LAN 75 Steering Committee - Minutes of July 10, 2002
Attendance: Michele Chalifoux, Prevent Child Abuse Illinois; Frank Ortega-Chambless, DCFS LAN Liaison; Helena Sugano, Mujeres Latinas en Accion; Gudellia Ramon, Mt. Sinai CABHC; Ron Hardy, Kaleidoscope, Inc.; Nanci Maksomowicz, LAN 75.
Co-Convener(s) positions: Rose Dominguez will be leaving LAN 75 as one of our Co-Conveners at the end of July. Nanci Maksomowicz will be able to stay on through August, and possibly September. If Mrs. Maksomowicz is able to secure a position in a social service related field, she may be able to stay on indefinitely. Attached criteria were approved as basis for nominations and elections of Co-Convener position. As Pilsen YMCA will not be sending replacement personnel to the LAN, Rose's vacancy will have to be nominated and voted upon by the Steering Committee. It is the goal of the LAN to have the position filled by September. Nominations will take place at the August 14th, 2002 Steering Committee meeting.
The LAN will not take a vacation in August as in years past due to the extensive work we will have to do to meet changes in our own administration and the new guidelines being imposed by DCFS in several key areas of LAN management.
LAN Liaison: Frank reports that he still has no definite date as to when his transfer to the Skokie office will take place. He has not learned the name of his replacement, and does not know when this person will be joining our LAN.
By-Laws Committee: The By-Laws have been completed and portions have been approved by the Steering Committee. Complete By-Laws should be typed and ready for vote by the August or September Steering Committee meeting. Other affairs in the LAN have taken precedence over this issue.
FCS: The FCS/ASFA Committee will have its last meeting July24, 2002. This meeting will be to assist with any closeout of the services, which previously received funding under this initiative. The FCS Committee as we know it will be changing to include an extensive DCFS partnership. The committee will now consist of an FCS Chair or Co-Chair, a LAN Co-Convener, DCFS LAN Liaison, Child Protection Representative chosen by the Division of Child Protection (DCFS), member from Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, and representatives from agencies treating the domestic violence (DV), and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) service populations. This body may or may not be called the FCS Committee; it may be referred to as the LAN/DCFS Partners Committee as we will be directed to expedite services to more DCFS clients.
The LAN will be receiving reduced funding under this initiative for FY03. LAN 75 will receive $56,106; this money may be awarded to one or more agencies that meet the requirements as set forth by DCFS and the LAN/DCFS Partners Committee. The LAN has to make a recommendation to DCFS by August 9, 2002 on who should receive this funding. Major changes in procedures will be that at least 50% of all funded services must be referred from DCFS/DCP, there will be no fiscal agent, funded services will report to DCFS directly, and there will be no guarantees on funding past this current fiscal year. A letter will go out to all former FCS/ASFA funded programs from the Co-Conveners to keep them informed of the process in the event that we will be instructed to select one of those programs to continue to receive funding. The LAN has not received an application, and the LAN has not met with DCFS/DCP staff to receive their input on their needs. Meetings of the LAN/DCFS Partners Committee will take place as needed to determine funding recommendations to DCFS prior to August 9, 2002.
Resource Development: This committee's activities are on hold due to other projects this committee's Chair (Claudia Resto), is involved with for her own agency. We also have to find a new funding source to print our resource guide now that FCS funds have been cut.
Training/Events: There is no activity at this time due to a hold on Wrap Facilitator training by DCFS. Trainings of relevance to the community will be discussed when all administrative and funding changes have taken place.
Wrap/WSAA: Four referrals were approved for services in June, some dollar amounts were not available at the time of approval (camp fees, sliding scale counseling), and so a final dollar amount committed for FY02 is not available. This report will be made in August. Ron Hardy joined us to explain the changes made statewide to the WSAA system. WSAA will now be referred to as System of Care (SOC). There will be fewer agencies across the state to assume the administrative duties of DCFS Ward Wraps. Kaleidoscope will be taking on this LAN and 4-5 others as well. The SOC agency will take the responsibilities of intake, fiscal agency, case management, and quality assurance monitoring. The SOC will have a member on the LAN Wrap Services Committee. The Wrap Committee at the LAN level will screen all Wrap Services Committee. The Wrap Committee at the LAN level will screen all Wraps, DCFS and Flex-Fund. Processes will be developed at future Wrap meetings. The LAN welcomes Kaleidoscope as a new partner in the Wrap process, and looks forward to our future collaboration.
Announcements: Rose Dominguez will be leaving the Pilsen YMCA at the end of July. Rose has taken a position at the Robert R. McCormick/Tribune YMCA (Formerly Logan Square YMCA). The LAN would like to thank Rose for all of her hard work over the past year and a half as one of our Co-Conveners. Rose's commitment to the families in Pilsen and Little Village will not change as she will continue to be an advocate and community activist. Rose hopes to remain involved as a parent member of our LAN. We're going to miss you Rose, words alone cannot express our gratitude for all you've done for our LAN.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, August 14th, at 11:00am at Alivio Medical Center, 2355, S. Western Ave. Chicago.
Next Wrap meeting will be Friday, August 1st, location to be determined. Call Nanci Maksomowicz (773) 342-2473, or Frank Ortega Chambless (708) 338-6699 with questions.
See you there!
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