Children's Services Act Meeting Minutes

City of Suffolk Children’s Services Act Community Policy and Management Team Meeting Minutes February 19, 2025 9:00 am Social Services Building, Third Floor Training Room A Members Present: Toya Taylor – Suffolk Dept. of Social Services (Vice Chair) Jenny Hodge – Tidewater Youth Services Commission - (Secretary) Nicole Porter – City of Suffolk Vonda Warren-Lilly – WTCSB Wendy Warfel – Assistant Director of Finance, City of Suffolk Wendy Terry- Parent Representative Members Present Virtually: Sheridan Meriwether – Blakey Weaver Counseling Center (Chair) Blythe Johnson-Jones – (Suffolk Public Schools) Blakely Weaver Staff Present: Rachel Lewis – CSA Coordinator Members Absent: Kimberly Jennings – 5th District Court Services Unit Marli Laudun- Suffolk Health Dept. Guests Present: None 1. CPMT Vice-Chair Taylor called the meeting to order at 9:25 2. Virtual Member Approval: a. Two members are present virtually and require approval to join virtually. i. Blythe Jones ii. Sheridan Meriwether b. Approval to join approved by all members present. 3. Chair Meriwether entertained a motion for the approval of the January 15, 2025 meeting minutes. Motion made by Toya Taylor to approve the minutes as written, seconded by Nicole Porter. All are in favor and the motion passed. 4. CSA Coordinator Rachel Lewis reviewed the Financial Report as of February 19, 2025. Based on projected expenditures, additional money will be needed from the city. Wendy Warfel will mention this to the finance dept. CPMT Chair Meriwether entertained a motion for the approval of the financial report. Motion made by Wendy Warfel to accept  Financial Report as written, seconded by Jenny Hodge. All are in favor and the motion passed. a. Total spent: $1,555,925.77 5. Closed Session: CPMT 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. Vice-Chair Taylor motions to enter closed session. Nicole Porter seconds motion to enter closed session. All are in favor and the motion passed. 1. Return to Open Session: CPMT Chair Meriwether entertained a motion to move out of Closed Meeting. Vice-Chair Taylor motions to enter open session. Vonda Warren-Lilly seconds the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. Chair 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. Chair Meriwether entertained a motion to approve all cases presented from FAPT. Nicole Porter entered the motion to approve all cases presented and appropriately discussed. Wendy Terry seconded the motion. All are in favor and the motion passed. 6. Old Business: a. Internal Procedure for Stipend Payment to Parent Representatives: i. It was submitted to the legal department for review and approval. Members to follow up with the City of Suffolk’s City Manager’s Office to ask for a status update. ii. Deputy City Manager will get Mr. Cromer to write a motion and be prepared to present before the City Council. b. Draft of Revised Policy VIII. Fiscal Policy: i. CPMT Members reviewed language pertaining to paying vendors with or without a ratified contract with the City of Suffolk. ii. Motion was entertained to revert the language back to the previous wording to ensure emergency access to placement is available 1. Motion for Correction: Motion should have read as: “Motion was entertained to revert the language back to the previous wording in policy as it relates to Emergency Access to Pool Funds for Foster Care Children.”  a. Motion for Correction made by Vice-Chair Taylor, seconded by Nicole Poter. All were in favor and motion for correction passed. iii. Motion made by Vice-Chair Taylor and seconded by Nicole Porter. Motion was not approved. a. Motion for Correction: Item should have read as “Motion was approved.” i. Motion for Correction was made by Vice-Chair Taylor and seconded by Nicole Porter. All were in favor and motion for correction passed. iv. Motion to temporarily pause the implementation of the policy to only work with contracted providers through the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2025. Motion made by Vice-Chair Taylor and seconded by Wendy Warfel. All are in favor and the motion passed unanimously. 1. Motion for Correction: Item should have read as “Motion to temporarily pause the implementation of the policy to only work with contracted providers through the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2025, except in cases of placements per the Emergency Access to Pool Funds for Foster Care Children. a. Motion for Correction was made by Vice-Chair Taylor and seconded Wendy Terry. All were favor and the motion for correction passed. 7. Items from Members: None currently. 8. New Business: a. Change of Fiscal Agent (Wendy Warfel) i. It has been proposed that the Fiscal Agent be rotated back to a staff member in the Department of Social Services. ii. Members shared concerns related to this potential change of the appointed Fiscal Agent for CPMT not being able to guarantee separations of duties for fiscal accountability were discussed and relayed by current fiscal agent to the City of Suffolk. iii. CPMT Chair Meriwether, on behalf of CPMT, will reach out to the Department of Social Services and the City of Suffolk leadership to confirm directive of replacing the current Fiscal Agent and ensure concerns have been noted. b. Contract Update (enclosure) i. CPMT can approve new contracts, based on needs, at any point in the fiscal year. Rachel and CPMT to prioritize finalizing contracts with current providers before pursuing new contracts and services. c. Request for New Provider - Children's Home Society - Family Check up (Evidence Based) i. Discussed by CPMT. Waiting update at March 19, 2025 meeting.  d. Policy & Procedure Review -Suffolk CPMT Bylaws, Policies & Procedures Suffolk F APT: i. Motion to table the policy review until the next meeting March 19, 2025. Motion made by Nicole Porter and seconded by Wendy Terry. All are in favor and the motion passed unanimously. e. CQI- CQI Observations: i. None currently to be presented. f. Items from the Members (Updates from Member Agencies) i. None presented. 9. Adjourn – CPMT Chair Sheridan Meriwether entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting at 11:05 a.m. Motion to adjourn made by Vice-Chair Taylor and seconded Nicole Porter. All are in favor and the motion passed. Recorded by Jenny Hodge, CPMT Secretary, Executive Director of Tidewater Youth Services Commission, Public Provider Representative.