Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (MSILC)

Transcription

1 Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council (MSILC) June 19, 2015, 11:30 a.m. -2:45 p.m. MSILC Office, Glenview Board Room 199 E. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville, MD MEETING MINUTES Attendance: MSILC Members: Richard Moore-Treasurer, Denise Thomas-MSILC ED, Paul Hartman, Jim Andrews, Martin Barrett-Vice Chair (phone), Emily Ferren- Secretary, Jamey George, Emma Byrnes, Elizabeth Mitchell (phone), Ray Smith (phone), Jennifer Eastman Guests: Laurie Elinoff (phone), Mike Bullis, Tom Laverty, Sarah Sorenson, Katie Collins-Ihrke, Berenda Riedl, Lori Magruder, Pattie Tingle and Corinna Stiles, Independent Living Program Specialist, Administration for Community Living Absent: Tracia Price, David Sharp, Christine Jones-Young, Katja Fort Rhoden Meeting began at 11:30 a.m. David Sharp, Chair, was absent due to a family obligation. Emily Ferren, Secretary chaired the meeting leading with a welcome and introductions. She asked members to identify themselves when speaking, as this was a full Council meeting with some members participating by teleconference. The presentation was given by Corinna Stiles, Independent Living Program Specialist from the Administration for Community Living. She had provided a handout before the meeting and also during her presentation to the Full Council. It is attached to the meeting minutes. The presentation covered an overview to the changes that are part of the Workforce Innovation and

2 Opportunity Act. Ms. Stiles was available to answer questions. She also stayed for the Full Council meeting. Executive Committee Full Council Minutes & Attendance Log, MSILC Secretary, Emily Ferren Attendance Log; please check your attendance on the document that was sent out with the agenda---for corrections, send to Attendance was taken for the June meeting. Review/Approval of 04/17/2015 meeting minutes (ACTION ITEM) Jim Andrews moved to approve the minutes. Emma Byrnes seconded. The minutes were approved. Chair Report-MSILC Secretary, Emily Ferren Denise Thomas reported on The International Visitor Leadership Program for Improving Services for People with Disabilities, A Project for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that met with members of the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council at the Rockville Office on Friday, April 24 th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The World Trade Center Institute hosted the visit. There was an exchange of ideas on delivering services to people with disabilities. Denise Thomas, David Sharp, and Jamey George participated. Denise Thomas, David Sharp, Richard Moore and Emily Ferren met with Lorena Baines, the Accessibility Director for the National Gallery of Art on May 19 th to discuss possible options for partnering with MSILC. Lorena gave us a tour of NGA and disseminated brochures describing accessible programs for those with vision loss and hearing loss. We discussed a possible reception for artists with disabilities with NGA as the sponsor for judging. It would be at a gallery location in Maryland. Lorena will be our presenter at the August Full Council meeting. The MSILC Open House was held on Thursday, May 21 st as an evening get together with music, refreshments, and distinguished guests including Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary, Carol Beatty, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, and Congressman Chris Van Hollen s Legislative Aid, Ashima Talwar. Kudos to the planning committee. Thank you to the Regus Corporation for including us in their newsletter.

3 Treasurer s Report-MSILC Treasurer, Richard Moore The Treasurer presented a budget statement covering April 1, 2015 through June 30, The end of the budget year is September 30. Council members stated that they would prefer to see the figures for a completed quarter per report. Jim Andrews inquired about the two last items on the report being reported as negatives (appearing in red on the online version of the report). Denise Thomas explained this was due to income that had not been received in the amount of about $ , and that this was being corrected. A ten minute break was taken. Outcomes Committee-MSILC Committee Chair, Laurie Elinoff As part of the SPIL Highlights, there are resources in the drop box for CIL Directors to access in cases of assisting a Center in high risk. This strengthens infrastructure. Also under SPIL progress, two questions for training have been approved and are now being used for all training opportunities. The IL Partners Retreat is scheduled for Monday, June 29, 2015 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Columbia, Maryland. Christopher Smith from Kennedy Krieger will be facilitating the retreat. So far, fifteen people are registered. State Rehabilitation Council Update, Laurie Elinoff Laurie will be attending a retreat on August 25 th. Her term on the SRC ends on September 30 th. Center for Independent Living Report, Jamey George, CIL Representative The IL Network is in transition from the Dept. of Education to the Dept. of Health and Human Services. The new Secretary for the Department of Disabilities is Carol Beatty.

