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Official Minutes
Resource Connections of Oregon
Salem, Oregon 97305
March 19, 2008
- Next meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 23, 2008, at Resource Connections of Oregon in Salem from 9:30am – 3:00pm. The Customer/Family/Advocate group will meet from 8:30am – 9:30am.
- Meetings for 2008—July 25, 2008, September 26, 2008, November 19, 2008
In Attendance: Cynthia Owens, Judy Cunio, Carol Simonds, Cindy Helvington, Arlene Jones, Marcie Ingledue, Bill Lynch, Pam Ring, Dan Peccia, Bev Herrin, Tim Kral, JoAnne Fuhrman, Mary Lee Fay, Mike Maley, Kathryn Weit, Jasper Smith, Tara Asai, Dianne Turner
Meeting was called to order by facilitator, Bill Lynch, at 9:40 am. Minutes taken by Arlene Jones.
Introductions and Announcements
Introductions were made. A number of individuals were unable to attend today’s meeting and had sent their regrets.
Announcement was made that Arlene was one of the individuals presented with a Developmental Disabilities (DD) Champion award on March 5, 2008, at the DD Awareness Celebration.
Review & Approval of Minutes
The January 25, 2008, minutes were approved by consensus. Final version will be posted on the Arc of Oregon website.
Monitoring/Updates
SPD Updates
- New Brokerage development update
Brokerage contract with the Arc of Multnomah-Clackamas was signed earlier this week. The addition of The Arc Brokerage Services (TABS) brings the number of brokerages in existence in Oregon to 12. Enrollments will commence July 1, 2008. At this point, an outline and training schedule is being reviewed. Adherence will be dependent on the individual (experience level) hired as the executive director. Much discussion and information has been occurring between TABS and the existing Metro area brokerages.
Suggestion was made to print more copies of “A Roadmap to Support Services” manual, so as to supply copies to the new brokerage. Question was also raised as to the overall number of printed copies remaining, at local Community Developmental Disabilities Program (CDDP) offices and brokerages.
ACTION ITEM—State will request numbers of “A Roadmap to Support Services” manual printed copies remaining from Counties and Brokerages.
- Comp 300 local planning update
Mike Maley reported that most of the Comp 300 local planning has already occurred. Efforts have been made to provide access in different ways. Reminder was made that sequencing would occur at different rates across the state. A lot of discussion is occurring with regard to usage of housing funds.
Budget to actual is being closely followed, with maintenance of the connection between increasing comprehensive residential rates, and rates for support services. In July 2008, state will look at adjusting overall plan dollars by 10%, but not the ceilings of each plan type. At some point consideration may be given to adjusting the rate guideline. Details are being worked on so that by the next SIG meeting, the state may be able to describe how the implementation will occur. This is towards increasing the ease of transition into the next biennium.
Two implementation theories have been proposed. The first involves the 10% adjustment on a monthly basis. The second is stepwise involving two steps during the course of a year.
Other considerations include implications of REBAR as related to employment, and looking at the children’s (Children’s Intensive In-Home Services) waiver and the family support arena, and how it fits in.
Brokerages
Dan Peccia distributed materials (power point and letter) which had been developed by the Metro area brokerages of SDRI, Mentor Oregon, and Independence Northwest, to provide outreach to high school transition age students on support services for adults with developmental disabilities (DD). A power point developed for similar outreach by Inclusion was sent electronically by Howard Smith.
Although it was good to see materials development by the brokerages, and that the SIG did not want to limit or stifle information being developed for outreach by individual brokerages, the following comments and recommendations were received with regard to the materials:
- Mike expressed that only about half of all initial referrals to county service coordination are actually eligible for DD services. Clarity of the eligibility process was a very important part of the information given to individuals and their families. Enrollment rollout will be a non-issue.
- Customers/Families/Self-Advocates group stressed the importance of statewide branding of all materials on support services for adults with developmental disabilities, with all brokerages using the Self-Directed Supports (SDS) logo. Would like to see an agreed upon consistency that is not dependent on each individual brokerage, along with language that is agreed upon, with all brokerages utilizing the same thing, as these support services are statewide, where if a customer were to move between brokerages, the supports and services would remain the same. Language can be included which states “that these services are provided locally by the following organizations…” Reaction was received with regard to the use of the term “brokerages,” and that instead “support services for adults with developmental disabilities” be used to avoid confusion. “Support services for adults with developmental disabilities” is what is used in rule.
- Issue was raised that the manual, “A Roadmap to Support Services,” developed to provide consistent statewide information, was not being distributed on a regular basis. Distribution of the manual was to be handled by the counties, where counties were to give a copy of the manual individuals in service coordination prior to referral to the brokerages. Although the manual is available on-line, question was raised as to how often counties were printing the downloadable version to distribute. Question was raised as to whether more copies of the manual could be printed by the state. Discussion followed.
- Comment was made that as brokerage personal agents (PA’s) are participating more in high school transition age students’ Individual Education Programs (IEP’s), they are hearing the statement that “comprehensive services are still available.” This is an erroneous statement, and those present on the IEP teams should be made aware of the error.
