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DD Subcommittee Meeting Minutes – October 4, 2016 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE OF CORTLAND COUNTY Community Services Board October 4, 2016 1:00 P.M. Room 304 – County Office Building Members Present: Jeff Beal (Chair), Don Noble (Vice Chair), Aaron Baier, Elaine Fisher, Ellen Wright, Harold Baker and Reynolds Members Excused: Liesl Moheimani and Maria DeRado Others Present: Mark Thayer (Director), Fran Burnham, Chris Evans and Elizabeth Rocker (MC ARC), Marianne Odell, Amanda Hudson and Sandy Ehrlich (Franziska Racker Center-FRC), John Lenhart (OPWDD-DDRO), Michele Gravel (JMM), Jennifer Thompson (Cortland County Public Health Social Worker), Mark Griffin (guest), Maureen McDermott-Mulherin (Pre-K Coordinator, Cortland County), Alexandra Huntington-Ofner (CCMH) and Gail Spitzer (Secretary) Call to Order: 1:05 p.m. by Chair, Jeff Beal MINUTES Agenda Item: Welcome new member Kathy Reynolds Agenda Item: Approval of Meeting Minutes Jeff Beal asked for motion to approve Motion to approve minutes of September 6, 2016 made by Aaron Baier, seconded by Harold Baker. With no further discussion minutes passed unanimously Introductions Agenda Item: Intensive Behavioral Services (IBS) Waiver Marianne Odell met with OPWDD regarding IBS: they said no waiting list in Cortland County = no need for IBS / since 2010, only 2 cases – FRC offers behavioral services in the home – Sandy Ehrlich explained designed to help transition into new service (i.e. residential home to an apartment) – stabilization – offered maximum six months – good response behavioral specialists – Front Door eligibility process can begin, working simultaneously Jeff Beal asked Aaron Baier to discuss ATI Workshop scheduled Thursday, October 6 from 11 to 1:00 – guest panel – Aaron passed out fliers – this first workshop highlights a young lady who participated in mentoring workshops though her school years, encouraged by her mother, an employee of CRMC and her employer; a local small business owner – they will discuss successes and barriers – hoping for media coverage More events scheduled throughout the month; business breakfast – more information contact Aaron at [EMAIL REDACTED] (#inclusionworks) / Mark mentioned contacting the Rotary Club – include Liesl Moheimani as a continuation of her visit with Club First meeting in November community focus on disabilities and employment opportunities – Aaron will email notice by end of October Jeff acknowledged the point Liesl had made at the last meeting; citing the need for acronym clarification – list will be coming directly from OPWDD Agenda Item: Director’s Report (copy provided) Mark Thayer Ongoing County Budget process – County share of funding for Camp ARCO cut from this year’s budget – working with Fran Burnham to gather information (impact) to assist – part of budget process includes advocating for changes – important program – what other options are available to help offset cost? OMIG (Office of Medicaid Inspector General) Met with Inspector General and his deputies yesterday (10/3/2016) – inching toward settlement – Administrative hearing December 6 Community Updates from Alexandra Huntington-Ofner → Halloween parade on October 27 – collaboration with downtown partnership – good opportunity to connect with community Emergency Services Meetings – Cortland Regional Medical Center (CRMC) Staff Dr. Kowalski will be leaving in October – Hospital working to finalize hiring his replacement (from Syracuse) to begin in December – excited about process Regional Updates: Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors → Regional Planning Consortium (RPC) – Peers across State setting up processes to monitor Medicaid Managed Care: how to keep local focus; are people getting their needs met? Written into statute that Managed Care companies have to follow mandated protocols set by OMH, OASAS, DOH – will examine data related to access, service utilization, what are gaps as systems change (unintended consequences), what is working well – local planning and State meeting of 11 regions; local feedback matters – this will be valuable when OPWDD enters MMC State – OPWDD named Mary Hall, Regional Director of Services → Funding opportunity for integrated supportive housing – more systemic level – short turnaround time (due October 27) – Mark will send to anyone interesting in applying → State supplying some regional data (20 counties) – State is working on better reporting; more meaningful → John Lenhart: part of Planning Advisory Stakeholders’ group – Region 2 has $1.5 million of $10 million initiative – Central office has not narrowed down how money can be spent – preparing a letter of intent to send to agencies – Mark asked that LGUs receive letters of intent ---PAGE BREAK--- DD Subcommittee Meeting Minutes – October 4, 2016 - 2 - and include in notifications and updates / John: Region 2 is largest, received smallest allotment of funds – based on NY Cares list which was not as large as other regions – goal is to create residential opportunities; possibly increase IRA (Individualized Residential Alternatives) sizes Agenda Item: Agency Reporting Discussion (copy provided) Don Noble Franziska Racker Center, JM Murray and DSO (Developmental Services Office) provided information for first agency quarterly reporting (July, August and September) – data indicates Front Door process improving – report does not include what services are being offered to children – Marianne Odell: in home waiver respite – unsure of how (funding) cuts will effect programs; will it be feasible to continue providing that support / Jeff Beal: helpful to know numbers receiving services from behavioral specialists through family support; follow numbers (decrease service and growing waiting lists) Agency Updates: o Fran Burnham (MC ARC) – Graduation for 9 individuals completing self-advocacy and citizenship training – Go-Getters is Cortland’s advocacy group, President Harold Baker – They meet to advocate for services or work on community safety concerns, such as installation of crosswalks and are currently advocating to expand the bus route of Cortland transit to operate on weekends and at night o Michele Gravel (JM Murray) – Planning 50th birthday party of Center – will include articles and tours of the business side of Center / writing OPWDD work transformation plan to – final submission in January 2017 – approval June or July 2017 – integrated work environment with “14C” still in place (Department of Labor law) o Kathy Reynolds (Cortland Schools) – continued contract with JM Murray this year; good partnership – helping to align life skill students with work sites in community – placements at natural food store, SUNY Cortland (11 work sites in all) – students struggling to meet requirements of a diploma may have backup plan for career development occupational studies credential, requiring 54 work-based learning hours and access to general curriculum and attempt regents and career/technical educational classwork – partnering with SUPAC in series of workshops that began in September, ending in April 2017 / TIES – Together Including Every Student – mentor program connecting students with clubs and activities – part time person hired to help coordinate o Maureen McDermott-Mulherin (Pre-K Coordinator) – Concerning information – EI and preschool has shortage of providers – 30 students referred; providers jammed – no integrated class settings remaining – related service providers, speech, OT, PT therapists are maxed beyond capacity – special EI instructors, educators, therapists are needed – encourage anyone in one of these fields to come to the County; even part time – cannot recommend services if there are no providers o Ellen Wright – Worked the Pumpkin Festival this past weekend with the League of Women Voters; she asked one group of people (from a State facility) traveling with their staff, if they were registered to vote; they replied they were not; staff said they could not register to vote because they lived in a State house. Ellen explained they that was incorrect information – she encouraged them to get assistance to register to vote / Go-Getters hosted a session at JM Murray trying to encourage voter registration Next DD Subcommittee Meeting – November 1, 2016 Orientation meeting October 25 – 3:00 p.m. – Room 302 Joint CSB / Subcommittee Meeting – December 13, 2016 – 4:00 – Legislative Chambers Everyone is invited to attend Agenda Item: Adjourn Chair, Jeff Beal asked for a motion to adjourn Motion made by Harold Baker, seconded by Ellen Wright – meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m. NOTE: All approved minutes are available upon request - Gail L. Spitzer [EMAIL REDACTED] [PHONE REDACTED] (Posting to website currently unavailable)