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Official Minutes
May 15, 2002
Representatives: Cindy Helvington, Kathryn Weit, Cynthia Owens, Judy Cunio, (Steve, Judy's PA), Randy Fulgham, Tim Kral, Mike Maley, Tom Giles, Nancy Hazelett, Mary Lee Fay, Bill Lynch (facilitator) Sandy Stewart (AM), Diann Drummond (PM).Alternates and Observers: Tom Giles, Tara Asai, Pam Ring, Janna Starr, Don Meyers,
Purpose of committee:
Question to be discussed: This group has focused on the Staley Settlement. As we move toward implementation is this group still needed? Does it duplicate other groups? Should it be addressing issues other than just the Staley Settlement?
· Tim pointed out that everyone at the meeting today also has access to other groups.
· MaryLee commented that this group brings together people who normally are not meeting together and there is equal voice at the table.
· What is the difference between this and the DD Coalition? The DD coalition is advocacy and it does not include all the stakeholders.
· We need to maintain a focus on DD issues and because of the merger with SPD these issues can get lost.
· It took a long time to be able to work together and to feel comfortable enough to talk frankly.
· The importance of everyone being equal was emphasized.
· The point was made that this group has contributed to our communities by showing that a broad representative group is involved in decision-making.
· The question was raised as to whether this group should broaden its scope to include comprehensive issues or to keep the focus narrow.
· It was noted that one role of this group was as the keeper of the values of Self Determination and we need to be constantly vigilant about Staley. This group is where reality bumps up against the values.
· We need to be proactive rather than reactive - to dream the dream. Self-determination is not just for Support Services, but should be the guiding value in our system.
What is unique about our group?
Defined membership
All members in the group are equal
Broader perspective and representation than DD Coalition
DD visibility in SPD
Policy issues
Focus on self determination
Strong self advocate representation.
The group unanimously agreed that there is need to continue the group.
Discussion on how to operate the Committee.
· Create a more representative "popcorn group" meeting to develop the agendas.
· The decision made to meet every other month for 6 months and review the decision at the November meeting.
Meeting representation:
· Original categories: Self advocates, Family, Providers, State and Local Government, Advocates and Other. Each membership category was allowed two representatives and two alternatives
· Agreed to encourage the same people to attend regularly.
Meetings are open and other people are encouraged to come when a topic interests them.
· Group agreed to add two categories: brokerages and partner agencies or stakeholders: (Education or VRD)
· Group agreed to add one more member to the family and self-advocate categories to include people receiving comprehensive services and to encourage more geographic diversity.
People receiving vocational services only:
Issue - How to integrate the 1400 people statewide getting vocational services through county contracts and are eligible for support services through the brokerages. This group will be coming into the brokerages in 2003-2005. A work group with over 20 participants will be meeting over the next few months.
3 Questions for the workgroup:
1. When individuals leave contracted services and go to the brokerages, how much goes with them individually? Due to the blended rates of provider agencies, the rate associated with their name may not be real.
2. When individuals come into the brokerages, how is that going to work? What are the costs and services associated with the individual?
3. What is the sequence, county by county, provider by provider etc?
How will this process work? What about Medicaid and two waivers? Lots of complexities. There is a lot of strategic planning that needs to happen.
Charge of the Voc Only Workgroup: Come up with the rate guidelines for vocational services paid through support services.
Currently there are 147 people who transitioned with vocational services and support services that came through SDS. These are being handled on a case by case basis.
· How do we address all these issues without doing complete rate restructuring
· There is concern in SE Oregon around those individuals with vocational services over $800/month and families are anxious and do not want to wait until October to hear what will happen. We need to think about those individuals that may end up with "less services".
· What is the interplay between the vocational rate group and the UA Planning Group?
The members of the workgroup is not very representative. Perhaps the UA committee could raise concerns, questions, and issues or challenge assumptions of the workgroup. What kind of data do we need and what are we currently able to capture?
. Issues to bring to the workgroup:
· What is being discussed regarding those individuals who are potentially going to have a decrease in services?
· On the streets, there is an assumption that there is only enough money for sheltered employment.
Fairview Trust Fund
Gerry Stolp gave an update on the Community Housing Trust Fund.
Eligibility: "All Oregon residents with a developmental disability eligible for services qualify as recipients. However; housing adaptations can occur only at a primary residence, where a person with a developmental disability resides or intends to reside that is not licensed site for services." It is still unclear exactly how much money will be available and even whether the sale of the property will actually go through.
Staley Implementation Update/Issues
May 1st, we are about 50 short of the 1346 targeted enrollment. Volume of questions regarding start-up are decreasing. Questions that are still being raised: Roles, enrollment, plan approval process.
Overall key strategic pieces that still need attention:
· Voc Only
· Need to continually reconfirm the number of people who are eligible for support services with no services at all and are not yet in the brokerage.
· Talking with brokerages about taking advantage of the "window of opportunity" during ramp-up. Ie. Community resource development, organizational stability etc.
· Development of data systems. Hope to have information by June on individual budgets and expenditures.
Misc.
· Clarification on kids who are 18 whether they are in school or not, they are eligible for support services except for those services which are the school's responsibilities.
· Who is speaking for the self-advocates and who are their allies especially as we are looking at families (individual vs. family)?
· Are we keeping track of people who are receiving base supplement? Yes, 34 requests; 22 received base supplement.
· RE: Family Support - funds are currently being contracted; but the process is not yet completed. Next fiscal year's budget will be about $4.8 million. Goal is to have the rule filed in July and finalized in the fall. In the interim, the SDS rule will continue to apply to this service.
Communications -
· Meeting with Brokerage Directors: All agreed to standardize the logo for support services.
· Talked with Lydia about the 1-800#. There are many 1-800#s connected with the state. This discussion continues.
· The Committee will reformat Mike's frequency asked questions for the web page.
· Diann shared her first draft of the brochure for Multnomah County and this is being considered for use with other counties. The Communications Committee will review the brochure and see how it can be used statewide and make a recommendation at the next meeting.
Other issues to be discussed at the next Support Services Planning Committee meeting:
· Quality assurance.
· Administrative costs (looking at both state and brokerage costs).
· Medicaid eligibility
· Voc Only
· Who looks out for the interest of the individual?
· How to push on private resources?
· Updates on the OARs (Jessie to give update on the Comprehensive Rule) · Capacity Building
Future meetings: July 17 (Wednesday) at OTAC; September 10 (Tuesday) TBA
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