CT AHEAD

Contents

Membership Meeting Minutes

Date: December 13, 2002
Location: Central Connecticut State University - Marcus White Living Room
Chair: John Jarvis

2002 - 2003 Executive Board
President: John Jarvis
Vice President: Jill Angotta
Secretary: Carol Young
Treasurer: Barbara MacKay

Treasury Report

Per Barbara MacKay, John Jarvis reported that the current balance of the budget is $1790.68.
Members who have not yet done so, are encouraged to forward their 2002-2003 membership form (attached) and dues, reflecting the new membership rates, to Barbara MacKay as soon as possible.

Business Meeting/News

Review of Association Bylaws: Carol Young presented a revised draft of the Association Bylaws for review and invited all members to prepare suggested revisions, additions, and/or deletions for the next CT AHEAD meeting. The final revised document will be presented at the April 2003 meeting and voted upon by the membership. Please see the attachment entitled CT AHEAD Bylaws.
Update on the Proposed Interagency Agreement: John Jarvis reported that the document, which was voted on and approved by CT AHEAD members and CT VR during the summer 2002, has undergone several rounds of revisions at the higher levels within the CSU and the Community College systems. John presented copies of the latest version of the agreement to the members present and noted that the private institutions will likely not participate in the signing of this agreement. Also, BRS has recently viewed the latest version and will weigh in with their opinion at a later date. Meanwhile, in light of the recent statewide budget crisis, the Department of Higher Education has decided to put this issue “on the back burner” for now. John Jarvis is actively pursuing the resolution of this matter.
Download the proposed interagency agreement
Changes in the way BRS funds postsecondary educational costs: Upon a specific request to speak to the membership, Dick Carlson reported on the changes coming down the pike within the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS). Carlson indicated that effective July 1, 2003, BRS will constrict funds paid to new BRS participants for postsecondary educational programs, which includes tuition, fees and living expenses, according to their new policy. For example, BRS currently funds generic costs of one’s education up to that of the University of Connecticut. However, beginning July 1, 2003, new BRS participants who are determined eligible for funding of educational programs will be capped at the cost of the community college system for the first two years of his/her education. Please refer to the policy, which is explained on the attached document entitled, “Public Notice”. Carlson noted that this information is being disseminated to various sectors such as clients, parents, and CT Financial Aid Administrators. He encourages disability specialists to become familiar with this change and to feel free to share this information with all applicable parties.

Presentation:

Ms. Lauri DiGalbo has been employed by Bureau of Rehabilitation Services for 28 years; the last 14 as Consultant for Mental Disabilities where she provides consultation to post-secondary institutions, public school systems, state agencies, employers and in clinical settings on integration of persons with mental illness. She is on the advisory boards of New England Psychiatric Rehabilitation Training Program and the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University. Ms. DiGalbo is an adjunct faculty member at CCSU and Springfield College. She also provides consultation to post-secondary institutions around the country that are meeting the challenges of integrating persons with mental illness into their student bodies. In her presentation entitled, Meeting the Challenges of Psychiatric Disabilities in Post-Secondary Settings, she shared related statistics, demographics, psychiatric labels, medication issues, policy concerns, and strategies for disability service providers. Her handout is available by contacting Carol Young at youngc@ccsu.edu.

Important reminders to all members:

Barbara MacKay is collecting CT AHEAD membership dues for the 2002-2003 academic year. Please print the attached membership form and forward it, along with your check, to Barbara MacKay at Briarwood College as soon as possible. You will find her mailing address on the membership form. Please feel free to share this information with your colleagues who may also be interested in membership.
Steering committee meetings occur immediately following every membership meeting. The executive board encourages all interested CT AHEAD members to join in on discussions around meeting outcomes and planning for the future.
Carol Young is compiling a current list of member’s e-mail addresses. Please be sure to notify her if you are not receiving emails or if your email address has changed. Forward concerns or changes to Carol at youngc@ccsu.edu.
The following is the meeting and presentation schedule for the remainder of the 2002-2003 academic year. All meetings are tentatively scheduled at Central Connecticut State University and will run from 8:45 – 12:15 PM, approximately.
Friday, February 14, 2003: Loring Brinckerhoff on ETS Testing Accommodations
Friday, April 11, 2003: TBA

In attendance: Mark Brown, Linda Copney-Okeke, Rick Culliton, Roseann Dennerlein, Lauri DiGalbo, Susan Duques, John Jarvis, Lynn Langella, Joseph Madaus, Mark Myers, Laurie Novi, David Ryan-Soderlund, Pamela Starr, Karen Stigliano, Carole Weiner, Carol Young

Steering Committee Notes

An issue was raised regarding the recent increase in membership dues. It was noted that some members unknowingly paid dues to the treasurer according to the old fee schedule after the announcement was made that the membership dues have been increased. John Jarvis agreed to ask the treasurer to contact CT AHEAD members who paid the old membership dues after September 3, 2002, and request the appropriate adjustment.
The idea of forming a formal affiliation with the National AHEAD organization was briefly discussed. Jill Angotta agreed to investigate this option and report on her findings at the next meeting.
The summer 2002 membership surveys that were returned (approximately 14) will be presented by John Jarvis and discussed at the next Steering Committee meeting.
Regarding the April 2003 meeting, Toni Page agreed to look into arranging for a speaker on the topic of Asperger Syndrome. John Jarvis agreed to contact Toni and Lynn Langella on this.
Effective transition planning for students with disabilities from high school to college, especially around ADA education and documentation, continues to be a concern for DSS professionals. The Steering Committee will consider options on addressing this concern at future meetings.

New items:

In light of her presentation today, Lauri DiGalbo asked that a donation be made in her name to the Connecticut Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
John Jarvis indicated that the Treasurer officer position might soon open up. Pamela Starr expressed some interest in the position. Additionally, it was noted that at present, the Treasurer writes checks from her own account. The Steering Committee agreed that when the position is reassigned, an official checking account must be opened under the name, CT AHEAD.
Regarding the Proposed Interagency Agreement, John Jarvis agreed to consider writing a letter on behalf of the membership to be sent to the powers-that-be on the position of the membership.

In attendance: John Jarvis, Laurie Novi, David Ryan-Soderlund, Pamela Starr, Carol Young