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DD Subcommittee Meeting Minutes – September 6, 2016 DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE OF CORTLAND COUNTY Community Services Board September 6, 2016 1:00 P.M. Room 304 – County Office Building Members Present: Jeff Beal (Chair), Aaron Baier, Elaine Fisher, Ellen Wright, Harold Baker, Liesl Moheimani and Maria DeRado Members Excused: Don Noble Others Present: Mark Thayer (Director), Fran Burnham (MC ARC), Amanda Hudson and Sandy Ehrlich (Racker Center), Beth Astramskas, Laura Greenfield and John Lenhart (OPWDD-DDRO), Kimberly Corbett (JMM), Alexandra Huntington-Ofner (CCMH) and Gail Spitzer (Secretary) Call to Order: 1:02 p.m. by Chair, Jeff Beal MINUTES Introductions Agenda Item: Approval of Meeting Minutes Jeff Beal asked for motion to approve Motion to approve minutes of August 2, 2016 made by Aaron Baier, seconded by Ellen Wright. With no further discussion minutes passed unanimously Agenda Item: Membership Update Jeff Beal / Board By email vote, DD Subcommittee members unanimously supported the membership of Reynolds to the DD Subcommittee – unanimous approval of the members of the Community Services Board – pending approval of the Cortland County Legislature; vote scheduled September 22, 2016 Jeff stressed that anyone interested in, or want to be part of the DD Subcommittee meetings, they are welcome to attend and as vacancies arise, we can vote on it at that time Agenda Item: OPWDD – Self Directed Services Laura Greenfield – Self Direction Liaison / DD Regional Office-CNY Overview: Program allows individuals and families the option to control their services (employer authority; hire staff) and have budget authority with the assistance of a broker and fiscal intermediary (FI, nonprofit agencies under OPWDD) – budget cap based on the assessment tool rating the individual’s needs – based on budget, family can set pay scale which includes fringe benefits (insurance, paid time off etc.) – broker helps facilitate hiring staff / total budget includes staffing, transportation reimbursement, housing subsidies, classes, membership fees; families make determinations about fund allocation (can move money within budget) / Broker facilities four meetings per year “circle of support”: family, staff, broker (after DDRO approves budget, Albany must give final approve) Initial step; family contacts MSC (Medicaid Service Coordinator) attends informational session, receive a general overview – follow up with service coordinators – State will pay “broker fee” to do planning - process can take 2-3 months, up to a year or more / In CNY, eight counties, approximately 1,000 families participating; no specific numbers of participants in Cortland County although there has been “growth” (Sandy Ehrlich estimated approximately 20 families in Cortland County) (OPWDD planning process generally takes 4 to 6 weeks, however broker can facilitate expediting process in emergency situations) Elaine Fisher asked for details relating to housing subsidies – Laura: have to be able to sign a lease (housing subsidies and family respite mutually exclusive; State will fund only one – different scenarios; roommates: sharing staff and services (all have same FI) / in 24/7 situation a nurse can be paid by State to train staff to pass medication as indirect oversight – State can hire LPN as community hab staff – some services only available as self- directed services (Note: IDGS – Individual Directed Goods and Services – Medicaid funded category, pay for non-matriculated classes, health club membership fees, transportation clause) Agenda Item: Director’s Report (copy provided) Mark Thayer First step of County Budget process completed (breakdown in report) any increase related to contractual salary expenses requiring more County share due to Federal Salary Sharing having to be used towards OMIG (as follows) OMIG (Office of Medicaid Inspector General) Audit findings during appeal process, require payments ($10k) – settle amount $676k+ - trying to be reach settlement; future meetings and hearing Community Updates from Alexandra Huntington-Ofner → September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – Awareness Walk scheduled for September 15, beginning and ending at County Office Building gymnasium (to include live music, food and resource fair at the end of the walk) (2015 approximately 100 participants) → Free motivational interviewing training, sponsored by OMH (Office of Mental Health) in Syracuse NY on September 23 Emergency Services Meetings – Cortland Regional Medical Center (CRMC) Staff Dr. Kowalski will be leaving in October – Hospital anxious to find a permanent replacement; they and community hopeful this will happen relatively quickly ---PAGE BREAK--- DD Subcommittee Meeting Minutes – September 6, 2016 - 2 - Regional Updates Central NY Directors’ Planning Group working with OMH and OASAS: → Hutchings Center Crisis Respite Program – seeing feedback within Cortland County – makes funding available to overcome barriers to access and provide oversight → seeking other resources to support mobile crisis services available to anyone in need regardless of insurance State – OPWDD State initiative “Welcome”: Community Inclusion campaign Agenda Item: Agency Reporting Discussion (copy provided) Will be sent to reporting agencies for quarterly reporting – first will be July, August and September to be reported in October. Agency Updates: o Beth Astramskas – personnel appointments / Mark asked for any updates regarding the planning advisory (stakeholders’) group and when Cortland County would be able to participate. Beth made inquiry and there were no plans at this point “there were so many and the money has to be spent by the end of the year. There was talk of agencies presenting”. John Lenhart: The group meets every other week – Mark: use this (DD Subcommittee) meeting, someone from group attend to discuss ideas – John will ask (advisory) group o Sandy Ehrlich/Amanda Hudson (Racker Center) – Annual community celebration September 22 – free for families and businesses – overview of Center / September 28 Parent Social Night o Aaron Baier (ATI) – October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month – with schools, coordinating mentoring days and other events – career exploration and workshop, job fair #inclusionworks o Kim Corbett (JM Murray) – September 19, hosting motivational interviewing and trauma informed care with CCSI o Fran Burnham (MC ARC) – Legislative Listening Forum, Thursday, September 29 at Vernon Downs Events Center Discussion: Liesl Moheimani – expressed frustration of being a member of the Subcommittee – is there a mission statement? – many acronyms used – what are expectations of members – does State and Federal funding of agencies prohibit other types of funding; is it possible but not being done – what are we doing and what other funding sources can be sought / Elaine Fisher – she and Liesl, being parents of children with disabilities, want to know how to be proactive and help Mark: There is not a clear or easy answer to these points – the State mandates some formal processes, which becomes planning, information sharing, etc. Legal responsibility of group is to provide information to the Community Services Board (CSB), particularly regarding the County Plan – CSB oversees some of the State aid funding – agencies are not required to report grant or other funding to the Subcommittee or the CSB – hope that this group becomes a catalyst for agencies sharing information, shaping communication, provide feedback, mobilize parents who need a voice – specific programs are not created by the subcommittees or the CSB – it is important having parents’ and consumers as members to provide the energy and push to point out what needs are not being fulfilled – we value your time and participation in this process – what can we do as a committee, welcome feedback about changes in agendas, presenters, orientation Jeff: This Subcommittee has an advantage in strong representation from all the local agencies and the State – from informational and concern point of view – prioritizing and setting goals only possible with the right people listening and this group has great attendance; that is how things goals are met Next Meeting – October 4, 2016 – Orientation meeting October 25 – 3:00 p.m. Agenda Item: Adjourn Chair, Jeff Beal asked for a motion to adjourn Motion made by Ellen Wright, seconded by Harold Baker – meeting adjourned at 2:23 p.m. NOTE: All approved minutes are available upon request - Gail L. Spitzer [EMAIL REDACTED] [PHONE REDACTED] (Posting to website currently unavailable)