NC Statewide Independent Living Council

Transcription

1 NC Statewide Independent Living Council Meeting Minutes October 22, 2010 Country Inn and Suites, Burlington, NC The following members were present: Gloria Bellamy, Barbara Davis, William Donohue, Clyde Goodwin, Keith Greenarch, Brian Jones, Michael Martin, Sandy McMillan, Kay Miley, Kelly Rowe-Rodriguez, Teresa Staley. Attending by telephone was member Dorothy Frye. Members absent: Debbie Smith, Jeff McLoud, Camille Leacock. Ex-officio members attending included Susanna Bourgeois, Holly Riddle, Vicki Smith, and Cynthia Temoshenko. NCSILC staff attending included Cynthia Sexton and Debbie Hippler. Guests attending were Pamela Lloyd-Ogoke, Gloria Garton, Rene Cummins, Helen Pase, Benita Williams, Jim Whalen, D Arcee Neal, Erin Sexton, Alma Atkinson, Mary Beth Brown, Karla Curry, Gay Joyner, Mark Lineberger, Diane Rawdanowicz, Erin Russell, Joan and John Black. Welcome/Mission /Minutes The meeting was called to order at 9:08 AM by Barbara Davis, Chair. All attendees introduced themselves. The chair called for Agenda changes. None were offered. The NC Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) Mission was read. Changes to the minutes of the July meeting were requested and made. Youth Leadership Forum The Chair recognized Rene Cummins, Executive Director of the Alliance of Disability Advocates (ADA), the Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Raleigh, who hosted the SILC-sponsored Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) in July, She introduced two YLF representatives, D Arcee Neal and Erin Sexton, to provide a report on the program s activities. Neal and Sexton provided a power point presentation with photos outlining the YLF activities. They followed with a video made at the Forum. Both documents are available on the SILC website (ncsilc.org). Sandy McMillan reported that YLF was a life-changing event for her daughter, and appreciated the opportunity it provided for her.

2 Executive Report Barbara Davis noted that the SILC Executive Committee offered the permanent position of Executive Director to Cynthia Sexton at their September meeting. Sexton accepted the position. Davis then recognized Sexton who reported on her activities since joining NCSILC with a Power Point presentation. The presentation is available on the website. The meeting took a mid-morning break. The Chair reconvened the meeting with SILC Committee Reports SILC Committee Reports Policy & Long Term Planning Dorothy Frye reporting as Committee Chair. Frye reported that the committee met yesterday, and is proposing By-laws changes. The first is to change the name of the Development committee to Membership. Sexton explained that the change eliminates any confusion with fundraising, which is not allowed with Part B Funds. A new committee, Finance, is proposed. Michael Martin read the new Committee descriptions, as they will be sent to the Membership in an on October 19. Sexton described the process which will be followed for amending the By-laws through a virtual meeting to be held on November 8 th (meeting the ten day notice to members requirement). The Policy Committee approved the By-law changes in their meeting yesterday. It was moved and seconded that the changes presented by the Policy committee be voted on at a virtual meeting in ten days as required. The motion passed unanimously. Development Committee Kelly Rowe Rodriguez reporting as Committee Chair. The SILC has six openings on the Council, with four applications currently at the Governor s office. Rodriguez noted that there are two additional Council vacancies. Application forms are available on the website. She encouraged all members to think about potential SILC members. Davis also encouraged all present to consider people in their communities for possible Council membership. Expanding network of CILs Gloria Garton reporting. Garton reported as the CIL Executive Director for the newest Part C Center in Wilmington, disability Resource Center (drc). In September drc received a call from Congressman Mike Mcintyre congratulating them on their new status as a federally funded Part C Center. Mcintyre also attended the Center s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 20 th Anniversary celebration in October. Garton stated that this is an exciting time. They are currently working on Part B stimulus projects. She thanked Cynthia Temoshenko for all of her help with their application. The ADA Celebration will become an annual event empowering people with disabilities and local disability organizations.

