Department of Human Services / Council on Aging

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING June 12, 2019 PRESENT: Anne Bisson Joanne LaFerrara Lori Gonsalves Ted O’Brien Ann Kardamis Barry Burke Tracy Heger ABSENT: Charlotte Carr, Jim Lincoln, Kelley Sylvia Meeting called to order at 10:05 a.m. by Ted O’Brien Anne Bisson made a motion to accept the May 8, 2019 meeting minutes. Ann Kardamis seconded. All in favor. Director’s Report Board Meeting 06.12.19 Old Business: 1. FY 19 State Budget COA Earmarks: a. Dementia Friendly Taunton - Janet Richardi, Consultant, continues to outreach to the community. She has trained 134, outreached to 45 agencies/organizations and appeared on a cable TV show. She will be training elders and City Hall employees in June. Her contract ends June 30 but we have applied for a Tufts grant with Associates for Human Services and if for some reason we do not receive this grant, I have added her, albeit at a limited number of hours, to the Formula Grant. b. Enhanced Services at COA – i. The Wisdom Wednesday trainings have gone exceptionally well. As of this meeting, we have hosted 470 duplicated elders with one more Wisdom Wednesday remaining. Sen. Pacheco has once again submitted an Earmark for $20,000. If the Governor approves the budget, we will provide this program in FY20. ii. We have one (1) training remaining for the community – City Hall Employee training on Dementia Friendly Taunton. 2. FY 19 EOEA Formula Grant: We have unexpended funds in our grant. We are purchasing items for the Senior Center and office including: a new receiver/CD player, round tables, headset, stand-up sign, banner and fans for the Senior Center; new storage containers, a chair, chair mat, IPads/cases, copy machine/scanners for the offices and general office supplies. 3. FY 20 CDBG: I have been informed that we will once again receive the Community Development Block Grant. We received a slight increase for a total of $34,000; previous year was $31,000. 4. FY 20 City Budget: Our budget hearing was held on Monday, June 3, 2019. The councilors thanked us for the services we provide. I stressed the need for a new Senior Center. There were no cuts made. 5. Substance Use Prevention Grants (MOAPC, SAPC and PFS): The FY19 Grant Year is coming to an end. We have one additional year left to all three grants. The Drug Free Communities Grant Announcement did occur. Paula Beaulieu and Kiara Zea from SSTAR, Taylor Torres, City of Taunton Grants Coordinator, April Cabrera from the District Attorney’s Office and I are working together to write the grant. It is due early July. 6. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force (TOTF): the TOTF meeting was held on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. There were 23 in attendance. The Guest Speakers were from Morton Hospital’s Care to Community Program and Column Health. 7. Age and Dementia Friendly Taunton: A meeting was held on May 20, 2019. I was unable to attend. It was decided that after the June meeting, the group would meet quarterly. 8. ‘My Senior Center’ statistical software program: Charlene, along with Kelley, Mary Beth and all of the Elder Outreach staff have been working tirelessly on inputting the basic information, participants, programs and activities, program rosters, outreach information, ‘one call’ groups and key tags. We have started to distribute the Key Tags to elders in the Senior Center and encouraging them to sign in. 9. Collaborative Grant Submissions: a. Tufts Dementia Friendly Taunton – We were told that we would hear about the grant awards by the end of June. b. Tufts Healthy for Life with the YMCA – We were told that we would hear about the grant awards by the end of June. Tufts did contact the YMCA to see if they could revise the budget for a lesser amount. New Business: 1. FY 20 EOEA Formula Grant: The legislature has voted to continue the $12.00 per elder amount. The budget is now in the Senate Ways & Means and then to the Governor. It is hoped that we will receive this level funding. I will be requesting the same programs except for adding another Tai Chi class and Dementia Friendly Taunton Consultant. I will be discontinuing the Elder CCIT Coordinator position as the attendance has been quite sparse. 