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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHSAC agenda 101893J/- MEMORANDUM DATE: October 11, 1993 SUBJECT: OCTOBER 18, 1993 COMMISSION MEETING FROM: Jan Riordan TO: Human Services Advisor- Commission The minutes of the September meeting, the draft report from the Forum, and the participants Evaluation Summary are enclosed. The October 18th meeting will be devoted to a review of the forum. Please read the attached and come prepared to offer suggestions for the 1994 forum. We will also receive a report from the nominating committee for 1994 offices for the Commission. MINUTES HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 20, 1993 The regularly scheduled meeting of the Human Services Advisory Commission was held on Monday, September 20, 1993, at 7:15 p.m. in the Commissioner's Conference Room, Government Services Center, Hillsborough, North Carolina. MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Riordan, Shirley Siegel, Barbara Warren, Martha Branscombe, and Letitia Melly. MEMBERS ABSENT: Karen Taylor, Jan Schopler, Bev Foster, Phil Cook, Chris Gambill, Tarleton Davis, Page Fisher, Robert Schmidt, Tony Dalton, Doti Willhoit, David Whitted and Mary Davison. STAFF PRESENT: Assistant County Manger Albert Kittrell, and Deputy Clerk to the Board Kathy Baker. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: This item was postponed due to a lack of a quorum. The August 16th minutes will be approved at the October meeting. DISCUSSION ON FORUM: Jan Riordan lead a discussion on various aspects of the forum. The discussion focused on areas that needed to be improved and /or built upon for next year. The draft forum report will be completed prior to the October meeting as will the summary of the participants evaluation. Both reports will be distributed with these minutes. _Albert Kittrell reported that the total cost for the forum was 52,700. The 1994 Forum has been scheduled for September 14, 1994 and will be held at the Friday Center. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. The next regular meeting of the Human Services Advisory Commission will be held on Monday, October 18, 1993 in the Government Services Center, Hillsborough, North Carolina. Please contact Kathy Baker at 732 -8181 ex t. 2125 if you will be unable to attend. Respectfully submitted, Kathy- Baker, Deputy Clerk 1993 HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION ANNUAL FORUM SUMMARY Four Questions were discussed in small groups. The answers were as follows. 1. WHO IS THE COMMUNITY THAT HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES SERVE? Every one is the community served by human services. We are all direct or indirect recipients of services and will all move in and out of the system throughout our lives. Those in need who are unaware of service availability such as the poor, disenfranchised and those with needs are particularly vulnerable. Much needs to be done to eliminate the stereotypes which exist between the advantaged and disadvantaged. 2. WHAT IS THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO PROVIDE HUMAN SERVICES? Resource availability including those within and between agencies is needed. Overlapping services and "turfdoms" need clarification and resolution in order to enhance efficiencies and provide quality services which meet client defined needs. Outcomes need to be defined in.terms of what is valued, what is desired, and what will be funded. 3. WHAT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES CAN BE USED TO GATHER INFORMATION NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY? 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17) 18) Client based input at the individual level Active listening focus groups identify key grass -roots leaders recipients of services need to be ongoing feedback Networking among agencies with like data sharing client plan coordination system sharing increased automation consolidation of information master client index utilized to provide issues and services efficient data collection and retrieval outcome - oriented studies long -term effectiveness studies studies developed and collected by neutral sources remove access barriers by providing "one -stop shopping" maximization of user - friendly parts of the system such as schools WHAT KINDS OF ASSISTANCE WOULD BE NEEDED IN UTILIZING TOOLS? 1) Leadership training for agency staff as well as key community leaders Education needs to include strategies to enhance non - defensive listening and staff empowerment 1993 HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION ANNUAL FORUM SUMMARY Page 2 2) Technical assistance to develop a linkable, coordinated data base with common data elements 3) Assistance with accessing agencies perceived to be "impenetrable" (DSS, Mental Health, Health Department, Schools) 4) Commitments to improve services as evidenced by funding choices which includes the courage to make the hard "defunding" decisions 5) Facilitation of meetings between members of different agencies with similar concerns 1 Participant Evaluation Orange County Human Services Forum September 15, 1993 I am satisfied that the strategies produced by my group can serve to guide human services planning in Orange County. 