Conference minutes, January 5-7, 2005, Key Bridge Marriott, Arlington, VA
Present: David Holmes (TN), Barry Newill (KY), Donna Ashworth
(WV), Donald Dew (GWU), Rick Sizemore (VA), Jean Jackson and Jim Doyle (MD), Dick Luck (VA),
Donald Rullman (PA), Ralph, Pacinelli (RSA), Dennis Hart (MI), Howard Ruttenberg (AR),
Carolyn McKinley (Consultant)
Welcome and Agenda Review:
Chairman
Holmes welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the new representatives
from Maryland.
Dr.
Dew reviewed the reimbursement procedures and the necessity for receipts in
accordance with the instructions as distributed.
David
Holmes reviewed the agenda and solicited any changes. There were no changes offered.
Proceedings Development From National 2004 Conference:
David introduced Carolyn
McKinley (consultant) who then reviewed the draft proceedings of the 4th
National training Conference. She also
reviewed all of the proceedings from the conference in an outline form using
flip chart pages.
Carolyn reviewed and
explained the various sections of the draft of the proceedings.
She also indicated that
we would be spending most of our time and effort on the “Recommendations” section of the draft
contained in the draft proceedings document.
She also recommended that outcomes should also be identified for
quantitative and evaluative purposes.
Carolyn suggested that we
remove the 1st recommendation because it is contained within the
second and third recommendations.
Carolyn asked David and
Barry to embellish the Section IV recommendations for the group and they did
so. Decision was made to better define
behavioral education and/or behavior management in the proceedings document.
The membership endorsed
recommendations 2 and 3.
Carolyn then reported and
reviewed Session V recommendations (1, 2, 3, and 4) and asked Don Rullman (PA), Jean Jackson (MD), Dick Luck (VA) and Donna Ashworth (WV) to review and discuss the nature and
progress of work on these recommendations.
The consortium requested
that Pennsylvania, Maryland and Georgia, and Virginia to provide more specific
action plans which should be developed and presented to the consortium at its
next meeting.
Each Center should also
send their needs assessment process/instruments to Maryland and
Pennsylvania. The consortium agreed to
develop a needs assessment model for the entire consortium.
Carolyn then asked Dennis
to report on Section VI recommendations on Leading Centers. The membership recommended that a recommendation
should be to “Develop a new Center Administrators’ orientation and mentoring
program.” Donna Ashworth volunteered to
identify the elements that should be considered for the orientation/mentoring
program. The Consortium recommended
that recommendations 4 and 5 be combined.
Dennis Hart also presented a Power Point review and led a discussion on
Michigan’s “E-Learn On-line Learning Center.” Following discussion, Dennis
agreed to explore and provide additional information regarding 30 day access to
Michigan’s E-Learn system. More
discussion will occur at the Spring meeting of the Consortium.
The consortium also
selected other items to be included as appendices to the Training Forum
proceedings which are:
- Roster of attendees
- Paragraph about each center
- Strategic Plan
- European Platform agreement
- Summary of the Training Forum’s evaluation data
- Introductory letter by David Holmes with specific recognition to RSA for funding support
- Recognition of award recipients
- Planning committee member photo
(See 'Attachments' for updated
proceedings document)
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RSA Report by Dr. Pacinelli:
Due to Dr. Pacinelli’s
schedule, David welcomed Dr. Pacinelli, at this point in the agenda, who
provided a report from RSA.
Training Needs Assessment Form Review:
The
Training Needs Assessment Form completed by participants from the September
2004 NC-SOCRC National Conference was reviewed. The group summarized and grouped the needs into major topical
areas for future use by the consortium in planning future conferences. The major topic areas are as follows:
CERMUSA/NTSS-Future Relationship/Future Direction:
David introduced Don
Rullman who in turn introduced the CERMUSA/NTSS staff who were in attendance:
Jay Roberts (Recently appointed Director of CERMUSA), Barbara DeMuth (Asst.
Director of CERMUSA), and Eric Muncert (Director NTSS).
Mr. Roberts reaffirmed
the NTSS’ continuing support and commitment to the NCSOCRC. He also indicated that he wants to know the
NCSOCRC’s continuing needs and how we can work together collaboratively in the
future.