2. Meeting Summary/Anne attended the following meetings: a. TRIAD Fashion Show: 5.9.19 b. Department Head Meeting: 5.15.19 c. Volunteer Recognition: 5.16.19 d. Manet Community Health Center/Sen. Markey: 5.17.19 e. Hopewell School: 5.20.19 f. Drug Free Communities Grant: 5.20.19 g. Veteran’s Director/Human Resources Director: 5.21.19 h. Manet Community Health Center Board: 5.21.19 i. Bristol County Regional Alliance in New Bedford: 5.22.19 j. Bristol Elder Services: 5.23.19 k. Manet Community Health Center Host Committee (conf. call): 5.29.19 l. Elder Affairs FY20 Formula Grant training: 5.30.19 m. City of Taunton Budget Hearing: 6.3.19 n. Manet Community Health Center Board (conf. call): 6.6.19  o. MMA Human Services Council Annual Meeting/Westwood: 6.7.19 p. Mayor Hoye: 6.10.19 q. Overdose Awareness Day Committee: 6.10.19 r. Manet Strategic Planning Committee (conf. call): 6.10.19 s. Documentation Training: 6.11.19 t. TRIAD: 6.11.19 u. Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force: 6.11.19 3. Upcoming Scheduled Programs/meetings: a. Drug Free Communities: 6.12.19 b. Spring Party at PACC: 6.13.19 c. Community Development Block Grants monitoring: 6.18.19 d. Manet Community Health Center Board: 6.18.19 e. Manet ‘June Bloom’ Event: 6.20.19 f. Dementia Friendly trainings: 6.21.19 g. Age & Dementia Friendly: 6.24.19 4. DHS Updates: a. Case Worker resignations: Melissa Vanhorn resigned to begin a new business venture. Maria Bairos resigned as she is moving to Hudson. Jobs are posted. b. Zumba Gold Instructor resignation: more hours were added to her other job that is closer to her home. c. Due to lack of interest by elders, the Line Dancing Instructor was terminated. d. Roof Repairs e. Committees change – Anne f. Vacations: July 1 – 5; August 2 – 9, 2019 5. Senior Center Coordinator Monthly Report 6. Next meeting: Wednesday, September 11, 2019 Senior Center Coordinator’s Report – June 12, 2019 -On May 2nd our Never Stop Learning Group discussed the “Last Stands” and 8 seniors attended. -Our Wisdom Wednesday on May 8th was on Understanding Neighbors who are Struggling – 68 seniors attended. -On May 10th the Taunton Police came to do a presentation on Weapons Ownership & Older Adults. 2 Seniors attended. -Friends of the Taunton Animal Shelter had a fundraiser and bought carnations and donated them to our Seniors for Mother’s Day on May 13th. -On May 14th, Paul Arikian was here again for Ask Paul the I.T. Guy – 4 seniors attended. -The May 16th TED Talks topic was, Art & Imagination…How Creativity helps all of us. 5 seniors attended. -May 20th – 6 Seniors went to Hopewell School – The students did a craft project with the seniors and had a snack. We all had a really fun time. -The May 22nd Wisdom Wednesday topic was “Good News on Aging”. 64 seniors attended. -On May 28th, 16 seniors attended our presentation “A Legal Check Up.” -Craft Class with Mary Beth on June 3rd had 7 seniors attend. They decorated a high heel shoe. On June 4th we had an Elder Dental Presentation and 1 senior attended. -Our Wisdom Wednesday on June 5th was “Laughing for the Health of It”. 73 seniors attended. -Our Never Stop Learning Group on June 6th had 3 seniors attend and the topic was Building Bridges not Walls. This is the last class for the summer break. June 11th we had our monthly Ask Paul the IT Guy – 3 seniors attended. Upcoming Events On June 18th Sarah Sheppard from Bristol Elder Services will talk about what is Good and what is Bad Cholesterol. On June 20th we will be showing the movie Christopher Robin. On June 25th we will show the movie The Wife. Ted O’Brien called to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 a.m. Barry Burke made the motion. Seconded by Ann Kardamis. All in favor. Next meeting: Wednesday, September 11, 2019