Meeting Activities
August 25, 2015
Planning and Grants (P&G) Committee
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ISSUE
1:00 PM Welcome and introductions K. Grange
1:20 PM Approve minutes from 7/28/2015 P&G Committee
1:25 PM Site Reviews- Sue Fager
Eastern Colorado/Roaring Fork Update Mackenzie Helton
1:45 PM Review Local Leadership Development RFP Sue Fager
Mackenzie Helton
2:00 PM Review of Current 5 Year Plan Workplan Sue Fager
2:30 PM Review of DMCPRC Grant Yvette Plummer-Burkhalter
3:00 PM Adjournment K. Grange
NEXT MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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DISCUSSION:
1. Meeting convened at 1:02 PM
2. Minutes: Minutes passed with a minor spelling change on page two.
3. Site Reviews: Marcia Tewell, Mackenzie Helton and Sue Fager went to Sterling to meet the new staff
of the Eastern Services Colorado (ESC).
ESC hired a new Executive Director to be a bridge into the plains’ community. They are
experiencing similar issues that VLFA have; once participants graduate options for them
vanish.
Jeanette Cordova and Katie Grange joined the staff in the Roaring Fork Valley to talk with Valley Life for All (VLFA) and its new team.
Grantees discussed their statements of work and how the grantees were following
them; how an action plan had to be created; how collaboration with the community was
necessary to connect individuals with developmental disabilities; and how communities
would become more inclusive through natural proportions.
The major issue is community engagement: the projects do not take the initiative.
Graduates have to re-build the trust they had with their parents and
educators once they leave high school.
Grantees create their action plans, recruit and collaborate with their communities to
connect individuals/groups to expand outreach and advocacy; grantees are expected to
link participants to available assistive technology and social media.
Mackenzie Helton was unable to speak directly to the Board Treasurer of VLFA. He must
meet, with that person, as soon as possible to verify separation of duties and to review
their checks and balances before recommending continued funding for their grant.
VLFA must find three more participants to fulfill their grant, but there does not seem to
be any marketing or outreach going on in the community. There are two months left.
Staff clarified that the VLFA Statement of Work required person-centered plans, but not
specifically PATH plans.
Jeanette added that El Grupo Vida offered to help with outreach to the Spanish
community, but VLFA has never contacted them for their assistance.
Melissa Mannix offered her opinion that VLFA should not be funded again.
Questions arose as to how is the Council helping these community projects become more
inclusive to make the grants successful.
Outreach to non-disability agencies and groups are the KEY to making this grant work.
Jeanette was concerned with the management/board of the VLFA and their lack of
transparency.
Jeanette made a motion that both projects be funded for one additional year, with
conditions.
Sue sent Melanie Liptrap’s blog to the Administration on Community Living Director
Aaron Bishop and he responded to Sue that it was a great blog and that he would
personally send Melanie a note about it.
4. Local Leadership RFP Review: Sue reviewed the changes of the RFP from the original RFP.
$30,000 will be allotted to three more communities, rural OR urban.
Training will be similar to previous projects, however, the grantee has
the option of coming to Denver for the Legislative weekend, or create
a similar program with their local city government or branch agencies.
There is a huge need to educate siblings.
A national speaker is still a required part of the curriculum.
The RFP will be submitted to Procurement on August 28, and the
projects are expected to start January 1, 2016.
5. Current 5 Year Plan: There is one year left on the plan; and Goal 1, Objective 6 requiring the
establishment or strengthening of a program for the direct funding of a State
self-advocacy organization led by people with developmental disabilities is still
unmet.
September 30th’s Council meeting will be devoted to formulating the new goals
and objectives for the next 5 Year Plan.
Sue suggested the committee reach out to other states, such as
Colorado, to seek out input into what they are doing about self-advocacy.
The Omni Bullying Report has not been utilized so far.
Disability Law Colorado is in the second year of funding and will be training
school educators under Goal 3 about restraints and seclusion practices.
The newsletter, with its theme of Restraint and Seclusion, is nearing completion
and hopefully will become a useful resource right across the country.
6. DMCPRC Report: Yvette Plummer reported on the status of her grant (see handout).
The Karen, Nepali, Somali and Spanish components of the grant were complex
and required many accommodations.
The Somali contingent wants to do a support group for the Somali families and
they have begun the process to create their own 501c non-profit organization.
An outcome from the program for the Nepali community was that lack of
communication with law enforcement causes trauma. Police relationships will
improve when they begin bridging the cultural acclimation before addressing
issues.
A big challenge is exhaustion for her staff after all these years; but if the
community wants it, Yvette will re-apply for funding.
Yvette said her participants really valued the legislative weekend and Yvette
thanked the Council for their commitment to the LEAD program.
The next meeting is: September 22, 2015 at 1:00 PM
7. Adjournment: 3:02 PM.
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ACTION/MOTION/CONSENSUS:
1. Melissa Mannix moved to approve the July minutes; Jeanette Cordova seconded; minutes passed.
2. VLFA will get a second year of funding with strict caveats: more oversight, more reports, more technical
assistance and based on performance.
3. Jeanette motioned that “Council will recommend another year of funding for both projects, provided that the Fiscal Manager meets personally with the Board Treasurer of VLFA, with the books at the VLFA offices within the first half of September.” Katie seconded and the motion carried. Melissa vetoed the motion.
4. Committee will review the ideas from Survey Monkey and pass on seven to 10 ideas to Katie so that she can have a list by 9/21.
5. Lionel will add reviewing the 5 Year Plan Workplan to September’s agenda.
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Present: Kasey Daniel, Jeanette Cordova, Katie Grange (GTM), Melissa Mannix (GTM), Anuska Ullal
Guest: Yvette Plummer-Burkhalter
Staff: Susan Fager, Mackenzie Helton, Lionel Llewellyn,
Absent: Rob Buzogany, Sandra Friedman, Mary Dwyer, Sarita Reddy, Marcia Tewell
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