Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
Board Meeting Minutes
December 4, 2013
The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities held its regular quarterly meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at the Four Points by Sheraton, 4700 S. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, Virginia.
CALL TO ORDER AND WELCOME: Mr. John Kelly, Chair, called the meeting to order at 11:46 a.m. Mr. Kelly welcomed new Board members, agency designees, and guests as follows:
· New Board Member: Matthew Shapiro of Glen Allen, person with a developmental disability
· Agency Designees: Cindy Gwinn, Community Resources Manager, DBHDS, designee for Lee Price; Steve Ankiel, Program Manager, DMAS, designee for Terry Smith
· Guest: Esme Grant, Public Policy Director, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
The Chair then called for introductions. Staff and Board members introduced themselves.
APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 BOARD MEETING MINUTES: The Chair asked if there were any changes or corrections to the September 11, 2013 Board meeting minutes. Hearing none, the Chair called for approval of the minutes. Mr. George Randolph Burak made a MOTION to approve the minutes. Ms. Marisa Laios seconded the MOTION. The MOTION was unanimously APPROVED.
THE REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Ms. Maggie Disney, Secretary, gave the report of the Executive Committee meeting (see Executive Committee minutes for full details).
PUBLIC COMMENT: Partners in Policymaking (PIP) graduate Creed Leffler gave public comment on how participating in PIP changed his life. The knowledge and skills Mr. Leffler acquired as a PIP participant helped him to become a self-advocate and to live independently. Mr. Leffler intends to educate others about independent living.
LUNCHEON SPEAKER- ESME GRANT, PUBLIC POLICY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNCILS ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (NACDD): Heidi Lawyer, Board Executive Director, introduced speaker Esme Grant. Ms Grant spoke on the topic Federal Disability Policy Priorities. Discussion followed. Highlights of the speech and points of discussion included: NACDD’s role, functions, policy priorities (i.e., employment, education and healthcare), and collaboration with various disabilities rights and policy organizations; and “Hot Topics” (i.e. the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“Disabilities Treaty”); the Center for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) rule for Home and Community Based (HCBS) waivers; and the issue of employment for people with disabilities as it relates to the Workforce Investment Act and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act).
REPORT ON NOVEMBER 1, 2013 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING: The Chair reported on the justification for and outcome of the November 1, 2013 Executive Committee meeting. The Chair noted that, in keeping with Article VII, Section 1 of the Board’s By-Laws, the Executive Committee held an emergency meeting on November 1, 2013 to discuss the status of the Board’s contract with VAULT and decide what actions, if any, should be taken in regard to said contract. After a lengthy discussion about sustainability and performance issues and possible remedies, the Executive Committee had voted unanimously to terminate the contract for default. The Executive Committee recommends ratification of the termination of the VAULT contract and is bringing a MOTION to ratify termination to the Board. The Chair called for discussion on the MOTION. There being none, the Chair called for a vote on the MOTION. The MOTION carried unanimously, with Board members Matthew Shapiro, Colleen Miller, and Donna Gilles abstaining.
AGENCY DESIGNEE BUDGET, POLICY, AND PROGRAM UPDATES (PPD, VDDHH, DOE, DARS)
Donna Gilles, UCEDD representative and Executive Director, Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University (PPD):
· PPD now has close to 110 part time and full time employees.
· PPD moved its offices during the first week of October 2013.
· PPD is in the process of hiring a few more people for replacement and for new positions.
· PPD hired Shannon Haworth to serve as Project Manager for the Autism Spectrum Disorder State Implementation Grant (ASD Early STEP). Haworth holds a Master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, a graduate certificate in autism, is a former LEND trainee and has a parent perspective.
· At the end of September PPD submitted a five year report for its last grant cycle. The report indicates the number of people impacted by PPD activities in core function areas. Numbers on the report have changed due to changes in reporting structures at the national level.
Ron Lanier, Director, Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH):
· Virginia Relay is a free public service that connects people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or speech disabled with standard telephone users, relaying the conversation between both parties. Representatives from AT&T, the Commonwealth’s relay contractor, informed VDDHH in October of its intent to end all current state contracts for telecommunications relay services upon expiration due to the significant decrease in the number of relay calls being received. Seven other states and D.C. are also impacted by AT&T’s decision. The current contract expires 7/31/14, and there is a possibility of a one-year extension. VDDHH is working with VITA’s contract procurement staff and the Department of Planning and Budget (DPB) to explore other options.
