Minutes for September 12, 2002

Meeting Location: Four Points Midway Sheraton, St. Paul

Present:  Karen Larson, Sharon Johnson, Bryan Jensen, David Hancox, Janiece Duffy, Roseann Faber, Mary Pennington, Linda Lingen, Bill Bauer, Brad Westerlund, Joe Ascheman, Mark Eggen, Rev. Clarence Jones, Ann Zick. 

Absent:  Connie Lee Berg (excused), Cory Heit (excused), Lois Johnson (excused), Phyllis Coppess.

Guests: David Schwartzkopf, Steve Scholl, Ted Siebert, ASL interpreters Albert Linderman and Candy Shannon.

Call to Order:  Karen Larson, SILC secretary, called The September 12, 2002 meeting of the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) to order at 9:05 a.m..  Introductions of guests and members followed.  Karen welcome Reverend Clarence Jones, who was appointed to the council this year and attending his first SILC meeting.

Approval of August 8, 2002 Minutes and September 12 Agenda:  Ann asked that the DD Council report section of the August minutes be revised in reference to the words “eighty-two people.”  The correct wording should be “eighty-two counties.”  The revised minutes were approved by consensus.  The September agenda had several revisions, which were approved by consensus. 

State Rehabilitation Council for the blind Update:  Roseann reported that the SRCB has not met since the last SILC meeting.  She stated that “The Store” has closed, but in September or October, two different vendors will be opening stores ; each will be somewhat different in what merchandise is carried.  The next meeting of the SRCB will be on October 5.

Developmental Disabilities Council Update:Ann reported that the DD Council has not met since the last SILC meeting.  She reported that two people from Minnesota would be traveling to Arlington, VA for training in the Federal government’s monitoring, technical assistance and reporting system to enable them to review the DD Councils in other states. 

IL Needs Survey:  Steve reported that the survey would occur in two stages.  The first stage will determine the incidence of disability in Minnesota.  The second stage will be the actual needs survey. 

The incidence survey will determine how many Minnesotans have disabilities, which are data that haven’t been gathered in the state since 1997.  Steve noted that the definition of disability that will be utilized for the incidence study is somewhat different in that eligibility for CIL services is not as stringent as other programs’ definition.  In that this incidence study will be combined with an upcoming statewide survey, the SILC will drastically cut the cost of the needs survey.  The statewide survey referred to here is conducted by the University of Minnesota’sCenter for Survey Research, and is the same organization that will conduct the IL needs survey.  The aforementioned annual statewide survey contacts approximately 800 households, and one question will be added to this survey for IL asking if there is someone with a physical, sensory, mental, cognitive or other disability residing in the household.  If the answer is yes, a follow-up question requesting whether the person with a disability would agree to participate in the IL needs survey will be asked.  It is estimated that participating in this annual survey will capture the names and telephone numbers of ninety to one hundred people with disabilities who will be contacted to participate in the IL needs survey.  This will reduce the number of “cold calls” that must be made to reach the number of people with disabilities needed Vis a vis the incidence survey.  For the deaf community, interpreters will be hired to conduct in-person interviews. 

A small work group will be formed to identify IL needs categories and sub-categories.  A larger group will be utilized to prepare questions to be reviewed by the SILC, Centers, and other service-providers/stakeholders.  The questions will be reviewed and edited by the university and field-tested.

A “Q and A” session followed.  Telephone interviews, as opposed to written surveys, will be utilized because they yield a higher response rate.  The survey Center will identify people who have difficulties with speaking, and a different approach wil be utilized.  If you do not have a phone, you have no chance of participating in this survey.

The cost of adding one question for determining the incidence of disability to the statewide survey will be $3456, and will identify ninety to one-hundred households in which people with disabilities reside.  The statewide IL needs survey will call these ninety to one-hundred households, then place cold calls statewide until an additional 166 people with disabilities are interviewed.  The cost of this “second stage” will be $25,000.  The SurveyCenter understands that the cost of the second stage cannot exceed $25,000, and has agreed that a minimum of 266 households will be interviewed for the $25,000 fee - irrespective of the number of cold calls that must be made.

Bryan moved that the SILC conduct this IL needs survey in conjunction with another council.  There was no second, and the motion died. 

Mark moved, Sharon seconded, that the SILC sponsor “stages one and two” of the survey at a total cost of $28,456.  Discussion followed.  The motion carried with two “no” votes.  It was recommended that the Education and Advocacy Committee work with the survey. 

