Department of Human Services / Council on Aging

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING September 12, 2018 PRESENT: Anne Bisson Kelley Sylvia Charlotte Carr Ted O’Brien Ann Kardamis Tracy Heger Lori Gonsalves ABSENT: Louise Silva, Barry Burke, Jim Lincoln Meeting called to order at 10:03 a.m. by Ted O’Brien Ann Kardamis made a motion to accept the June 13, 2018 meeting minutes. Lori Gonsalves seconded. All in favor. Director’s Report Board Meeting 09.12.18 Old Business: 1. FY 19 CDBG Grants: We have received the Nurse and Case Worker grants and they are presently being used to fund the first half of the salaries. 2. FY 19 EOEA Formula Grant: The Executive Office of Elder Affairs has sent out a notice to complete the FY 18 Statement of Grant Balance (submitted) and the FY 18 Annual Report (submitted). They have yet to send out the FY 19 final amount per elder. The MA Councils on Aging believe it will be $12.00 per elder. This would be an increase of $2.30 per elder from last year or $24,079.00 for a grand total of $125,628.00 for FY 19. My concern is that the announcement was very late last fiscal year and we only had a few months to expend the additional funds. It is hoped that we will learn soon of the increase. 3. FY 19 EOEA Service Incentive Grant: I spoke to someone at Elder Affairs and at MA Councils on Aging and it is hoped that we would receive this grant in FY19 at the same amount as FY18. 4. Substance Use Prevention Grants (MOAPC, SAPC and PFS): I continue to meet monthly with the subcontractor from SSTAR. All employees have been working on the strategies as submitted and approved. We are getting close to the end of the grant years. Sen. Pacheco was able to get another Earmark for the Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force Police Outreach Follow-up Program in the amount of $50,000.00. We received notice that we did not receive the Drug Free Communities Grant 5. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force (TOTF): Overdose Awareness Day was held on August 27 at First Parish Church. We had approximately 175 in attendance. With the FY18 Earmark from Sen. Pacheco, we were able to mail information about Overdose Awareness Day and other substance use prevention information to over 22,000 households in Taunton. The TOTF monthly meeting was held on 9.11.18. There were 38 in attendance. Each committee updated the group as to what occurred over the summer months. 6. Age and Dementia Friendly Taunton: The committee is working toward holding a summit for businesses on October 11, 2018, to explain the Dementia Friendly Trainings and the Age Friendly Taunton strategic planning process. Rep. O’Connell was able to submit and obtain a $25,000.00 FY 19 Earmark for this program. We are waiting for an announcement as to how to access these funds. Gail Thurston and I attended and ‘graduated’ from a Dementia Friends information session. We are now able to educate others on becoming a Dementia Friend. 7. Office Renovations: All office renovations have been completed. The new handicapped ladies room is in the process. New Business: 1. FY 19 State Budget funding - We received three Earmarks from the FY 19 State Budget Process. Two were stated above: $ 25,000 for Age & Dementia Friendly Taunton; $ 50,000 for the TOTF (will go directly to the Taunton Police Department for the Outreach Follow-Up Program). Sen. Pacheco also submitted a $ 20,000.00 earmark for the Taunton Council on Aging. We have yet to hear from him about this earmark and how it is to be spent. Anne mentioned that it has been suggested that it go toward “Raising Generations” to help families raising children of overdose victims. 2. Meeting Summary/Anne attended the following meetings: a. Cookout: 6.14.18 b. Elder Conference at White’s (Gail and I): 6.15.18 c. Dementia Friendly Taunton: 6.18.18 d. Walking Challenge: 6.19.18 e. Manet Community Health Center Board: 6.19.18 f. Taunton Public Library Trustees re: homeless: 6.20.18 g. CIRCA Annual Meeting: 6.21.18 h. Hoarding Workshop at Taunton COA: 6.22.18 i. TOTF - Overdose Awareness Day Subcommittee: 6.25.18 j. Creating the Respectful Workplace Training for all staff: 7.11.18/8.15.18 k. Dementia and Age Friendly Taunton: 7.16.18 l. TOTF – Overdose Awareness Day Subcommittee: 7.16.18 m. Manet Community Health Center Board: 7.17.18 n. TOTF – postcard mailing: 7.25.18 o. Prevention and Wellness Network: 7.27.18 p. Age & Dementia Friendly Subcommittee: 7.30.18 q. Overdose Awareness Day Subcommittee: 7.30.18 r. Behavioral Health Webinar: 8.2.18 s. Age & Dementia Friendly Dementia Friends training: 8.20.18 t. Manet Community Health Center Conference Call: 8.21.18 u. TOTF – Overdose Awareness Day Subcommittee: 8.21.18 v. Manet Community Health Center Board: 8.21.18 w. Mayor Hoye: 8.22.18 x. Manet Community Health Center Conference Call: 8.23.18 y. MA Councils on Aging Executive Director: 8.23.18  z. Age & Dementia Friendly Taunton subcommittee: 8.27.18 aa. TOTF – Overdose Awareness Day: 8.27.18 bb. Overdose Awareness Day Vigil and Resource Fair: 8.27.18 cc. MA Councils on Aging Board Meeting: 8.29.18 dd. Recovery Centers of America representative: 9.6.18 ee. Age & Dementia Friendly Subcommittee: 9.7.18 ff. Mayor Hoye: 9.10.18 gg. Manet Community Health Center subcommittee: 9.10.18 hh. SERCCOT meeting: 9.11.18 ii. Age & Dementia Friendly Subcommittee: 9.11.18 jj. 9/11 Remembrance: 9.11.18 kk. