Personal Care Attendant Quality
Home 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	October 15, 2009	3:00 P.M.	21st floor, 1 Ashburton Place 	
 	
coUNCIL
 members in attendance	Joe Bellil, Liz Casey, Paul Spooner, Denise Harvey	
 Staff attending	Jack Boesen, Michelle Byrd, Karen Langley	
 chair	Jean McGuire	
Note taker	Michelle Byrd	
agenda setting	No issues were added to previously-issued agenda	

Jean McGuire called the meeting to order at 3:05 pm.

Approval of Meeting Minutes
Jean McGuire asked the Council to approve the general session minutes from August.  Joe Bellil made a motion to accept the August minutes, Paul Spooner seconded and the motion passed unanimously.  A motion was made to accept the August Executive Session minutes.  The motion was seconded, and those minutes were unanimously approved.
       
Referral Directory Update
Karen Langley provided an update on the PCA referral directory.  In addition to the soft launch of the Directory as well as the launch events in Boston and Springfield, public service announcements (PSA’s) are now running on local television stations.  Karen reviewed the first directory report provided by Rewarding Work Resources (RWR). The report covers three areas; the Employer Subscription Report, the Worker Report and the PCA Support Report.   Karen informed the council that 1,591 workers have signed up on the directory.  Roughly, 33% of the new workers used the call center for assistance in registering.

Liz Casey asked if there were any literacy or language issues regarding the directory.  Karen responded that the site is available in Spanish.  Spanish-speaking persons have been contacting the call center for assistance.  She will ask RWR about the number of requests made to view the website in Spanish.

Karen reports that upcoming activities related to the Directory include establishment of links on the EHS and MassHealth home pages to the Directory page as well as information and training updates posted on the Council’s website.  The Council’s newsletter, to be mailed this fall, will feature a lead article on the directory. In continuing outreach efforts, CD’s featuring PowerPoint presentations on the directory and PSA’s will be distributed to agencies throughout the state.

PCA Survey 
Jim Maxwell of JSI presented findings from the PCA Workers Survey.  The areas evaluated included; characteristics of PCA workers and PCA work, PCA recruitment and retention, relationships to PCA consumers, administrative issues, job satisfaction and worker recommendations of job improvement.  Survey data was collected from 171 PCAs caring for family members and 344 PCAs not related to consumers.  95% reported they were very or somewhat satisfied with their jobs. The lack of benefits and low wages were the highest reported problems related to being a PCA.  Jean thanked JSI for their work and appreciated the findings of the report.  A copy of the presentation will be available on the Council web site.

PAS Coalition Report
Due to the number of agenda items, this report is tabled until the next scheduled meeting.

Council Vision Statement
Jack Boesen asked the Council to vote on accepting the current vision statement.  Paul Spooner made a motion to accept the vision statement.  Joe Bellil seconded and the motion was passed unanimously.

FY010 Expenditure Report
Joe Bellil reviewed the current expenditure report with Council members noting changes in the new format.

DOL grant application
Jack Boesen provided Council members with a summary of the application process and a list of collaborators including PHI and 1199 SEIU United Health Care Workers East.

Council appointments/reappointments
Jack Boesen reported that Joe Bellil’s reappointment paperwork was submitted.  Raymond Glazier’s appointment is pending.

Bargaining Committee Report
Paul Spooner, Liz Casey, Doug Shatkin and Jack Boesen attended a collective bargaining session and will meet again with representatives of 1199 SEIU on October 16 to discuss issues of Paid Time Off and Union Security.

At 4:05 p.m., Paul Spooner made a motion to adjourn to executive session. Joe Bellil seconded the motion and it was agreed upon unanimously.    

The Council came out of executive session at 5:00 p.m. Council members agreed to vote on a motion to support the Bargaining Committee’s proposed language on paid time off benefits and union security for the purpose of collective bargaining.  Paul Spooner made the motion, Liz Casey seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

 A motion was made at 5:02 p.m. to adjourn.  It was seconded, and passed unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,
Michelle Byrd