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CONNECTICUT COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Regular Council Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 10:07 a.m. – 1:08 p.m.

(Online via Microsoft Teams)

Presiding:  James Hexter, Chair

Recorder of Minutes:  Donna Devin, Program Assistant

Members Present:  Emily Ball, Michelle Baughman, Chuck Bergamo, April Burke, Andy Cirioli, Kevin Daly, Antonia Edwards, Ann Gionet, James Hexter, Chair; Bryan Klimkiewicz, Doris Maldonado Mendez, Vice Chair; Kaitlynn Ramos, Lauren Traceski, Brenda Stenglein, Tara Viens

Members Absent:   Deborah Dorfman, Louis St. Felix

Members of the Public Present:  Shanon Jacovino, James Welsh

Staff:  Walter Glomb, Director

1. Call to Order:  With a quorum present, James Hexter, Chair, called the meeting to order at 10:07 a.m.

    

2. Approval of Agenda:Doris Maldonado Mendez, Vice Chair, motioned to approve the agenda. Michelle Baughman seconded the motion. The agenda was approved.

    

3. Approval of Minutes from November 9, 2021, Regular Council Meeting:  Kevin Daly motioned to approve the minutes. The motion was seconded by Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair. The minutes were approved.

    

4. Comments by Members of the Public:  Shanon Jacovino, the new Governor appointed Ombudsperson for the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), introduced herself to the Council. She wants everyone to get the word out she’s there and would like to hear from people if they’re having any issues or problems. She would also like any kind of feedback they think she should have on their experiences with the DDS, even in other areas navigating the system.

    

5. Report From the Proposal Review and Evaluation Committee and Motions to Approve Recommendations:Charles Bergamo, the Chair of the Committee, gave a run-down of the Committee’s activities. He referred to the memo Andy Cirioli, Committee Vice-Chair, wrote summarizing the grant proposals received, that was distributed to Council members. The Council had $400,000 available for grant funding and awarded grants to three (3) organizations, totaling $95,000 in FY’22. The Committee will continue to meet and review proposals as they are received.

    

   The Committee recommended five (5) grant funding requests be approved by the Council. The amount of funding totals $225,000:

    

   The State Independent Living Council (SILC) asked for $25,000 in funding to implement Partners in Policymaking training in collaboration with the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCONN UCEDD), and Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT). Chuck Bergamo, Committee Chair, asked for a motion to approve grant funding for the SILC. Andy Cirioli, Committee Vice-Chair, made the motion. Michelle Baughman moved to table the motion until Walt Glomb, Council Director, clarified if the funding was for FY’21 or FY’22. Andy Cirioli, Committee Vice-Chair, retracted his motion.

    

   Disability Rights Connecticut (DRCT) applied for $50,000 in funding. They plan to present a series of monthly webinars, along with the Connecticut Legal Rights Project, and the Center for Children’s Advocacy, on various legal issues affecting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. James Hexter, Council Chair, asked for a motion to approve funding for DRCT. Chuck Bergamo, Committee Chair, made the motion. Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair, seconded the motion. There was no discussion. The proposal was approved. Michelle Baughman abstained.

    

   PATH-CT requested $50,000 in Council funding to expand their Parent-to-Parent Program, Support Parent Trainings, and LifeCourse to an online Platform; expand the Sibling Program to encompass the National Sibling Leadership Training; and produce and provide educational training programs to professionals, including educators, law enforcement officers, public officials, public employees, and medical professionals via the CT-KASA Self Advocacy Program. James Hexter, Council Chair, asked for a motion to approve funding for PATH-CT. Chuck Bergamo, Committee Chair, made the motion. Tara Viens seconded the motion.

    

   A discussion was opened on the PATH-CT grant proposal. Following the discussion, James Hexter, Council Chair, put the motion on the floor for the Council to vote on approving the funding for PATH-CT. There were six (6) yeas and two (2) nays. Andy Cirioli, Committee Vice-Chair; Kevin Daly, James Hexter, Council Chair; and Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair; all abstained, because of a conflict of interest. Funding was approved.

    

   Futures, Inc., submitted a proposal for $50,000 to provide business, technical, legal, financial, creative, marketing, and graphic design assistance to individuals with disabilities to create, develop, grow, and sustain a micro-business. Michelle Baughman made a motion to approve the grant funding for Futures, Inc. Chuck Bergamo, Committee Chair, seconded the motion.

    

   A brief discussion on the proposal was held by the Council. Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair, commented the Council will provide accountability to ensure participants in this program will earn minimum wage or better. The motion passed and the funding for Futures, Inc., was approved. Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair, abstained.

    

   Payton-Jameson, LLC, is seeking $50,000 in grant funding to launch their Grit & Flow Program. They will provide six (6) training modules developed for job seekers in LinkedIn, Networking for Employment, Job Search Process, Resume Writing, Job Application and Systems, and Interview Techniques. They will offer 54 trainings to Job Developers through using the “Train-the-Trainer” model. Lastly, they will provide a proven educational and training program for Job Developers and Job Coaches to increase their ability to educate the community, while developing opportunities for job placement for people with IDD. James Hexter, Council Chair, asked for a motion to approve funding for Payton-Jameson, LLC. Chuck Bergamo, Committee Chair, made the motion. Tara Viens seconded the motion. A discussion on the grant followed the motion. The grant was approved.