MACIL Update:  Dave reported on the activities of the Minnesota Association of Centers for Independent Living.  He stated that the nursing home brochure and training manual are nearing completion.  The contract for these materials ends at the close of FFY 02.  These materials will also be utilized for the CMMS grant, which is a thirty-six month, $400,000 grant to assist people in moving out of nursing homes.  In accordance with the Olmstead decision, every person residing in an institution must be asked if s/he would like to move back into the community.  Another focus area of this grant is the ongoing lack of affordable, accessible housing.  This grant will enable the Centers to work with housing stakeholders such as architects, contractors, developers, etc.  The work plan for this grant was recently revised.  This grant is a collaborative effort of all eight Centers. 

Dave announced that MACIL has not yet set its legislative agenda for the upcoming session. There was roughly a $1.2 billion shortfall in the last session, with which the largest portion has not yet been dealt.  It may be presumed that the Centers will be visible at the legislature, but keeping their heads down.  In that there will be many new legislators in 2003, the Centers’ directors will be doing a great deal of educating.  

MACIL is also negotiating with the Department of Human Services on the budget for the “211” information and referral hot line, which will identify all eight Centers as initial contact points for disability-related matters.  Each Center will receive some funding for staff and technology.

FFY 2003 SILC Meeting Schedule:  There will be a SILC Meeting on October 17, 2002; no meeting in November 2002; a meeting on December 12, 2002; a meeting on January 16, 2003; no meeting in either February 2003 or March 2003; a meeting on April 10, 2003; a meeting on May 8, 2003; a two day out-state training in St. Cloud on June 12-13, 2003;no July 2003 meeting; a meeting on August 14, 2003; and a meeting on September 11, 2003.

Visitors’ Comments:  The visitors had no comments.

Committee Reports:  The finance committee determined that the SILC would recommend to the full council that two grants be awarded for FFY 2003.  These grants are a $15,000 ramp project grant to Options CIL, and the issuance of a request for proposals for a “Youth Leadership Development” twelve-month grant in the amount of $25,000.  Bryan moved, Mark seconded, that a $15,000 ramp project grant be awarded to Options CIL.  Discussion followed, and the motion carried.  The “Youth Leadership Development” RFP will be sent to those on the SILC’s mailing list during the final week of September.

The SPIL committee had no report.

The advocacy and education committee discussed topics for the June 2003 out-state training, as well as training topics for regular meetings.  The committee determined that the June out-state meeting will be held in St. Cloud, and the training will focus on transition and other issues confronting youth with disabilities.  The committee will be requesting SILC members to submit training topics during the October 17 meeting.  Assistive technology is the planned topic for the October meeting.  Seniors and disability, and new legislation for accessible housing are prospective topics for future meetings. 

Housing Grant Report:  Randy Sorenson and John Johnson discussed the progress to date on the housing grant from the SILC.  One of the goals of this grant is to assist people with disabilities to purchase their own homes.  To date, one person with a disability has acquired her own house. 

John reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program is one resource that assists those meeting certain economic guidelines.  Another resource, Gap Financing, provides financial assistance in meeting what one or several other programs provide, and the actual cost of the house.  HUD programs tend to focus more on urban/metropolitan areas.  Section 8 vouchers can be utilized to assist people in purchasing real property. 

It was reported that many Public Housing Authorities simply do not have the time or personnel to meet the requirements for utilizing the voucher program for home purchases, and only about a dozen Public Housing Authorities in the state are doing this.  The largest Public Housing Authority in Options’ service-area is in Grand Forks, and John has formed a co-op with this housing authority; i.e., Options’ staff work with the consumers to find the house, assist with the paperwork, arrange Gap Financing, and locate a home inspector.  When these tasks are completed, the Public Housing Authority applies the Section 8 voucher to the financing.  Department of Agriculture dollars may be utilized for home modifications.  The value of the Section 8 voucher can be applied to the financing, but to be eligible, a consumer must have an annual income of at least $10,300.  Income determines the value of the voucher, and vouchers are thirty percent of one’s income.  Vouchers can be applied to the purchase of lofts, condominiums, and mobile homes that are on their own lots. 

Announcements, Issues, Correspondence:  Bill announced that the annual 723 report was completed, and would be signed and submitted to RSA next week. 

Next Meeting, Adjournment:  The next meeting of the SILC will be October 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Four Points Midway Sheraton.  The September 12 meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.