to
come out of the YSC rather than the schools because it is a body with a smaller budget
and wide representation from the community There is an expressed need to develop a
long-range plan for youth services, advocate for it, and show progress toward it. Jennifer
mentioned that advocacy was effective after the Substance Abuse Prevention grant was
not renewed. She related that there is a 5 Prevention Specialist position in next year's
school budget.
Bill Kennedy spoke about the need to see youth issues as a community issue, not just a
family or individual issue. There was a discussion of where parents get their needs for
support met. Recently, the newly formed, Center for Parents and Youth (CPY)brought in
Dan Kmdlon to speak about raising a child of character in an indulgent age, but follow-up
and on-going groups are needed.
The group agreed that YSPG would be a sub-committee under the YSC Advocacy Task
Force Becky will be liaison from the YSC to the YSPG YSPG sub-committee
members will report back to YSC on a to be determined basis. Hank Manz and Bill
Kennedy suggested that the YSC present a report on its structure and progress to date to
Town Meeting under Article 2.