PRACTITIONERS PANEL

July 1, 2004 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

 

Bert Nash CMHC- Lynn Amyx

 

Lawrence Board of Realtors- Marilyn Lynch

Bert Nash PATH- Gary Miller

 

Lawrence Open Shelter- Loring Henderson

Brookcreek Learning Center- Jessica Tuttle

 

LDCHA- Charlotte Knoche

Children’s Learning Center- Holly Turner

 

Lenders- Joe Oberzan

Coalitions on Homeless Concerns &

 

Neighborhood Resources- Cindy Nau

Community Drop-In Center- Tami Clark

 

Neighborhood Resources- Margene Swarts

DG CO AIDS Project- Mari McCleerey-Janssen

 

Pelathe Comm. Ctr.- Kathy Morrow

ECKAN- Jeanette Collier

 

Pelathe Comm. Ctr.- Caroline Hicks

First Step House- Jean Skuban

 

Trinity Respite Care- Kelly Evans

Independence, Inc.- Kelly Nightengale

 

WTCS- Sarah Terwelp

Landlords of Lawrence- Bob Ebey

 

 

 

 

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

 

Ballard Community Center- Andy Brown

 

Project LIVELY- Sandra Kelly-Allen

Boys & Girls Club- Janet Murphy

 

The Salvation Army- Rich Forney

Habitat for Humanity- Jean Lilley

 

Tenants to Homeowners- Rebecca Buford

HCCI- Cornell Mayfield

 

Trinity Respite Care- Teresa Martell

Lawrence SRS- Penny Schau

 

 

 

Amyx called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m.

 

Approval of January 15 and April 1, 2004 minutes

Ebey moved to approve the January 15 and April 1, 2004 minutes.  Miller seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

 

Introductions and Announcements

Nightengale announced that on July 3, 2004, Independence, Inc. held a flea market from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 2100 Haskell Avenue.  They will have another flea market the first Saturday in August.  Anyone may sign-up to be a vendor.  The entrance fee is $20.

 

Swarts entered the meeting.

 

Skuban noted that First Step House has a new director and they have replaced all of the carpet in the building with tile.

 

Clark announced that the Community Drop-In Center, Lawrence Open Shelter, and The Salvation Army began a new collaborative effort to provide 24 hour shelter five days a week. The Community Drop-In Center extended its hours M-F until 5:00 p.m. and Lawrence Open Shelter extended their hours to open at 5:00 p.m.  Assistance is being received from the Coalition for Homeless Concerns.  Henderson noted that LOS, CDIC, and The Salvation Army are trying to do provide 24-hour shelter during the severe heat in August.  The shelters are open in the evening and L.I.N.K. provides shelter in the afternoon.

 

Amyx asked about how the organization’s set-up.  Henderson stated the City Commission gave the Coalitions for Homeless Concerns $3,000.

 

Hicks announced Pelathe Community Resource Center is having an Indian taco and yard sale on Saturday July 17, 2004 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the back parking lot.

 

Knoche announced the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority’s new pre-application is available on their website and at the office.  It is one page, front and back with the required federal release.

 

Amyx thanked Knoche for the shorter application.

 

Agency Presentations

Women’s Transitional Care Services, Inc. (WTCS)

Terwelp distributed a brochure.  WTCS is a domestic violence service.  It has a 24-hour crisis line, an emergency shelter, and can house women with or without children.  They can take up to 18 people for six weeks, providing them with respite from a violent situation.  WTCS provides a support group for women that need additional support in the community and in the shelter.  Anyone can call the crisis line.  They do refer people to other services. The idea is that they should be using what is accessible to them.  There is an advocate housed within SRS and they have worked with survivors of sexual assault and violence who are receiving cash assistance.  Lastly, the Volunteer Director position at WTCS is available.

 

E.C.K.A.N.

Collier explained that the E.C.K.A.N. brochure does not accurately represent services provided in Douglas County.  E.C.K.A.N. is available in seven counties.  The Douglas County Office recently moved to the Leo Center and works in partnership with the Heartland Medical Clinic.  They are seeing numerous referrals from the clinic and they are operating the food pantry for the Leo Center.  E.C.K.A.N. sees approximately 200 new families each month.  They distribute the commodity program and are the only agency that delivers.  Collier stated that most of her time is spent in crisis intervention, such as rent, eviction, and utility disconnects. E.C.K.A.N. has established working relationships with churches in the county.

 

Turner entered the meeting.

 

 

Collier commented that E.C.K.A.N. provides referrals to other agencies and they also participate in the school supplies program.  Last year, they served over 200 families and are expecting many more this year.  They have an assistant who is a social security specialist and they have gotten four new elderly clients.  They are federally mandated to provide case management services.

 

Henderson inquired about storage places.  Collier stated that no one pays for storage.

 

Nightengale asked about weatherization.  Collier stated that she has the application, but usually refers people to Ottawa.

 

Children’s Learning Center

Turner stated that the Children’s Learning Center is an early care and education program.  They are located on North Michigan Street, have been in existence since 1969, and are licensed for 175 children aging from two weeks to 12 years.  For those who qualify, fifty-percent tuition is paid for by SRS or a scholarship fund from United Way.  The scholarship is used for families that are over SRS income guidelines, but cannot afford the regular tuition.  The Center does a lot of referrals for service, but some families do fall through the cracks.  Turner has taken families to Topeka, Kansas to speak with legislators on child care needs.

