Children's Services Act Meeting Minutes

City of Suffolk Children’s Services Act Community Policy and Management Team Meeting Minutes November 16, 2022 9:00 am Social Services Building, Third Floor Training Room A Members Present: Donna Boykin – WTCSB (Chair) Jenny Hodge – Tidewater Youth Services Commission Marli Laudun – Suffolk Health Dept. Rachel Lewis – CSA Coordinator Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook – Suffolk Dept. of Social Services Sheridan Meriwether – The UP Center (Secretary) Members absent: Mary Bess- Parent Representative Glynda Branch - Fiscal Agent Randah Gaitan – Administrative Analyst, City of Suffolk Kimberly Jennings – 5th District Court Services Unit (Vice Chair) Stephanie Whitley – Suffolk Public Schools Guests Present: Angela Brown – 5th District Court Services Unit Roxanne Flamer – CSA Office Assistant Kelly MacPherson – Suffolk Public Schools 1. The meeting is called to order at 9:10 a.m. by Donna Boykin. 2. Motion made by Jenny Hodge to approve minutes for September and October as written, and seconded by Marli Laudun. All are in favor and the motion passed. 3. Rachel Lewis reviewed the Financial Report as of November 16, 2022. CSA expenditures is fast approaching the $1.6 million. If necessary CSA can apply for supplement funding. There is a total of $14,926.34 in expenses for Medicaid Local Match; $5,025.35 regular foster care expenses and $224,030.22 for Suffolk Public Schools private school placements. Motion made by Jenny Hodge to accept Financial Report as written, seconded by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. All are in favor and the motion passed. 4. CLOSED SESSION - Donna Boykin entertains a motion to convene a Closed Meeting for the purpose of discussing cases before the Family Assessment and Planning Team in accordance with the provisions in subsection A of ş 2.2-3711 of the Code of Virginia as amended in 2001 and 2005 respectively. Only applicable exceptions as provided in section ş 2.2-3707 or subsection A of Section ş 2.2-3711 are to be discussed. Marli Laudun motions to enter closed session. Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook seconds motion to enter into closed session. All are in favor and the motion passed. 5. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION – Donna Boykin entertains a motion to move out of Closed Meeting. Marli Laudun motions to enter open session. Jenny Hodge seconds the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Donna Boykin initiated a roll call certifying that to the best of each member’s knowledge only the following matters were discussed during the closed session: 1) public business matters lawfully exempted from statutory open meeting requirements and 2) public business matters identified in the motion to convene the closed meeting. All Affirmed. 6. Motion to approve all cases presented. Jenny Hodge enters the motion, seconded by Kelly MacPherson. All are in favor and the motion passed. Total amount approved: $83,717.80. Motion made by Jenny Hodge that CSA pay the vendor invoice (Dr. Hollings) per the completion date of November 9, 2022, seconded by Marli Laudun. All are in favor and the motion passed. Total amount approved from cases exempt from FAPT review: $3462.35 7. Old Business A. ARPA Mental Health Grant/Community Violence Initiative Update– The Committee continues to meet and have added a few outside agencies and community advocates. A small committee (Rachel Lewis, Sarah Wray and Tony Jones) is currently working on a survey to collect feedback from the community to address violence in the city of Suffolk. Committee members also discussed hosting a conference and/or teen summit. The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. here at Suffolk DSS. B. Truancy Meeting – follow up – Kelly MacPherson discussed a need for the truancy meeting. She has spoken to Suffolk Public School staff in setting a date and time to meet. She also shared updated information in reference to the huge increase in absenteeism and how it can affect the school’s accreditation. On November 15, 2022 school staff met to identify ways to reduce the number of absences. Staff will contact parents/guardians by phone and/or letters to reiterate the importance of their child’s school attendance. Donna Boykin” asked why are there such a high percentage of absentees?”. Ms. MacPherson stated that the children are just not coming to school. She also mentioned that before and after the pandemic a lot of children as well as parents are suffering with anxiety and other mental health issues. Rachel Lewis will create a doodle poll to see when everyone will be available to meet. C. Follow up – FAPT Parent Representative Concerns - Rachel Lewis provided new information in regards to the FAPT parent representative remaining on the team while her son is receiving services. There was extensive discussion about options for addressing this situation. Motion made by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook to explore other options to include another locality hearing the case, CPMT Parent Representative filling in for the case and any other viable options to allow for separation of dual relationship for the FAPT Parent Representative, seconded by Jenny Hodge. All are in favor and the motion passed. Ms. Manigault-Westbrook also  requested that the issue of how to handle differences of opinions in decision making be placed on the next CPMT agenda. D. Items from Members – There were no items presented. 8. New Business A. News Article – “Crash Program Slashes VA. Numbers of Displaced Foster Kids”. Rachel Lewis shared an article in reference to a crash program by State official giving an update for the slashed number of foster care children who were sleeping in offices because they had no other safe place to go. The taskforce has set three key targets. 1) The first is to reduce the average length of stay for children who have been in institutions by 30%, by finding family-based placement for the 100 who have been in congregate care the longest. 2) The second is to cut the number of removals of kids from birth families, or agreements for care by relatives or foster families or adoptive families by 20%. 3) The third is to find 1,000 Virginia volunteers trained and equipped to provide wraparound support for vulnerable children and families. Governor Glenn Youngkin hopes Virginians from all walks of life will step up to help children in foster care. B. VA Statewide Needs Assessment on Adolescent Substance Use – Rachel Lewis briefed members on information from an article on Adolescent Substance Use. Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook informed members that the City of Suffolk would be receiving funding regarding opiod use and SDSS have been asked how to spend the funding. Mrs. Manigault-Westbrook also made mention that SDSS has been doing a lot of drug screens and there has been an increase in positive screens. Angela Brown said that finding vendors has been a challenge. Sheridan Meriwether will look into services at The Up Center and report back. Donna Boykin stated that some agencies lack staff to handle the cases and that the change of law has changed people’s perception. Rachel Lewis would like to see some of the funding be used for prevention. If anyone has any suggestions in reference to the funding, please send them to Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. C. CQI – Data Review summary from October meeting – additional review and consideration of Benchmark/Objectives - Will be revisited at next month’s meeting. D. Items from Members – There were no items presented. 9. Adjourn – CPMT adjourned the meeting at 11:48 a.m. Motion to adjourn by Marli Laudun, seconded by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. All are in favor and the motion passed. Recorded by Roxanne Flamer, CSA Office Assistant.