Colorado SILC

"A Leading Authority on Independent Living in Colorado"

 

Minutes

Colorado State Independent Living Council

January 18, 2007

Denver, Colorado

 

Present: Terrance Turner, Brent  Belisle, Carol Reynolds, Debbie Petersen, Pat Going, Faith Gross, Bill Aceves, Michael Rooney, Amy Jo Dennison, David Foster, Larry Williams, Georgeanna Chapman, Amy Allred, Christy Batton, Judy Neal

 

Absent:  Clarence Miller,

 

DVR:  Joyce Edwards, Greta Walgrave, Nancy Smith, David Hood

 

Others present:  Patricia Yeager, SILC consultant. Beth Danielson, David Bolin, Dawn Russell

 

Welcome and Report from DVR

The meeting was called to order at 9:35. New members were welcomed and brief introductions were made. Nancy Smith gave a brief DVR report. She reported that the 07/08 budget was already in place ($48,500), and the 08/09 budget for the SILC needs to be submitted for consideration in April 2007.  Nancy also reported on the tremendous loss to the organization and the SILC when RB Brown suddenly passed away in November.  She indicated that David Hood would be supervising Judy Neal, the new IL Coordinator for Colorado DVR. She also indicated that RSA had given them permission to be a little late on the 704 report so that Judy and the SILC could pull things together.  She indicated that the JBC asked for a report on how the new IL funds were being spent. That report is to be presented the week after the SILC meeting. 

 

Financial Report

See budget sheet attached.  The financial report was given by Carol Reynolds. She reported that the budget balance is $41,000. She presented a spread sheet with “projections” for next year’s expenditures. There was a discussion about the number of members required on the SILC as that number has a major impact on the SILC travel budget for meetings.  Former Gov. Bill Owens wanted 23 members but there is nothing in the by-laws that state a definitive number.  Currently there are 15 active members and it was suggested that for the remainder of this year we plan for 15 members.  While several members felt that 23 members would be fine, others thought that 17 to 19 would be a good workable group.   A motion was made by Larry Williams to accept the report and it was seconded by Pat Going. It passed with a unanimous vote to accept.

 

Report on SPIL process and meeting with ILCs

With the number of new members, Patricia prefaced her remarks about the SPIL process with the ILCs by providing a little history and background on the SILC, its purpose and the SPIL.  She specifically indicated that the SILC was to be the “Paul Revere” of the Colorado IL network, working to see what future needs might be coming for the ILCs as they serve people with disabilities.  The SILC should be  formulating the vision for the IL system by working closely and collaboratively with the CILS and the state association, Association of Colorado Centers for Independent Living (ACCIL). This vision should encompass both services and advocacy, although in general the actual “doing” of the services rest within the CILs.  The SILC, ACCIL, consumers with disabilities and other state and non-profit organizations serving people with disabilities should work together to create an infrastructure that promotes access and integration in all aspects of Colorado life for its residents with disabilities.

 

Patricia then presented the results of the SPIL input from ACCIL on Wednesday. The top-ranked issues were: Housing, Transportation, Employment, and Attendant Services. Notes from the 1/17 meeting are attached and the SILC members were informed of the whole list.  Everyone seemed to agree it was a good list.

 

She encouraged the SILC to be “forward thinking” as they develop the goals for the new SPIL. She presented the idea that a statewide Needs Assessment would help the SILC get a better picture of the needs of our underserved consumers. She expressed a need for strengthening the SILC’s infrastructure and building alliances with other disability organizations. The success/failure of last year’s goals was discussed with similar comments as the day before – the goals were much more than what could be accomplished with the budget, and there had not been enough public comment before the SPIL was submitted.

 

All SILC members were requested to provide input on possible goals for the new SPIL based on issues in their communities. Suggestions included:

 

Improving the SILC Infrastructure

• Put up website with SILC agendas, minutes, state plans, meeting notices, repository for SILC documents, bios of current members and their terms
• Appropriate and timely public notice of meetings and distribution of minutes
• Members requested that copies of the agenda be available at the meeting, handouts to be coordinated and asked for tented name tag for each person so that everyone around the table and in the audience would know who was in attendance
• Receiving 704 reports and any other reports that CILs provide on their work to DVR
• Revising By-Laws to be current
• Establishing a better recruitment and membership process
• Increasing the independence of the SILC from the Designated State agency and reconsidering complete independence as a 501 c 3
• Looking at ways to use technology to make meetings more efficient (web based meetings?)
• Conducting meetings around the state and including a public comment section in all formal SILC meetings
• Setting up better ways to get consumer input on the State Plan and its implementation
• Conducting the first Colorado IL Needs assessment
• Allow non-SILC members to participate on SILC committees
• Develop a staffing structure that is Independent of DVR and supports the needs of the SILC.
• Work more closely with state and national organizations such as the state Tech Act grant, HCPF, DD Council, Housing Council (?), State Department of Transportation, National Council on Independent Living and APRIL (need full name here)
• Set up new committees to reflect the goals of the new SPIL-some suggestions included: Public policy, Community Organizing/Community Participation, Youth Leadership, Youth Transition.
• Under public policy, the role of the SILC could be to develop position papers (need staff) and invite public policy makers to come to the SILC for a dialogue about specific issues affecting people with disabilities (ensure that CILs and consumers are a part of those SILC meetings to participate in the education of those policy makers)

