State Guardian ad Litem Board

GAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Northern Service Center, 1 Mendota Road, West St. Paul, Room 110C

February 8, 2018

9:00am – 12:00pm

Bridge line: 651-284-4340 Code 340

Board Members Present: Chair Crysta Parkin, Vice-Chair Korina Barry, J. Lindsay Flint, Judge Terrence Conkel, Joan Kirk

Board Members Absent: Sherry Haley (after mid-meeting break)

Board Members/Staff on Bridge Line: Sherry Haley (before mid-meeting break),John Day, Kaleena Burkes, Program Training Analyst

GAL Board Staff Members Present: Kristen Trebil, Program Administrator, Linda Potter, HR Manager, Fran Hesch, Program Staff Generalist

GAL Staff:District 4 ManagerLaurie Kusek, District 2 Manager, Laura Miles

Guests: Jodi Munsan Rodriguez, Office of the Legislative Auditor, Jill KehaulaniEsch, Ombudsman for American Indian Families

Welcome/Opening Comments – Chair Parkin convened the meeting at 9:02 a.m. with introductions.

Public Comment – Jill KehaulaniEsch, Ombudsman for American Indian Families was available to answer questions regarding Ms. Esch’s e-mail that was read at the last Board meeting (Parkin recapped). Burkes indicated that training was currently under review and Esch’s suggestions will be considered. Trebil and Kusek explained the assignment protocols for ICWA cases and a discussion took place regarding ways to provide ICWA expertise on cases, including but not limited to pending WebEx capabilities.Esch: After new regulations went into effect in December, 2016, National Indian Child Welfare Association released a great online training (cost $100). National Council of Family & Juvenile Court Judges issued a 2017 “Bench Book.” Esch is asking for Board to set statewide ICWA policy. Esch will send info regarding online training resource to Trebil.

Approval of January 11, 2018 Board Meeting Minutes– Action Item – Chair Parkin

Barry moved approval of January 11 minutes, Flint seconded. Approved unanimously.

Open Board Seats / Board Orientation - Discussion Item – Kristen Trebil

Management Analysis and Development (MAD) from Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) will be helping with Board Orientation/Development – Parkin, Trebil, Hesch will meet on February 12 regarding Board Policy Manual and untangling Board Policies from Program Policies. Full day session on Board orientation and strategic planning will follow.

Third and final new Board member should be appointed before the next meeting.

Oath of Office must be done for re-appointed and new Board members. Hesch and Trebil will communicate with Board to make sure Oath of Office has been recorded.

Judge Conkel: If new members receive Campaign Finance disclosure document, he was told that GAL Board members do notneed to fill it out.

Interim “New Board Member Packet” has been created to orient new Board members on the basics, with full orientation plan to be informed by Policy Governance outcomes.

Budget – Discussion Item – Kristen Trebil

Projecting $200,000 deficit –improved from last year and greatly improved compared to the last five years. Reallocation formula was reviewed for new Board member.

Trebil asked if Board needed any additional information regarding the budget, but none was requested.

OLA Update - Discussion Item - Kristen Trebil

We are currently reviewing the OLA report and providing feedback. Closing conference is scheduled for February 21. Final report will be released in March. A review will take place immediately after this Board meeting.

Draft report is not public. Individuals may review, assist with providing feedback to OLA prior to release ofthe final report.

Family Court Committee Update-Discussion Item- Kristen Trebil

First meeting took place January 29 to begin formulating recommendations on: “What is best advocacy model for children in Family Court?” Recommendations will be brought back to the Board this summer. This committee plans to meet once per month.

Legislative Plan - Discussion Item – Kristen Trebil and Laurie Kusek

Governor will decide on inclusion of our one-year supplemental request in his budgetupon review of State budget forecasts (supplemental would begin July 1). Request is for $4 million mainly for staffing for mandated Family Court cases, unassigned CHIPS cases, reducing caseloads, and additional supervisory positions.

Trebil and Parkin met with State Court Administration and Chief Justice to discuss our funding request. They will provide a letter of support. Also contacted for supportive letters: DHS, MSBA,MN County Attorney’s Association, Safe Passages for Children, CASA Minnesota requesting. Appointments will be made with key legislators as well.

Kusek: Documentation has been created for use at grassroots level for advocacy at the legislature so that everyone knows what are program does and who we are. Personal stories also will be shared that illustrate how outcomes for the child are improved. Kusek will send out final copies to Board.

Barry suggested contacting other organizations that have received DHS child welfare disparity grants (provided by e-mail: ICWA Law Center, White Earth India Child Welfare, Minneapolis Indian Center and Aspire, MN which was formerly MCCC). She is willing to contactthese groups on behalf of the program.

Judge Conkel: MN District Judges Association – Tracy Warner

Day: Urban Indian Advisory Board - will approach for letter of support.

Trebil will inform Board of any meetings with legislators that get scheduled.

