Colorado SILC Meetings 2011 -2015

Meeting Minutes – September 18, 2013

Full SILC meeting minutes – September 18, 2013

Grand Junction at the Grand Vista Hotel

Present:

  • Travis Morgan, director of Ute Mountain counseling and Ute Mtn Vocational Rehabilitation Program Tribal DVR
  • Lori Summers, Mesa County Human Services, Home Connections Program – population 60 and older, and 18 and above with dis and a new program with the VA
  • Julia Beems, immediate Past Chair and works with Asst Tech Partners U of CO
  • Anna French, current SILC chair; advocate with the Legal Center for People with Disabilities in Denver – Client Assist Program DVR and Social Security
  • Martha Mason, ED of Southwest Center for Ind in Durango
  • Larry Williams, ED for Center in Pueblo
  • Joe Anzures, SILC member also works with kids transitioning out of HS with disabilities
  • Dixie Herring, IL Center in CO springs
  • Priscilla Carlson, SILC Coordinator
  • Sue Fager, IL Program Coordinator
  • Deb Lehn, from Sugar City, excited to be on board
  • Jean Hammes, Alpine Area Agency on Aging, thank you for letting me join my first official meeting

Chairperson’s remarks—don’t have anything in particular hope, everyone says what they need to say

Approval of minutes from Durango

Martha—under guests, corrected misspellings of names

Page 3, Martha not from CPWD, but from SWCI, she is working with David Schaad with FEMA

Anna—any other corrections?

Sandy—Steamboat Springs is one word, not two

Anna—anything else

Joe—How is Buna?

Anna—expected back in country Sept 22—she is helping her mom immigrate from Nepal

Anna—any further corrections? She needs to make a motion to have the minutes approved—Martha has moved with suggested corrections; Joe seconded; all in favor or approving minutes with corrections?

Minutes are approved as corrected

Committee Reports

Finance with Sandy first, she will pass out summary from the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Sue is still working on final closeout from last fiscal year of expenditures.

The handout includes year to date, balance remaining in budget and % spent.

We have spent a total of $215 on websites; $25 domain registration;

Travel expenses= travel for Priscilla

Operating Expenses—flash drives and name tags; $34.26 = conference call line for SILC

Finance committee met in Sept to finalize budget and budget lines

Sandy wants to have another finance committee on Sept 26

JULIA—State Plan for Independent Living Plan Committee, Membership Committee, and Website committee

For the SPIL, we submitted end of July, just got a call from RSA—corrections need to be made to the SPIL. Most of it was word-smithing, but the things they kept saying over and over is to spend SILC money on things the Centers are supposed to do.

Martha—can you do it for the Part B centers?

Julia—we can offer trainings and whoever shows up shows up.

Definitely things the SILC cannot do, including purchasing grant guides for the Centers because they receive money already to do this, and the DSU (Sue) and the Centers will have to purchase.

SILC helping centers with volunteer

Explaining Part B and Part C, for new people:

The feds put out money years ago to contract directly with RSA: Part C:

Center for Disabilities

Center for Independence

Mile High ILC

Connections

Atlantis

Part B—only receive money from the State

CO Springs,

Durango

Steamboat

Fort Collins

RSA person also provided the state with the Part C catchment areas—service areas, which we will discuss in greater detail this afternoon. As a starting point, the original applications cannot be changed—so the counties that they requested funding for must stay the same—cannot be changed.

When compliance reviews happen must be sure services are occurring in the counties they agreed to contract

Julia and Sue met last weekend to make changes to SPIL feds requested.

JEAN: in regards to two parts of the SPIL—there might be some partnering the CILS could do with the Area Agencies on Aging—training and the CO grant guide

Jean’s office searches for grants and could share the info with the CILs.

All of the changes will go back to the DSU; and the money will have to come from the IL federal dollars that go the DSU—part B

Membership committee-

Lori—potential new member

Sandy Duncan from Alamosa

Must have 15 members by the end of the month

Website—Julia and Priscilla have been working to update

Website Priscilla and Julia will continue to make changes.

