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6.25.07 Update

 
AHS FIELD SERVICES
BURLINGTON DISTRICT
Leadership Team Meeting – AHS Burlington District
Monday, June 25, 2007
 
Present: Nancy Menard, Dept. of Health; Erin Maguire, Regional Spec. Ed. Rep.; David O’Brien, 1st Baptist Church; Barbara Pafiero, VDH/ADAP: Nita Lescher, Casey; Ann Dillenbeck, ECC; Margaret Bozik, CEDO; Judith Prince, CCSU; Barbara Rachelson, LUND; Catherine Simonson, HowardCenter; Chuck Myers, NFI; Larry Martineau, FSD; Debbie Thibault, DOC; Mark Redmond, Spectrum; Mark Ciociola, VocRehab; Tom Rotello, Kelly Sargent, OCS; Betsy Ferries, Mercy Connections; Sally Borden, Kidsafe; Julie Rollo, ESD; Mark Schroeter, Jane Helmstetter, AHS Field Director; Note taker: Julie Kenison, VDH.
 
1. AHS Small Group Discussion Review
Erin, Julie and Jane reported on the small group discussion that had taken place between Leadership Meetings to address the issues raised in May. Coleen Lillie from the HowardCenter had also been a part of that discussion. Key themes for each department’s connection to education were presented with suggestions for improvement and assignment of tasks. Because of time constraints, the areas of Vocational Rehabilitation and OVHA will be included in future agendas for further discussion.
 
 
 
AHS Leadership Team Collaborative Process
Service
Small Group Meeting Priorities Established
6.13.07
AHS Leadership Meeting Priorities and Key Roles Established
6.25.07
 
 
 
 
 
AHS Leadership Meeting Priorities Established
Action Steps and Key Individuals
 
 
 
 
Early Childhood/BBF
 
-Universal preschool with high standards.
-Pre-K to K transition needs better support from schools and families.
-BBF connection to schools.
 
-Universal preschool is already happening at a State level through Pre-K through K transition.
 
-BBF connection to schools is issue at state level.
 
-Kindergarten Readiness Survey, C.I.S.
-Ann Dillenbeck will take back AHS Team’s concerns to ECC.
 
-Develop ways in which AHS can play a role in advocating for the state to do more in this area.
 
 
 
 
Family Services
 
-Establish stable placement of children in schools and foster care with quality childcare-Example collaborative plan needed.
 
 
-Family Court, Family Services and families need better, more collaborative communication.
 
 
 
 
 
-Improve the presence of education in treatment teams initiated by DCF.
 
-Stable placement: there is a task team in place, headed by Larry Martineau, who are developing a process to make changes
 
-Family Court could play a role in giving leads to Kid Safe, Kid Safe could report to AHS Team
-Someone should be added to Larry Martineau’s task team from the adoption world.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Child support does not automatically follow the child-Larry and Tom to discuss how court system can more productively work with F.S.
-Invite someone from the judicial system to the AHS leadership meeting-Sally will follow up
 
-Education and F.S. Team: Larry and Erin.
 
 
 
 
 
Economic Services
 
-ESD tutorial needed for schools, teachers and children.
-Incorporate children’s educational needs in Reach-Up plans.
-Encouragement and support for parents to be more involved in education by trying to minimize interference with their work requirements.
 
-Tutorial is needed from E.C. which addresses most frequently asked questions.
 
-Reach Up Plans-How do we integrate child education with Reach Up Plans?
-Betsy to collect most frequently asked questions to bring to following small group discussion: Nancy Menard, Julie Rollo and Betsy.
 
-Add questions to Reach Up case management plans involving parents of children with special educational needs.
 
 
 
Health Department
 
-Education needs to have more comprehensive programs involving the health department.
 
 
-Prevention, identification and referrals within education for substance abuse and AHS’ role in supporting these.
-Wellness plans for all schools with consultation with appropriate health department or Dep’t of Ed figures for services offered by schools and individual health of children.
 
-Wellness Policies and EPSDT have direct roles in affecting health education throughout Chittenden County.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-Minimal nutritional value for schools meals needs to be established.
-Nancy Menard to follow up on Wellness Policies concerning Chittenden County.
 
