MANSFIELD DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

 

Thursday, December 1, 2005

 3:30 PM

 

PRESENT: K. Grunwald (staff), J. Heald (Chair), K. Emery, B. Gouldsbrough, J. Romayko (staff)

 

I.                    MINUTES: Minutes of November 3, 2005 meeting: the minutes were accepted as written.

 

II.                  NEW BUSINESS:

A.     Overview of the Youth Service Bureau: J. Romayko from YSB distributed information on the Youth Service Bureau and gave a statewide overview: there are 96 YSB’s covering 120 towns.  Our YSB receives approximately $20,000 in state funding.  Because Mansfield has no school social workers, much of the staff’s work is done in the schools.  The most active school program is an ongoing group at each school for children whose parents are divorced (COPE).  Other programs include: Big Friends (UConn students), psychiatric services/medication management, parenting education, ADAPT (alcohol/drug abuse prevention), Safe Homes, Middle School youth employment program, Mansfield Challenge, peer outreach program, summer camperships through the Bishop’s Fund, grandparents raising grandchildren.  She was asked what the biggest challenges in town are for youth, and responded that it is bullying, along with a division between “haves/have-nots.”

B.    Update on Medicare Part D: K. Grunwald presented a brief overview on changes to the Medicare prescription drug program. 

C.    Emergency Preparedness/At Risk Program: K. Grunwald reported that he has been working with staff on identifying residents in town with “special needs”, so that this can be incorporated into our emergency response plan.

D.     “Other”: B. Gouldsbrough distributed materials on alcoholism.  Information will be made available at the Town Hall and the Senior Center.  

 

III.                OLD BUSINESS:

A.      Agency funding requests/assignments: K. Grunwald distributed copies of the application and evaluation criteria and discussed the process; assignments will be made at the next meeting. 

B.      Other

 

 

 

     IV.  COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTS: 

A.     Review of Department activity and other items in packet and discussion with SSD Director: quarterly report, article on the Special Needs Fund, and minutes from other advisory committees.

B.          Program updates

·        Early Care and Education

·        Adult Services: holiday assistance.

·        Senior Services: update on Senior Center activities, including the Bazaar.

·        Youth Services

C.    Other

 

V.        PLANS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

·        Set preliminary schedule: Proposed Schedule:

January/February: Agency Funding Requests; March: Adult Services; April: Senior Services; May: tbd; June: Annual Review.

 

VI.       ADJOURNMENT: meeting adjourned at 5:00 PM.

 

            Respectfully submitted,

 

            Kevin Grunwald