Minutes for April 10, 2003

Meeting Location:  Four Points Midway Sheraton, St. Paul

Present:  Lois Johnson, Cory Heit, Karen Larson, Bryan Jensen, Janiece Duffy, Mark Eggen, Sharon Johnson, Mary Pennington, Ann Zick, Phyllis Coppess, Linda Lingen, Bill Bauer, Brad Westerlund.

Absent:  Connie Lee Berg (excused), David Hancox (excused), Clarence Jones, Roseann Faber (excused).

Guests: Steve Thovson

Call to Order:  The April 10, 2003 meeting of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) was called to order at 9:02 a.m. by Lois Johnson, vice chair. Introductions followed.

Lois asked Bill to provide the council with an update regarding Connie Lee Berg. Bill advised council members that Connie recently resigned as director of the Red Lake 121 Project, and that she will be submitting letters of resignation to all the boards/councils on which she serves. Connie will be moving to San Diego for a period of time to assist a family member, and plans to return to Red Lake at some future date to assume another position with tribal government.

It was moved and seconded that Lois draft a letter to Connie thanking her for her years of service to the SILC and the disability community. The motion carried unanimously.

Approval of January, February Minutes and April Agenda:  Lois asked if there were any corrections or revisions to the January and February 2003 meeting minutes. There were none. Janiece moved, Mark seconded, that the January and February minutes be approved as written. The motion carried. As to additions to the April agenda, Bryan requested a discussion regarding a letter to the National Governors Association task-force on Medicaid reform. The agenda was approved by consensus as revised.

State Rehabilitation Council Update:   Lois reported that the SRC is following the SILC’s lead in support of funding for Centers for IL. Lois read to council members a draft letter from the SRC. (Copy enclosed.) Lois commented on the coalition between the various councils and programs.

Lois reported that VR, under order of selection, has begun offering services to those in the second priority level.

National Governors Association Task-force:  A discussion regarding Medicaid reform and the establishment of a National Governors Association task-force to study the matter was prompted by an e-mail forwarded to SILC members by Bill. Bryan stated that a priority of the disability community is legislation permitting the money to follow those consumers as they transition from nursing homes to community living. Bryan moved, Mark seconded, that a letter from the SILC be submitted to the NGA Task-force regarding Medicaid reform including legislation that enables the money to follow the consumer. Discussion followed, and the motion carried. Bill will prepare a draft letter and e-mail it to all council members for comments. It was recommended that copies of this letter also be sent to Governor Pawlenty and the DHS Commissioner.

Developmental Disabilities Council Update:  Ann reported that the DD Council’s 2002 annual report is being distributed. Copies are available from the DD Council office or can be found on the council’s web-site.

As a result of budget proposals, the State Planning Agency is being merged with the Department of Administration. A reorganization is underway with the Department of Administration to merge the various divisions together.

The DD Council has sent letters to Congressional delegations regarding IDEA reauthorization, national Family Support legislation, integrated employment as part of the Rehab Act reauthorization and to the National Governors Association regarding Medicaid reform.

Legislative Update:  Steve Thovson provided a summary of the impact on consumers should the Governor’s elimination of the Centers’ State funds occur. Those consumers who would be “at risk” were also identified in this prepared summary. (The Centers’ written summary is enclosed.) The few counties statewide that would remain served, as well as those counties that would be unserved or underserved were also identified. MACIL is contacting the other states in Region V to determine these states’ level of cuts if any. It appeared, on the date of this meeting, that three states in Region V are getting no cuts to IL. MACIL and IL consumers again provided testimony to the house. Centers were advised, by both houses, that they would like to return at least some of the Centers’ state funds. MACIL has met with the governor’s staff several times, and worked with MDES to end the rumor that Center services are duplicative. Steve reported that the house will have its budget out next week, with the senate’s budget following the week after.

