MINUTES

Thursday, March 13, 2003; 2:30 PM

AUDREY P. BECK BUILDING, CONFERENCE ROOM C

PRESENT: K. Grunwald (staff), B. Lehmann (Chair), J. Heald, M. Hauslaib, J. Peters, E. Passmore

I. COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS:

A. Discussion with SSD Director, Kevin Grunwald

K. Grunwald updated the Committee on a number of initiatives that are taking place within the Department. An application for a $25,000 grant to combat underage drinking was submitted to the State Office of Policy and Management. The grant would create a task force to address this issue, integrating work with efforts currently underway at UConn through the Alcohol Task Force. We should hear about our application some time in May. The Department is also looking at applying for a Real Choice Systems Change grant from the CT Department of Social Services. This is a $75,000 grant for three years that is intended to create model communities for the inclusion of people with disabilities. The grant application is due April 18.

In general the work of the Department continues to operate smoothly, with an emphasis on greater integration of all programs and services.

B. Review of Department activity and other items in packet: The material included in the packet was reviewed. Future packets will include copies of reports from other programs including Senior Services and Youth Services, along with minutes of the YSB Advisory Board and any new brochures or publications.

C. Program funding updates

· Graustein Foundation: K. Grunwald and S. Baxter are working on a revised budget and action plan for Discovery 2003 that are both due by the end of this month. It appears that with the unspent carry-over money from 2002 we will be able to continue to operate this grant for the remainder of the year.

· School Readiness Grant: The Town of Mansfield is still waiting to hear on whether or not we will continue to be eligible for this funding. M. Hauslaib indicated that eligible towns have already received application information for 2003/04.

· Senior Services Nurse/Wellness Center: The Wellness Center has obtained funding to cover nursing services for 16 hours/month through the McSweeny Center through September of this year. The Town has also been included in McSweeny’s application to continue to fund these services beyond this year.

· General impact of State budget cuts/closure of Willimantic DSS office: While we have not seen a dramatic impact from the closing of this office, we continue to be sensitive to the impact that this will have on residents of Mansfield.

· Report on the status of the Special Needs Fund and fund-raising activities: We currently have a balance of $2562 in the Special Needs Fund. K. Grunwald will be speaking to the League of Women Voters on 4/15, and will be making a request for donations to the fund at that time.

D. Other

II. MINUTES:

Minutes of February 13, 2003 meeting: A revised copy of the minutes was distributed. A motion was made to accept the minutes as written, and the motion was approved.

III. OLD BUSINESS:

A. Update on SSAC collaboration with Recreation Advisory Committee on Community Center fee waiver policy/schedule:

M. Hauslaib, J. Heald, K. Grunwald and B. Lehmann will be meeting tonight with members of the Recreation Advisory Committee and Curt Vincente to discuss the proposed fee reduction policy for Community Center memberships. The four of them will meet prior to that meeting in an attempt to reach consensus on this issue from the perspective of the SSAC.

B. FY ’04 Budget update: Recommendations for the agency funding requests have been forwarded to the Town Manager for inclusion into the proposed budget. A request was made for the SSAC to be able to review the Town Manager’s recommendations prior to the Town Council review of the budget. This request will be forwarded to the Town Manager.

C. Review of the At Risk Program: Since the last meeting we have activated the “At Risk Program.” Members reported on their experiences in calling people on the list. One question was raised about how someone would get to the hospital if they needed to during inclement weather. The answer is that the Fire Dept. will be contacted in that case. Two numbers on E. Passmore’s list were inactive, and their numbers need to be verified. We discussed the fact that making these contacts also provides an opportunity to do some initial assessment of whether or not there are other services that these residents may need to receive from with the Social Service Department. Contact sheets need to be updated annually; K. Grunwald and S. Thompson will review the form and determine whether or not is appropriate for Advisory Committee members to collect this information. We agreed that we need to look at ways of publicizing the availability of this service, and look at how new participants are recruited. Suggestion included using the Senior Sparks, along with contacting Jean Ann Kenny for referrals. If appropriate, forms will be distributed at the next meeting. One suggested change for the form is to ask if people are away from their homes from for any significant period of time.

D. Review of agency funding request process: B. Lehmann distributed a form to evaluate the agency funding requests for this year, and to look at recommendations for next year. Discussion on this was tabled until the April meeting.

E. Other

IV. NEW BUSINESS:

A. Discussion of mission and purpose of the Social Service Advisory Committee: K. Grunwald distributed the initial Town Council resolution that established the SSAC. B. Lehmann pointed out that this resolution indicates that the committee advises the Town Manager, as opposed to the Director of the Department. The question was raised of which is appropriate, and whether or not the Director should serve as a conduit to the Town Manager. E. Passmore identified the importance of having a clear chain of command which goes through the Director rather than advising the Town Manager. M. Hauslaib suggested that the intent of the resolution is to advise Town Manager or designee. The issue was also raised about the role of advocacy for this group. It was pointed out that members always have the option of speaking individually as a citizen as opposed to speaking as a member of the committee. K. Gunwald will facilitate the first hour of next month’s meeting to address this issue.

B. Other

V. PLANS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

April 3: Election of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary
May 1: Marilyn Gerling
June 5: tbd