HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE
July 1, 2020
Members Present: J. Hopkins, J. Burdick (remotely), G.
Barnes, D. Decker, S. Havey, D. Root (remotely), P. Stockin, C. Crandall
Others Present: L. Ballengee, S. Decker (remotely), W.
Dibble, K. Graves, B. Harris (remotely), D. Healy, C. Higby, E. Kayes, C.
Knapp, A. Mattison, J. Ricci, B. Riehle, T. Ross, J. Schultz, T. Shaw, M.
Washer (remotely)
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Human
Services Committee Chair Judith Hopkins at 1:38 p.m.
OFFICE FOR THE AGING
Acceptance and Appropriation of Meals-on-Wheels America
Grant Funds
Office for the Aging Director Anita Mattison requested a
resolution to accept and appropriate $12,000 in grant funds from Meals on
Wheels America. This funding is being administered to support additional
expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there will be no required County
match.
Ms. Mattison requested a resolution to accept $33,682 in
Federal Funds under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act-HDC2. This
funding is being administered to Area Agencies on Aging to support additional
expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there will be no required County
match. This request was approved on a motion made by Legislator Havey, seconded
by Legislator Decker, and carried. Refer to Ways & Means
Approval of Contract with Marc Woltag
Ms. Mattison requested permission to enter into a contract
with Marc Woltag, Attorney at Law, to provide legal services to residents of
Allegany County who are sixty years of age or older in the form of legal
advice, representation, assisted referral, on-site training, public education,
and the preparation of legal services for the elderly news articles for the
elderly residents of Allegany County who have need for such services and whose
needs cannot be met by other appropriate resources in the community. Services
will be paid at the rate of $75 per unit of service up to a maximum amount of
$3,500. This is the same rate as was paid in 2019. This request was approved on
a motion made by Legislator Decker, seconded by Legislator Stockin, and
carried.
Approval of Contract with Houghton Rehabilitation &
Nursing Center
Ms. Mattison requested permission to enter into a contract
with Houghton Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for skilled nursing respite
care. The daily rate (24-hour stay) will be $319 for a private room, and
$313.50 for a semi-private room. This request was approved on a motion made by
Legislator Havey, seconded by Legislator Decker, and carried. Prepare
Resolution
Request to Fill Senior Account Clerk Typist Position
Ms. Mattison requested permission to fill one full-time
Senior Account Clerk Typist (AFSCME, Grade 10, Step: 4). Ms. Mattison stated
this position was created to provide backup assistance and support to the
Accountant. The Office for the Aging currently has an Account Clerk Typist
position, and this request is to promote the Account Clerk Typist into the Senior
Account Clerk Typist position on a provisional basis to provide backup and
support to the Accountant. Ms. Mattison noted at this time, they are not
seeking to backfill the Account Clerk Typist position. The annual salary of
this position is $37,786 with benefits estimated at $8,732. This position is
funded 25 percent with County funds, 23 percent with State funds, 44 percent
with Federal funds, and 8 percent with “other” funds. This request was approved
on a motion made by Legislator Stockin, seconded by Legislator Barnes, and
carried. Refer to Ways and Means
Approval of Pekarek Law Group, P.C. Agreement
Ms. Mattison requested permission to enter into a contract
with Pekarek Law Group, P.C. to provide legal services to residents of Allegany
County who are sixty years of age or older in the form of legal advice,
representation, assisted referral, on-site training, public education, and the
preparation of legal services for the elderly news articles for the elderly
residents of Allegany County who have need for such services and whose needs
cannot be met by other appropriate resources in the community. Services will be
paid at the rate of $75 per unit of service up to a maximum amount of $3,500.
