DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
Health & Human Services Committee

April 11, 2011

DRAFT

DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the

Health & Human Services Committee

April 11, 2011

            The Health & Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board reconvened their meeting from their April 4, 2011 meeting, on Monday, April 11, 2011, @ 5:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East. Chairman Stoddard called the meeting to order.  Members present were Ms. Allen, Ms. DeFauw, Mr. Emerson, and Mr. Metzger, Sr., and Mr. Tyson. Others present were Mr. Robert Shipman, Ms. Karen Hagen and Ms. Val Hinz, and Ms. Karen Grush.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

            Moved by Mr. Emerson, seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

SENIOR SERVICES TAX LEVY HEARINGS

            Chairman Stoddard reminded the committee members that the agencies were only going to be allowed 10-15 minutes each for a question and answer period.  After the April 5, 2010 meeting the committee reconvened to hear the rest of the agencies applying for the senior tax levy funds and then would discuss the monetary awards to the various agencies chosen. 

Opportunity House –Mr. Robert Shipman

Request:  Opportunity House is requesting $32,700 for their specialized senior program that will help seniors with developmental disabilities to remain in their present living arrangement and prevent or delay referral to a nursing home. The amount that they receive provides for 1100 hours of annual services. They have 15 seniors in their senior room currently.  They currently provide 1590 staff hours on an annual basis per person. The cost of one unit of service equals $16.77.

            Again, Mr. Stoddard asked Mr. Shipman, how cutting funding would affect their program?

            Mr. Shipman said that they would have to staff at whatever level they could.

2010 Award    2011 Requested Amount

$26,175.00      $32,700

Hospice – Ms. Karen Hagen and Ms. Val Hinz

Request #1:  Hospice is requesting the amount of $2,268 to reimburse two class leaders for each 6-session class for approximately 4.5 hours per session at $21.00 per hour for a Caregivers Class.  Their time will be spent preparing, facilitating, doing follow up and referral work with class members for two Powerful Tools for Caregivers classes per year.   

Request #2:  Hospice is requesting the amount of $2,136.00 to support an average of four (4) senior home-based Transitions End of Life care clients per month.  The average time spent by the Transitions Coordinator on case management and volunteer supervision per client is two hours per month at $21.00 per hour.  The request also includes $120.00 for the Transitions portion of the Direct Care Volunteer training (two trainings/year).

Mr. Stoddard asked Ms. Hinz how a cut to everyone’s funds affect her agency.

Ms. Hinz said it would hurt, but that they would do fundraising and not deny services.

2011 Award       2012 Requested Amount  

$4,906.00                        $4,404.00

DeKalb County Health Department – Ms. Karen Grush

Request:  DeKalb County Health Department is requesting $30,000 to subsidize approximately 400 home care medical visits to 50 medically indigent DeKalb County senior citizens.  Medically indigent individuals are those not covered under Medicare and who are uninsured or under-insured. 

In 2010, Home Care costs per visit are estimated at $165 for skilled nursing, $170 for physical, speech and occupational therapy, and $85 for home health aide services.

Full charges for skilled nursing, physical, speech and occupational therapy are $170 per visit, $195 for medical social service and $90 for home health aide visits.

Mr. Stoddard asked Ms. Grush how cuts to everyone’s funds would affect her agency.

Ms. Grush said that this is the first time in the history of Home Health Care that the revenue did not bring in enough to cover the costs.  It will impact them down the road, not this year, but if the County continues to cut the requests this way then it will affect them.

2011 Award    2012 Requested Amount

$28,250           $30,000                      

ALLOCATION OF FUNDS

            The awards for the Senior Tax Levy Allocations are as follows:  Barb City Manor was awarded $8,008.00; Ben Gordon Center was awarded $21,066.00; DeKalb County Health Department was awarded $25,693.00; DeKalb County Hospice was awarded $3,946.00; Elder Care Services was awarded $67,100.00 for Case Management, Elder Abuse and for Self-Neglect; Family Service Agency was awarded $62,822.00; Fox Valley Older Adults was awarded $61,611.00; Hope Haven was awarded $11,134.00; Opportunity House was awarded $24,941.00; Prairie State Legal Services was awarded $1,793.00; Voluntary Action Center was awarded $200,000.00 for Meals on Wheels and for Transportation.  The total award amount of $488,114.00.

Moved by Ms. DeFauw, and seconded by Mr. Metzger, Sr., and it was carried unanimously to forward this recommendation to the full board for approval. 

ADJOURNMENT

            Moved by Mr. Emerson, and seconded by Ms. DeFauw, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

                                                            ______________________________________

                                                            Chairman Paul Stoddard

_________________________________________  

Mary C. Supple, Secretary

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