    

6. Invitation for Council Members to Volunteer to Follow Grants:Council members are being given the opportunity to become more involved with Council grantees and their projects. If they are particularly passionate about a group or a proposal, they can volunteer to assist in monitoring the grant. Tasks could include attending board meetings, site-visits and ongoing communication with grantee staff. Two (2) Council members per grant would be ideal. Members are encouraged not to exceed their span of control and be realistic about the amount of time they can actually devote to a grant.

    

   Grant Interest:

   Michelle Baughman -    Payton-Jameson, PATH-CT, Futures

   Chuck Bergamo -         MidState Arc, Disability Rights Connecticut

   Andy Cirioli -                 Futures, Keep The Promise

   James Hexter, Council Chair -    Payton-Jameson

   Bryan Klimkiewicz -      wherever needed

   Doris Maldonado Mendez, Council Vice Chair -   DRCT, Payton-Jameson

    

   Motion to Approve the State Independent Living Council (SILC) Grant:

   Walt Glomb, Council Director, stated the State Independent Living Council (SILC) asked for $25,000 in new funding. James Hexter, Council Chair, asked for a motion to approve grant funding for the SILC. Chuck Bergamo made the motion. Andy Cirioli seconded the motion. There was no further discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

    

   Department of Developmental Services’ Presentation on Customized Employment:  Martin Zaugg, Employment Coordinator, and Trever Rogers, Transition Advisor at the DDS and within its Employment and Day Services Division, gave an overview of the curriculum for the state’s new Customized Employment training program that has been in the making for the several years. The training began last October and has been created specifically for Connecticut. The Customized Employment certification curriculum was developed by the Regional Educational Service Center (RESC) in consultation with Aging and Disability Services (ADS), the State Board of Education (BOE), and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS). A special thank-you was extended to the Council and to Dr. Linda Rammler from the UCONN UCEDD.

    

   The virtual training is offered with a Sign Language interpreter, in Spanish, and a transcript on the ‘Canvas Platform’, a web-based learning management system (LMS). The training is provided by certified teachers and coordinated through the Regional Educational Service Center (RESC). It’s focus is on the three (3) primary components of Customized Employment: Discovery; Job Development, Negotiation and Placement; and Post-Employment Support. All of the learners being trained are state agency staff through DDS, ADS, BRS, or staff within provider agencies within our state agencies.

    

7. Report from the Council Director:  Walter Glomb, Council Director, gave the Director’s report and provided a highlight of current activities. He attended a meeting on the MidState Arc’s preliminary agenda for their two (2) day assistive technology conference to be held in July at a Mystic, CT venue. Their plan is to have an in-person conference, since Covid rates should have declined dramatically by then. The focus of the conference will be on getting providers to adopt more assistive technology that enables individuals to live independently in their own homes within the community. The MidState Arc has a lot of experience in this area. Lastly, arrangements are in the works to have a someone from the Administration on Community Living (ACL) speak at the event.

   
   Keep The Promise is off to a strong start and the group is holding monthly meetings. They are zeroed in on legislative advocacy. They are thrilled by the newcomers with developmental disabilities who have begun participating in their calls. Nancy Navarretta, Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) will be speaking to the group this month. The Council’s Director, Walt Glomb, is scheduled to speak in March of this year. Lastly, work has begun on KTP’s training sessions around the state, and Walt was invited to attend their coordinating council meeting where they will be covered in more depth.

    

   Disability Rights Connecticut is putting together the first of their monthly webinars  on civil rights and legal issues. The first module will cover civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for treatment and services related to Covid. They reached out to Walt about talking with people who worked on the Council’s vaccine clinic in Vernon. They want to learn about what the ‘best practices’ were and include some of the information in their trainings. Walt is also going to put them in contact with some of the families who participated in the vaccine clinic after mainstream healthcare providers denied them accommodations.

    

   The State Independent Living Council (SILC) is in the process of recruiting people for Partners in Policymaking.

    

   The Administrative on Community Living (ACL) will be offering a special grant later this month that is similar to their past grant for improving Covid vaccine access. The two (2) year funding will be for investing in improvements in public health structure.

    

   This is an opportunity for the Council to continue the work they began based on their vaccine clinic and working with the Department of Public Health (DPH). The Council has the chance to accept $80,000 in special funding.

    

   DDS has published it’s draft 5-Year Plan and is currently seeking public input. Zoom sessions are scheduled where people can testify and make comments.

    

   Walt Glomb, Council Director, has been attending Steering Committee meetings of the DDS supported Employment Leadership Network, to reshape Employment and Day Services at DDS. And he is a member of the Governor’s Office Workforce Strategy Persons with Disabilities Sub-Committee. They contributed to CareerConneCT that was just rolled out, workforce development programs to help unemployed people and historically marginalized groups.

    

8. Formation of An Ad Hoc Committee to Plan Training Sessions for Council Members Using the Information and Technical Assistance Center for Councils on Developmental Disabilities (ITACC) Materials: Council Members, Michelle Baughman, Kaitlynn Ramos, and Tara Viens, are forming an ad hoc committee to assist the Council’s Director with selecting training materials from ITACC and developing a training agenda for the Council.

    

9. Announcements and Adjournment:Michelle Baughman made a motion for adjournment. Kevin Daly seconded the motion. The meeting concluded at 1:08 p.m. The next Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, online via MS Teams.