Personal Care Attendant Quality
ome Care Workforce Council
600 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA  02111 

DEVAL L. PATRICK
Governor

TIMOTHY P. MURRAY
Lieutenant Governor

JUDYANN BIGBY, M.D.
Secretary

Tel.:  617-210-5715
www.mass.gov/pca

		

Personal Care Attendant Quality Home Care Workforce Council
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108

Council Meeting

Minutes	January 6, 2009	2:00 P.M.	21st floor, 1 Ashburton Place 	
 	
coUNCIL
 members in attendance	Joe Bellil, Liz Casey, Paul Spooner, Jean McGuire, Tom Jones and Joe Tringali (telephonically)	
 Staff attending	Jack Boesen, Michelle Byrd	
 chair	Jean McGuire	
Note taker	Michelle Byrd	
agenda setting	No issues were added to previously-issued agenda	

The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:15 pm.

Approval of Meeting Minutes
Joe Bellil made a motion to approve the December minutes.  Paul Spooner seconded, and the minutes were unanimously approved.   

Paul Spooner made a motion to approve the December Executive Session minutes.  Liz Casey seconded, and the minutes were approved unanimously.

Directory Development
Jack Boesen reported on bi-weekly meetings with Rewarding Work Resources, Inc.   Council oversight of the referral directory development will be provided by Liz Casey and Larry Braman.  Jack explained that pursuant to the statute, priority will be given to low income persons to access the web-site. Jack and Karen Langley met with Victor Vasquez at the Department of Transitional Assistance and received a positive response.  He reported that all contractors and subcontractors had signed statements of compliance with the data share agreement prepared by MassHealth.  Jean McGuire asked when the directory would be available.  Jack said that the directory should be operational by June 2009.  Jean also asked if any effort has been made to involve DLWD and the one-stops in the development of the Directory.  Jack responded that RWR will assist the council in recruitment and outreach efforts including one-stops, community colleges and MRC, as well as other agencies. Joe Tringali asked if edited brochure materials will be provided.  Jack stated that revised materials will be reviewed by council members prior to approval.  

A question was raised regarding C.M.S. exclusions, through the Office of Inspector General (OIG), denying PCA and other employment to persons guilty of Medicare, Medicaid fraud and other offenses.  Would this requirement have an impact on PCAs registering their services through the directory?  Paul Spooner expressed a concern regarding the role F.I.’s would have in the active screening of PCAs.  Jean McGuire asked the Council to address the issue of whether or not the directory should implement an independent screening process.  Joe Bellil asked if PCM skills trainers were aware of the required screening process and whether or not they are incorporating it into their training.  Jack Boesen explained that in terms of the Registry, the consumer would be made aware of the screening resource and fully informed that they would ultimately be responsible for utilizing it.  He suggested that another option would be for PCA’s to be screened by the F.I.’s before they could be listed on the Directory site.  This issue, along with other operational issues, could be addressed by the Labor Management Committee and the committee could work with Lois Aldrich regarding discussion of options.

Update on health care options study
Jean McGuire informed the council that, due to the financial circumstances faced by the Council, she had asked the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Health Policy and Research to conduct the study of health care options called for in the labor agreement.  A meeting will be scheduled with representatives of the Council, A&F and 1199 SEIU to address preliminary questions before the study gets underway. 

Labor Management Committee
Jack Boesen announced that the council representatives to the LMC would include himself, Paul Spooner, Joe Bellil and Liz Casey.  The meetings will be held at 1199SEIU offices and a final meeting schedule will be set.

Council Budget Report
Joe Bellil reported on expenses as of 12/29/08.  Jack Boesen explained to the Council that currently there is no dedicated budget person assigned to the Council and that he is working with Steven Barnard to have updated reports sent in advance of Council meetings.  Paul Spooner expressed his concern that adequate funding be available to the Council to continue the operation of the PCA directory.  He asked what actions the Council could take to secure the funding needed.  Jack Boesen replied that he is working on reducing actual operational costs of the directory.  It was recommended that the consumer members of the Council send a letter to Secretary Bigby outlining accomplishments made by the council in 2008 and the necessity of funding the Council to meet the requirements of the statute for 2009 and 2010.  Joe Bellil asked if there were any other funding opportunities to support the operations of the Directory.  Tom Jones provided several names of persons that could be contacted who could assist the Council in investigating alternate funding sources.

Jean McGuire asked the council for any other items for discussion.  Paul Spooner requested that the council address the meeting schedule for 2009 at a future meeting. Jack Boesen updated the Council on the nomination process of Denise Harvey for council membership.

A motion was made by Joe Bellil to move to executive session at 3:15 p.m. Paul Spooner seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

The Council came out of executive session.  A motion was made, seconded and passed to adjourn at 3:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Michelle Byrd