3 drc has added three new counties to their service area: Pender, Onslow and Columbus. They are using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for staff and new Board Member trainings. Carla Curry has selected drc to serve as part of the research for her doctoral dissertation. The drc has also become an official Benefits Bank site, providing public assistance services programs for no fee, including screening for financial aid assistance, Medicaid and tax return preparation. The Benefits Bank has significantly increased the number of consumer visits to the Center. Davis commended Helen Pase for her great work as a new director at the Eastern North Carolina CIL (ENC-CIL). Pase reported as the only Part B Center currently in NC. She thanked Gloria and Cynthia Temoshenko for their assistance with the ARRA funds application. Pace has hired two new staff and is seeing an increase in consumer traffic. She thanked all the community for their support in getting ENC- CIL up and running again. Their recent ADA celebration was a great success. Transitions and Legislative Committee: No report SILC Responsibilities Under the Rehabilitation Act Davis called for questions regarding the recently completed Statewide Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) and its goals. She reported that the team working on the final Plan input spent many hours prior to its final submission, making major revisions in conference with Felipe Lulli, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Independent Living Program Specialist. Davis read the duties of the NCSILC under Section 705 of the Rehabilitation act. A priority of funding was stated in the (SPIL). Felipe Lulli, our RSA state coordinator, has reminded us that the SPIL can be amended. Davis continued that the SILC is responsible for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the implementation of the State Plan. Davis noted that the new Evaluation Committee is tasked with developing and implementing the evaluation process. She reminded the members that Alliance of Disability Advocates (ADA) developed the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF). The Council can only monitor, review, and evaluate YLF (NOT develop or implement). Davis then reviewed the current SPIL goals. Members are to choose committees as they were defined in the , keeping in mind their areas of expertise. Davis then read the six SPIL goals. She noted that the Youth Forum has to be contracted out for next year through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) as the SILC s Designated State Unit (DSU). Cynthia Temoshenko, DVR Ex-officio representative, stated that the Request For Application (RFA) process will be used for awarding the YLF contract. Davis reminded the members that the SILC cannot lobby, but can develop position papers and provide information to the general public including the Legislature. The SILC can communicate to the public through focus groups, present position papers, and provide information to the legislature if requested.

4 Davis informed members that SILC staff will contact them regarding committees, including the selection of Committee Chairs. Each Committee will be responsible for developing a work plan and applicable benchmarks for the upcoming year. Rodriguez questioned how evaluation surveys and their results will be reported. Sexton replied that the Evaluation Committee will develop instruments and procedures, with its process reported to the SILC as soon as it is developed. The Executive Director will report to the SILC quarterly on the ongoing evaluation process. Martin questioned if the evaluation committee should be an AD HOC committee. Davis replied that the Policy Committee will consider that question. Speaker Vicki Smith, Ex-officio Member Executive Director, Disability Rights, N.C. Smith reported that Disability Rights has just finished doing 18 listening session across the state, the final one held October 21st in Reidsville. The Winston-Salem session had over 70 attendees. Disability Rights has 42 staff, with a budget of $3.3 million. Their staff includes 16 attorneys, 10 case handlers, 3 intake, 1 outreach, one full time public policy person, and two paralegals. There are two offices Raleigh & Asheville. Disability Rights (DR) supports the legal rights of people with disabilities. They are either enforcing the law or trying to change the law to be more protective. The organization values the dignity of all people and their ability to control their own lives. They ask, Can all people Live Free from Harm. Safety is an important concept for DR. DR provides Protection and Advocacy (P&A). Until 2007 the function was part of state government. Their funding comes from RSA, Administration On Developmental Disabilities, and others. In all, there are seven programs funded through six acts of congress. Their Information & Referral services touch the most people. DR is one of only four organizations that can go into a facility. They have one team of investigators that visit facilities every month, with higher risk facilities monitored more often. For example, Dorothea Dix is now being closely monitored as they move their final residents out. DR s client is always and only the person with a disability not a parent or other figure. All individuals with disabilities are eligible for their services. DR is currently looking at a continuum of care for youth, including some public school issues, and is especially looking at those in juvenile justice. Smith encouraged all to register to vote this week and notify DR if they have a challenge during the process. They are focusing on (1) if people are allowed to register and (2) if polling places are accessible, including drive-by voting. Smith stated that she is available to talk to any group. She also encouraged attendees to visit the website and take a survey There will be an analysis of the trends they are seeing and will share their results with the SILC. Holly Riddle, ex-officio for the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities, is also developing the plan and has a survey on their website

