Virginia Board for People with Disabilities

Community Integration Committee Meeting Minutes

March 5, 2014

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:Terry Smith, DMAS; Lee Price, DBHDS; Ralph Owen; Maggie Disney; April Niamtu; Charles Meacham, Clyde Mathew (for Colleen Miller, disability Law Center); Brian Clukey

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:Sarah Ratner, Chairperson; and Summer Sage

VBPD STAFF PRESENT:Linda Redmond (staff liaison)

GUESTS:SimWinbush, policy analyst, DMAS; (for a brief period) John Kelly, Board Chairman; Peter Quinn and Christy Segal, Public-Private Partnerships, Ltd. (PPL)

CALL TO ORDER: Charles Meacham volunteered to serve as Chairperson today; hecalled the meeting to order at 9: 25 am. Introductions were made; Ms. Smith introduced SimWinbush, a new staff person in the Long-Term Care division at DMAS. Mr. Meacham asked members to review the agenda for possible revisions; and none were made.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: The minutes for the December 4, 2013 Community Integration Committee meeting were reviewed. One correction to a name spelling was requested and made. Mrs. Maggie Disney made a MOTION to approve the minutes as written, and it was seconded by Mrs. April Niamtu. The MOTION was unanimously APPROVED.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING UPDATE: Since the Chairperson was unable to attend this meeting, Mr. John Kelly provided highlights of the discussion and issues addressed in the Executive Committee held earlier today.

DISCUSSION OF ACHIEVEMENT OF STATE PLAN OBJECTIVES – Liaison Activities and Grant Projects. Dr. Linda Redmond first pointed out the new format for this section in the Board packet, which aligns each project with the State Plan Goals and Objectives. After a review, several Committee members asked that more details be provided in the table, such as identification of liaison activity or project for an objective. Dr. Redmond then described key liaison activities during the past quarter. Noting her involvement with the Medicaid Commonwealth Coordinated Care and the Magellan Behavioral Health Coordinated care initiatives, she encouraged Committee members to review the information provided about each online. Mrs. Terry Smith reminded members that both of these managed care projects are focused on acute care services and not Waiver services at this time.

Dr. Redmond next provided an update on progress and outcomes of four grant projects for which the Committee has oversight responsibility: DBHDS, Peer-to-Peer Mentoring; the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living (VACIL), Empowerment to Prevent Institutionalization; the Virginia Oral Health Coalition, Oral Health for Adults with DD; and the Rappahannock Goodwill Industry (RGI), Direct Support Professional (DSP) Training Program. She provided a summary of planned and actual outcomes from the RGI project, and reviewed the discussion held with Lynne Talley, Grants Manager, and project staff leadership last week at RGI. An insurmountable barrier, which was not expected, has been, and continues to be, lack of personal transportation (car) to get to the employer’s home. Public transportation in the Fredericksburg area is limited in scope and schedule; and many seeking a DSP want one with a car for errands or shopping. Dr. Redmond noted that RGI had been diligent in its implementation of the work plan, but this barrier was beyond the capacity of either the project or the Board. A question and answer period followed.

Mrs. April Niamtu made a MOTION for the full Board’s consideration: The CI Committee recommends that the project, Direct Support Professional Training Program awarded to the Rappahannock Goodwill Industry, be ended in the near future at a time mutually agreed upon by both Board and RGI staff which enables completion of training for the current cohort (4 individuals). Mr. Ralph Owen seconded the motion. The Motion was APPROVED unanimously.

DISCUSSION ofDRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS for the 2014 ASSESSMENT: Mr. Charles Meacham briefly described the work of the Ad Hock Committee tasked with developing recommendations based on chapter information. He asked CI members to provide feedback on the proposed recommendations, to include changes or additions. Feedback will be compiled by Board staff and shared with the Ad Hoc Committee for further review. The CI Committee focused on those made for these areas: Institutional Supports, Community Supports, Healthcare, Medicaid and Others (systemic). Discussion and suggestions for improvement followed.

PRESENTATION, Public Partnerships Consumer-Directed Program: Mr. Peter Quinn, Director, provided information on PPL operations and on corrective actions taken to address customer service issues encountered during 2013. He first provided an overview

OTHER BUSINESS & ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mr. Meacham asked if there were any announcements. Dr. Redmond announced that the Virginia Oral Health Coalition was conducting its first trainings and clinics in March; and in response to requests, she agreed to send members the announcement of place and time. There was no other business or announcements.

ADJOURNMENT: The Committee adjourned at 11:23 am.

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