Priscilla also connected a Facebook to the SILC; she has been seeing what’s been going on with centers around the state. It’s easier to do Facebook updates and not RSS feed. With RSS feed it depends on what system the website you are using like word press vs. template vs. something else—have to be able to communicate with each other

Julia—rss feed is a live feed from one website to another; CO Springs always changing front page that would feed into SILCs website

Dixie—if we let you you mean?

Julia—just have to make the connection

Dixie—you will contact us?

Julia—yes

Anna: if have something you want to specifically add and highlight? Priscilla put up Facebook and already had 67 Likes; Martha also uses Facebook; Priscilla can approve postings on to Facebook.   Another way to get Facebook out there and recruit new members?

JOE: what about Google plus? It’s more of a business-oriented than face books.

Julia: we are moving forward

Anna: The things you would like to have posted? Priscilla will be contact.

Sue – we need to put Facebook discussion on hold for right now. IT folks at DVR talking to see how state feels about having Facebook team. DVR team meeting next Friday to look at possibility.

Joe – reason serious security issues.

Julia – we are not part of the intranet within DVR, but it is a security concern. In past state a “flat out NO”.

Anna-Julia – who will be invited to the meeting?

Priscilla – explaining it is just for news and events.

Anna – there is no way to get to Facebook page without going through state?

Joe – serious issues with security and the postings.

Julia – other depts. need other types of vetting and nothing gets posted without approval. Put it on hold and don’t post anything until heard from State.

Sue – proposing to SILC both a Facebook and other more professional “Google Plus” as options.

Joe – Google Plus same as Facebook.

Anna – Would anyone who thinks that any social media exposure is a good idea for SILC?

Deb: depends. oh what issues!

Priscilla – would be just about the SILC. ie Tranpsortation in Durango.

Martha – if one has time. Does ACCL have a page? Could it be linked for SILC?

Joe – come up with social media strategy for SILC.

Julia – Priscilla with website team come up with social media plan.

Priscilla – would be inclusive of the youth.

Joe – more are moving to Google plus. If nothing else have strategy.

Priscilla – Joe joining website and data committee.

Joe – Like me on that.

Joe – Youth Committee

Haven’t met. Just getting members. Anna sending suggestions.

Meet over lunch today for those interested. Lay out objectives and meeting those over lunch – for the SILC.

Meets once a month with youth advisory council.   About 15 kids. Freshman to seniors in high school. Discuss barriers with DVR, bullying, come up with plans to change those perspectives in their school.

Would like to get a youth on this council.

Julia – there is no age requirement for being a member of council. Still looking.

Joe – has one person in mind. Andrea Gomez. Joe will provide contact to Julia to give her a call.

Public Policy

Has not met. Does not have a chair. Do you want to be a member? Do you want to be chair?   If interest see Anna or see Priscilla.

Also discussing transitions on having a place to live as part of public policy discussion.

 

Priscilla – talked to Judy Neal and Judy is not sure which members of Independent Living staff are still employed. Judy will check and get back to Priscilla to set it up next month.

Anna – SRC report from Buna

Buna is state representative and has been gone all summer. Anna talked to her boss to get notes. Travis sits on the SRC and has comments, but has not been to last 2 meetings. So no comments.

Anna – last two meetings were Sept. and July.   The notes cover July to Sept.

DVR put in place in order of selection as of April. There are clients for voc rehab placed in 3 categories:   significant disabled, disabled, and other.

If not in an employment plan then placed on wait list.   Have a formula for how you are placed on wait list.

Taking most significantly disabled are to be addressed first.

