Family Care Council

District 12

July 12, 2007             

MEMBERS PRESENT:                                STAFF & GUESTS PRESENT:

 

Phil Pearson, Chair                                         Ed DeBardeleben, APD

                                                                        Shawna Dann, FCC Secretary

                                                                        Joan Mannix, ARC of Volusia

                                                                        Kelly Johanessen, WORC/UCPECF

                                                                        Linda Peterson

                                                                        Susan Tanner and son

                                                                        Anita Martin

MEMBERS ABSENT:                                    

           

Ray Sylvestre, Treasurer                                                                                                                              

I. ROLL CALL AND INTRODUCTIONS:

The meeting was called to order at 3:05 PM. Roll call established a quorum.     

II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

The minutes from the meeting on June 14th, 2007 meeting were reviewed and discussed by member and guests present.  Chairperson Pearson made a motion to accept the minutes of the June 14th, 2007 meeting.  Motion carried. 

III. OLD BUSINESS:

Chairperson Pearson stated that the most recent FCC12 newsletter has been mailed out.  Families have contacted him and thanked him for the newsletter.  The next mailing will be in September.  Kelly Johanessen and Joan Mannix mentioned that the FCC12 September newsletter should mention Disability Mentoring Day which will be on October 17th, 2007.  Developmentally Disabled individuals will have the opportunity to shadow a prospective employer in a field that interests them for one day.  DD individuals can send in an application and mentors will be contacted so that the DD individual can shadow at a job they are interested in.  DisAbility Solutions has donated $2,000 to provide assistance such as interpreters, transportation, etc. for this event.  Irene Gallo will do an in-service series on IEP.  It will be featured in the next newsletter.

IV. APD UPDATE:

Ed reports that The APD is sending out a Waiver Services Bulletin every month.  The bulletin provides information such as updates on recent service changes, recent service adjustments, services that will be eliminated in the next six months, and two new waivers that are being added to create a four-tiered waiver system.  The APD has been meeting with support coordinators and providers to finalize service changes.  The APD will meet with providers and will be issuing new service agreements based on which waiver the DD individual is placed on.

V. NEW BUSINESS:

Chairperson Pearson has proposed a change to the FCC12 by-laws.  The proposed change is as follows:  Proxy voting will be allowed either by the member voting early by mail, phone or email or by the member giving his proxy to another person to represent him/her.  Chairperson Pearson explained that the purpose behind making this change is so that important financial matters that require member voting are not delayed by absence of members at FCC12 meetings.  During discussion of the change Susan Tanner asked how the members would know what is being voted on.  Ed suggested that proxy voting should only be allowed as long as the members know ahead of time what is being voted on.  He also suggested that members could participate by conference call at meetings.  The FCC would have the capability to conference call because there is a phone in the Easter Seals conference room where most FCC meetings are held.  Participation by conference call can be done at meetings not taking place at Easter Seals as long as a speakerphone is at the designated meeting place.  Ed stated that he would research getting a toll free number to Chairperson Pearson that can be used by the FCC12.  After discussion Chairperson Pearson decided to edit the proposed by-laws change to be as follows:  Proxy voting will be allowed either by the member voting early by mail, phone, email or by the member giving his proxy to another person to represent him/her if the dollar amount is less than $150. 

Chairperson Pearson proposed a Family Support Plan for fiscal year 2007/2008.  The Plan includes the proposed mission, values, and goals of FCC12.  Some of the goals are to increase awareness of DD, influence legislation, understand and influence APD policies and procedures, advocate, educate, and empower DD individuals, be effective representatives to FCCF, provide financial help to families with DD individuals, and increase FCC12 membership.  One sub-point under the goal to understand and influence APD policies and procedures regarding persons with developmental disabilities is to understand blind and deaf support.  After discussion with several guests present Chairperson Pearson decided to change the sub-point to read as follows: Understand support needs and available resources of people with a variety of disabling conditions.

Chairperson Pearson will attend the next quality steering committee meeting and will propose implementing an end of life plan.  He wants parents to know what is going to happen to their DD child(ren) when they pass away if they do not have a plan.  Knowing what will happen would empower them to ensure that they make a plan.  There was a lot of discussion from guests present and the general feedback was that it is not a feasible task.  There is no cookie cutter plan and the APD can not force a family or DD individual to do anything.  It is a task of the APD to give advice and information, but not to make decisions for them.  The APD can certainly advise a family of what to do in their unique situation but ultimately the responsibility lies on the families of DD individuals to have a plan ready.  Because situations are so unique from family to family it would be very difficult to have one general plan to propose to families.  After discussion Chairperson Pearson still felt that an End of Life Plan was important and that he would not remove it from FCC12 goals for 2007/2008.

Chairperson Pearson reviewed the budget for FCC12.  They no longer have an office at Easter Seals so the $100 expense has been removed.  He also reduced the amount of money to be allocated for use of the Easter Seals copier.  Chairperson Pearson was not aware that use of the Easter Seals conference room is free so he will edit the budget accordingly.  Ed was not aware that Phil decreased the amount of clerical support from Easter Seals.  FCC12 secretary Shawna Dann informed Ed that Chairperson Pearson has been providing his own clerical support.  At the present time she comes to meetings that take place at Easter Seals, records the minutes, types them, and emails the finished minutes to Chairperson Pearson.  Chairperson Pearson has been doing the copying and typing anything other than the minutes himself.  Therefore, reduction in copier service and clerical support is warranted.  Ed stated that he would contact Easter Seals to make the following Service Agreement Changes:  To reduce clerical support to 50 hours and to reduce copier service to $100 for the fiscal year.

OPEN DISCUSSION:

   Kelly mentioned that WORC/UCPECF has applied for a federal grant to have a training/educational resource center for DD individuals.  The target group will be individuals aged 18 to 30 years old and emerging leaders.  Kelly requested a letter of support from FCC12.  Chairperson Pearson made a motion to write a letter of support for WORC/UCPECF in regard to a federal grant for a training/educational resource center for developmentally disabled individuals.  Motion carried.

Ed provided a handout to guests and member regarding a need for donations during the holiday season.  The APD would like to provide baskets to individual families filled with food and other miscellaneous items like toys and clothing.  Families will fill out a wish list card with 2 wishes.  Donors will be given a wish list tag to fill.  The APD will start taking donations in August and the wish list tags are due back in early November.  Support Coordinators will deliver the gifts to the consumer.  This is a good opportunity for FCC12 members to partner with APD to help families in need. 

Kelly also announced that youth employment services and vocational services will be moved to Holly Hill Station on Nova Road.  This will provide extra room for meetings, etc. 

VI. ADJOURN:

With no further business to come before the Council the meeting adjourned at 5:24 PM.