 
 
 
 
-Barbara Pafume: will bring together treatments and prevention specialists collaboration on ADAP’s behalf for early fall.
 
 
 
-Could Chittenden South’s nutritional foods dispensed model be used for other schools?-This needs to be looked into.
 
 
 
Developmental Services
 
-There needs to be advocacy around changing residential placement of children.
-There needs to be guidelines for early assessment and referrals in order to establish a service continuum.
-The parameters of each service system needs to be examined so that we have a better awareness of what each service can provide and how each service can be accountable for this.
-Eligibility criteria need to be examined, documented and distributed to those who would benefit from it.
 
Topic too big for this meeting-will address at another date
 
 
 
 
Vocational Rehabilitation
 
-There needs to be more rehabilitation services available prior to graduation of children.
-Partnerships should continue to be established and be strengthened.
-There needs to be an increase in the services for transition from child to adulthood.Burlington High School Model is great example.
 
Generally working very well
 
 
 
 
Mental Health
 
-Students First Project
-OVHA
-Funding future for Mental Health
-Educational collaboratives
 
 
 
 
 
 
OVHA
 
-OVHA’s role in children’s benefits and their support system needs to be examined.
-There needs to be a better sharing of information across service systems.
 
 
 
 
 
 
DOC
 
-Increase connections w/Community High School and other AHS departments.
-What is available for victims of crime when education is interrupted?
 
 
 
 
 
 
.
2. Building Updates
  • Target date for relocation of 1193 North Ave. operations is set for early September.
  • Williston zoning meeting for Rossignol site is 6/25/07. (approval given by Select Board to move forward with project)
  • 101 Cherry Street-there are still questions around retrofitting the area.
A two year lease has been established for occupying this space.
  • All WIC clinics for VDH will be off-site as of July 1st.
 
 
3. Partner Updates
  • Ann Dillenbeck announced the Early Childhood Council will be morphing into the Building Bright Futures Council as of next month.  The BBF Planning: Regional Planning Committee is developing a 5 year plan which will focus on working on service analysis and service inventory to identify gaps and overlays throughout the following services: AHS, Kid Safe, CIS, and ECC. Joy Livingston is facilitating the process.
  • Chuck Myers from NFI reported on the Designated Agency Sustainability Study being conducted to determine how to continue to fund MH System. Some concerns of the MH community include the emphasis on cost control, the cap imposed by global commitment and the issue of the aging of the provider base.
  • Betsy Ferries shared that Mercy Connections will hold retirement party for Sister Lindora at the Boathouse on Tuesday, June 26 from 4 to 7pm with a presentation at 5:45pm. THANK YOU SISTER LINDORA FOR ALL OF YOUR GOOD WORK! Also - A two year grant from Vermont Women’s Fund has been awarded to MC to form a group of 10-20 individuals to address the issue of poverty. More to follow!
 
Meeting Updates
Due to scheduling conflicts, the Leadership Team made necessary changes to the Meeting Schedule for the rest of 2007. Please note the cancellation of the August and September meetings and the two meetings now scheduled in October.
NEXT LEADERSHIP MEETING
MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007
9 – 11 AM
CONFERENCE ROOM 2A, 108 CHERRY ST
Please remember to visit the new AHS Burlington District Website to catch all the updates and news … http://humanservices.vermont.gov/burlington.
 
Ongoing Schedule
  • July 23 – The Utilization of Service Coordination to achieve better outcomes for consumers AND providers. Review of the current system across the lifespan with an eye toward understanding eligibility criteria and “eliminating the seams” – Children’s Integrated Services, LIT, Transition Age Youth Treatment Team, Adult LIT, Act 264 Partnerships, Incarcerated Women’s Initiative.
  • August  - NO Meeting this month
  • October 8 – OVHA and DOC
  • October 22 –Mental Health, Substance Abuse & Trauma and Developmental Services
  • November 26 - Cultural Competency & Customer Service – Discussion to include the work of “Bridges Out of Poverty”, current groups with successful policies and practices and strategies to address the subtleties of racism without increasing defensiveness.
  • December will be structured to produce an overview of the work of the preceding Leadership Meetings with a goal of providing recommendation to AHS for policy changes to better meet the outcomes identified through the Re-Organization process.