SRC Rep—over 4364 indiv on the wait list at this point—she doesn’t know how many are moving currently thru the system

State auditor’s office is completing audit info

Hope to begin Oct 9th

SRC – Nancy resignation

SRC elected interim officers in July; Jeff’s term ends in Oct term endings

New officer election; training on role of sec; training from CDHS boards and commissions; Deb Peterson attended RSA training on roles and responsibilities of SRC

Next meeting in Oct—

Joe—We need to pick an alternate who can sit in on SRC

Julia—Priscilla, even though not a SILC onhealthy.net member, she is the coordinator

The meetings are the second Wednesdays at the Denver. Priscilla is happy to be the alternative for Buna.

DVR Report

Sue: Talked about Facebook.

Announcement about potential DVR director so nothing new to add.

For Audit that DVR is undergoing: when DVR ran out of money and went to legislature to ask for more. Legislature approved but added they would audit.

Three audits simultaneously. IT audit; program review; financial audit.

Expectation there will be many findings with a ‘broad and deep scope”

Release of findings on Oct. 9.

About SILC being fully constituted. Before executive order there was 22 as fully constituted. Then suggested to be reduced to 15. If a state SILC is fully constituted then RSA will not approve; Part B and Part C funds will not flow until state plan is approved.

Sue – Asked Deb if true? SILC sent memo to RSA to be fully constituted by October 1.   6 applications in Governors office and 6 applications to the review process.

Given what happened with SRC there are a few more review steps for councils affiliated with dept.

Updates to RSA’s request to State Plan. Not as many corrections as in past.

Sue and Acctg. Dept. met. Appears there are additional Part B funds that need to be encumbered. Sue hesitant to communicate to centers in case this is an accounting mistake and these funds aren’t there. Sue hopes to finalize by Friday.

If funds are there, funds will be distributed to centers through Option Letters. Funds are from FFY 13 so funds need to be spent by end of calendar year. Sue doesn’t believe it will be a problem to spend by end of December. Sue will send email to Martha.

Older Individuals who are Blind grant overseen by Voc. Rehab is held up by state procurement office. Won’t have contracts in place by Oct. 1 will use interim purchase orders which should get through contract management unit and should expedite the process.

Will these be the same rates/amounts as before:   the purchase orders? These are brand new RFP, brand new grants.   Scoring team makes all the decision on the amount of awards. Reviews, scores, procurement is part of scoring, and an announcements will be made on state bid system.

The interim purchase orders will not be the full amount – perhaps just a two-month amount until contracts through procurement finalized.

Is this for individual consumers who are blind or grants for low vision programs?     These are program grants and primarily awarded to Independent Living Centers and for consumers who might otherwise be in an institution due to condition.

An FYI: in state plan an option to include language in state plan on how OIB could inform the state plan. Have a goal in state plan to provide services to underserved counties: rural and frontier. Included general language that comes up with OIB that will be included in state plan.

Site reviews for ILC’s. This year have done four for this calendar year. Did site review for NW Center for Independence, Atlantis Comm. Center, Inc. (Have a corrective action plan)., recertification site review for Mile High Independent Living Center (review complete and have a corrective action plan;   will be having a technical assistance), started site review for Center for Disability.

NW Center Independence. Yr ago ED asked to leave; staff member stepped up to interim ED. That person left in July 2013. Ian Engle is new ED. There is a lack of information available to Ian from the previous executive director; so he is quite busy with the transition. Ian has been reaching out to peers for assistance; Martha has been contacted for ER planning; Jean has met with him to provide background info on their working relationship.

Certification expired in June. Have provided a 3-month certification due to the transition.   Sue has also been providing him with assistance.

ACCIL REPORT

Tough year—contractual and programmatic stuff—have met with Julie and Todd to discuss contract issues. What was finally decided from last meeting is that ACCIL would put together a small committee to meet with DVR to discuss things—including compliance issues, invoicing issues, line item budgets, etc….

Working on getting 501C3; currently 501C4; work on getting grants that can be shared amongst all centers.

Working with Kathy Otis their lobbyist—could possibly get another $500,000 increase this year; for provision of IL services

CO springs has hired emergency planner has been in contract with other centers to collect stories of people affected by the flood, which will then be channeled to FEMA.

Jean—211 has also been active with doing registries—not sure how people who are deaf access.