KSA (Ken Stalter and
Associates) in Maryland has been contracted to promote and grow the
CERMUSA/NTSS initiatives from a promotional point of view. They will in all probability be trying to
meet with the NCSOCRC in the near future to determine how they might be able to
assist the member centers.
Discussion ensued
regarding how CERMUSA/NTSS can support the members of the NCSOCRC in the
future, especially when considering returning injured veterans.
Following comments by
CERMUSA/NTSS staff a number of options were discusses as possibilities for the
future. A major need identified is the
Consortium’s desire to develop specific distance learning workshops as to areas
of expertise at each center that would be offered to all Consortium member
centers to help meet staff training needs.
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Future of the Consortium, Review of Mission:
David asked for any
suggestions or modifications to the NC-SOCRC mission statement and strategic
plan as well as the future direction of the consortium. A recommendation was made to change one work
in the current mission statement “To promote and assure” to “promote and
deliver”. It was decided to take the
mission statement change up in further discussion of the Bylaws where it is
defined. Discussion ensued regarding
the pros and cons of expanding and/or maintaining our current membership. A decision was made not to open up
membership to expansion beyond the comprehensive state operated rehabilitation
centers. David Holmes reviewed, from
the September 2004 meeting minutes, the principles previously identified as the
strengths of the Consortium. It was
discussed that the future of the Consortium should be driven by its Strategic
Plan and those things the Consortium wishes to accomplish within the definition
of the NC-SOCRC.
NC-SOCRC Strategic Plan:
Carolyn introduced the
strategic plan goals in an attempt to merge the training forum results with the
4 goals of the strategic plan. The membership then discussed a modified set of
six suggested goals. The Strategic Plan
was reviewed in detail and the revisions were identified. It was decided to review the recommended
revisions during the Business Meeting as to adopting these changes.
Research Proposal – Learned Optimism:
Dr. Dew presented
information as to the Learned Optimism Research Project and the opportunity for
the Consortium to partner with GWU in participating in the research project.
Chairman Holmes
distributed copies of GWU’s research
proposal on Learned Optimism and the Empowerment of Individuals with
Disabilities and asked for the support of each Center Director signature on a
letter of support. The NCSOCRC
indicated their unanimous support of GWU’s research proposal and Chairman
Holmes’ request.
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Individual Center Review-NCSOCRC Round Table:
Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center - Kentucky
- Census is good
- New OVR agency head on board for 6 months
- New public information CD Rom in development
- Embarking on a strategic planning effort
- Received approval to hire an assistant director and director of nursing
- New sewerage plant is on-line ($220,000)
- New roof approved for installation in 2006 ($1.2 million)
- Staff retirements projected at 30% on or before December 31, 2008
- Courtyard gift shop annual profit is $7,000 after paying annualized monthly cable fees for student rooms
- Hired a new well qualified drug and substance abuse specialist
Hiram G. Andrews Center - Pennsylvania
- Hired an assistant director
- Enhanced therapeutic recreation program
- Windfall of qualified staff from technical school who recently was downsized
- Technical assistance lending library
Hot Springs Rehabilitation Center - Arkansas
- Gail Jones resigned
- Emphasis on work readiness of clients
- Improvement of communication with the field offices
- Strengthening driver education programs
- Enhancing compensation for nurses and therapists
- Considering dropping COE accreditation
- Currently recruiting a new director
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Michigan Career and technical Center - Michigan
- Auto accident that killed three of the six students due to excess speed
- Sixtieth anniversary celebration in November and related celebration activities
- New conference construction with help from the Kellogg Foundation
- CARF and North Central Accreditation visits will occur in the spring
- 600 people on the waiting list with 50% of those waiting for voc. eval.