5 4 3 2 1 Strongly agree Strongly disagree 5 = 12 4.5 = 3 4 = 25 3.5 = 2 3 = 10 Comments: Use of community input. There was an excellent discussion with a very diverse group. While I strongly feel that suggestions by my group would make a huge contribution, I am dubious about the follow -up, will something happen? Good ideas were exposed, really workable strategies. Strategies are still rather broad, but the camaraderie and team approach was great. We had a strong group with many good opinions expressed and Ned Brooks was an excellent facilitator. Some group members restructured questions to fit their responses; many responses did not adequately relate to questions. The 'leader conducted my group so that everyone had a chance to think about each question before expressing an opinion. This led to thoughtful rather than empty spontaneous answers. Good. All ideas were good, include all people. Some very good ideas were discussed but not very concrete. Very positive, productive. Good, not tightly organized but not censored either. The design of the forum was effective in assisting me to work productively. 5 4 3 2 1 Strongly agree Strongly disagree 5 = 13 4.5 = 2 4 = 23 3.5 = 1 3 = 14 a. Please indicate what you liked most. hsacdisk:forum091.593 2 The discussions and views put forth in the small groups. It was also good to have Senator Howard Lee speak. Everyone had opportunities to speak. I enjoyed the process of using the first 3 questions to lead to #4 and #5. Talking with other human services providers. Meeting and working with persons from various human services agencies in Orange County. Work in unity in all organizations. Locate problem, use different techniques in problem solving. There was a good balance between formal presentations in the morning of new programs and choice for group discussions later in the day. I liked the design of the small group work very much. I gained valuable insights and felt that I was able to contribute. I appreciate your good organization. Sharing with other County employees. The opportunity to meet other professional providers. Howard Lee's speech. The chance to interact and interchange in a smaller group. Lunch interaction. The sharing of ideas, strategies of the forum approach. Nominal group process - plenty of opportunities for everyone to have input. Hearing from other agencies. Each person getting an equal amount of time to speak. That questions were provided in hand -out form. Sharing of ideas from people of varying experience and professions. Sharing with others informally, networking. The opportunity to share with other Human Services providers and compare needs and services. The whole program was very effective, useful, and interesting. The facilitator. Afternoon group session. Opportunity to share. Small groups, comfortable temperature, refreshments, good facilitator over my group, could hear what was said, meeting time, summarizing key points to share. Good, small group participation /involvement /input process effective, facility was very good. Group sessions. The chance to meet and hear from new people. The skill in "facilitating" by Foster. Sharing experiences. Small groups and dot voting. My group was well- organized. Specifics. Group discussions /networking. The brain - storming, the exchange of information. hsacdisk:forum091.593 3 Excellent group interaction. -- Good speeches, good facilitator, good brainstorming. Ned Brooks, format. The idea of a Human Services Advisory Forum, networking, information, Albert Kittrell. Participation encouraged from all, with group interaction. -- Large group opportunity for interchange. Good planning to get input from the groups. Small discussion groups. Moderator. Senator Lee's speech, I heard mostly positive comments from many bright and caring people. Opportunity to visit with such a variety of people; providers, fundees, volunteers, etc. Networking. Inspired by Howard Lee's talk, group discussion. Meeting people. Small group discussions. -- The whole forum was well - thought out and planned. b. Please indicate what you liked least. The lack of a planned lunch for all. The priority voting and dots. The length of the final wrap -up group session (too long). - Lack of sufficient time in afternoon sessions to develop a list of strategies. A forum of this sort should allow comments /views from some users of these services, not just providers. I would not change anything. The structure did not permit the will to follow -up. What will happen to our good ideas? The coffee disappeared very