ACTION ITEM—Bev Herrin and Dan will relate to brokerage directors the use of consistent statewide branding (SDS logo) and consistent information on materials used in outreach, along with use of “support services for adults with developmental disabilities” over the terminology “brokerage.”
ACTION ITEM—State will send out a survey to Counties and Brokerages, polling them as to the number of “A Roadmap to Support Services” manuals in their possession, whether they are distributing the printed manual or downloading the PDF for distribution with each referral.
Dan reported that the workgroup has met. Mike Parr, from the state office was to collate the material and bring to the SIG. An agenda of discussions is occurring, but will probably take a few meetings for completion of full discussions so as to return to the SIG.
- Agency with Choice Workgroup
A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, 2008.
Customer/Family/Advocates
- Report on draft training plan for utilization of $15,000 and beyond
Discussion continues with regard to how to make best use of the training funds. Kathryn Weit met with the brokerage directors on Friday, March 14, 2008. Possibilities include bringing multiple video broadcasts from one location to other local sites, and in addition, videotaping of the core videoconference, which could then be used with local brokerage boards scheduled at times to meet the needs of those individuals. This would allow greater opportunities for participation.
Next steps involve the formation of a workgroup with teams from brokerages in addition to members of the annual training workgroup. As of this time, 4 brokerage directors (Vee Ann Ambers, Barbara Hedrick, Bill Uhlman, Dan Peccia) have responded. There will also be PA involvement. A conference call will be scheduled to begin discussion. Dianne Turner and Cynthia Owens will be making modifications to the budget originally proposed.
Jim Wrigley and Kathryn have been working on the grievance material/fact sheet. The state requested that this material be sent to them as soon as possible as it is linked with other activities.
Cynthia announced that videotaping for production of the DVD on employment-focused person centered planning has been completed. Copies will be distributed to all school districts in the state, vocational rehabilitation (VR) offices, brokerages, and others. Recognition was given to Patrice Botsford with Multnomah County, the Oregon Department of Education, VR, and Brokerages for their financial support of this endeavor. Recommendation was made that there be a showing of the DVD during the lunch break at an upcoming SIG meeting.
Cynthia also announced that the March 13, 2008, Kathie Snow presentation of the “Oregon Training Series on Direct Supports” had been videotaped and could be used in future facilitated workshops. Permission has been granted for videotaping of presentations from other speakers in the series.
Issue Discussion and Action Steps
PATH Planning—Debrief and Next Steps
The PATH Plan has been laminated and was displayed. Clarification was made that Seniors and People with Disabilities (SPD) paid for the facilitators, Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Kahn; Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities funded the lunch and lamination. The PATH Plan is available for Counties and Brokerages to revisit the past and visualize the future. It has been taken to Creative Supports Inc for viewing. Recognition was made that a great amount has been accomplished in a relatively short period of time.
An overview of the visual PATH was attempted. Major parts of the PATH were: (1) what is the Role of the SIG (SIG role vision), (2) what is going to happen in general/what is going to happen for support services (support services vision), and (3) what are things that could happen to lead to 2011.
As the review progressed, recommendation was made that the visual PATH be converted to a linear word document which could then be distributed to SIG members to aid in readability and comprehension.
ACTION ITEM—Bev will have her staff convert the visual PATH plan to a word document.
Efforts of the SIG then focused on discussions around actions towards getting to the activities and goals expressed for April 2008. Prioritization was recognized as key.
The SIG and Brokerages looked at in terms of—
(1) Operation
(2) Role—to get information back to our communities as an overall system
- How do support services fit into the whole system?
- Are support services making the lives of people with developmental disabilities better?
Role of the SIG—meetings with purpose
Discussion occurred with regard to setting agendas. The following is a list of items felt to be important in agenda building:
- Success stories (every meeting there should be a sharing of at least one success)
- Training
- Workforce capacity and Infrastructure [Benefits]—independent providers, workman’s compensation, employer/employee relationship
- Quality Assurance
- Employment
- Complex Agenda Issues
- Self-Advocacy
It was felt that at the group would always want an agenda which included current and “big picture” items, but also concentrating on a prioritized topic to be covered for a pre-determined time span (6 months). Although items listed above could be further organized under the larger categories of Training, Infrastructure, and Quality Assurance, this would be defeating the purpose of tackling “smaller bites.”
A vote was taken to determine the prioritized topic, which would be the focus of SIG discussion over 6 months between the following two topics:
(1) Independent Providers Infrastructure—wages; new structures; budgetary negotiations; policy discussions; independent providers encompassing independent contractors, domestic employees; this would be towards building capacity as this is felt to be a weak point in the system—5 votes
(2) Training—consideration here is not topical training; modes and types of trainings; concept of training and awareness; building a training system (strategic plan for training) in preparation for 2001 and beyond; information investigation; relation to other areas; what the state is going to be supporting, state directed and locally or brokerage directed—9 votes
Majority vote was to concentrate efforts of the SIG on Trainings.
Training Discussions
- Identification of target populations
- What?
