Minutes, TNSTF Meeting 8/26/08, 3pm, Hartwell School Admin Bldg
Present: Dianne Haessler. Joanna Hopkins, Rob Loud, Tricia McGean, Phyllis Mutschler, Maureen Richichi, Beth Ries, Karen Santucci, Peggy Schmertzler, Mary Sheldon
1. New Information
a. Karen met with Partners Private Care. They are a full service
(from home health aides to nurses and physical therapists)
vendor for home health needs, well-qualified, interested
in more clients, and quite reasonably priced.
b. Beth found from Town Treasurer that Lincoln has $5,000/yr
available for mental health services when needed through
MD or self-referral.
c. Mary met with Herb Taylor, Groves representative, who said
that it was unlikely the Groves could provide health services
to independent Lincoln residents.,
2. Discussion on whether or not to proceed with TNSTF.
a. health needs identified: health assessments for seniors--now few calls for this but belief that more will surface, particularly with relationship building; some post-hospitalization needs; needs around Town’s Emergency Planning (LEPC)--particularly in area of Citizens Emergency Response Corps (CERT); changes in Lincoln’s state mandated reporting, surveillance and control of communicable diseases--currently carried out by Maureen who assesses that school health demands now so great that present system no longer workable. Her current stipend would become available
b. solutions offered: a one-year contract with Parmenter VNA to provide quality service and data in a 10 hour/week public health, Lincoln-committed nurse, cost around $25,000; a State-funded grant for a pilot under the executive office of Senior Affairs (we assessed that this would be too slow a process).
c. questions raised: is a social worker or a nurse the better solution for Lincoln’s seniors’s unmet needs? Karen stated that the nurse has better skills to assess health status and home saefey and report to MD’s.
3, Joanna presented a draft proposal for a parttime public health nurse for Lincoln, up to $25,000 for 1 year, through Parmenter or other bid-for vendors, who would expand Maureen’s present public health nursing role in Lincoln, adding health screening, more clinics, etc, etc., following the priorities identified in our survey and in our research of other towns.
.
4. Decision:
to have another Task Force meeting to finalize our decision;
to get on the agenda of the Board of Health’s October Meeting and the Selects’10/6 meeting in case we decide to go ahead.
5. Note:
The Selects will determine whether or not the proposal becomes a warrant article or a line item on the town budget (per Al Schmertzler, long time Fin Com member) and “if a line item, the sooner you get it to the Selects, the better your chances of getting the money.”
6. Next Meeting: Tues, 9/16. 3:15pm, Hartwell School Admin. Bldg.
CODA:
Because there is an intervening meeting of the Board of Health, 9/3, Joanna, Maureen and I are on the agenda seeking reactions to our Task Force’s work so far, as well as feedback regarding a possible propoal should the Task Force decide on 9/16 to proceed with our Nurse Study. As you know, Joanna has circulated to Task Force members a draft proposal to ground our discussion.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Schmertzler
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