MINUTES
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
12:00 noon @ Mansfield Town Hall
Conference Room B
PRESENT: E. Mantzaris (Chair), J. Marchon, E. Griffin, A. Hoyt,
K. Grunwald (staff), P. Michalak (staff), K. McNamara, (Staff)
K. Taylor (Secretary)
ABSENT: F. Perrotti, C. Morrell, K. H. Spottiswoode, S. Riffle
Director’s Report – K. Grunwald presented handouts to the Board members including the Budget Calendar, the departmental Quarterly Report and an article on the iParentNetwork.
A discussion ensued amongst the members regarding the budget, regarding possible staff layoffs, and reductions.
K. Grunwald informed the Board that the Senior Center had received a donation and is purchasing “MySeniorCenter” software with the funds. This software program will be used department wide for case management, and reporting.
Coordinator’s Report – P. Michalak summarized the monthly activities listed below for the board:
February 2009
February Activities
1. Social Work Interns: Met with Marylyn Cardone from UConn, School of Social Work to discuss possibility of 2 social work interns for next year to help us with our clinical workload.
2. Volunteer Orientation: We will have 10 more mentors this semester for the growing Big Friend’s Program
3. LEAP: Planning for the LEAP 5th Grade transition group at MMS with Ken Caputo, owner of Villari’s Martial Arts Studio in North Windham.
4. JOY program: Sixty children and families received complementary tickets to Gary Krinsky’s “Toying with Science” show at Jorgensen.
5. UConn baseball partnership: Initiated our mentoring partnership with the UConn baseball team. Team members sent their first post cards from Florida to their “little friends”. The children who received post cards wrote back. YSB will work to continue this relationship.
6. Moving out program: Coordinator is involved with UConn’s Office of Environmental Policy to develop and implement a program to collect food and household items from students moving out. Mansfield families in need and other communities will be receiving the items left behind by students.
7. Conference on substance abuse: Coordinator attended conference Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment: Evidence – Based Practice
8. New intakes: Number of new intakes this month from the schools.
9. Humphrey Center: Met with Dori LaPlante from the Humphrey Center for Individual, Couple, and Family Therapy to learn of their services. We will be referring families to the center for out patient therapy when appropriate.
10. UConn Psychological Services reach Mansfield families: UConn continues to offer great resources to our families as a number of families have been referred there this month.
11. Grandparent’s Raising Grandchildren Group: Staff and several grandparents attended a legislative forum hosted by AARP/CT.
P. Michalak touched on some of the highlights of the YSB’s monthly activities with the Board. P. Michalak also informed the Board members that the Youth Service Bureau will be interviewing interns to assist with coordinating volunteers and YSB programs.
P. Michalak also updated the Board on two of the programs the department is coordinating, LEAP and JUMP. P. Michalak shared with the Board that these programs were born from the COPE program that is conducted weekly at the elementary schools to address the needs of youth who are entering the middle school and high school. Ken Caputo of Villari’s Martial Arts is coordinating with Candace Morrell, Mansfield Middle School Vice Principal on preparing students for the Challenge Program.
None
Discussion of the Action Plan for the Mansfield 2020 Strategic Plan:
None
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 12:52 PM.
NOTE: The next meeting is scheduled for April 14th at noon in Conference Room B.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen L. Taylor
Secretary