Department of Human Services / Council on Aging

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING April 10, 2019 PRESENT: Anne Bisson Kelley Sylvia Tracy Heger Ann Kardamis Lori Gonsalves Charlotte Carr Jim Lincoln Ted O’Brien ABSENT: Barry Burke Ted called the meeting to order at 10:08 Ann Kardamis made a motion to accept the February 13, 2019 meeting minutes. Jim Lincoln seconded. All in favor. Director’s Report Board Meeting 04.10.19 Old Business: 1. FY 19 State Budget COA Earmarks: a. Dementia Friendly Taunton – Dementia Friendly Taunton is moving along. A presentation for the Taunton Federal Credit Union was provided on 3.13.19 and was very well received and the Rotary Club on 3.14.19. I met with our consultant on 3.6.19 for our regular meeting. Upcoming presentations will be held at Pride, Bristol County Savings Bank and City Hall. b. Enhanced Services at COA – i. The first Wisdom Wednesday was held on March 6, 2019. It was well received and there were sixty-seven (67) elders in attendance. The second program was held on March 20, 2109, with sixty-two (62) in attendance. The next Wisdom Wednesday is today. We had over eighty-five (85) register for the program. ii. The first Mental Health training was held on Friday, March 29. The topic was ‘Boundaries: Establishing Healthy Boundaries with the Older Adults we serve’. There were forty-seven (47) in attendance. The next training is scheduled for April 26, 2019, and the topic is ‘Suicide Awareness’. 2. FY 20 CDBG: I have not heard anything regarding the grant submission or award as of the date of this meeting. 3. Substance Use Prevention Grants (MOAPC, SAPC and PFS): The grants continue. We are waiting for the Grant Announcement for the Drug Free Communities Grant. Once announced, SSTAR, Taylor Torres, City of Taunton Grant Coordinator and I will begin the writing of the grant. 4. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force (TOTF): A TOTF meeting was held on Tuesday, March 12. There were 30 in attendance. The Guest Speaker for this meeting was Stephanie Culhane from Fuller Hospital. The April 9, 2019, meeting was also held. There  were thirty (30) in attendance. The Guest Speaker was Teri St. Pierre from the Women’s Recovery from Addiction Program (WRAP). 5. Age and Dementia Friendly Taunton: We did not have a meeting in February. The next meeting was held on March 18, 2019. There were twelve (12) in attendance. The next meeting is scheduled for April 22, 2019. See #7 below. 6. ‘My Senior Center’ statistical software program: The DHS and IT staff were trained on March 26, 2019, on this software program. Kelley attended an initial training on March 5, 2019, at the Lakeville Council on Aging. We were hoping to have the statistical program up and running beginning on April 1, 2019, but there is much we have to input prior. We are looking at starting the software by program, i.e., Nurse, Outreach then Senior Center. The projected full program launch date is July 1, 2019. 7. Collaborative Grant Submissions: a. Tufts Dementia Friendly Taunton - The Associates for Human Services (AHS), in collaboration with our office, submitted a Letter of Intent (LOI) for a Tufts grant for Dementia Friendly Taunton. The LOI was accepted and we have been asked to submit a full grant. Our first meeting was held on 3.8.19. The grant was submitted by the due date, March 29, 2019. Our office cannot apply for the grant. A private non-profit must apply but can work collaboratively with a government agency. We have a site visit scheduled for April 26, 2019, at the offices of AHS. b. Tufts Healthy for Life Program - Old Colony YMCA, in conjunction with four Councils on Aging-including Taunton, submitted an LOI for a Tufts grant for the Healthy for Life Program. The LOI was accepted and the YMCA has been asked to submit a full grant proposal. I have consulted with the Healthy Living Coordinator, Lauren Bartell, and due to the Taunton COA being a collaborator in two Tufts Grants, it was more positive for both grant proposals for us to collaborate in only one grant so we won’t jeopardize the receipt of either. It was decided that the Taunton COA would not be a part of this grant. 8. Taunton Safe Neighborhood Initiative (SNI): a. Emergency Protocols Meeting: Through my role as administrator of the SNI, I coordinated an Emergency Protocols meeting between first responders and the four district schools (Taunton Public Schools, Bristol Plymouth High School, Coyle Cassidy High and Middle Schools and Our Lady of Lourdes School) and Triumph/Head Start. The meeting was held on February 14, 2019, at Taunton High School. Much information was discussed on school safety and coordination with first responders. b. SNI Annual Meeting: I am presently planning the SNI Annual meeting that is scheduled for 4.24.19. The Guest Speaker with be April Cabrera from the Office of the Bristol District Attorney. She will also be hosting a ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ mock bedroom demonstration. New Business: 1. City of Taunton Budget: Our FY 20 City of Taunton budget was submitted online. I spoke with Mayor Hoye about the possibility of funding new positions and he said it was unlikely. We did request some increases in our Other Expense Line Items to address rising costs. 