PRODUCTIVE LIVING BOARD

MEETING MINUTES

 

Monday, March 18, 2002

3:30 p.m.

 

St. Louis County Library Headquarters

1640 South Lindbergh Blvd.

St. Louis, MO  63131

 

 

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Cary Hammond, Chairman

Laurie Donovan, Secretary

Paul Tice, Treasurer

David L. Ruecker, Immediate Past Chairman

Tim Barrett

Ralph Berberian

Sarijane M. Freiman

 

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

Juliette Douglas

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Joyce Prage

Jeff Bassin

Glen Goldstein

Debra Holland

Ron Martin

Cindy Strick

Karissa Atkinson, Practicum Student

 

GUESTS PRESENT: (See attached)

 

A quorum was present and due notice had been mailed and published.  Mr. Hammond called the meeting to order at approximately 3:35 p.m. 

 

Executive Director’s Report – Joyce Prage, CPA

 

Ms. Prage updated the Board on the following items:

 

•           Jeff Bassin, Director of Program Services at the Office of Productive Living Services has developed a graduate level social work education syllabus entitled Intervention Approaches in Working with Families Who Have Children with Developmental Disabilities, for use in a course he teaches at Washington University’s George Warren Brown School of Social Work.  The syllabus has been selected for publication by the Council on Social Work Education.  Mr. Bassin was also recognized by the St. Louis University’s School of Social Service as their Outstanding Field Instructor of the Year.      

 

•           Glen Goldstein, Director of Information Technology at the Office of Productive Living Services has been notified that the PLB website has been awarded an AA rating by the World Wide Web Consortium for its accessibility by individuals with disabilities. 

 

•           Karissa Atkinson, Practicum Student at the Office of Productive Living Services has received a grant from the St. Louis University School of Social Service Emmett and Mary Martha Doerr Center for Social Justice Education and Research to develop a PLB Resource Guide that can be used by consumers, families and professionals that will be available in May.  This resource guide will also be available on the PLB website, as well as in hard copy. 

 

•           Board members received a summary of the status of Senate and House Bills affecting individuals with developmental disabilities.  The Department of Mental Health budget remains a major issue.  Consumers and families are asked to continue to support the funding of the Division of MR/DD budget.    Mr. Hammond presented a letter from former board member, Dr. Paul Ahr that sets forth the facts that are involved with the budget cuts.  A call or letter to your Senator is encouraged.

 

•           Ms. Prage also shared with the board a copy of HB 2096, Department of Mental Health Funding. 

 

Open Forum for Comments from the Public

 

Ms. Pushpa Srivastava shared her concerns regarding services for her daughter.   Ms. Srivastava is interested in a voucher system.  Mr. Hammond informed Ms. Srivastava that the PLB would take her request into account; however, he also informed her that the PLB does not currently utilize a voucher system. 

 

Secretary’s Report

 

Ms. Donovan moved that the Board approve the February 19, 2002 Board Meeting Minutes.

 

Ms. Freiman seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Ms. Donovan moved that the Board approve the February 19, 2002 Minutes of the Executive Session of the Board.

 

Mr. Barrett seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Mr. Tice provided the Treasurer’s Report for the period ending February 28, 2002. 

 

Mr. Tice moved that the Treasurer’s Report be approved as presented. 

 

Mr. Ruecker seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Mr. Tice would like to recommend that in the future the Executive Director and Director of Administration & Finance have the authority to sign all PLB checks.  Mr. Ruecker shared his concerns with only staff signing checks over $500 and a management letter that was received several years ago.  Mr. Hammond asked if the PLB has fidelity bonding coverage and if so, he suggested that staff check with the PLB’s current auditor on this issue.    The Board will receive a follow-up from Mr. Tice at a future board meeting.

 

Chairman’s Report

 

Mr. Hammond congratulated Jeff, Glen and Karissa on their excellence and acknowledged the quality staff of the Office of Productive Living Services.

 

Mr. Hammond presented an article that appeared in the February 2002 issue of a Journal entitled Mental Retardation concerning a study of the Options for Justice program Development and Implementation of a Program for Offenders with Developmental Disabilities.   The authors, Donald M. Lindhorst, Leslie Bennett and Tami McCutchen recognized the contributions to this article made by Sarijane Freiman who was instrumental in starting the Options for Justice Program.  Jeff Bassin and former employee Diane Bush were also recognized who served as liaisons to Options for Justice and Michael McGuire, Executive Director of Options for Justice.  The Board presented a copy of the February 2002 Journal to Sarijane Freiman and thanked her for her commitment and pioneering role in the Options for Justice program.   

 

New Business

 

Executive Committee

 

Job Description – Director of Planning and Quality Assurance

 

Mr. Hammond recommended that the Board ratify its decision of March 1, 2002 to approve the revised job description for the Director of Planning and Quality Assurance. 

 

Ms. Donovan seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Letters to Members of the Health and Mental Health Appropriations Committee

 

Mr. Hammond recommended that the Board ratify its decision of March 1, 2002 to approve the letters to the members of the Health and Mental Health Appropriations Committee supporting the reinstatement of $92 million to the FY’03 Department of Mental Health core budget. 

 

Mr. Ruecker seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Administration Committee

 

Employee Compensation Structure Review

 

Mr. Ruecker moved that the Board award a contract to AAIM Management Association for an amount not to exceed $10,900 to perform an Employee Compensation Structure Review.   

 

Ms. Donovan seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

 

 

 

Committee Action Item

 

Request for Proposals (RFP) for a HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Assessment

 

The Administration Committee approved the Request for Proposals (RFP) for a HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Assessment. 

