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HomeMy WebLinkAbout201605_DDAB MinutesAlways working for a safer and healthier community 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 www.JeffersonCountyPublicHealth.org Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board (DDAB) M I N U T E S May 24, 2016 Board Attendees: Carl Hanson (Co-Chair), Claudia Edmondson (Community Representative), Kim Rafferty (Parent), Patrick Kane (Port Townsend School District), Pam Adams (City of Port Townsend). Absent: David Sullivan (Jefferson County Commissioner), Leesa Monroe (Jefferson Transit) Guests: Jeannette Mougel-Fujita, Jana Harris, Penny James, Al Latham, Catie Morton, Kristen Hoy-(by phone) Staff: Anna McEnery CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Hanson called the meeting to order at 3:15 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Member Rafferty moved to approve the agenda as written. The motion was seconded by member Adams. The motion passed unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM MARCH 22, 2016 Member Rafferty moved to approve the minutes as written. The motion was seconded by member Edmondson. The motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS There was no public comment. NEW BUSINESS AND PRESENTATIONS 1. Jefferson County Warriors Jana Harris, Head Coach of the Jefferson County Warriors gave an overview of the opportunities and benefits for athletes with developmental disabilities and their parents. This is realized through participation in weekly practice and ultimately regional, tournament games. Aquatics and basketball also have State Tournaments. 30-35 adults are expected to participate in the September bowling season. There is also a torch run where the Warriors team is given an opportunity to carry the Special Olympic’s torch across the Hood Canal Bridge. Always working for a safer and healthier community Developmental Disability Advisory Board - Minutes 05/24/2016 Page 2 of 4 Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 Fundraising efforts have included movie showings at the Rose Theater sponsored by the DD Advisory Board and DD Program. The Warriors will also sell T-shirts in this coming season. The team does not have non-profit status, but they come under the Special Olympics for Washington umbrella, which does have non-profit status. Parents are the backbone and called on a great deal, whether for coaching, transportation, funding and fund-raising, completing paperwork for entering Special Olympics etc. All coaches have to be certified – and it is often the parents who go through the time-intensive process to become certified as a coach for the various activities offered. Kim suggested that there is an opportunity to be explored around the Warriors partnering with local organizations like Parks and Rec, YMCA, etc. 2. Unified Special Olympics WA Kristen Hoy, Director of Unified Schools, Special Olympics of Washington. Based in the Tri-Cities, Kristen oversees all K-College programming for sports. The focus is “unified sports” that includes three levels of competition, as well as both players with disabilities and without. Unified offerings are supported by funding from the Department of Education and offered to the range of students through partnerships with schools, YMCA’s etc. These programs offer a path within, and to transcend schools, to develop teamwork, friendship, and healthy lifestyle skills. Opportunities for leadership and advocacy for students with or w/o disabilities are promoted, as well as understanding differences between peers with disabilities and without. This is the eighth year of funding. In that time awareness and confidence has been raised in many School Districts, and life skills have been nurtured to help students with and w/o disabilities to function as good citizens and to have a network of support as they move forward towards adulthood. United Special Olympics partner with WIAA, though with separate teams, to advance through local, district and state tournaments. Ideally they go into schools by developing relationships with the Athletic Director and Special Education Director/teachers. Funding is offered to jumpstart the program, after which they look to the community to participate in funding at the grass roots level. Ms. McEnery asked specifically if there is funding available from Unified at this juncture for intentional middle school level activities. Kristen said yes funding should be available next year, the focus is to spread the funds as far as possible so all can participate – and sharing the costs with solid fundraising at the grassroots level is key to that goal. Unified’s objective is to create self-sustaining Unified school programs that have year- round sports activities, a Unified club and school wide awareness and advocacy. Kristen will email Ms. McEnery the school districts where Unified programs are available. Always working for a safer and healthier community Developmental Disability Advisory Board - Minutes 05/24/2016 Page 3 of 4 Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 3. Fort Worden Transition Program The draft Memo of Understanding is awaiting approval from the PTSD Financial Manager. Patrick Kane had meetings with parents who have transition students that will be in involved in the Transition program next year. The students will be working at the following businesses at Fort Worden: restaurant, laundry, office, grounds keeping, (possibly others as well). Four students are starting the program this year, will met with their Special Education Teacher in the morning, then work 3-4 hours at Fort Worden with Taylor Webster as their Employment Specialist and then back to the school to summarize how things went. The Fort has been very supportive and enthusiastic about this new transition program. 4. Community Inclusion for Everyone Member Rafferty reported the meetings have been great, with young people who have excellent ideas, like using social media to organize the group. The focus is side by side in the community, an opportunity for natural connections to be nurtured. The CIE group has other outings planned, for example- meeting together for music by the dock, a barbeque. A micro-grant allowed 6 participants to access a Spin class at the Athletic Club. The Club extended 20 more punches – and want to sponsor a scholarship for one or more of the athletes to have a membership at the Club. Bike Buddy is scheduled for June 12, please bring bike/helmet – Kim will be pairing up people with disabilities and w/o to bicycle. If a bike or helmet is needed, they’ll open Recyclery. A flyer has gone out. Anna McEnery will email out updates to everyone as soon as notes are finalized. 5. Olympic Region Networking 26 people from various counties including Clallam, Jefferson, Mason, Grays Harbor and Kitsap did a community asset mapping exercise to identify services and gaps around family support and resource sharing and how to optimize what is available. Priorities that were listed; recreation, inclusion in the community, parenting support, med/dental access, and expanded resources/information/services for families with special needs. Responses to these priorities might involve a Parent to Parent program, and Unified Special Olympics. Next steps included, parent/provider training, IEP transition training, recreation and community inclusion. We also tried to identify resources. One obvious critical gap to be addressed is at, (or before) the transition stage, families need to be connected to the DDA and DVR systems. Always working for a safer and healthier community Developmental Disability Advisory Board - Minutes 05/24/2016 Page 4 of 4 Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 6. P2P in Jefferson County A bill passed in the 2016 legislature that awarded $46k to the State Arc to establish 1-4 new Parent to Parent programs in Counties where there are none. Ms. Mc Enery is working on a grant proposal for a P2P Coordinator to be in Port Townsend. What seems to work best in Jefferson County is a newsletter, (with a lot of timely information) and a person available to field inquiries over the phone. Peer mentoring and parent leadership training has been proposed, but historically it doesn’t seem to get enough attendance. We do need parents to mentor parents around the transition stage. OLD BUSINESS & UPDATES/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS & FUTURE MEETINGS 1. Updates Informational Items a. Accessibility Community Act Project – The All-Terrain Wheelchair should be available at the Canteen at Fort Worden after Wednesday, June 1. b. Vocational Rehabilitation – Iris Wherle, DVR Counselor was unable to attend c. Developmental Disabilities Administration – Catie Morton, DDA Case Resource Manager gave us an update. DDA still has openings for the Individual and Family Services Waiver. There are two new licensed respite sites service for kids with developmental disabilities ages 8-18 that are at risk of out of home placement. One is located in Shoreline and the other is in Bonney Lake. Each setting can have up to 4 individuals in the home at a time for a 30-day time period. Another new service for overnight respite, is community based and for adults who live at home. The locations are Shoreline, Yakima and Marysville. Adults can stay for a period of up to 14 days in a calendar year. Flyers will be emailed. 2. Future Meetings a. Accessibility Community Act Project b. Jefferson County Transition Network MTG c. Community Inclusion for Everyone d. 3rd Transition Workshop Public Comment None. Adjournment Co-Chair Hanson adjourned the meeting at 5pm. Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 26, 2016