4 Pattie Tingle from the Eastern Shore has been appointed to the Maryland State Health Insurance Program Performance Improvement and Innovation Project Advisory Committee funded by ACL through Maryland s Department of Aging. DHMH is making changes that will erase self-directed services. The choice of picking your own provider is being phased out. Having the ability to hire and fire your own provider will not be an option. Consumers will need to go to a care provider agency to get personal assistance services. Public Engagement Committee-MSILC Committee, Member, Elizabeth Mitchell Our key activity was the Open House on Thursday, May 21 st from 4:30-7:30 p.m. with a ribbon cutting. On July 15, 2015, MSILC will have a training for CIL staff in the morning with a luncheon/awards Ceremony in the afternoon to honor CIL staff and individuals in the community who exemplify the independent living philosophy. The key note speaker is Judith Heumann. Nominations for Awards will be extended one more week until Friday, June 26. Council social media presence is being constantly updated and the majority of content is being pulled directly from NCIL as a base point. MSILC has tripled their followers over the past three months. If you have any suggestions for information to be sent via Facebook or Twitter, please send to Denise Thomas. Denise Thomas gave an Outreach presentation to the Commission on Aging and Disability in Carroll County on June 10 th. An Outreach presentation is scheduled for June 23 rd to the Anne Arundel County Commission for persons with disabilities. Laurie Elinoff and Denise Thomas will be our representatives. Southern Maryland s ADA 25 th Anniversary Ceremony is scheduled for September 18 th. Denise Thomas and Emily Ferren will be attending. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so that students in the local area can participate.

5 Staff Report-MSILC Executive Director, Denise Thomas Orientations at local CILS are being planned for new MSILC members. The goal is to learn the operations and services which the Centers provide and learn more about the partnership among the CILS and the Council. Orientation sessions are to be scheduled for Emily Ferren at SMCIL and for Elizabeth Mitchell at the IMAGE Center. Upcoming trainings include the NCIL Conference from July in Washington, D.C. Katja, Elizabeth, and Emily will be attending. Tracia and Emily have been approved for an online training from August 3-23: ILRU, Smooth as SILC. There will be a CIL training on Professionalism and Stress Management on July 15 th at the WTC from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Awards Ceremony will follow in the same location starting at 1:00 p.m. Training reports were included in your packets. Emily Ferren completed an online training course, ILRU: SILC, More Than a Motto. Emma Byrnes represented MSILC at the Montgomery County Conversation on Health and Well Being on June 10 th to respond to What defines a Healthy Community? What does it mean to be healthy? When are we healthiest? Other conversations will be held throughout the summer for input. Jim Andrews mentioned the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition and trainings that will be offered will be sent to Denise Thomas. Town Hall meetings will be held by the MDOD Commission to cover the State Disability Plan. The dates to be determined will be sent out to the IL Network. Denise regularly attends the quarterly Alliance meetings. They are currently held at the Howard Co. Government Building. The next one will be in September. The ADA Celebration at Camden Yards is scheduled for Sunday, July 26 th.

6 The ABLE Act Task Force and the Ethan Saylor Alliance are being formed. Denise has been invited to the first meeting of the ABLE Act Task Force. Lisa Kornberg from the Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is retiring on June 30, Old Business-There was no old business to be reported. New Business Independence Now is holding a fundraiser with local wine and beer. Information will be sent out to the network. The 5 th annual Golf Tournament is also being sponsored by Independence Now. At the Image Center, Mike reported on the Disability Skills Gateway being developed in association with Google. For further information, go to disabilityskills.org On Wednesday, June 17 th, Ray Smith and Richard Moore went out to the pitching mound at the Bethesda Big Train game. Ray threw out the ceremonial first pitch to a standing ovation. MSILC also had an information booth during the game. Public Comments-There were no public comments. The meeting was adjourned at 2:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Emily Ferren Secretary