Thursday, May 22, 2008

ELARC VAC Meeting 5/22/2008

10:15 Opening round:  People were compelled by intimidation and peer pressure to introduce themselves and say something positive, which is reprehensible.

Some highlights:  The Family Resource Center is cooperating with the Chinese Parents Association.Easter Seals is partnering with CSLA for parents of people with developmental disabilities to receive information regarding behavioral support through free classes.   Shield Healthcare is preparing children's books and coloring books to explain durable medical equipment.People's First convention coming up.   Almansor Center collaborating with Department of Rehabilitation.  Pat's golf handicap is coming down.  Frances has a new wall.

10:30 Membership Recruitment:  Theresa Groak:  We will be doing a phone tree for next month.  Purpose is to increase vendor attendance.  It was successful last time and we hope the phone tree will achieve similar results last time.  Please email Pearl Ramirez at ELARC if you discover the contact information you are given needs updating.

10:35 VLF Report:  A client satisfaction survey is being prepared by Maxim Pasadena Respite.  This stems from an FAC question about staff training.  Contact Georgina Garcia at gegarcia@maxhealth.com with input.  Bring in instruments you are using or questions you would like answered about your agencies.

Shield Healthcare is willing, once the survey is completed, to ship out questionnaire with their supplies.  FRC also willing to help distribute surveys.

VLF will be contacting Jimmy Williams of Department of Rehabilitation around collaboration between the department and ELARC vendors.

Department of Rehab's policy on post-secondary education, requires full-time students defined as carrying 12 or more units.  This negatively impacts people with cognitive and communicative disabilities.  FAC is encouraging the board to contact the Association of Regional Center Agencies to lobby for a change in the DOR policy to consider the ability of a student to carry a full load.

Evening and weekend series of Person-Centered Thinking tools.  Now offered on Wednesdays.  Night and weekend trainings are being considered.  

Supported Living Networks are providing a free forum on September 26 related to individualized services.  Plans are for more of these events following the September forum. 

FAC discussed ongoing collaboration with VAC.  Request 30 minute block of time at June meeting for presentation and discussion of communication.  Request was approved after a good deal of conversation.

11:10 CAC REPORT:  Cathay Liu will present on employment at Ability First.  Wednesday, June 11, from 9:30-11:30.

11:15 ANNOUNCEMENTS:  July 9, Parent to Parent Mentoring group from Australia will be visiting to mentor other parent groups about person-centered thinking tools.  Contact Joe D'Onofrio at CHOICESS if you're interested.

Board retreat is coming up July 12.

NOTE TO ALL VENDORS:  MAILING TO ELARC HAS CHANGED: SEND ALL MAIL TO ELARC TO

Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center
PO BOX 7916
Alhambra, CA 91802-7916

No longer address correspondence to 1000 So. Fremont under pain of non-delivery.

RAFFLE and ETCETERA.
Patricia De Los Santos will provide next month's raffle prize.
This month's prize winner was Leticia Vasquez.

11:28:  Closing round.  Question:  What are you all doing this weekend?  Minutes end here.