5 Break for lunch Meeting resumed at 1:15 Ex-Officio Reports Pamela Lloyd Ogoke reporting for Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Independent Living Rehabilitation Program (DVR-ILRP) The Independent Living Rehabilitation Program (ILRP) served the following people in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010: 5299 individuals with disabilities. 186 were prevented from being institutionalized, 32 people were assisted in transitioning out of institutions, 345 were on the personal attendant list, 2383 people were provided with assistive devices, and 1016 received Information and referral services (I&R). DVR-ILRP has become the lead agency for Money Follows the Person (MFP) housing and transition issues in NC. She also reported that there will be budget cuts in the coming year, but does not know where those cuts will be made. Rene Cummins reported for the CILs. There is now a new Title VII Part C Center: DRC is now funded through Part C Funds. Youth Leadership Development at ADA has two new staff. Youth from the July 2010 YLF will be attending the APRIL (Assn. of Programs for Rural Independent Living) conference in October. They will also have presentations in three high schools for Disability and History and Awareness Month. Centers assisted four consumers who were diverted from returning to a nursing facility. The CILs are also having success with their travel training programs. Holly Riddle reported for the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities (DDC) The DDC is working on a State Plan including Money Follows Person (MFP), and the seeing is believing initiative. DDC is funding about twenty initiatives at any one time. The Participant Involvement Fund sends people with Developmental Disabilities (DD) to conferences and events in and out of the state. Beyond Academics is creating the state s first four-year college experience for people with intellectual disabilities. Western Carolina has a federal grant to work in that area. The College of Direct Support is an interest based, competency based curriculum for front line staff (personal assistants, direct support staff). DDC is coordinating trainings for that work force, trying to get the state to adopt competencies needed for the work with people with developmental disabilities. Riddle invited interested attendees to make application to serve on the DDC Governor-appointed board.

6 Jim Whalen asked Riddle how the DDC defined Developmental Disability. Riddle will send the definition to Sexton. It includes having lifelong disabilities prior to the age of 22. The definition is not a diagnostic it is determined by the number of disabilities (3 of 7). She noted that DDC funds can be used across disabilities. Susana Bourgeois reported for the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH). DSDHH is working on a 3-year plan. The organization just completed a needs assessment among the seven regional centers and updated their website. The regional mangers met about the coming state funding cuts, and are waiting for the outcome. Old Business none New Business AgrAbility Grant B. Davis reported that NC Agricultural & Technical University (NCA&T) is applying for a federal AgrAbility Grant. NCSILC would like to partner with them in this effort. AgrAbility funds were last awarded in NC in The program assists people with disabilities who work in agriculture, helping them continue on their farm after accidents resulting in disabilities. It also helps rural population maintain its independence. The CILs would be trained as mentors and provide assistance to farmers and other people in agriculture. The program would involve most of the CILs across the state. In a prior (unsuccessful) application the project administration would have been done by Pathways. The current consortium will be applying in December or January. Davis proposes to the Council that the Administrative function go to the SILC office. Funds received would assist to diversify funding for that office. V. Smith talked to the Northern West Va. CIL who has been involved with AgrAbility for years. NC will use a peer curriculum already developed. A question was raised as to why the grant left NC. Ogoke replied that when the AgrAbility grant was in the state previously there was a person in that area. Garton attended an Agrability conference last year, and stressed how important this program is to the CILs and their underserved populations including migrant workers and farmers. The program deals with farm safety, chemicals and hearing loss among other issues. Davis reported that Bill Fields from the National AgrAbility Program will come to NC on Nov. 18 th and 19 th for a meeting with partners participating on the grant. NCSILC will confirm the meeting dates. She reminded members that the SILC cannot reimburse members for AgrAbility-related travel through Part B funds.

7 Davis stated that she would entertain a motion to support the SILC office in its application for AgrAbility funding. It was so moved and seconded. The motion received unanimous support from the members. Other New Business Teresa Staley attended the NC Division of Medical Assistance (DMA) public hearing on Private Duty Nursing programs and heard a lot of concern from people being shifted out of their homes. She has become a member of the Private Duty Nursing advisory group. There is a meeting at the end of the month. Davis reported that SILC Congress will meet in January 2011 in Atlanta. She encouraged members to attend. It provides an opportunity to talk to other SILC members and see what they re doing in other states. She encouraged members to notify Sexton if they are interested in attending. Davis also reminded members to contact the SILC office if you want a reservation on Wednesday night prior to a SILC meeting. She noted that only reason to spend Wednesday night is required attendance at a Thursday committee meeting. It was moved to adjourn the meeting at 2:15. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Submitted by Cynthia Sexton, Executive Director, NCSILC.