 

Mr. Hammond commented on his first-hand experience with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance assessment and what consulting companies are charging for these studies.  He encouraged the Administration Committee to be aware of the excessive bids that may come in.  Mr. Hammond also suggested that billing for the study could be done on an hourly basis. 

 

Residential Services Committee

 

Residential Capital Development Policy

 

Mr. Ruecker moved that the Board approve the following Residential Capital Development Policy:

 

The Productive Living Board will consider funding applications for down payment assistance for the purpose of residential capital development.  The following criteria shall be applied to these applications: 

 

1.      Consideration will be given to funding proposals for residential capital development that address at least one of the following: 

 

a)   Improvement in sub-standard housing that will significantly improve the health and safety of St. Louis County residents with developmental disabilities

b)   Need for more assessable housing due to age and/or health status of the consumer

c)   Other significant life circumstances as determined by the Productive Living Board.

 

2.      Consumers served through the residential capital development proposed shall be St. Louis County residents with developmental disabilities with the following priority:

 

a)   New clients of the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) with secured funding from DMH

      b)   Current clients of the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) with funding for         community residential living supports who reside in inadequate housing

c)      Consumers currently receiving PLB funded residential ISLA services and who reside in       inadequate housing.

 

Residential capital development requests are limited to the availability of funds. 

 

Mr. Barrett seconded the motion. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Ruecker amended the motion as follows:

 

2.   Consumers served through the residential capital development proposed shall be St. Louis County residents with developmental disabilities with the following general priority and subject also to the priorities in paragraph 1:

 

a)   New clients of the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) with secured funding from DMH

      b)   Current clients of the Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) with funding for         community residential living supports who reside in inadequate housing

c)   Consumers currently receiving PLB funded residential ISLA services and who reside in       inadequate housing.

 

Residential capital development requests are limited to the availability of funds. 

 

Mr. Tice seconded the amended motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Revision of ISLA Guidelines and Policies

 

Mr. Ruecker moved that the Board approve the revised ISLA Guidelines and Policies, as attached.

 

Mr. Barrett seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Adapt-Ability, PLB Project #8041/11

Request for Equipment for Consumer Evaluation/Equipment Repair

 

Mr. Ruecker moved that the Board approve an appropriation from the Discretionary Fund for FY’03 to Adapt-Ability Project #8041/11 in the amount of $3,963 with the following contingency:

 

•     All PLB policies regarding equipment acquisition and maintenance apply. 

 

Ms. Donovan seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Committee Action Item:

 

Request for Proposals (RFP’s) for FY’03 Residential Services Expansion

 

The Residential Services Committee approved issuing two FY’03 Requests for Proposals to (1) stabilize current PLB funded ISLA consumers and (2) expand the availability of facility-based medical residential supports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocational Services Committee

 

Care Cab PLB Project #5047/57 Global Positioning Software

Request for extension in the ending date

 

Ms. Freiman moved that the Board approve an extension in the ending date for Care Cab Project #5047/57 from December 31, 2001 to June 30, 2002. 

 

Mr. Ruecker seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

 

Old Business

 

PLB Old Business Items 

 

The Board received the list of the PLB’s Old Business items from previous Board meetings. 

 

Other

 

Ms. Donovan moved that the Board adjourn and reconvene in Executive Session per 610.021(13) RSMo. – Personnel Records. 

 

Ms. Freiman seconded the motion; a roll call vote was taken with the following members voting aye:  Mr. Barrett, Mr. Berberian, Ms. Donovan,  Ms. Freiman, Mr. Hammond, Mr. Ruecker and Mr. Tice.  The motion passed unanimously. 

 

There being no further business before the Board, the meeting adjourned at approximately 4:10 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

______________________

Laurie Donovan, Secretary

 

As recorded by Cindy Strick, Executive Administrative Assistant

 

The next Board meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., Monday, April 15, 2002 at St. Louis County Library Headquarters, 1640 So. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO  63131. 

 

If you need the assistance of an interpreter, please call 48 hours prior to the board meeting,

726-6016, 726-0142 (TTY). 

 

ODUCTIVE LIVING BOARD

Meeting Minutes

Monday, March 18, 2002

 

Guest List

 

                                                Jane Walker                            LADDRS

                                                Judy Felts                                St. Luke’s

                                                Carrie Gegg                            Student at Maryville

                                                Shawn A. Goulet                     St. Louis County Public Defender

Kathy Farache                        Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities

Pamela Merkle                        Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities

                                                Dana Nichols                          St. John’s Mercy

                                                Michael Maguire                      Options For Justice

                                                David Meyer                            Options For Justice             

                                                Alberta Slavin                          Options For Justice             

                                                Marcy Soda                             JESS

                                                Jocelyn Waller                                    Life Skills Foundation

                                                Sharon Hales                          OASIS

                                                Tom Anderson                        DSC Daugherty

                                                Anita Contreras                       St. Louis Regional Center

                                                Kim Kopff                                St. Louis ARC

                                                Danielle Pirtle Mosley              Willows Way, Inc.

                                                Todd Wolfmeier                      St. Louis Society

                                                Carol Kamil                             St. Louis County DHS

                                                Laurine Hamon                       Challenge Unlimited, Inc.

                                                Katie Smallen                          Life Skills Foundation

                                                Kathy Meath                            St. Louis ARC

                                                Peggy Kohn                            Options for Justice

                                                Margie Lindhorst                     Council for Extended Care