In response to a question, Bill discussed the SPIL amendment process. Ann reported that the Minnesota Mental Health Association submitted a letter to the governor regarding cuts to services, which included a request to return State dollars to IL. Steve suggested that the various disability programs needed to form a coalition to draft the issues which all coalition members could support, then work as a united group. Lois strongly supported this approach to disability issues.

SILC By-law Amendment:  Lois read the existing Section 4.2 of the SILC by-laws. She then read the proposed amendment. Mark moved, Sharon seconded, that the proposed amendment to Section 4.2 of the by-laws be approved. Discussion followed, which included the question of what happens if an officer elected in September is not reappointed the following January. Lois replied that a special election would be held once the new appointments are made. The motion carried with one “no” vote. Bill will mail the page containing the amended by-law to all council members for their SILC manuals.

IL Needs Survey Report: Steve provided an overview of survey work since his January report. Council members received either electronic or hard copies of what should be the final survey instrument – not including future recommendations from the Survey Center. Steve reported that, since the January SILC meeting, a group of service-providers reviewed the survey word-by-word, and this group’s suggestions were incorporated into the survey the SILC now has. Steve announced that the SILC now has the opportunity for the final review, and if anyone has any suggestions, s/he needs to speak now. SILC members had no further recommendations. Steve reported that the next step is field testing, and some questions, or perhaps entire sections of the survey may need to be cut to meet the survey’s eight minute time limit. Steve asked for recommendations should cuts be required. The consensus of SILC members was that the entire recreation section be eliminated first; followed by the dropping of all open-ended questions if required.

Once the Survey Center completes the survey and submits the initial data report, Steve will prepare a formal report. Steve projects that he will have the report completed in the fall. Cory asked Steve if he had any concerns surrounding the survey. Steve replied that he is concerned about the open-ended questions; however, he would be able to prepare a content analysis with these responses.

Sharon moved, Mark seconded, that the SILC approve the survey instrument as written and provide permission to revise the survey instrument as required to meet time restrictions. The motion carried unanimously.

SILC Interim Chair:  With Connie’s move to San Diego, the question was raised as to who would serve as chair. Karen read Section Four of the by-laws which indicate that, in the chair’s absence, the vice chair serves as chair; thus, Lois will serve as the SILC’s interim chairperson until the September 2003 officer elections.

Committee Reports:  Lois reported for the SPIL Committee. There will be no action taken on the February motion for changes in the utilization of SILC Part B dollars until the legislature is out of session. A discussion of potential SPIL amendments also occurred. SILC members then discussed their understanding that the February motion was “purely symbolic.” Cory moved, Sharon seconded, that all discussion of this matter be tabled until it is known what, if any, State dollars will be given to the Centers by the legislature. There was no further discussion and the motion carried unanimously.

Janiece reported for the Finance Committee. Grant dollars are currently being drawn down in accordance with the contracts. Financial status and program progress reports for the third quarter are due by the end of April.

Sharon reported for the Education and Advocacy Committee. She reminded council members that the two day out-state training meeting will be held June 12-13 at the Radisson hotel, St. Cloud. Some recommendations were received for speakers on youth leadership development, and ILICIL staff can provide training on transition services. ILICIL can also arrange a panel discussion by ILICIL’s transition consumers. Potential training topics include the work incentives program, RSB transition services, a Consumer Survivor Network presentation, and a report from ACT directors on their SILC grant for youth leadership development. For the August through September meetings, proposed topics include nursing home care costs verses community living, and presentations on services for people over the age of fifty-five who have disabilities. The committee also discussed news releases for out-state meetings. The Education and Advocacy Committee would like this matter to be placed on the May agenda. Finally, it was reported that Brad will be working on a new SILC letterhead design.

Visitors' Comments:  There were no comments.

Announcements, Issues, Correspondence: There were no announcements made, nor issues raised, nor correspondence to discuss.

Next Meeting, Adjournment:  The next meeting of the SILC will be May 15, 2003 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Four Points Midway Sheraton, St. Paul. In that all agenda items were covered, the April meeting was adjourned.