· During the first week of November, VDDHH submitted its largest reimbursement request to date to the Federal Communications Commission for iCanConnect. For the past 15 months, VDDHH has worked collaboratively with the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, Perkins School for the Blind, and the Helen Keller National Center Office at VCU to administer this grant made possible through the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, which funds the distribution of communications equipment to qualified persons who are deaf-blind.
· On November 9th, VDDHH and Virginia Relay CapTel joined the Region 1 Virginia Wounded Warriors Program and the disability Resource Center in presenting the Veterans with Hearing Loss Conference entitled “Soldiering on with Confidence and Independence. With just over 80 in attendance, this conference in Fredericksburg was highlighted by presentations from staff of the Army’s Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed National Medical Center, the McGuire Veteran’s Hospital’s Polytrauma Center, and the Northern Virginia Resource Center in Fairfax. The conference also included a “Heroes with Hearing Loss” panel composed of Virginia Veterans with service-induced hearing loss. Exhibitors from related organizations and state agencies were also available to answer questions on Veterans services, benefits, counseling, technology and employment. Hearing loss remains the number one service-related injury to US Veterans who have served on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq.
John Eisenberg, agency designee, Virginia Department of Education (DOE):
· In November the Virginia Board of Education (BOE) released their annual report on the condition and needs of public schools in Virginia to the General Assembly.
· The A-F school grading formula was approved at the BOE business meeting held on November 21, 2013.
· The State Special Education Advisory Council (SSEAC) submitted its annual report to the BOE.
· DOE is discussing renewal of waivers for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) or No Child Left Behind with the U.S. Dept. of Education. Stakeholder Teams involved in the process include parent members of the SSEAC and local Special Education Directors.
· The BOE adopted Model Polices for Anti Bullying in November.
· Students from the VDOE I’m Determined Project developed an Anti-Bullying video for disability history and awareness months.
· The first stakeholder meetings were held on the reform of the Special Diploma. Work will continue on developing the competencies necessary to obtain this diploma. This development will take multiple years. More information will be shared as it is developed by stakeholders.
· VDOE is exploring the possibility of developing a statewide online IEP system. Initial stakeholder meetings to explore this option will begin after the New Year.
Kathleen Vaughan, agency designee for the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS):
· As part of the 2014-2016 State Plan for Independent Living, a Money Follows the Person (MFP) roundtable discussion is planned for spring 2014.
· New statistics compiled by the Adult Protective Services Division (APSD) show that 20,704 reports of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults in Virginia were made in state fiscal year (SFY) 2013. Most reported incidents took place in the adult’s own home or another person’s home. Roughly 70% of the individuals were age 60 or older. More than 54% of the reports accepted for investigation were substantiated. The complete report for SFY 2013 will be available in December.
· DARS is promoting additional funds for Vocational Rehabilitation and Job Coaching.
· The State Independent Living Council might use results from the 2013 Center for Independent Living Consumer Satisfaction Survey to begin building the 2017-2019 state plan for independent living.
· The Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission is set to expire on July 1, 2014 and has asked that the Commission’s sunset be extended to July 1, 2021 to provide support for a federal initiative to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s by 2025.
· The Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission recommends expanding state Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s access to records of community providers to facilitate fulfillment of the Ombudsman’s programmatic responsibilities.
· The Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission, the Commonwealth Council on Aging, and DARS are supporting an increase of funding for the Public Guardian and Conservator Program to meet existing as well as the growing demand for services.
· The Commonwealth Council on Aging is also supporting funding for elder abuse prevention, ensuring voting access for seniors, and monitoring the dual eligible integration demonstration project promoting Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.
· On November 5th, DARS was honored to receive the National Council on Rehabilitation Education’s 2013 President’s Award for Excellence in Vocational Rehabilitation.
