Children's Services Act Meeting Minutes

City of Suffolk Children’s Services Act Community Policy and Management Team Meeting Minutes December 20, 2023 9:00 am Social Services Building, Third Floor Training Room A Members Present: Jenny Hodge – Tidewater Youth Services Commission Kimberly Jennings – 5th District Court Services Unit (Chair) Jessica Joyner – Suffolk Public Schools Marli Laudun – Suffolk Health Dept. Rachel Lewis – CSA Coordinator Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook – Suffolk Dept. of Social Services Sheridan Meriwether – Blakey Weaver Counseling Center (Vice Chair) Nicole Porter – City of Suffolk Towanda Shirley – Suffolk Public Schools (Secretary) Wendy Warfel – Assistant Director of Finance, City of Suffolk Vonda Warren-Lilly – WTCSB Members absent: Mary Bess- Parent Representative Guests Present: Antoinette Copeland – CSA Utilization Management Specialist Roxanne Flamer – CSA Office Assistant John Lewis – CSA Management Specialist 1. CPMT Vice Chair Sheridan Meriwether calls the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. 2. Approval of the minutes of November 15, 2023 meeting. Motion made by Wendy Warfel to approve the minutes as written, seconded by Jessica Joyner. All are in favor and the motion passed. 3. Rachel Lewis reviewed the Financial Report as of December 20, 2023. CSA has seen an increase in projected expenditures. There could be a huge increase in private day expenditures, more children are in need of services. CSA is still within the City of Suffolk’s budget. When asked if additional funding should be requested for next budget year Wendy Warfel suggested asking for an additional 2% increase. Mrs. Lewis informed the team that approved funding for services not rendered has been unencumbered. A request for additional SPED WRAP will also be submitted. Motion made by Marli Laudun to accept Financial Report as written, seconded by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. All are in favor and the motion passed. 4. CLOSED SESSION - CPMT Vice Chair Sheridan Meriwether 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. Jenny Hodge 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 – CPMT Vice Chair Sheridan Meriwether entertains a motion to move out of Closed Meeting. Marli Laudun motions to enter open session. Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook seconds the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Sheridan Meriwether 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. Jenny Hodge enters the motion to approve all cases presented and appropriately discussed. Jessica Joyner seconded the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Total CSA request approved $334,651.32 (noted that cost for 3 siblings were removed due to them being returned home on 12-20-23 by the court). 6. Old Business A. Items from Members – Rachel Lewis informed Members there would be an upcoming Robert’s Rules of Order training in February 2024. 7. New Business A. New Password – All CPMT Members in attendance received the new password that will be used effective January 2, 2024. B. CQI – Reviewing FY 2023 Data – Rachel Lewis shared a PowerPoint presentation on CQI FY 2023 data collected along with comparison data from 2021 and 2022. Benchmarks include but are not limited to: 1) Maintain reduction in number of children in congregate care placement at no more than 20% of the children served and maintain reduction in length of stay in congregate care at less than one year 2) Maintain minimum attendance at CPMT and FAPT (75% per year per agency) 3) Ensure equitable and equal access to all levels of services to all youth based on community demographics 4) Achieve 75% successful discharges from services per provider for CSA funded services (This would include stepdown to lower level of care or permanency, i.e. return home) and 5) Increase public awareness of CSA. Data also showed total net expenditures of each fiscal year from 2020 through December 8, 2023. There is a need for additional case management and respite service. Private Day has increased tremendously so there needs to be more wrap around services along with early intervention. C. Items from the Members – No items presented.  8. Adjourn – CPMT adjourned the meeting at 12:03 p.m. Motion to adjourn made by Sheridan Meriwether, seconded by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. All are in favor and the motion passed. Recorded by Roxanne Flamer, CSA Office Assistant.