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Developmental Disability Advisory Board - Minutes 01/22/2013
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JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend Washington 98368
www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org
Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board (DDAB)
M I N U T E S
March 26, 2013
Board Attendees: Carl Hanson (Co-Chair), Lesly Sheinbaum (Co-chair), John Austin,
Catharine Robinson, Claudia Edmondson
Board Absentees: Kim Rafferty, Leesa Monroe
Guests: Janie Nelson-Achodor, Kathy Goldenberger, Catie Morton, Randolph
Bartholomew, Patrick Nicholson
Staff: Anna McEnery, Donna Marvin (recorder)
Call to Order
Co-Chair Carl Hanson called the meeting to order at 3:19 pm.
Approval of Agenda
No proposed changes or additions to the agenda. Member Austin moved to approve, Member
Sheinbaum second, motion passed.
Approval of Minutes from January 22, 2013
No changes or corrections to the minutes of January 22, 2013. Member Austin moved to
approve, Member Edmondson second, motion passed.
Public Comments
No comments at this time.
New Business and Presentations:
Project Lifesaver
Chief Patrick Nicholson and Lt. Randy Bartholomew showed a video and gave a presentation
about the Project Lifesaver program that provides a safeguard for at-risk people with disabilities
and the elderly that have a tendency to wander. They also gave a hands-on demonstration on
how the equipment works.
A grant through the Department of Justice provided the funding for training and initial
equipment, the program has been in operation for two years in Jefferson County. This is a
cooperative effort between the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Port Townsend Police and Fire
District 5. The program utilizes a transmitter bracelet which is worn by the client and helps in
locating them if they are reported missing.
Friends or family of a person who has a wandering disability may request membership in the
program. An interview is then conducted with specific criteria in mind. A trained team member
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within the Discovery Bay Fire & EMS meets with the caregiver and the client regularly to
monitor, test and clean the bracelet; this helps to build a trusting relationship. The only cost to
the user is battery replacement. In addition to the grant funding, donations are needed to keep
the program going.
Members participating in the program are flagged in the 911 system and any alert that comes in
is transmitted to law enforcement that this person is part of Project Lifesaver. The signal being
transmitted from the bracelet is received by Project Lifesaver equipment. Responsibility for
search and rescue is under the Sheriff’s Office and Project Lifesaver staff works in adjunct with
them.
Nationwide, there have been about 3,900 rescues since this program was implemented in 1997,
and they have all occurred in 45 minutes or less. Locally, every person has been recovered to
date, and usually within a half hour time.
Community Forum Update
Kathy Goldenberger led the group in discussion about the Community Forum and break-out
exercises to evaluate the results of the 2012 DD Needs Survey and the service information
form.
Kathy noted that her role is to help the group come up with a plan of specific items on which to
focus that will help move employment forward. She reminded the group that each of the
members holds influence in the community and encouraged them to utilize this as they set goals
to help impact employment.
The top seven topics identified in the survey conducted 11/2012 are:
1. Employment & Supports for Working
2. Health Care & Benefits
3. Making Community Connections
4. Transportation Options
5. Recreation
6. Self-Determination & Advocacy
7. Financial Planning & Resources
Anna explained the Service Information Forms from the Developmental Disabilities
Administration (DDA). We are required to send in goals every year that are very similar to the
Performance Measures that are done for Jefferson County, but are more detailed. What we
want to do is develop specific goals based on the seven topics identified in the survey
conducted 11/2012, and from that also develop action items based on the community
information activities listed in the Service Information Forms.
In reviewing the seven topics for discussion, it was decided that Making Community
Connections is instrumental in all of the areas of need. The Board members present and guests
broke into two different groups for a 10 minute session and brainstormed ideas on Making
Community Connections. Then each participant was given 5 “votes” to identify their top
priorities to place in an Action Plan.
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The following are the topics and number of votes each item garnered:
Ideas / Topic Votes
1 Raise Community Awareness by:
Newspapers Articles, Radio Topics, Presentations to Chamber, Rotaries, Kiwanis
Include Personal Testimony (include residential staff), Videos, Employer
Testimony
9
Total
16,
see #
2
2 Radio show / outreach / community education – raise awareness to the existing
groups needs and open discussion to how to collaborate more – use set
questions to get more info / Interview Parent on what a typical day or week is like
in their lives
7
3 Housing – develop creative ways to problem solve housing families or several
individuals that is more of a co-op than group. Share expenses / share care staff
/buy a home
5
4 Ask a parent or someone who attends a community group like People First to
also attend a transportation council meeting to provide a small in-service about
the group and the need of transportation
5
5 DDD Population perform a community volunteer activity 5
6 Have a booth at the Jefferson County Fair 4
7 Work on Transportation – More options, merge Public and Private “word of
mouth” – to a central unit or person who can track, identify and grow
4
8 Develop a Speaker’s Bureau 3
9 Connecting with churches of origin 2
10 Develop a coop-ride share options for the larger community and a more special
population
2
11 Introduction by Board Members to Government Employment including Navy,
PUD, JHC, BOCC, CC Port and Marine Trade Associates
1
12 When activities are offered or some type of community gathering – be sure to
address the transportation need – remind people to ask the other folks – Ask,
Ask, for ideas!
0
Action items will be developed from this at another time.
Old Business & Informational Items – Anna McEnery
Anna gave updates on the following:
Olympic Workforce Development Council – Anna worked with Shiela Ramsey
(Retired Senior Volunteer Program) and Debra (WorkSource) and they have found a
volunteer who is going to teach computer classes at WorkSource. Classes will include
Introduction to Computers, Intro to Excel and Intro to Word. WorkSource will need our
assistance with marketing the classes.
Grant from Washington State Arc – Anna has been working with the Arc of Jefferson
and Kitsap County to create Power Point presentations to educate parents on various
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topics such as Social Security, the value of employment, Parent-to-Parent, what you can
do at home to start preparing your child for the future. They will also talk to parents of
birth to 3 and preschool children with developmental disabilities about ways to prepare
them.
Work With Me Employer Breakfast – Anna shared an informational flier about plans
for the next business breakfast to be held October 24, 2013. Kitsap Credit Union has
been identified as the lead sponsor ($500), but others are needed. Board members are
taking turns talking with different banks, businesses and agencies.
Upcoming Workshops/Meetings:
Person Centered Planning: Connection to the IEP and Post School Goals – a two day
training with Marsha Threlkeld, April 23-24 in Tacoma.
Informing the IEP: Use Person Centered Planning to identify Post School Goals &
Objections – a webinar with Marsha Threlkeld and Debra McLean, April 30, 2013 from
10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
“Community Summit” in Ellensburg, June 19-21, 2013. Anna hopes to fund a couple of
interested board members.
Public Comment
Claudia announced that Camp Beausite has 2 slots open for adult sessions and 8-9 open for
children. If you know any child with any kind of a disability who would like to come to camp
please let Claudia know (360) 390-8081. There is some financial assistance available if they
have no State funding.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 28th, 3:15 – 5:00 pm