HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-08-15Council for ~fuman Services Meeting of August 15, 2007
2 Fairgrounds Meeting Room
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
AGENDA
^ Call the meeting to order.
^ Review the agenda: changes /additions
Approve 4/30/07 minutes
ITEMS
I. Introductions-.New Members
Up ~dafes ~ Information Sharing;
Election of a Chairman
II. CHS Goals and Objectives Discussion
ACTION(S) ~ DECISION(S)
c~i3 rt~~tttes)
(30 minutes)
III. HS Updates: August 20th Mira "Know
your Rights" workshop. Future
Community Health Network meetings.
• Set time ~ date ~ place of next meeting:
• Agenda items:
(l0 minutes}
Motion to adjourn
Council for Human Services
August 15, 2007
2 Fairgrounds Road
Attending: Eve Messing, Jackie McCrady, Mary Kendall, Greg Mehringer,
Maryanne Worth, Ann Medina
Absent: Rachel Rosen, Nancy Sevrens, John Belash, Alice McWade, Susan
Marques
Meeting called to order at 12:15. Agenda changes or additions, hoping to vote on
chair and co-chair, however without a quorum this will take place at a later date.
If anyone has any interest in this please let Maryanne know.
Introductions: three new council members were in attendance.
Greg Mehringer: MBA from Boston College, he is interested in mental health
and housing issues.
]ackie McCrady: grew up on Nantucket and was away for 25 years. Jackie is
an Episcopal Priest. She is the manager of the Community Foundation. Jackie has
always been interested in helping people in need.
Eve Messing: wants to get more involved, there is so much to be done and she
is eager to get it done. Enjoys working with people, good at organizing, goal
oriented.
Mary Kendall: Counseling service mental health nurse, O.R. nurse, Fairgrounds
House nurse, long time advocate of human services, and board member for the
Nantucket Human Services Center, Inc.
Updates and Sharing: This is anything you feel is of interest to the council or
that the council should be aware of.
Goals and Objectives: in the packet handed out there is a list of goals and
objectives. The next meeting we will go over these. The Council has been
working on a needs assessment for the community. There was a needs
assessment survey that was mailed out in 2006 and some of the concerns facing
families are: housing, mental and dental health issues and enough money to buy
food. If one thing goes wrong for these folks it can be catastrophic financially.
There will be a facilitator training by the South East Center for Healthy
Communities. There will be focus groups or study circles to talk about the issues.
This can be 5 or 6 people you have over at your house to discuss the issues or a
large group held in a public forum. Most people do not have time to come to
meetings, especially in the summer, so talk to your friends.
Housing issues: there are lots of different people working on this issue and doing
great things.
Habitat for Humanity, Landmark House, Sherburne Commons, Nantucket
Housing Authority, Nantucket Housing Office and the Nantucket Human Services
Center.
There are good model programs out there; on the Cape the Housing Assistance
Corporation (HAC) has done great things. This has to be addressed as a whole
community.
Another issue that affects the community is the federal poverty guidelines.
People on Nantucket do not qualify for federal programs because their income is
over the federal limit, but these folks are not making ends meet because of the
high cost of living here. Changing the federal guidelines will be difficult because
it would have to be an act of congress.
When are the focus groups starting? Hopefully in September after the facilitator
training. If you have friends who want to help out that is out that is ok. The main
focus is on housing; if there are any other goals or subjects you want discussed
let Maryanne know.
This Monday, August 20th, the Community Health Network Meeting is about the
rights of immigrant works. The Council for Human Services is sponsoring this
workshop and a representative from the MA Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy
Coalition (MIRA) will be here to speak about these issues. There will be
interpreters, Spanish and Portuguese, there also. MIRA will be back at a later
date to speak about cultural differences.
Mary asked if Human Services was going to have anything out at the Fair. The
Nantucket Human Services Center is and we can put material on their table.
Mary and Eve will come to the office Tuesday, August 21~t to pick up materials.
If you have any ideas for the Community Health Network workshops let
Maryanne know. A motion was made and seconded to adjourn. The time and
date of the next meeting TBA.
Respectfully submitted by
Ann Medina