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS
REPORT OF THE ADVOCACY & OUTREACH COMMITTEE: Ms. Korinda Rusinyak, Committee Chair, reported that the Advocacy & Outreach Committee:
· called the meeting to order, did introductions, recognized guests NACDD Public Policy Director Esme Grant and PIP graduate Creed Leffler, and reviewed the Advocacy & Outreach Committee meeting agenda;
· reviewed the September 11, 2013 Advocacy & Outreach Committee meeting minutes and approved them with one correction;
· received an Executive Committee update from the Committee Chair;
· discussed achievement of state plan objectives in the Advocacy and Outreach area of emphasis; points of discussion included the Leadership for Employment and Abuse Prevention grant, State Plan Objective 3-4 and VAULT, and liaison activities
· received an update from Kara White on the Youth Leadership Forum Board program’s activities and achievements related to state plan goals and objectives;
· received an update from Rachel Loria on the Partners in Policymaking Board program’s activities and achievements related to state plan goals and objectives;
· received an update from Barb Dodd on social media, outreach and marketing, and blog posts activities and achievements related to state plan goals and objectives; and
· adjourned after being advised by the Committee Chair that they would receive communications about the ad hoc committee to review the 2014 Assessment of the Disability Services System in Virginia from the Board’s Executive Director at a later date.
REPORT OF THE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION COMMITTEE: Ms. Sarah Ratner, Committee Chair, reported that the Community Integration Committee:
· called the meeting to order at 9:23 a.m., did introductions, and reviewed the Community Integration Committee meeting agenda
· reviewed and approved the September 11, 2013 Community Integration Committee meeting minutes;
· received an Executive Committee update from the Committee Chair;
· received a presentation on Successful Workforce Development Initiatives for Direct Care Professionals from Matthew Bogenschutz, MSW, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Social Work & Va LEND;
· received an update from Linda Redmond on progress and outcomes of the Community Integration Committee’s three grant projects and liaison activities during the past quarter and discussed achievement of State Plan Objectives in the area of Community Supports and Health; points of discussion included RGI grant status and barriers;
· discussed formation of an ad hoc committee for development of Board concerns and recommendations for the 2014 Assessment of the Disability Services System in Virginia and had several volunteers;
· discussed issues with waivers and waiver redesign;
· discussed possible speakers for the next Community Integration Committee meeting;
· and adjourned at 11:25 a.m.
REPORT OF THE COMMUNITY LIVING & TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: In the absence of Committee Chair Angela Sadsad, Committee member Stephen Joseph reported that the Community Living & Transportation Committee:
· called the meeting to order and reviewed the Community Living & Transportation Committee meeting agenda;
· reviewed and approved the September 11, 2013 Community Living & Transportation Committee meeting minutes;
· received an Executive Committee update;
· decided to defer discussion of the formation of an ad hoc committee to review the 2014 Assessment of the Disability Services System in Virginia;
· discussed achievement of State Plan Objectives in the Community Living & Transportation Area of Emphasis; points of discussion included grants, post-grants, a contracts update, and liaison activities;
· received a presentation on Medicaid Transportation and Logisticare Services from Bob Knox, Medicaid Transportation Manager; and
· adjourned at 11:25 a.m.
REPORT OF THE EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE: Mr. Dennis Manning, Committee Chair, reported that the Education & Employment Committee:
· called the meeting to order, did introductions, and reviewed the Education & Employment Committee meeting agenda;
· reviewed the September 11, 2013 Education & Employment Committee meeting minutes and approved them with one minor change;
· received an Executive Committee update from the Committee Chair and Lynne Talley;
· received updates from the State agency representatives of DARS, PPD, and DOE;
· discussed Education & Employment grants, post-grants, contracts & liaison activities and received an update on VAIL; RIL has resigned from the grant project and VAIL will submit a revised Work Plan and Budget in March 2014; and
· adjourned after discussing two State Plan objectives and implementation activities that will be addressed in 2014.
REVIEW OF CONSUMER SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS: Barb Dodd gave a brief overview of the results of the Consumer Satisfaction Survey. For the 2013 Survey, there were a total of 285 respondents as compared to 412 in 2012 and 314 in 2011. The majority of the 2013 survey responses came from online respondents and grant/contract participants. Most of the online survey responses received came through eNews and Facebook. A strong response from grantees was noted. In 2013 six grants were active during the Survey period and 126 responses were received from grantees. Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed reported overall satisfaction with Board activities in which the respondent or the respondent’s family member had participated. A high percentage also reported that overall the respondent’s life or the life of the respondent’s family member was better because of participation in Board activities. The number of respondents reporting that they had visited the Board’s web site has grown every year over the past three years. Ms. Dodd concluded by giving examples of both positive and negative direct comments that were submitted on the Survey.