 

Brookcreek Learning Center

Tuttle stated that they specialize in specific needs of individual children.  The curriculum is individualized for each child and all teachers have Master degrees.  An example of a teacher’s goal sheet was shared.  Brookcreek provides activities for all development domains and they work with the school district for children that need very specific needs.  They are monitored by the Kansas State Health Department and Environment.  Ninety-three children ranging in age from birth to five years old are enrolled.  Fifty-three families receive aid from SRS and ten children receive a need-based scholarship.  Brookcreek has 54 single-parent families, five children in foster care, and three children from homeless families.

 

Tuttle stated Brookcreek Learning Center has three different sites.  Mount Hope is for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; houses the kitchen and administrative offices; and is considered the main office. The Edgewood Homes site is for toddlers and preschoolers.  There are also two classrooms at Lawrence High School.

 

Tuitions at Brookcreek Learning Center are paid through United Way funds, SRS funds,  and private funds.  Brookcreek contracts for meals.  They also receive grants and fundraise.

 

Nau inquired about how they serve homeless families.  Tuttle stated that most tuition is paid by SRS and the children are kept off the street and fed three good meals.

 

Amyx asked about the criteria.  Tuttle stated that there is a waiting list.  Anyone looking for housing is a priority.

 

Miller asked about the Success By Six program.  Tuttle had no information for him.  Turner provided a brief explanation about the program.

 

Henderson and Miller left the meeting.

 

McCleerey-Janssen asked what the difference was between Brookcreek Learning Center and the Children’s Learning Center.

 

Turner stated that the Children’s Learning Center has a therapist that comes in and they have been able to help children served by the Infant Toddler Coordinating Council.  Brookcreek Learning Center has a great ratio for children with special needs.

 

Committee Reports

Neighborhood Resources Advisory Committee

Collier stated the last two meetings were really productive.  The Committee is in a strategic planning process and in the middle of identifying needs, goals, and trends.  The Committee identified three primary goals that they are going to concentrate on: affordable housing, strong and vital neighborhoods, and lastly, the issue of transitional and other housing.  During the next funding cycle, they hope to concentrate on those three areas.

 

Henderson asked if the Committee discussed the allocations to the neighborhoods.  Collier stated that the Committee has yet to discuss the neighborhoods.

 

Task Force on Homeless Services

Terwelp stated that since the last Practitioners Panel, the Task Force held two meetings in the community to get feedback from the homeless community about their concerns, experiences, and thoughts.  On meeting targeted homeless individuals and the other targeted the business community and residents.  The information was compiled at the last meeting and the Task Force  discussed how to pull the information into a plan.  The Task Force also looked at the report that examined other homeless services in areas similar to Lawrence. 

 

Collier asked if the meetings at the library were part of the Task Force.  Terwelp explained that it was a Practitioners Roundtable discussion.

 

Subcommittee Reports

Affordability/Availability Subcommittee

Ebey stated that they have not met and are awaiting a return call from Holiday Apartments regarding the rental housing website.

 

Advocacy Subcommittee

The subcommittee did not meet last month.  However, the meeting prior to that was the one the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority attended.  Knoche briefly told the Panel what she spoke about.

 

HMIS Subcommittee

McCleerey-Janssen stated that she sent an e-mail around to everyone on the HMIS Subcommittee.  The subcommittee was looking at creating their own system, but the time and attention it requires is too great.  During the Continuum of Care meetings, there was a lot of talk about going with MACCLINK, which is $1000 each year.  She also noted that the State of Kansas is not going with MAACLink, which may be a barrier.

 

Nau said the latest she had heard was that the State of Kansas did decide to use MAACLink.

 

Amyx stated that the intent is to write an HMIS grant to pay for all agencies to participate.  Nau mentioned the subcommittee had three funding options in mind.

 

Other Business

Ideas for reorganization/new focus/presentations

Nau noted that she e-mailed a plan for reorganization of the Practitioners Panel to everyone prior to the meeting.  She explained that the plan closely follows the Continnum of Care model and allows for other topics of interest.

 

Amyx commented that there has been some concern that some of what the Panel is doing is not really what was intended.  She stated that her fear is that if the Panel does not meet the needs of the Continuum of Care grant and the grant is not written well funding will be lost.

 

Nau added that she sees a bigger vision with this reorganization than just meeting the needs of the CoC.  The Task Force on Homeless Services is trying to develop a plan on how to address homelessness.  She foresees the Panel as being the potential oversight board with the ability to encompass other organizations like the Coalition for Homeless Concerns and Practitioners Roundtable Group.

 

There followed a discussion regarding the Practitioners Panel’s purpose and structure.

 

Terwelp suggested that the proposal be considered at the next full board meeting and that staff provide a thorough explanation of it.

 

Amyx agreed suggesting the discussion be tabled until October 7, 2004 and that the discussion be held in place of agency presentations.

 

 

Adjourn

There being no public comment and no further business, Clark moved to adjourn the meeting.  Hicks seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.  The meeting ended at 5:07 p.m.