 

State Network of CILs

• Look at how to increase IL services in the unserved Eastern Plains and underserved Mountain counties
• Working with the ACCIL to look for opportunities to increase IL funding for services.
• Emphasis on self determination and person centered planning
• Develop a definition of cultural Competency and hallmarks of such for the CILs to work toward
• Set up a mechanism for distributing funds from the SILC to the CILS on projects as money and need arises
• Supporting a data collection process that works for the CILS and gives a true picture of the services and work being done Center by Center and as a state
• Support getting more ILCs licensed under ?? (Transition services)
• Support the employment partnership between CILs and DVR

 

Report on Recommendations for State IL Conference in May

Larry Williams, chair of the conference committee, reported that the committee recommends using the conference budget to send SILC, CIL staff, and consumers to the Region 8 Conference in Casper, Wyoming in June. Costs are approximate. Dates are: Pre-conference June 26; conference June 27 & 28. A proposal was made to pay for registration and hotel rooms for CIL attendees so that the expenses could be paid before the end of the fiscal year. There was an expectation that CILs would contribute the per deim and travel costs for their staff and consumers.  

 

There was discussion about the costs of travel and meals that could be too much for center staff and consumers. The Resource Development Committee and Executive Committee will work to iron out the details, including how DVR will distribute the funds given that this expenditure will occur so close to the end of the fiscal year.   Carol Reynolds suggested the “payables” be created for billing after June 30, to allow for other expenses to be reimbursed.  The motion to use SILC conference funds for the Region 8 conference was made by Faith Gross, seconded by Pat Going and passed unanimously.

 

Lunch and Legislative Report

During lunch, Dawn Russell talked about the refusal of HCPF to apply for Federal “Money Follows the Person” funds, and the promises made to assure that Colorado would fund the “special services” that would have been attached to the grant. She read a list of states that were awarded the MFP funds. She reported that Atlantis ADAPT endorsed a petition concerning a parent’s invasive and life-altering surgery to keep her developmentally disabled daughter from maturing sexually.

 

David Bolin reported on the paternalistic perils of HB1044 – At Risk Adults. There is also a task force to create another Prescription Drug List. Also, the Landlord/Tenant bill is being reintroduced in this legislative session.

 

SILC Orientation Training

After lunch, all SILC members had the opportunity to give more detail about their backgrounds, qualifications, and why they are involved with the SILC. Amy Jo Denning suggested that any changes to the SILC roster by sent to the Boards and Commissions office as well as DVR and SILC chair. Developing a new, streamlined mission statement was also discussed.

 

Patricia Yeager gave an overview of the history of SILCs and CILs and the responsibilities of SILC members and SILC officers. Handouts were given out that noted the dates and times of meetings through June 30^th, a simplified “SILC Operating Rules” taken from the By-laws, a one page explanation of IL Philosophy and the History of Independent Living as a movement (written by Gina McDonald and Mike Oxford) as well as a check list of what every SILC member should know.   Training will continue during the remaining SILC meetings this fiscal year. In March, for example, the SILC training will be focused on the IL movement in Colorado, what a CIL does and what are the issues facing Colorado CILs as presented by the state association, ACCIL.  The SILC members who are directors of CILs will coordinate this with Patricia.  Since the group will be meeting in Greeley, we will explore the possibility of meeting at Connections for Independence.

 

At the end of the day, the chairperson took a few moments to get volunteers for committees.  It was agreed that for now, the operating committees would be the Executive Committee, Resource Development Committee, Membership and Nominating Committee and a newly created State Plan committee tasked with working with Patricia to develop and get input on next state plan.  The Advocacy committee may be needed to develop letters educating policy makers about the SILC’s view on issues affecting people with disabilities.  The committee will need to get clarification as to how they may do that as a part of the DVR.    Terrance indicated he would send out a list of committees and their members shortly.  Below is what was determined at the meeting.

 

Committees Organized:

SPIL Committee – Terrance, Larry (Chair), Faith, Beth (the ACCIL needs to determine who will represent them), Judy, Patricia

Membership/Nominating – Mike Rooney (chair), Larry, Terrance, Bill, Amy Jo

Finance/Resource Development – Carol (chair), Pat, Christy, Patricia (for conference input)

Advocacy (possibly changing to Public Policy) – Brent (chair), Mike, Amy A, Georgeanna

Youth – David (chair), Debbie

 

Members asked that the new SILC roster of members and their contact information be distributed as soon as possible.  The SILC adjourned at 4:30 PM.

 

Recorded by Judy Neal and Patricia Yeager

info@coloradosilc.org