COCA Steering Committee Meeting

17 16 FebruaryAugust 2006

Attendees:
Gordon Richins, UT Co-Chair / Susan Yuan, VT Co-Chair
Angela Weaver-Roebuck, OR / Norb Ryan, KY
SharonHauss, IN / Laura Walker, AUCD
Mitchell Levitz, NY / Laurel Ryan, UT BCDD, TN, Secretary
Dean Westwood, OIDD / Bethany Stark,Tarjan Center, CA
Issues/Decisions: / Action Needed by:
Update: End of Life Workgroup
90 Minute presentation was accepted for AUCD annual meeting. Names of all 7 COCA volunteers were forwarded to workgroup leaders. Discussion questions are being completed.

Update: MIR/PAR Grant

A. Weaver-Roebuck: Development Team has had a call recently, working on Community Modules PowerPoint. Idea is to pair up 2 people from the Development Team with 1 feedback team member. Final reviewers are being selected, possibly Ann Turnbull or Tom Seakins. UCEDD Directors survey is being worked on, which will focus on the importance of PAR.
Update: CAC TA Project
L. Walker: Had one day meeting at AUCD offices on 8/4/06. N. Ryan, Meg Steinman, Cathy Haarstad, Sarah Rule and Susan Yuan were among participants. The idea is to create Train the Trainer materials that UCEDD staff can use to help orient new CAC members. Need for clear language version discussed. COCA and this workgroup will have a chance to give input before it goes out to the Network.
Legislative Committee Update:
S. Yuan:
DD Act Reauthorization:
Next topic will be proposed language. New Title will combine Family Support with Self-Determination. Side by side will be available. It is expected that there will be no new money for this title.
Some groups (such as Council of Citizens with Disabilities – CCD) are concerned about consequences of opening the DD Act up during the reauthorization process, for fear of losing ground. Our group is proceeding as if we the bill would be re-opened and we could make the language what we want it to be. There are some ideas floating around in the community that would remove Family Support from the DD Act or enable it to “compete” with other DD Act Programs or other non-profits, such as the Arc of the US. Susan Y. will forward the Family Support “Kansas City Consensus” paper.
Legilsative General: Quiet this month due to recess. Action is anticipated on the Combating Autism Act.
Annual Meeting Agenda Items
Make-over of AUCD web page – G. Richins will be the webmaster for COCA page. New web page is expected to be demonstrated at Annual Meeting.
There will be two COCA meetings – see webpage on Annual Meeting for times.
Discussion of Steering Committee – and possible need to meet together. Chairs of COCA committees should be participating on Steering Committee Conference Calls, as well as Regional Members, Mitchell Levitz, Dean Westwood and Karen Dixon. Do the operating rules for COCA make this clear?
Discussion of low turn-out for Full COCA conference calls. Ideas included more frequent full conference calls. Historically, it was hard to have full membership calls, as too many people called in. Need to make use of web-site and listserv. / ALL – Send COCA Award nominations to Clare Collins and/or Norb Ryan.
NEXT CONFERENCE CALL: September 21, 2006
12:00 ET 11:00 CT 10:00 MT 9:00 PT

Respectfully Submitted,

Laurel Ryan, UT BCDD, Memphis

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