This is the same rate as was paid in 2019. This request was approved on a
motion made by Legislator Havey, seconded by Legislator Stockin, and carried. Prepare
Resolution
SOCIAL SERVICES
Approval of Doyle Security Systems Contract
Social Services Commissioner Edna Kayes requested a
resolution to approve the contract with Doyle Security Systems, Inc., 792
Calkins Road, Rochester, NY, 14623 for the period July 1, 2020, through
December 31, 2020, for Personal Emergency Response System Services. This contract
costs $26 per month per person and is paid by Medicaid. Ms. Kayes stated this
is a Medicaid service for lifelines that used to be handled by St. James
Hospital. Effective July 1, 2020, St. James will no longer be covering this
service, and it will now be handled by Doyle Security Systems who requires a
contract to be in place. This request was approved on a motion made by
Legislator Stockin, seconded by Legislator Havey, and carried. Prepare
Resolution
Approval of Catholic Charities (Kinship Family &
Youth Services) Agreement
Ms. Kayes requested a resolution to approve the contract
with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester d/b/a Catholic Charities of
Steuben (Kinship Family and Youth Services) 23 Liberty Street, Bath, NY 14810
for the period September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021, for Respite Services
for Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS). The fiscal impact of this contract is
$47,150 plus an additional $49.88 per day per child as needed. This contract
has a 62 percent state reimbursement and a 38 percent local share. This request
was approved on a motion made by Legislator Havey, seconded by Legislator
Decker, and carried. Prepare Resolution
Child Advocacy Center May Statistics Report
Ms. Kayes stated she submitted her first report for the
Child Advocacy Center and briefly highlighted some of the statistics. Ms. Kayes
indicated the Winnebago will be arriving next week, grants have been approved
by the state, and she is hopeful they will be doing their first claiming by the
end of July. Legislator Healy asked for additional explanation of the
Winnebago. Ms. Kayes stated it is essentially an office on wheels that will be
utilized for families with children who need interviews but have no means of
transportation. The Winnebago can be taken anywhere in Allegany or Cattaraugus
County, and Ms. Kayes noted the Child Advocacy Center will soon be providing
mental health services to children who are victims of abuse, and the Winnebago
can be used to help provide mental health services to them.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Approval of Contract with Jaime Beardsley
Public Health Director Lori Ballengee requested a resolution
to enter into an evaluation contract for speech pathology with Jaime Beardsley.
The individual listed above will provide Preschool evaluations to children in
Allegany County who are referred to the Preschool program. This contract will
run from approval to August 31, 2024. Evaluations are paid at $163 per evaluation,
and the Health Department will bill Medicaid for evaluations and recoup 59.5
percent of what Medicaid will not cover, if any, from the state. Legislator
Healy asked if there is any cost to the County. Ms. Ballengee stated whatever
Medicaid won’t cover will fall to the County; however, Medicaid is usually
pretty good about covering it. Committee Chair Hopkins asked if this is a
mandated program, and Ms. Ballengee stated, yes. This request was approved on a
motion made by Legislator Barnes, seconded by Legislator Decker, and carried.
Prepare Resolution
COVID-19
Ms. Ballengee commended her staff who have worked 7 days a
week since the beginning of March. Ms. Ballengee stated she can’t speak highly
enough about their dedication and hard work. Committee Chair Hopkins stated the
contact tracing efforts that our County has done through the Health Department
are exceptional, and the key to keeping the number of infected people down. Ms.
Ballengee noted with every positive case, it has been a matter of two hours or less
that they have gotten people isolated. Legislator Barnes asked if there is
anything to attribute our low death rate to. Ms. Ballengee stated it correlates
with our low positive rate, adding since day one, Allegany County continues to
have a lower positive rate than our surrounding counties Ms. Ballengee noted
she doesn’t want to attribute the low death rate to one specific thing because she
is unsure. Committee Chair Hopkins stated the less positives we have is because
people are obeying the restrictions, and she is grateful to everyone for doing
that. Ms. Ballengee stated it makes their life easier when people stay in
quarantine and follow the guidelines. Legislator Barnes asked if there is any
particular reason why we haven’t had any nursing home problems like surrounding
counties have. Ms. Ballengee stated she is not comfortable commenting on that.
County Administrator Carissa Knapp stated there has been
constant communication with the nursing homes, hospital, schools, etc. to make
sure they are always set with their PPE needs. Ms. Ballengee thanked and
acknowledged Administrator Knapp for all of her help and the many evening and
weekend hours she has put in.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the
committee, the meeting was adjourned at 2:01 p.m. following a motion made by
Legislator Decker, seconded by Legislator Stockin, and carried.
Respectfully Submitted,
Meghan Washer
Confidential Secretary
Board of Legislators
