Family Care Council

District 12

 

June 9, 2005

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:                 STAFF & GUEST PRESENT:

Edith Kegle                                       Thomas Troutman

Kamal Samar                                    Michele Beauregard, APD

Linda Peterson                                  Susan Tanner, FLAC

                                                          Shawna Retallack, secretary FCC

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Mary Beth Muldowney

 

I.                  ROLL CALL:

 

The meeting was called to order at 3:29 P.M.  Roll call established a quorum.

 

 

II.               APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

Member Samar motioned to accept the minutes of the June 9, 2005 meeting as written.  Member Kegle seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

 

III.           OPEN DISCUSSION:

 

Member Samar suggested that the secretary, Shawna Retallack, mail the meeting agenda prior to the meeting scheduled for August 11, 2005.  Member Kegle stated that the duties of the secretary are still unclear.  The duties of the secretary need to be established between her employer, Easter Seals, and the Family Care Council before this suggested task will be delegated to her.

 

Michele Beauregard stated that member LaCour has officially resigned from the council. 

 

 

Member Kegle discussed the agreement between the Family Care Council and Easter Seals concerning use of their facility for Family Care Council purposes.  Member Kegle would like to request another key to the office so that the secretary can access needed materials.  It was discussed that either Catherine Colwell or Jane Bronkie will be contacted for another key.

 

It was decided between members that member Muldowney will be         contacted by member Kegle to find out if she would still like to be a member of the Family Care Council.  Secretary gave member Muldowney’s phone number as well as member Peterson to members Kegle and Samar.

 

Member Kegle asked member Samar to describe the Family Café   experience he had.  Kegle discussed going to educational seminars.  Member Samar stated that Governor Bush was not as motivating and advocating for persons with disabilities as he was last year.  Member Samar stated that 60 % of disabled persons are living in Supported Living facilities and that percentage will increase.  Members and guests discussed the importance and advantages of Supported Living and having a voice.

 

Member Samar mentioned Med Waiver and that 2,500 new people statewide in Florida were joining the program.  It was discussed that there is a lack of people to carry out the needs of the program and more support workers are needed.  Member Samar expressed concern that there was a need for consistent training and education of support coordinators.  Michele Beauregard will call member Samar to discuss if he would like to join her quality improvement committee.  A parent/consumer evaluation of providers and the need to know what works and what needs improvement was discussed.  A technique called benchmarking was suggested by member Kegle in which successful businesses are studying and their success is attempted to be mimicked by other businesses. Michele Beauregard expressed the concern that we constantly need to strive for improvement.  Member Samar expressed concern of the fate of advocacy for persons with disabilities when Governor Bush leaves office.  Member Samar stated that parents need to be united to become a strong voice.  How Governor Bush spends money to support state programs and the level of importance each program has was also mentioned by member Samar.

 

Member Kegle discussed the mailing out of the pamphlets to people on the waiting list for services and Med Waiver participants.  The importance of a central permanent return address for mail outs was expressed by member Kegle.  Member Samar stated that the FCC business cards need to be updated as well.  Michele Beauregard stated that Ed De Bardeleben would like the Agency for Persons with Disabilities would like to become a bulk mailer, which would save them and the FCC money.  Michele Beauregard stated that a fee of up to $200 was needed to become a bulk mailer and asked Member Kegle to provide the funds necessary.  Member Kegle made a motion that the FCC will contribute up to $200 to make the APD a bulk mailer.  Ed De Bardeleben will determine which fiscal year the funding will come from.  Member Samar seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Member Kegle stated that the employment ratio in district 12 stands out against others.  Mack would like to know what programs these employees are coming from and why it has been so successful.  He would like to know how this success can be duplicated.  Members and guests discussed issues concerning the ADA law and how employers are afraid to hire people with disabilities.  There are educational opportunities to educate employers.  Employers get a tax break to hire people with disabilities.  The hesitation by employers to hire people with disabilities as it relates to adapting their facilities was also discussed.

 

Members and guests discussed that the FCC could be part of informal           family sessions to find out concerns/fears of parents and people with    disabilities.

 

Reminder was given that travel expenses need to be turned in to Shirley Bostick by June 15, 2005.

 

IV.        NEW BUSINESS:

 

The USF Department of Family Medicine flyer was discussed.  The flyer stated that beginning June 6, 2005 disabled persons will have the opportunity to meet with medical students and educate them on the challenges of living with a disability.  Members and guests present agreed that the flyer presented a good opportunity for doctor/patient interaction.   Member Samar made a motion to call the medical students at USF and ask them when they were available to come to a Family Care Council meeting to educate the medical students about persons with developmental disabilities.  Member Peterson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.

 

Michele Beauregard mentioned that Ed De Bardeleben, program administrator, would like an inventory of equipment located in the office to be taken.  Member Kegle suggested that a committee be formed to develop the office properly.  Member Kegle also suggested that the bylaws be reviewed for possible revisions at the August 11, 2005 meeting.

 

The “Meet Me” flyer for June 20, 2005 at 7 to 9 P.M. from Wilma Lefler at the Agency for Persons with Disabilities was discussed.

 

New Member Orientation will take place at the August 11, 2005 meeting.

 

Member Kegle mentioned that the Department of Children and Families is having parenting classes take place.  Member Kegle asked if the APD would be interested in teaching these classes to parents in a consolidated version.  Member Samar suggested that Tom Friedman be invited to come to the September 8, 2005 meeting to discuss positive parenting education, training, and coordinating.

 

Member Kegle would like to mail out reminder postcards before the August 11, 2005 meeting.  She would like to know what the least expensive way to remind people about the meeting.

Member Kegle stated that Adept will be doing a monthly newsletter and they would like some information about the FCC to put in the newsletter.  Susan Tanner will provide the information to them.

 

 

IV.             ADJOURNMENT

 

Member Kegle made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Member Peterson seconded the motion.  Motion carried.  Meeting officially adjourned at 5:07 P.M.