Dixie—in CO Springs working on making 211 accessible

Julia-211 is not accessible nation wide; after Waldo Canyon Fire someone from Dixie’s center complained weren’t able to get thru; access feature not built into system

Jean—people are discontinuing landlines—211 does not work on cell phones—what is alternate.

Julia—smart 911, red coat—must purchase. Smart 911 regardless of where you travel, if that community has this system, they will call you and let you know something is happening

Martha—works between cell towers

SILC Coordinators Report

From middle of July until end of August—did a lot of reading and going to meetings and figuring out how this works. Procurement training. Learning everything she can. Taking Smooth as SILC webinar with Jean. Meeting arrangements have been a bit stressful….hotel is not very accessible

Sandy suggested contacting Rob Gilkerson with ADA Center 1 800 949 4232 a lot of organizations think they are being accessible, but they are not really.

Discussion about helping hotels to become accessible—Larry shared that he runs into this routinely and hotels tell him it is up to corporate.

Julia—I don’t know if this hotel is a corporate—a protocol to follow filing a complaint within the hotel.

Sandy—had the issue with Deb’s alarm clock in June, that hotel was very responsive.

Jeff Peterson on State Rehab Council and introductions.

Discussion about Catchment areas due to confusion on the part of all partners;

Deb Cotter provided RSA’s version of the Catchment areas.

Reviewed each Center’s service area

Discussed RSA’s requirements for the SPIL re: new additional part c funds and where to locate potential new part c areas.

Sandy suggested a new center to serve Summit, eagle, lake and Chaffee counties could be good

Deb suggested LA Junta County as a part of the state that has many hospitals and doctors and limited accessibility

Sandy—encourages directors to consider different ways to provide services in frontier counties

Julia—goal in the SPIL to examine this; not interested in re-examining Catchment areas

Jean—from her perspective as Area Agency on Aging—there is rationale that says the way they might have been set up may not be logical now; she is willing to help with that—keep discussion on the table. Use census and census projection data

Julia suggests in 704 reports to address population changes so that feds know that things are changing and how they are changing

Dixie and Julia—spend time and energy to come up with one list of Catchment areas

Julia—part b allocation formula based on Catchment areas

ACCIL had a discussion about which service areas they would cover with additional funding—occurred in 2005

Julia—in the past looked at 704 reports in a combined report that compiled services provided by county—most of counties receiving few services are probably frontier counties.

Larry—administrative costs are so great—setting up satellite offices not best use of funds.

Julia—wants the partners to examine and come up with win-win situation.

Larry—service provision is so dependent upon the location and the closed nature of rural-frontier areas.

Julia—to be successful must have someone local to the community. Is “closed community” local to CO? need to bring these issues to the forefront—need to share some of the barriers and issues.

Larry—have proven that a lot can be done with removing barriers; meeting the challenge with the CO Springs

Julia—in next three years with state plan want to have public input—from centers and other rural providers.

Joe—didn’t we have some maps that showed actual populations of persons with disabilities

Dixie reviewed her map of people with disabilities per county.

Julia—post these kinds of map on SILC website—maps per center

Jean—really liked the map

Julia—this is part of what was committed to in state plan; this will help the centers, the legislature, and the feds.

Joe—how to account for counties where the population is small and the % of pwd seems larger, comparatively.

Julia—this information should also be helpful for discussions where counties are shared by consumers.

Anna suggested portable speakers if we use VRI again

Mary from Center for Independence did the Center Spotlight.

OLD BUSINESS

By-law changes and changes to the SPIL

Appointment Process for and term limits of the ACCIL Rep

Application process

Treasurer responsibilities

Conduct of SILC Meetings

Robert’s Rules guide business of SILC

Standing committees—membership, state plan, remove youth committee as standing committee, made it an ad hoc, ad hoc committees in general,

Joe had questions about the youth committee and making it a standing committee.

Julia—reviewed the flash drives and why the SILC is doing it.

Tour the Center in Grand Junction