Albany CoCMembership Meeting

7/24/2017

Attended:Jenn Tabankin, Samantha Winzenried, Mike Asbury, Sarah Latzko, Kristen Giroux, Lora Yanulavich, Liz Hitt, Erin Reale, Lyndrell Randle, Sabrina Brewington, Dom Sondrini, Tina Mida, Marji Burgasser, Kelly Desposito, Mary Oill, Marsha Penrose, Stephen Lape, Kimya Jean-Charles, Katie Sprouse, Omima Mohamed, Wendy Wahlberg, Rachel Bradt, Perry Jujulas, Louisa Marra, Christine Rodriquez, Kathy Leyden, Sister Nadine Fornum, Amy Lacey

AgendaItem / Discussion / Outcome/NextSteps
Call to Order / The meeting was called to order by Christine.
Introductions welcoming new members / If you would like specific agenda items please email ahead to Jenn Tabankin ()
Approval of Minutes / Edit to add Perry Junjulas to the minutes. Mike Asbury made a motion to approve the May 2017membership meeting minutes with edit. Motion was seconded. All were in favor. / CARES will post on website
Board Update / Keeping updated on the strategic plan as they relate to each committee. Committees are listed on the CARES website. / If you are interested in joining a committee please reach out to committee chairs or to CARES
New Business / Systems Committee: Dom gave an overview, Systems will be focusing on discharge planning in all 4 areas (foster care, medical, jail, mental health/psych). Trying to make Point of Contacts to see what discharge plans are already in place.
Would like to create subgroups around these four areas of discharge planning.
Youth Homelessness Update: Equinox Shelter is closed. Transition plan is being clarified. Homeless youth are going to CAPTAIN and Safe Inc. and both are running close to full. Louisa Marra spoke to the barrier of distance to Saratoga and Schenectady as a banner especially when school starts back up. The distance of these shelters doesn’t meet the need
Youth TA: Youth demonstration grants are reopening for 11 more youth grants.
NAEH Updates: CARES, Liz Hitt and Louisa Marra attended the conference.
Louisa was on the Permanent Supportive Housing Track: it works because you are seeing people move on and live independently. NYC has created “Moving On Plans”; Planning your ES: “a therapeutic form of incarceration” think of Rules vs. Expectations.
Liz Hitt: Governance Track: important to add consumer voices to our CoC we need to hear them and incorporate them into our policies
CARES: attended multiple tracks and will be creating a summary of the conference to be distributed throughout the CoC / Next meeting August 24th at 11am. Focus is on incarcerated population. Dom can also be reached directly by cell (413-687-7691
We will be getting numbers regarding Albany youth being served in both agencies
New Business / Advocacy Updates:As a result of the agenda planning survey advocacy updates will be added quarterly to the agenda. A handout from Steve Piasecki from SHNNY regarding both federal and state level advocacy platforms.
Erin Reale: We should also include local level policy initiatives along with federal and state level. Also tell members how to get involved locally.
Focus on disparities between upstate and Downstate initiatives also seeing gaps in what we are advocating for / Steve will be attending future meetings to speak about advocacy on multiple levels. He can be reached at or 518-465-3233
Committee Updates /

Governance Committee: Liz, Perry and Amy: Looking to recruit for the Board as well as beginning the process for members to renew membership. Only 1 person from each agency can vote

CARES will be sending out applications for membership
Voting for board happens at the September annual meeting / Applications will need to be submitted prior to the September meeting.
Board Applications will be sent out by CARES
NOFA Timeline / Handout Attached
Agencies Updates /
  • Sarah Latzko Albany County Department of Mental Health: CDPC Closed the crisis center. Beds have been transferred to long stay beds
  • Marjorie Burgasser: Community Care Behavioral Health is partnered with CDPHP to provide Case management for HARP Members. Team of 10 case managers, 4 responsible for Albany county.

Next meeting / Semi-Annual Meeting / Monday, September 25, 2017, 3:00 – 4:30pm at CARES

Minutes respectfully submitted by Samantha Winzenried, CARES CoCTeam