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.: 617-573-1600 Fax: 617-573-1890 www.mass.gov/eohhs General Council Meeting Minutes August 14, 2007 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M 21st floor, Conference Room 3 Committee members in attendance Joe Bellil, Eileen Brewster, Liz Casey, Jean McGuire, George Noel, Paul Spooner, Joe Tringali Committee members in attendance telephonically Larry Braman Committee Chair Assistant Secretary Jean McGuire Note Taker-Rachel Richards Agenda Setting No issues were added to previously issued agenda Agenda Topics Approval of Meeting Minutes Mr. Bellil made a motion to accept the July 19, 2007 minutes as written. Mr. Spooner seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously. Updates The Chair thanked Election Subcommittee members and SEIU for their work with the American Arbitration Association in reaching an Election Process Agreement. The Chair also provided an update regarding the status of the Supplemental Budget and indicated that the bill had not yet been approved by the Legislature. In the absence of a budget and Workforce Council Director, the Chair explained that there is a strain on resources available to support the Council. Mr. Spooner requested a breakdown of the Supplemental budget from the Chair. The Chair will provide a breakdown. There was a discussion regarding the role of the Council as employer. The Chair stated that EOHHS legal staff will explain this role further at a future meeting, and clarified that EOHHS attorneys can talk to the Council but cannot represent the Council. The Chair expressed a need for the Council to hire an attorney when the budget is approved. The Council reviewed the job description for the Council Director position, and indicated the position would be posted the next day. Ms. Richards indicated that work on the RFI regarding the Registry continued. The Chair asked Council members for assistance with the review of resumes and the interviewing process. Ms. Casey, Mr. Bellil, and Mr. Tringali volunteered. There was a discussion about whether the final candidates should be interviewed by the full Council in an open meeting. Mr. Spooner indicated that he believed a small hiring committee could perform outside of an open meeting. The Chair will consult with Legal staff regarding whether the Council’s obligations as it relates to the Open Meeting Law and hiring activities. Ms. Richards said the Workforce Council brochure was mailed on August 1st. The Workforce Council Web site is also up, but there is no information yet on the number of hits. The Council e-mail account is also working, and generates an automatic response to those who send e-mail messages. Mr. Bellil said he attended a recent PCA Coalition meeting and expressed the importance of the Council having a phone number. The Chair stated that presently there are no resources to do so. Over time, the Council can draft “Frequently Asked Questions and Answers” and add the content to the Web site. The Chair requested that Council members forward suggestions for content to be included in the FAQ to Ms. Richards or Mr. Ajemian. From the audience, Ms. Malberg asked that any language developed by the Council about the union be neutral. Also from the audience, Ms. Aldrich indicated that there may be calls unrelated to the Council or to the union election that should be routed to PCM agencies to answer. The Chair stated that any calls related to the union cannot be directed to SEIU until the union is officially recognized. Ms. Richards said that election ballots will be mailed October 16th, will be due back to AAA by November 6th, and will be counted on November 7th. Outreach and September Council Meeting EOHHS General Counsel Cynthia Young joined the meeting. Ms. Young stated she assists the Chair in her EOHHS role, but that she is not the Workforce Council’s attorney. She advised the Council to hire legal counsel as soon as practicable. Mr. Tringali asked Ms. Young if a Council member would be held liable if a prospective job candidate made a claim of discrimination. Ms. Young referred the Council to the Section 31 of the Council’s enabling statute. The Chair suggested that future meetings include further discussions regarding legal issues and a discussion of collective bargaining considerations. There was then discussion about whether the Statewide Independent Living Council would host the next Council meeting, and whether the meeting should be moved and held at the Statewide Independent Living (SIL) Conference (September 10-12). Mr. Bellil indicated that he believed this would be a good opportunity for consumers from Central and Western Massachusetts to attend a Council meeting. Mr. Spooner said the Council meeting could take place in a workshop time slot for 1 hour and 15 minutes. He reminded Council members of the Council’s obligation to submit a report to the Legislature on program recommendations/ improvements, and could use the SIL Conference meeting as an opportunity to collect comments from the public as well as explain the Council’s responsibilities. Mr. Noel concurred. Mr. Spooner volunteered to coordinate the scheduling of the meeting with SIL Conference organizers and provide the Council members with an update. From the audience, Ms. Malberg asked to be placed on October’s agenda to provide information about collective bargaining. Mr. Spooner questioned whether such a presentation would be appropriate prior to SEIU being elected to represent PCAs. The Chair requested that Ms. Malberg submit a summary of what she would like to present, and the Chair will review and follow up with Ms. Malberg. Mr. Noel stated that he did not see any issues with a presentation from SEIU but indicated that there were other places from which the Council could obtain information about collective bargaining. Planning Discussion The Chair questioned the Council members regarding their expectations for future initiatives and priorities. Ms. Brewster stated she would like to see all PCAs be involved in the Medical Reserve Corps ; she further explained that the Medical Reserve Corps are situation teams that respond to emergency management situations. Her idea is that PCAs could be raised to MRC status to allow PCAs to travel and provide services in an emergency setting. Ms. Casey stated she would like the PCAs to be a more solid and cohesive workforce unit; and stated the registry is a key component in developing this. The Chair stated she is interested in training and career paths for PCAs. Mr. Tringali stated a well done and effective PCA registry is important for consumers to remain independent. This truly gives control to the consumer to allow him/her to choose an appropriate, experienced PCA. Mr. Spooner stated he would like the focus to be on making the PCA program more comprehensive for people with disabilities; possibly introducing a model for consumers who cannot manage the self-direction required in the PCA program. The Chair stated it is time to review the statutory obligations of the Council. Mr. Bellil stated he would like the Council to have an opportunity to evaluate and obtain consumer feedback regarding the registry and training. He stated there are many PCAs consumers who could be involved in the workforce, and would like the Council to expand employment opportunities for PCA consumers. Next Steps Mr. Spooner will forward information about the next meeting to be held at the Statewide Independent. A motion to adjourn was made and then seconded by Mr. Noel. The motion was approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 4 P.M. The MRC program was created after President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address, in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. The MRC is comprised of organized medical and public health professionals who serve as volunteers to respond to natural disasters and emergencies. These volunteers assist communities nationwide during emergencies and in ongoing public health efforts. 3 Minutes August 14, 2007