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force: 9.11.18 3. Upcoming Scheduled Programs/meetings: a. MA Municipal Association Human Services Council: 9.13.18 b. Prevention & Wellness Network: 9.14.18 c. Age & Dementia Friendly Taunton: 9.17.18 d. Department Head Meeting at City Hall: 9.18.18 e. Fit4Life Walk: 9.18.18 f. Manet Community Health Center Board: 9.18.18 g. Dementia Friends Staff Training: 9.19.18 h. Taunton Safe Neighborhood Initiative: 9.26.18 i. Bristol Elder Services Advisory Board and Directors’ meeting: 9.27.18 j. Financial Resource Fair: 9.27.18 k. Flu Clinic with Manet Community Health Center: 10.4.18 l. MMA Human Services Council: 10.4.18 m. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force: 10.9.18 4. DHS Updates: a. Hiring of three part-time Case Workers: Jennifer DeLuca began 7.9.18; Melissa Vanhorn and Maria Bairos began on 7.31.18. b. Will be in hiring process for Line Dancing Instructor c. Staff Evaluations: completed week of July 30 – August 1, 2018 d. I was on vacation July 2 – 6 and August 6 – 17, 2018 e. I had Jury Duty on 9.5.18 f. MA Councils on Aging Conference: 10.23 – 10.26.18 5. Senior Center Coordinator Monthly Report 6. Next meeting: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Senior Center Coordinator’s Report – September 12, 2018 The Senior Tax Work Off program started on July 1st and 19 seniors have completed their 68.25 hrs. 3 seniors have dropped out. Seniors who are working at the schools just started working this week. Everyone must have their hours completed by November 30th. Programs while you were away: 7/10 Movie-The Mountain Between Us = 19 seniors attended 7/12 Accessing & Maintaining Safe Housing – Put on by South Coastal Legal Services = 11 seniors attended 7/16 Mass Senior Action = 5 seniors attended 7/24 Movie-The Intern = 15 seniors attended 7/31 Musical Jukebox Bingo = 32 seniors attended 8/7 Movie-Last Vegas= 18 seniors attended 8/14 Movie-Sister Act= 12 seniors attended 8/20 Never Stop Learning Group – Immigration: Past & Present = 9 seniors attended 8/21 Movie-Going in Style=16 seniors attended 8/23 Seascape Window Craft Class=7 seniors attended 8/23 Movie-Grumpy Old Men=10 seniors attended 8/27 The Power of Protein – Put on by Nutritionist Sarah Sheppard from Bristol Elder Services=12 seniors attended 8/28 Sizzling Sounds of Summer – Big Smile Entertainment=29 seniors attended 8/30 Movie-Grumpier Old Men=19 seniors attended Meditation by Nancy started back up on September 11th at 4:15. A free 6 week educational workshop led by Julia Lom from the Brockton Visiting Nurse Association on Diabetes Self-Management will start up again on September 12th from 12:30- 3:00 pm. Our IPhone/IPad class started will continue to meet on Mondays at 10:00 am in September and October. On September 18, 2018 we will be starting a free 8 week class called A Matter of Balance. Our Scarecrow committee started up last Friday. 5 people attended. The finished scarecrows are due by October 9, 2018. On Tuesday, September 11th we had Kristi Santilli here to discuss how to organize!! 17 seniors attended. Tracy plans to invite her back in the spring. On Monday, September 10th we started taking appointments for Open Enrollment. Open Enrollment is from October 15th thru December 7th. We are trying to start a “45” group for Wednesdays at 9:30 am starting October 3rd. Upcoming Events September 18th MCOA 1 Mile Family Fun Walk @ the Taunton COA at 9:30 am. September 18th The Challenges of Aging & Vision Loss 1:00 pm. September 25th AARP Smart Driver Course 9:30-2:30. Members $15.00 / Non-members $20.00 September 24th-28th- Shred Week September 27th – 1:00-3:00 pm Financial Resource Fair. Anne reviewed the flyer showing the vendors that will be attending and added that this event is not only open to elders; anyone can attend. Ted mentioned that he’d like to see a representative from MA Health attend the fair. September 27th – 1:00-3:00 pm Drug / Sharps take back October 2nd – 1:00 pm – Banjo Ragtimers October 11th – 11:30 am – Never Stop Learning Group – The 3 Queens Ted O’Brien called to adjourn the meeting at 10:40 a.m. Ann Kardamis made the motion. Seconded by Lori Gonsalves. All in favor. Next meeting: Wednesday, October 10, 2018