Personal Care Attendant Quality Home Care Workforce Council One Ashburton Place, Room 1109 Boston, MA 02108 DEVAL L. PATRICK Governor TIMOTHY P. MURRAY Lieutenant Governor JUDYANN BIGBY, M.D. Secretary Tel.: 617-573-1786 Fax: 617-573-1890 www.mass.gov/eohhs Personal Care Attendant Quality Home Care Workforce Council One Ashburton Place Boston, MA 02108 General Council Meeting Minutes August 12, 2008 2:00 P.M. 21st floor, Conference Room 2 COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE Joe Bellil, Liz Casey, Paul Spooner, Larry Braman, Eileen Brewster, Joe Tringali (telephonically) STAFF ATTENDING Jack Boesen, Michelle Byrd, Karen Langley CHAIR Paul Spooner, Vice-Chair NOTE TAKER Michelle Byrd AGENDA SETTING No issues were added to previously-issued agenda The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:07 pm. Approval of Meeting Minutes Liz Casey made a motion to approve the July general session minutes. Larry Braman seconded the motion and those minutes were unanimously approved. Larry Braman made a motion to approve the July Executive session minutes. Liz Casey seconded and those minutes were unanimously approved. NCIL national conference Jack Boesen reported on his attendance at the conference. He found the conference very productive and it was well attended. He was impressed by the large number of consumers present. An award was given to Senator Ted Kennedy and Patrick Kennedy accepted on his behalf. Joe Bellil asked if any national issues concerning PCA’s were discussed during the conference. Jack reported that no direct PCA issues were addressed. Report on Consumer and PCA Surveys Jim Maxwell, Karen Schneider and Jaya Mathur from JSI provided the Council with updates on the status of the consumer and PCA surveys including the use of focus groups and qualitative interviews. Jim reported that he found both consumers and PCA’s very open and willing to share their experiences and that at present, JSI has conducted three focus groups and 50 qualitative interviews with consumers. JSI has recently completed three PCA worker focus groups and is in the process of conducting qualitative interviews. Jim reported that some of the first impressions of consumers’ experiences and concerns with the PCA program is that while it allows them to live independently, it does not assist them with their interactions with the medical community and with overall health care services. The PCA worker’s survey has included three focus groups; one including PCA’s who provide care to family members and two other groups consisting of longer service PCA’s. Responses from the qualitative interviews have shown some differences between PCA’s who are family members and those who are not, however, both groups report that they are rewarded by a belief they are helping others and they enjoy the close bonds they develop with their consumers. Many frustrations reported by PCA’s concern low wages, no paid time off and lack of benefits. Paul Spooner asked how many consumers participated in the interview process. Jim reported that a random sample of 800 consumers was selected out of an estimated pool of 14,000. JSI expects to complete 500 interviews from this sample group. Paul Spooner and Joe Bellil both asked about the collection of demographic data on PCA’s and Consumers. Jim explained that some of this data would be collected and provided to the Council. Karen Langley inquired about the bilingual capacity of the PCA worker’s interview process. Jim responded that JSI will provide a bilingual interviewer. Paul Spooner asked if the role of PCM’s was addressed in the PCA worker survey or interviews. Jim stated that PCA’s could address issues regarding PCM’s at part of their overall comments or concerns about how the PCA program works. Paul Spooner asked what estimate JSI had for completion of the survey. Jim reported that they should complete the survey this fall. Paul thanked JSI for their report on behalf of the council. Council Budget Joe Bellil reported on the FY09 Council budget approved by ANF. The PAC funding request for $200,000 is in place to develop the Referral Directory and $300,000 is provided for the Workforce Council operating budget. Paul Spooner asked the Council for a motion to accept the budget report. Larry Braman made a motion to accept the report. Liz Casey seconded and the report was accepted unanimously. Approval of Council work plan Jack Boesen reported that the revised work plan provided to Council members reflects revisions due to current budget constraints. Jack explained to the Council that the work plan addresses performance areas that will be included in the performance review report due December 1, 2008 to the Governor and legislature. The Council will conduct a consumer forum at the SILC conference and the concerns and issues expressed by consumers regarding the PCA program will be incorporated into the report. Joe Bellil expressed his concern that the Council would not be able to prepare the report on time. Jack suggested that the Council add the production of the performance report as an agenda item for the next three council meetings. He also recommended that the Council create either a sub-committee or task force to work on the report. Joe Bellil made a motion to approve the work plan. Eileen Brewster seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. Paul Spooner asked the Council for their recommendation on how to proceed with monitoring the production of the performance report. Liz Casey made a motion to create a task force. Larry Braman seconded and the motion was passed unanimously. Joe Bellil and Eileen Brewster, with assistance from Paul Spooner, were appointed as a task force to oversee production of the report. Report and recommendation of the Procurement Management Team on the RFR for the PCA Referral Directory Paul Spooner asked the Council to move into Executive Session.Joe Bellil made the motion, it was seconded by Larry Braman and approved unanimously. The Council came out of executive session. A motion was made to accept the Procurement Management Team’s recommendation on the RFR and enter into negotiations with Rewarding Works Resources. Larry Braman seconded the motion which passed unanimously. Joe Bellil made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:57 p.m. The motion was seconded by Larry Braman and approved unanimously.