- Values
- Practical ways to implement the values
- Independence
- How to be an employer
- Relationships
- Sex education
- Self-confidence
- Self-Determination
- Informed choice
- Introduction to support services for adults with developmental disabilities
- Support services/brokerage
- How to be an employer—sophisticated critical customer
- Initial training for new enrollees
- Exploitation training for customers
- How to be a provider
- Business practice, taxes, marketing, insurance, rate establishment, relationships, boundaries with customers
- Increasing the range of possibilities by providers for customers—expand provider horizon and think outside of the box
- Progress notes
- Billings
- Paperwork
- Expanding the vision—ie.—bilingual
- How to develop a plan (life planning)—recognizing outcomes
- How to choose services, evaluate services, don’t settle for less
- How to think about a larger future
- Person centered planning
- How to advocate
- How to tell your story
- Cultural competencies
- How to recognize seizure activity, basic health & welfare
- OIS/Autism
- Problem solving
- Conflict, dispute resolution
- Training about how other larger, bureaucratic agencies work—maneuvering through the agency maze (child welfare, foster care, OMAP, social security)
- Recognize basic disability information (history, sign language)
- How to work = communicate with families and self-advocates (Kathie Snow)
- Fundamental respect
- How do people visualize the future—as in way into comp services from support services
- Informed choice
- Capacity development
- 1st plans with respect to new enrollment—new customer training
- What a new emerging brokerage needs to know
- Total training package for new brokerages/PA’s
- Core competencies for independent providers, PA’s
- Participant expectations—use of public dollars by customers and families as providers
- Monitoring of families
- Benefits planning
- To whom?
- Self advocates
- Independent contractors
- Providers
- Brokerage boards (support services boards)
- PA’s
- Other agencies—schools, VR
- Families
- Customers
- Community partners or organizations—recreational centers, businesses
- County service coordinators
- By Whom?
- When?
- How, including the funding piece?
- Being strategic
- How to get people (employees) being paid on hourly employment basis to the trainings
- How to market training—how to show that the training is important (ask each target group to prioritize training topics)
- Multi-media—multi-technology (remember young techno savvy)
- Individualized
- Linking with other training initiatives
- Peer mentoring, over a broad range—provider, family to family, etc
- Power of pictures
- Mixed stakeholder audiences/trainers
- Access marketing experts (paid peers)
- Providing PA’s with tools that can be used for customers and families
- Connection with boards, customers, providers
- Creating tools for multiple users
- Pair mandated training with values information
- Sharing best practices learning
- Making it fun
- Forum for discussions on tough topics
- Website—getting training to the right audiences
- Funding strategies
- Building into a rate to attend trainings
- Continuing education units of credit (CEU’s)
- Pay increase
- Use some other pot of dollars or funding stream
- Why?
- Impact people’s lives to become better
- How to find out about critical issues
- Increase skills, enhance knowledge
- To keep people safe—customers, families, providers
- To get the best out of services that they can
- Expand opportunities
Action Steps—
- Look at incentives to attend training (ie—10% increase)
- Carefully survey stakeholder groups as to what they want, need (how would it help you—validation), prioritize how they want to receive the information—what media
- Determine qualifications tool (operationalize)
ACTION ITEM—Stakeholder groups were asked to bring examples of training surveys---old regional training model; ORA—CCER; SDRI—Region I Coop trainings. If available, also provide listings of current trainings—OTAC—statewide training listing.
Review Meeting and Plan Next Meeting
- Next meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 23, 2008, at Resource Connections of Oregon in Salem from 9:30am – 3:00pm. The Customer/Family/Advocate group will meet from 8:30am – 9:30am.
Agenda items for next meeting
Proposed Agenda
- Success Stories and Open mike (15 minutes)—RCO and SDRI (what, who, where, etc)
- Updates—need for a summary of materials (enrollment data is useful to have but do not need to spend time with line by line explanation)
- Training Group Work
- Forum for Complex Issues Discussions—complex issues could arise through discussions at the DD program managers’ meetings or brokerage executive directors’ meetings, or SIG meetings. The following were identified today:
- Expectations that come with accepting public dollars and which collide with the philosophies of self-determination and choice. Need for policy development or clear statement, with suggested development of a document which could be signed by the customer and family, stated such.
- How to know the good that is occurring besides just identifying the abuse and “bad things.” Need for the development of useful tools after the recognition of abuse or “bad things.”
- Protective Services Investigation (PSI) and abuse in the family.
- Issues which are poverty related versus disability related.
- Viewing of the Employment-focused person centered planning DVD (if completed)
- Training Group Work—
- SPD updates on funding strategies, such as “can you incorporate funding into DD 148 or customer plan;
- Survey of trainings—bring examples of surveys, as might be found within old regional training model, ORA—CCER, SDRI—Region I Coop trainings;
PARKING LOT
- SERT data reports for Support Services and Comprehensive In-home Support Services to be revisited on a bi-annual basis. Next reporting—May 23, 2008
- Information from Eva Kutas on Protective Services Data and Information (Comprehensive vs. Support Services) on a bi-annual basis. Next reporting—March 19, 2008
- Caseload Ratio Workgroup
- Inadvertent foster care development
- Order of Enrollment (in year prior to end of roll-out)
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned at 2:10 PM.
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