The Health & Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, June 5 2006, @ 6:00p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Robert Rosemier called the meeting to order.  Members present were Marlene Allen and Ruth Anne Tobias.  Julia Fullerton, Eileen Dubin, Sally DeFauw and Paulette Tolene were absent.   Others present were Greg Millburg, John Horn, Mary Olson, Jerry Smith, Diane Strand, Liz Carney, Dawn Littlefield and Sue Guio.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          The committee could not approve the minutes from May 2006 because there was no quorum present.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          The committee could not approve the agenda because there was no quorum present.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION REPORT– MR. JOHN HORN

          Mr. John Horn, County Extension Director for DeKalb County, introduced himself to the committee and began his presentation on the duties of his office.  He explained that the funding that they receive from the DeKalb County Board is used to partially fund the following Extension programs:  Master Garderners, Family Life, Consumer & Family Economics and Nutrition and Wellness, Community Development, Agriculture, 4-H Youth Development and Natural Resources.

          Mr. Horn explained that they have 45 Master Gardener volunteers who conduct numerous community projects throughout the County.  They have volunteered 2524.5 hours and completed 697.5 hours of continuing education.            They hold four Telenet series a year and anyone can attend them along with the Master Garderners.  They also advertise the classes in the local newspapers.

          Mr. Horn then explained what community development projects they do for the county.  One of the projects is the Hispanic Health Initiative.  This project grew out of a survey and identified needs in the Hispanic community, which was health services.  The University of Illinois School of Medicine in Rockford, who through their efforts, received a grant, and Northern Illinois University (NIU) has come forward with personnel and money to help with these initiatives. They are producing a handbook in Spanish that covers all medical services in the community, and they are training medical interpreters through the initiative, too.  NIU has donated a van that was used for hearing.  The DeKalb Community Foundation is providing the funds to outfit the van for medical screenings for school age children.  They currently are working with local dentists to help with back to school dental physicals, also.

          Mr. Horn said that they send out a bi-monthly newsletter to every farmer in DeKalb County, which numbers 1600.  They have hosted numerous educational workshops, co-sponsored an “agri-tourism” workshop with the Farm Bureau, and coordinated educational seminars for the Northern Illinois Farm Show.

          The committee thanked Mr. Horn for a very informative report.

Ms. Tolene arrived at 6:20p.m.

COUNTY-WIDE ASSESSMENT NEEDS – MS. MARY OLSON

          Ms. Mary Olson, Director of the DeKalb County Community Services Department, approached the committee this evening regarding the newly formed DeKalb County Human Services Initiative Project (DCHSI).  The founders of this initiative are comprised from the following organizations: The DeKalb County Community Foundation, the Kishwaukee United Way, the City of DeKalb, the DeKalb County Mental Health Board and the DeKalb County Community Services Department.

          Since they are all funders of social services in the county, they first started meeting because they have some shared concerns and shared problems.  Out of that came their draft mission statement, which is the following:  “to consistently and measurably improve the quality of life for the people in DeKalb County and to encourage innovative solutions to our community’s health and human service needs.”

           Their proposal has four major components: Quality of life indicators, mapping of the existing human service system in DeKalb County, needs assessment and strategic planning. They are proposing to use the United Way’s State of Caring Index because the data can then be compared to other communities. The areas of indicators are:  economy and financial well-being, education, health, voluntarism/civic engagement, safety, and natural environment.  These are weighted in order of importance.

          The mapping of the existing human service system in DeKalb County.  This would include the description of the various services provided and the agencies that provide the service.  This should help them identify duplication of services and gaps in services that are identified in the need assessment.

          The needs assessment will include the study of both the unmet needs and the ongoing needs of the community.  Since perception data is not very helpful they are trying to create an assessment that would describe actual need not opinion or lack of understanding of the need.

          The DCHSI team intends to look at root causes for areas of need, not merely the results of these conditions.  An example would be a need that is identified in both the Quality of Life Indicators and the Needs Assessment.  In that case the Team would not only look at the results of that need, but also why it is a need in DeKalb County and what possible steps can be made to address the issue.

          They are approaching their various boards to ask for support of their project orally and monetarily. The team would develop an RFP for a professional consultant to begin the first step of their project. This person would work on the first 3 steps of the project.  The timeline for this project they hoped would take about 6 months.

The committee discussed where the funds would come from and what would the County fund?  Ms. Olson suggested that there is a reserve in the Senior Tax Levy that could be used to fund the portion of the needs assessment project that involves senior services.  She also said that they might come back to this committee with various proposals in the future.  The committee also discussed if they need to place this item as a budget item for FY2007. 

Chairman Rosemier asked if the team could keep him apprised of their progress.  He said that he would make himself available to the team for any help that they may need.

ADJOURNMENT

          Moved by Ms. Allen, seconded by Ms. Tolene, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                           Respectfully submitted,

                                                          ___________________________________

                                                          Robert Rosemier, Chairman

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