NECC

MINUTES

/
December 2, 2014
/
GROSSMAN’S rESTAURANT
/ LAGRANGE in
MEETING CALLED BY /
Rich Burden
TYPE OF MEETING / Council Meeting
FACILITATOR / Rich Burden
NOTE TAKER / Pam Deetz
TIMEKEEPER
ATTENDEES / Tammy McMullen—AWS, Nancy Moore—PNE, Bridget Sovinski-SPOE, Lydia Otatio—CTI, Donna Driscoll—Hand in Hand, Rich Burden—INSOURCE, Pam Deetz—LPCC, Reecie Verslype—Logan, Clare Mann—1st Kids, Betsy Burks—LPCC, Kirk Stoltzfus—ARC, Gay Trier-Early Head Start Kociuscko County, Joan Riley—NEISEC.

Agenda topics

INTRODUCTIONS/Minutes/Announcements
/
rich burden
DISCUSSION / The meeting was called to order at 12:35 PM. Tammy announced that AWS will be Benchmark Human Services beginning January 1, 2015. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved.

AGENDA TOPICS

budget/RFF
/
Clare mann
DISCUSSION / 
  • Clare reported that last month is not closed out yet. There are no outstanding bills, and expenses are on track as expected.

LPCC updates
/
bridget sovinski
DISCUSSION /
  • Bridget reported on the last ICC meeting.
A rate study will be done, starting with SPOE, followed by provider and A team rates.
The ICC is in need of parents to sit on the council.
Michael Conn-Powers reviewed data that shows that African Americans and lower income groups are not seeing the progress and are having higher drop out rates. He will be attending a council meeting to present data more specific to the cluster.
The ICC has asked some questions about the future of training, but has not as yet addressed this issue.
  • December 10th is the last date for provider training with UTS, and reports need to be printed out by Dec. 15th. There is no information on the next steps for training, however Nancy reported that at the DDRS meeting, Cathy Robinson said that the state will be working on something to replace the Training Times.
  • Bridget received some ideas for training from one agency.
  • She has also received letters from two agencies. These were discussed at the last meeting. Agencies are to prepare a brochure for SCs to give to families, with information as to whom to contact with their concerns.

spoe updates
/
Bridget sovinski
DISCUSSION / The Performance Report has been submitted.
  • Re the by-laws, a motion was made by Joan Riley to add LaGrange County to the language, as it was previously omitted. Reecie seconded the motion, and it carried.
  • Tammy moved to accept the corrected by-laws, Joan seconded this, and the motion carried.
  • Bridget reported that the state is asking us to develop a plan for containing costs. Cluster B currently has the lowest average cost per IFSP in the state (@ $1300 compared to the highest costs of Cluster I @ $1700). These costs compare to around $1750-2200 years ago. The council agreed to put in the next report in March, that the cluster has looked at costs and feel they are in line. Discussion was held about why our costs are lower than average, with the following input/questions from the group:
  • We have the 2nd highest number of “poor” families;
  • We have the highest number of kids with medical diagnoses,
  • We have a larger number of kids that are starting out with only 1 therapy (as opposed to in the past); and is this appropriate for kids on the spectrum??
  • There is possibly a perception among the providers that they need to keep costs down, and they are thus hesitant to ask for increases.
  • Is cost for families a factor?
  • Agencies reported sometimes being blind-sided by needs. Are we not starting with appropriate services because we lack providers, or because we have not previously identified the needs? The data committee will look at the debriefing form for a quarter to see: 1) What services are implemented vs what services are recommended, and 2) Whether 2X a month is more common at initial IFSPs than in the past. The A team is responsible for communicating with the ongoing providers at annuals, if the recommendation is for a decrease in services and the provider does not agree.
  • Susan Salee SLP addressed the concern that Physicians at the Parkview NICU are referring patients directly to the Parkview Noble clinic, rather than First Steps, because the perception is that it takes too long to get into FS. Discussion was held about how to address this perception. The group feels that it would be beneficial to identify whom to talk with and work with at the clinic to identify needs and provide services. We also need to consider the recruitment and maintenance of providers, including more who are comfortable working with NICU babies, and possibly using high school career days to promote the career possibilities. Another aspect to be addressed is helping the consumers understand how FS will help their child and family, possibly by having an Intake Coordinator on the unit, as is done in St Joe and Elkhart counties.

QUALITY ASSURANCE
/
PAM DEETZ
DISCUSSION /
  • No concerns or complaints were logged since the last NECC meeting.

TRANSITION
  • Meetings are scheduled for both the East and West Transition teams, and they are working on updating the MOAs.

SPOE OVERSIGHT
DISCUSSION
AGENCY MEETING
/
TAMMY McMULLEN
DISCUSSION /
  • Discussion was held about the providers needed. There have been many IFSPs that are going to or are close to going to IFSP without providers.

DATA COMMITTEE / NANCY MOORE
DISCUSSION /
  • The committee will look at the cost per child.
  • They will also look at why there has been a significant rise in billing “not in the natural environment,” particularly in Elkhart County. Services have not changed, so perhaps this is a billing/coding error.

ADDITIONAL ISSUES
The next meeting will be February 24, 2015 at the Noble County Community Foundation, Ligonier. Agency meeting to start at 10:00, followed by the council meeting at 12:30.