- Center now exists in a new department called Labor and Economic Growth
Roosevelt Warm Springs Rehabilitation Institute - Georgia
- Census is good
- Annual ball is coming up
- Design study for dormitory is being considered
- New vocational director
Tennessee Rehabilitation Center - Tennessee
- Census is up
- Cases are more difficult
- Received a full CARF accreditation with no recommendations
- Customer satisfaction process is being enhanced
- Primary programs achieved their outcome goals for the last year
- Formed accessibility review committee of internal and external groups
- Established a personal care attendant training program
- Developed an evaluation program for personal care attendant with an emphasis on vocational needs
- Established a agreement with the nearby Air National Guard in case of emergencies
- Approval received to build 4 new community TRC buildings
- Negotiated a reduced fee with CARF for all centers in the state
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West Virginia Rehabilitation Center – West Virginia
- Getting ready to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Center
- Financial stress
- New governor to start in January with a new statewide reorganization expected
- Reviewing all vocational training areas
- Developing relationship with other community providers for the delivery of service
- Interested in behavioral education program
- Concerns with minors being housed at the center
- Number one employer in WVA is Walmart
- New multi dimensional retail sales training program
- Transitional living training program being developed in community-based apartments
- New hand therapy program
- Community speakers speak on a character building topics to the students
- Chapel is now closed
- Reviewing the data collection processes
Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center - Virginia
- Focus on enhancing the residential program with an emphasis on behavior
- Having census problems
- Recognition that transition will be a strong future emphasis
- Grant from the Aging Department to evaluate aging drivers
- Received a $50,000 grant for enhancing services to spinal cord and injured clients from the Neuro-trauma Initiative
- Hired a marketing coordinator
- Engaged in a strategic planning process
- Training IT grant ended and the VR Commissioner found funds to continue the program in the amount of $125,000
- Current chaplin has expanded the program
- Major capital program has renovated dorms and other infrastructure items
- Working on improving Center relationships with field offices
- Certified security department to a police department
Maryland Workforce and Technology Center - Maryland
- State agency celebrated 75 years and the Center 50 year anniversaries
- QRT program has been expanded to the Center to two days
- DORS established a separate department for the blind and visually impaired
- Jean Jackson is now interim center director
- Customized training is running and being continually reviewed, revised, and expanded through the community
college i.e. medical office assistant, CNA training, and warehouse training
- A Plus and NET Plus training has been successful and will be continued
- Community living skills training program is expanding
- Transition and youth enhancement is be developed
- Created supervised residential unit for a segment of the population
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Business Meeting:
Chairman Holmes called the business meeting to order
-
Secretary’s Report:
Minutes were presented and approved as written by the membership.
-
Treasurer’s Report:
Report was presented and distributed by Dennis Hart, Treasurer which indicated a $46, 620.33 revenue
balance. Treasurer was questioned
regarding the amount of earned interest on the account. Dennis indicated that he didn’t have the
exact figure at this time but would get the information to the members. Report was accepted as presented by the
membership.
501-C (3):
Questions were raised regarding the operational details
regarding the payment of bills, filing of tax reports etc. Dennis Hart indicated that he will obtain
the necessary information/recommendations from the WWRC Foundation and bring
the information back to the consortium at its future meeting.
General discussion ensued regarding whether we should
continue to pursue obtaining a 501-C (3) corporate designation.
Barry Newill moved to discontinue pursuit of a 501-C (3)
designation for the NCSOCRC, seconded by Dennis Hart. Discussion was held as to the pros and cons of obtaining this
type of designation. Following
discussion, the motion and second was withdrawn. Chairman Holmes indicated that the Executive Committee review the
issues and report back to the Consortium at its next meeting.
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NCSOCRC By-Laws
Revisions:
Approved changes to the Bylaws from the September 2004
Business Meeting were discussed.
Additional changes were discussed.
Chairman Holmes moved that a by-laws committee be appointed to review
and recommend changes to the bylaws at the next meeting, seconded by Luck. Motion passed unanimously. The appointed committee membership consists
of Dennis Hart, Donna Ashworth, Jean Jackson, and David Holmes.
Strategic Plan:
A final draft of the 2005-06 strategic plan was presented to
the membership for their consideration and approval.
Motion by Dick Luck to approve the strategic plan developed by the
consortium for the 2005-06 Strategic Plan, seconded by Don Dew. Motion passed unanimously. Don Rullman requested that the Strategic Plan be forwarded to
the members electronically. (See
attached copy of the Strategic Plan for 2005-06.)
NCSOCRC Operations Manual:
Dr. Dew will forward copies to all members
Next meeting date:
First choice - May 11 (12:00) 12, and 13 until Noon at the Michigan Center
Second choice - May
18 (12:00) 19, and 20 until noon
Meeting Adjournment:
Meeting was adjourned at 12:15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Barry H. Newill, Secretary
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