HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/19/2017 - Minutes �� �t��lf('� fl �
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Human Services Advisory Committee
Meeting Report
Renton City Hall
Council Conference Room, 7th Floor
September 19, 2017 3:00 p.m.
ATTENDANCE: Amy Koehl, Leslie Anderson, Brandy Brown, Cynthia Jones,Adair Hasty,Joanie Howe,Teresa
Kenney, Krista Townsend.
Excused:Tina Harris, Brook Dodd.
Absent:
Staff: Guy Williams, Dianne Utecht
Introductions around the table with Human Services Advisory Committee and guests
1. The meeting was called to order at 3:05 by Vice Chair Amy Koehl.
2. Approval of the agenda was moved to after agency presentations.
3. Approval of Previous Minutes. Minutes for July and September will be approved in October.
4. Agency Presentations.
• Catholic Community Services. Dan Wise provided a general overview of all the programs CCS
provides. CCS serves over 100,000 people in western Washington annually with services including
adoptions,shelter and homeless services, housing,family and youth services, seniors and people
with disabilities,veterans'services as well as some chemical dependency services. Renton funds
three programs,ARISE, Emergency Assistance and Volunteer Chore Services.
ARISE serves 25 homeless men at a rotating night shelter and provides intensive case management
services. In 2017, 20 of the men have transitioned to permanent housing. Currently there are 10
churches participating in hosting the shelter for one month at a time. ARISE does outreach at the
REACH breakfast twice a week,and meets with men at the downtown library one day a week.
Emergency Assistance provides rent and utility assistance targeted to families, but single adults
can also receive help. There is a huge demand for the services and limited funds, so the phone line
for appointments is open two hours on hours. They can usually assist two families per week.
Volunteer Chore Services, now known as Volunteer Services, uses volunteers to provide assistance
to low income elders and adults with disabilities to help them live independently in their own
homes as long as safely possible. Volunteers provide assistance with household chores such as
cleaning, laundry,grocery shopping,yard work, and transportation. There is a wait list for services,
and volunteers are needed.
* Sound Generations: Dale Hoover discussed the Meals on Wheels(MOW) program and community
dining. Renton and Kent are two of the biggest users of the program. MOW will provide around
26,000 meals/year to Renton residents. To qualify for the program, participants must be 60 years
of age or older with medical or mental health issues that makes meal preparation difficult, people
with disabilities regardless of age. There is a suggested donation per meal, but no one is turned
H:\Human Services�Advisory Committee\2017 HSAC\95eptember 2017\september 2017 minutes docx
away due to an inability to contribute.
The Community Dining Program provides a hot, made from scratch lunch M-F at the Senior Center.
In addition to providing a nutritious meal, it provides an opportunity for socialization. There is a
suggested donation for the meal, but no one is turned away due to inability to contribute.
Volunteer Transportation. Walt Washington is the new volunteer transportation coordinator and
has been on the job about 1 month. Volunteer Transportation provides a personalized,free, door-
to-door transportation service. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to transport senior to
medical and other essential appointments. The program is targeted to seniors unable to use other
transportation option, or whose physical and/or medical condition requires them to have an escort
to their appointments. Sound Generations also has two Hyde shuttles running in Renton.
A new program will be starting in September and Walt will send us more information. They are
currently recruiting riders for this program.
5. Manager's Report. Guy welcomed our newest member Adair Hasty. Adair is a 30 year Renton resident
with a passion for working with kids and families, and a licensed mental health therapist with a
background in managing organization change and cultural diversity.
6. Work Plan: The group discussed the work plan for the upcoming funding cycle. Dianne highlighted a
number of the items that require decisions in the upcoming months. After discussion,the group decided
the October meeting should not have any speakers, but be dedicated to three topics; a review of the
funding process A-Z, reviewing updated demographics for Renton in conjunction with discussion of the
needs assessment with a goal toward assessing if the needs articulated in 2014 are still timely,or if
changes need to be made. There was discussion on the changing application, and it was decided that
discussion of the rating tool should be delayed until we have the final questions for the new application.
The work plan is a working document and can be changed as needed.
The Committee members were asked to review the Needs Assessment prior to the next meeting and be
thinking about whether it captures the current needs of Renton residents.
The meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, <
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Amy Koehl, Vice-Chair
Next regular meeting:October 17th,2017, Council Conference room 7th Floor,Renton City Hall