quickly at the beginning of the day. As always, limited time during wrap -up to discuss. a The lack of "front line" professionals represented. Ran out of time to discuss important issues. Forums needed more often on more specific topics. Three kick -off talks in a row. Only Senator Lee was really appropriate to the setting. I have no dislikes just concerns about how this process will facilitate a PRODUCT. Difficult to generalize about the needs when they are so varied. Found nothing to dislike. Focus Group Questions were not very clear as to outcome. �- The arrangement of the room: perhaps reconstructing the arrangement so that everyone can see each other more successfully (i.e. groups in circles). hsacdisk:forum091.593 4 Sitting too long each period without a scheduled stand -up break. Topic focus could be tighter. The air conditioner! Broad generalities. Not enough SPECIFIC FOCUS. Let's pick a problem, focus each group on it toward approaches for solution. There seemed to be no definite time frame or date as to when these suggestions will be implemented. It's time to get to work! Voting. We need action products. Who will choose to do what to make the products better. What can participants do. Voting doesn't mean much unless people use them. Good ideas were overlooked because they weren't put on the board accurately. All excellent. No complaints. In context of my agency environment, last two questions somewhat irrelevant, we first need better funding. The acronyms are a kind of technology obsession (which fortunately not to many people insisted on.) The discussions were vague, confusing for those who haven't attended these in the past. Realizing that the information generated does not usually get back to the worker bees of the org. who actually see consumers. Not enough time. The Human Services Advisory Commission is mandated to sponsor an annual workshop or round table. Please list any ideas for future topics: Benefits - Job - related for human services workers, health insurance, disability insurance, etc. We need common goals. Then we need to prioritize these. We need to brainstorm: What are the main problems in the community ( for youth, for aged, for families., for other community members)? How can we address them together? Similar as to today. Senator Lee's presentation was really great! -- Linking schools move effectively into human services and non- profit organizations. Creating public support for human service programs. I recommend a follow -up forum which will actually involve creating some willing models, a forum for actually taking action. Correlated group reports (youth, pre- schoolers, clergy, health, etc.) . Inter - agency case management, regionalism. hsacdisk:forum091.593 5 Needs Assessment /Priority Policy Plan, Information and Referral Services. Grant Proposal Writing. Same format as this year but start with group evaluation of how far we have come. How to reach people in the community who do not take advantage of the services offered by the agencies which are available to them. Human Services Automation trends, what is information and referral and how can it benefit my agency? How to restructure Chapel Hill's transportation system, flexible hours of operation for the individuals we serve, how to convey sensitivity to the individuals we serve, how to empower families in their use of the human services organizations in our county, how to help political leaders listen to the needs of the people, how to build and mainstream a better human service delivery system. Recommend different format, no specific suggestion, but believe we need some variety. Innovative uses of technology, focus groups, and outreach methods (in use). Bottoms -up information flow in terms of requirements. How do we achieve? What would happen if my (our) particular agency were no longer here? Who or what would satisfy the perceived need? How are we doing thus far with the ideas we have implemented? How can agencies do a better job of meeting goals? Initiating /nourishing sharing between organizations -- who, how to, agendas -- when, what frequency? - Children's services, maximizing and levY� raging existing resources. Interagency collaboration, integrated service delivery, customer -based service delivery (including claim school for institution interface persons). Develop evaluation techniques. Focus on the not - for - profits who fill in the gaps beyond government mandated services, looking for solutions to their funding dilemmas. -- Developing unified vision, further defined, developing unified goals and objectives, How can we really come together to serve the community? Technology and human services work initiative an annual workshop in available technologies would be helpful. The humanizing of social services, more community dialogue and exchange. Talk with actual clients, "focus" groups, practical ideas. How to collaborate. hsacdisk:forum091.593