Children's Services Act Meeting Minutes

City of Suffolk Children’s Services Act Community Policy and Management Team Meeting Minutes February 21, 2024 9:00 am Social Services Building, Third Floor Training Room A Members Present: Mary Bess- Parent Representative Jenny Hodge – Tidewater Youth Services Commission Kimberly Jennings – 5th District Court Services Unit (Chair) Jessica Joyner – Suffolk Public Schools 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 Wendy Warfel – Assistant Director of Finance, City of Suffolk Vonda Warren-Lilly – WTCSB Members absent: Marli Laudun – Suffolk Health Dept. Guests Present: Roxanne Flamer – CSA Office Assistant John Lewis – CSA Management Specialist Robert Lewis – City of Suffolk, Director of Public Works 1. CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings calls the meeting to order at 9:09 a.m. Introductions of members and guests to welcome Mr. Robert Lewis, Director of Public Works. 2. Robert’s Rules of Order Training – Robert Lewis City of Suffolk Director of Public Works shared a PowerPoint presentation on basic rules for the Parliamentary Procedures. Mr. Lewis enlightened members on how Parliamentary Procedures exists to facilitate the transaction of business and to promote cooperation and harmony. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations. The order of business can be modified to meet the specific needs of the organization. A quorum must be present for the group to act. CPMT quorum is 50%. 3. CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings entertains motion for the approval of the January 17, 2024 meeting minutes. Motion made by Jenny Hodge to approve the minutes as written, seconded by Sheridan Meriwether. All are in favor and the motion passed. 4. Rachel Lewis reviewed the Financial Report as of February 21, 2024. CSA original budget is a total of $2,748,453.00 with net projected expenditures of $2,428,015.98. The City of Suffolk original budget is a total of $2,575,000.00 with net projected expenditures of $2,549,105.42. There are concerns with exceeding the projected amount funded by the City due to the number of months left in the fiscal year and new cases in need of funding. CSA Coordinator will make a request to the State for additional funding towards the end  of the fiscal year therefore the cost of expenditures will be more accurate. CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings entertains motion for the approval of the financial report. Motion made by Jenny Hodge to accept Financial Report as written, seconded by Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook. All are in favor and the motion passed. 5. CLOSED SESSION - CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings 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. Nicole Porter motions to enter closed session. Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook seconds motion to enter into closed session. All are in favor and the motion passed. 6. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION – CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings entertains a motion to move out of Closed Meeting. Sheridan Meriwether motions to enter open session. Wendy Warfel seconds the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Kimberly Jennings 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. CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings entertains a motion to approve all cases presented. Jenny Hodge enters the motion to approve all cases presented and appropriately discussed. Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook seconded the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Total CSA request approved $232,720.60. 7. Old Business A. FAPT Updates – Rachel Lewis discussed FAPT updates. FAPT has appointed designated alternate members for Suffolk Public Schools and Tidewater Youth Services Commission. CSA had ninety (90) cases for FY 2023. Twenty-three (23) of those cases were truancy, 25% of the caseload. CSA currently have five (5) new truancy cases for FY 2024. Towanda Shirley stated that SPS would be closely watching the unexcused absences before it reaches 15 days. Alerts are being sent out, getting the parents involved, etc. The FAPT schedule was revised along with the referral form that will consist of gathering more information. Rachel Lewis hosted a CANS training on January 25, 2024 with 31 case managers in attendance. On February 6, 2024 the CSA staff hosted, a Case Manager training with 25 case managers in attendance. Suffolk FAPT Parent Representative is working on becoming a Peer Parent Support Model. B. Follow up to CQI Discussion of Benchmark Report last month to include Revised Benchmarks – Jessica Joyner gave an update on revised benchmarks with a focus on maintaining reduction in number of children in congregate care placements at no more than 20% of the children served and maintain reduction in length of stay in congregate care at less than one year. Paragraph #3 Ensure equitable and equal  access to all levels of services to all youth based on community demographics. (strike this as an individual goal unless we can identify the underlying cause. – combine with no. 5). CPMT Chair Kimberly Jennings entertains motion to accept new benchmarks. Jessica Joyner enters the motion to approve new benchmarks. Jenny Hodge seconded the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. C. Items from Members – Towanda Shirley discussed the systematically concerns at Kings Forks High/Middle Schools where children are not getting the services and/or resources before it come to the level of court involvement. Vonda Warren-Lilly informed everyone that School Intervention Program (SCIP) offers Case Management, Outpatient Counseling and referrals to other Community Based Partnerships available through WTCSB. Teachers provide the referrals. Some barriers have been parents not wishing to participate along with many no shows. Another barrier is getting referrals for the services offered. Children are not being identified. Referrals can be submitted electronically and paper form. Training was given and still available; please reach out to Vonda Warren-Lilly. 8. New Business A. Maximizing Medicaid Funding for Youth Served Through CSA - Rachel Lewis briefed CPMT Members on the general guidance of maximizing Medicaid funding. Please take a moment to read. B. PSSF Community Needs Assessment – Saniyyah Manigault-Westbrook discussed the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Community Needs Assessment and Five Year Plan. PSSF will afford the City of Suffolk to more broadly access over the spectrum of individuals facing support and stabilization issues when awarded to SDSS. C. Items from the Members – Jenny Hodge updated members on the Lynnhaven Boys Home. To get the building up to code would cost $600,000 - $700,000. They have rented the building since 1997 for $1 per month. TYSC made the decision to give the keys back to the City of VA Beach. City Council will meet April 2024 to make a decision on the property. Also being discussed is the million-dollar renovation for the City of Chesapeake Detention Center. The partnership would be for the building to house half detention and half group home. TYSC is asking the City of Portsmouth for funding to pay off the mortgage to the main office and TYSC would pay for renovations to turn the office into a group home. Ms. Hodge will keep members updated. 9. Adjourn – CPMT adjourned the meeting at 12:44 p.m. Motion to adjourn made by Nicole Porter, seconded by Vonda Warren-Lilly. All are in favor and the motion passed. Recorded by Roxanne Flamer, CSA Office Assistant.