Central office will keep track of contacts, documents, etc. to promote maximum continuity/ coordination.

Trebil responded to a question regarding the plan for a large injection of funds, should it occur. Hiring would be done quickly, waiting lists and caseloads would be reduced. Juvenile Court will be more obvious than Family Court, since Family Court assignments have officially been put on hold in some districts at the judicial level.

Volunteer Assessment – Discussion Item – Kaleena Burkes

New document was distributed.

Overall recommendation is to keep volunteer program intact.

Discussion:

  • Kusek recapped her very positive volunteer program experience in Hennepin County. Volunteer involvement creates a higher level of trust. Legislators have inquired as to why there are not volunteers throughout the state. National CASA forwards interested volunteers to State CASA, which are forwarded to individual districts. Tribune ads, word of mouth by volunteers as well as when GAL program is featured on Dr. Phil all contribute to recruitment efforts.
  • Miles indicated that in Ramsey County, her experience has been that additional staff is required to recruit volunteers for maximum productivity. Those who currently have cases are making a significant difference in the number of GAL employees needed. Difference: Fourth District has recruiter, where Second District does not.
  • Q. Is there a difference in the kinds of cases assigned to volunteers versus staff? Kusek: Volunteers have more time to spend with children due to lower case load. Cases with intense legal issues would be assigned to staff. Volunteers provide specialties for specific case needs (medical, education, etc.). Miles: Sometimes it is difficult to address performance issues with volunteers versus employees. Barry has many questions about recruitment, training, support regarding the volunteers as well as the differences in experience between the two districts.
  • Judge Conkel: What was the reason for National Centers Report on why the report recommended potential elimination of volunteer program? Kusek: The topic was discussed by managers at a previous strategic planning session and that document was given to the NCSC, but there was never any “overwhelming evidence” to support this.
  • Judge Conkel: What can we do help support the volunteer program in the Second District? Miles: Current volunteers are doing well, but growth is impossible given staffing/supervision levels. Statewide online training capabilities may be helpful.

Does Board need more information in order to make official decision regarding Volunteer Program? Next steps?

  • Consensus is to maintain the volunteer program with ongoing monitoring by the Board prior to any official action being taken.

Haley departed

Strategic Planning Goals– Action Item - Chair Parkin

Strategic Issue – Create innovative alternative approaches to best serve the children we represent. Barry moved to remove this issue from our set of Board Policies (including reference in first strategic issue and entire fourth strategic issue), given that Board will be formulating a strategic plan; Judge Conkel seconded. Approved unanimously.

Break

Discussion Items

HR Update – Linda Potter

PR Committee – Potter will headthis committee (Miles & Burke) which will serve to promote who we are and will provide ongoing resources for public relations efforts.

Training Update - Kaleena Burkes

DHS contract came through for training reimbursements, including online training software.

Training system (E-Logic) will allow standard state-wide training, tracking CEU’s for individuals, schedule annual training institute, reporting.

Program Administrator’s Update – Kristen Trebil

Collections – Court Payment Center (CPS) is trained and up and runningassessment and collections for our program.

MGA Pilot

  • Pilot is on track. Juvenile Court is not a concern. Family Court has more issues regarding necessary access.
  • Hennepin Family Court cases have been added to increase the sample size for this test.
  • No official end date (previously was March but has been extended).

Bench Meetings

  • Trebil attended NinthDistrict and plans to attend SeventhDistrict next week.
  • Judges have been very supportive of our program, disappointed in lack of resources provided to us, and hope that we may once again gain presence in Family Court.

Regionalization Pilot

  • Seventh and Eighth District were combined due to retirement of Seventh District Manager.
  • Hiring two coordinators in the combined district to cover the work.
  • Kirk: Would like more firm numbers on distribution of cases broken down between Family Court actual & potential/CHIPS. Judge Conkel: Would like to see caseload data across the state.
  • Identifying the “potential” Family cases would be very difficult.

Cosmos Metrics – Parkin would like the Board to receive a menu of what is possible. Possibly Fifth District Manager Alex Miller (spearheaded Cosmos) will be asked to present for the next Board Meeting.

Board will meet per current schedule (March 8). April meeting will change to Monday, April 9.Future 2018 meetings will take place the second Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon, location to be determined.

Staff Comment– none

Judge Conkel moved meeting to be closed at 11:18 a.m. as permitted by Section 13.D.05 subd.4(b) to discuss a GAL performance management issue to executive session. Barryseconded. Meeting closed unanimously.

Next Board Meetings

Thursday, March 8, 9 a.m. to noon, Oak Lake Conference Room, Carver Government Center, 600 East 4th Street, Chaska, MN 55318, Mgr. Laurie Kusek

Monday, April 99 a.m. to noon, Room 370, Northern Service Center, 1 Mendota Road, West St. Paul, Mgr. Dana Ahlness

Wednesday, May 9 OR Thursday, May 10time/ location TBD, Mgr. Laura Miles

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