2. Councils on Aging/Catholic Social Services (CSS) re: Elder Homelessness: I am working with Angie Eddings of CSS to hold a meeting between the area COAs and CSS to address the increase in elder homelessness in Bristol County and what CSS can do to assist. The meeting is scheduled for May 7, 2019, at Catholic Social Services in Fall River. 3. Meeting Summary/Anne attended the following meetings: a. TRIAD: 2.13.19 b. Emergency Protocols Meeting/First Responders & Schools: 2.14.19 c. Dementia Friendly Consultant: 3.6.19 d. MCOA Dementia Friendly: 3.7.19 e. Tufts Dementia Friendly Grant with AHS: 3.8.19 f. Mayor Hoye: 3.11.19 g. Fall River Family Services Association: 3.11.19 h. Manet Strategic Planning Committee (conf. call): 3.11.19 i. Teen Safety Summit-Wheaton College: 3.12.19 j. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force: 3.12.19 k. Vaping Expo: 3.16.19 l. Age & Dementia Friendly Taunton: 3.18.19 m. Alzheimer’s Association training: 3.18.19 n. Manet Community Health Center Board: 3.19.19 o. Dementia Friendly Consultant: 3.20.19 p. Drug Court Graduation: 3.20.19 q. SOCO Leadership Council: 3.22.19 r. ‘My Senior Center’ training: 3.26.19 s. Taunton Safe Neighborhood Initiative: 3.27.19 t. Bristol Elder Services Advisory Council: 3.28.19 u. Opioid Misuse and Health Literacy Webinar: 3.28.19 v. Manet Community Health Center (conf. call): 4.2.19 w. DHS Board Member training: 4.2.19 x. MA Councils on Aging Advisory Council: 4.3.19 y. MA Municipal Human Services Council: 4.5.19 z. Mayor Hoye: 4.8.19 aa. Manet Community Health Center (conf. call): 4.9.19 bb. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force: 4.9.19 4. Upcoming Scheduled Programs/meetings: a. Dementia Friendly Taunton consultant: 4.10.19 b. Age & Dementia Friendly Taunton: 4.22.19 c. Taunton Safe Neighborhood Initiative Annual Meeting: 4.24.19 d. Dementia Friendly-Tufts Grant-Site Visit at AHS: 4.26.19 e. Proclamation for ‘Older Americans’ Month’ at City Hall: 4.20.19 f. MA Councils on Aging Board Meeting: 5.1.19 g. MA Municipal Human Services Council: 5.2.19 h. Elder Homelessness in Bristol County: 5.7.19 i. TRIAD Fashion Show: 5.9.19 5. DHS Updates: a. Inform of new Board Member- Joanne Laferrara – Waiting on receipt of letter. b. Tai Chi instructor – Elijah Swain  c. Handicapped Bathroom update d. ADA Compliance - Senior Center furniture purchased by THA e. I will be taking vacation from 4.16 – 4.18.19. 6. Senior Center Coordinator Monthly Report 7. Next meeting: Wednesday, May 14, 2019 Senior Center Coordinator’s Report – 04.10.19 For the whole month of April, applications will be available for all Taunton seniors who want to participate in the Senior Tax Work Off program. This program gives seniors $750.00 off their real estate taxes after working 62.5 hours in a city department. Seniors will now need to have a letter from their Doctor to participate in the program. Due to the projected closing of the Taunton Nursing Home, Senior Tax Workers that participated at that location will be accepted by the Taunton Public Library. AARP volunteers have processed 468 tax returns from February 1st through March 31st. The last day of Tax Appointments will be April, 17, 2019, which was extended due to the Patriots Day holiday. March 21st – TED Talks – The Mental Health Benefits of sun, flowers and Spring. -3 seniors attended. March 26th – Howie Newman – performed for the 32 seniors that attended. March 28th – Craft Class – Easter decoration - 6 seniors attended. April 2nd – Fantastic Feud – Rob Peters Entertainment came and split the 32 seniors into groups of 4 to play Fantastic Feud!! It was a fun time!!! April 4th – Never Stop Learning Group was about the History of Spain. 6 seniors attended. April 9th – Ask the I.T. Guy – 3 seniors attended. Upcoming Events April 16th – Farm Visits – Seniors are encouraged to bring their Grandchildren and ice cream will be served. April 17th – Last day of tax prep April 18th – TED Talks – Cloudy with a chance of Joy…The Power of Appreciation. April 18th – Movie – The Book Club April 22nd – Iphone/Ipad classes starts back up. April 23rd – The Classics 5 Jazz Quintet April 23rd – 6 week Bereavement Group starts. April 24th – 6 week Diabetes Self-Management group starts. April 30th – Come join us in the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m., when the Mayor reads this year’s proclamation for Older Americans Month. This year’s theme is: Connect, Create and Contribute. Anne hopes that the Dementia Friendly Pledge will be signed by the Mayor and the City Council at this event also. Tracy confirmed attendance to the Volunteer Recognition with the Board Members. Meeting adjourned at 10:46 a.m. Jim Lincoln made the motion. Seconded by Lori Gonsalves. All in Favor. Next meeting: Wednesday, May 08, 2019