The Health and Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, March 3, 2008 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Robert Rosemier called the meeting to order.  Members present were Jeff Metzger, Sr., Richard Osborne and Paul Stoddard.  Ms. LaVigne and Ms. Fullerton were absent. A quorum was present.  Others present were Mary Ramp, Jess Collins and Herb Holderman.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Mr. Stoddard, seconded by Mr. Osborne, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from February 2008.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as amended.

VETERAN’S ASSISTANCE ANNUAL REPORT

          Mr. Herb Holderman, Director of the DeKalb County Veteran’s Assistance Department, presented his Annual Report to the committee.  He stated that the minivan transportation service that they provide for veterans with the help of volunteer drivers started in June of 2006.  They transport veterans from the VA medical centers in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, northern Illinois VA medical centers and VA outpatient clinics.  The seven drivers drove sixty-two trips totaling 11,395 miles and 405 volunteer hours.  When available they also use Voluntary Action Center to provide transportation to VA hospitals and clinics in the northern Illinois area.

          He also stated that they saw 884 veterans and filed 109 claims last year and 81 this year with a total of both years totaling 190 claims.  Only 27 of those claims were adjudicated, which shows how slow the Veteran’s Administration moves.  Out of that they collected $189,237 for the veterans in the County, which is retroactive pay.  They also found 8 veterans full-time employment also. 

          They have seen more and more veterans seeking mental health counseling also. He said that almost everyone that is a returned vet is seeking a doctor, but that he couldn’t give the committee an exact number. If they don’t seek it then their parents are suggesting that they see a doctor. The veteran would see either a local VA contracted doctor, someone from Ben Gordon, Hines Hospital, a VA Psychologist in Sycamore who visits here once a month and a doctor in Rockford.

          Mr. Holderman then compared the last two years of what they have paid.  In 2006 they paid $8,800 for General Assistance and in 2007 they paid $35,000.  This would be considered supplemental assistance he said.  They are averaging $20,000 a year in housing costs. 

They pay on scale for the number of people in the family.  The average payment is between $400 and $600 for housing/shelter costs, which usually covers one-third of the mortgage or rent payment.  They also help out married students who are veterans.  They have begun to help people out with foreclosures too, about five people right now.  They try to work something out with the mortgage company if they can.

Mr. Metzger, Sr., asked if they visit the veterans in the Sandwich area?  Mr. Holderman said that yes they do.  They go down to Sandwich to visit with veterans from Hinckley and Sandwich areas about once a month.  They usually see between eight to ten people down there a month. 

They will be hiring another person in July and possibly another person in late fall or early January 2009.

SENIOR SERVICES TAX LEVY APPLICATION REVIEW:

          Ms. Mary Ramp, Director of the DeKalb County Community Services Department presented her 3^rd Quarterly Report for the Senior Services Tax Levy payments.  She said that at the third quarter the expenditures should be at 58%.  She explained that Elderly Care Services and DeKalb County Hospice Agencies are under that percentage currently. 

          She said that she has been asked by two agencies what the definition of a senior is.  She explained that in the Hospice Transition Program the caregiver for the terminally ill patient is the senior who is over 60 years old.  The terminally ill patient is under 60 years of age.  Can they bill this case to the Senior Service Tax Levy? 

          The committee discussed this and said that they recognize a 60-year-old person as a senior and that as long as it prevents the senior from going into premature institutionalization that it was fine.

          The second agency is Home Health who uses 55 years old as a senior.  Can they use ages 55 – 65 years old as a senior?

          Ms. Ramp said that she checked on the referendum and there is no definition in it for what age the senior is. 

          The committee agreed that they were fine with 55 years old for a senior age.

          Ms. Ramp then explained that the balance left over on the Senior Tax Levy totals $107,140.58.  Mr. Hanson, DeKalb County Deputy County Administrator, from the beginning of the Senior Tax Levy, has advised the committee to keep $25,000.00 always in the balance for unforeseen issues.  You might want to leave more money in there, it’s up to you, she said.

           Ms. Olson said that we have $2,500 going to the Community Assessment Phase I and that the estimate is $10,000 for Phase II.  There is, also, $2,000 going to Opportunity House for chairs.  This would leave roughly $67,000.00 for the Community Assessment.  She continued by saying that Mr. Hanson has not advised her yet as to what the balance will be for this year and we still don’t know if any agencies will not use all of their allocation yet.

          The committee then discussed if there should be any time constraints on the special allocations?  June is the deadline for the Senior Tax Levy, but they felt that there were no time constraints on the money being used from the balance portion of $67,000.

          The committee agreed that the next monthly meeting will be Monday, April 7, 2008 @ 5:30p.m. in Conference Room East and the second meeting in April for the allocations award would be on Monday, April 14, 2008 @ 6:30p.m.

          Chairman Rosemier said that he is trying to get the third meeting for the affordable housing discussion to be scheduled for June or July of this year.  The City of Sycamore is still working on their report and they hope to be finished around June.  The joint meeting with the Economic Development Committee should be held on the second Wednesday night, which is that committee’s meeting date.  Our meeting date of the 1^st Monday of the month competes with the cities city council meetings, said Chairman Rosemier. The committee agreed that the joint meeting should be held on the evening that the Economic Development Committee meets in June or July.

          Chairman Rosemier also mentioned that Ms. Fullerton had brought up during the negotiations on the Tribal Agreement that there is not enough money put aside for gambling addiction.   She suggested an outreach foundation in Geneva, Illinois, that does counseling for addiction. 

He spoke with Liz Carney, Director of the DeKalb County Mental Health Board, about this foundation and asked her if she felt he should speak to Mike Flora at Ben Gordon about it.  She said yes, she felt that he would be interested, also.

With the committee’s permission, Chairman Rosemier, asked them if it was okay to speak to Mike and have him check out the foundation. He would like to invite someone from the foundation and Mr. Flora to attend our committee meeting in May and come before this committee to help educate us on the issue, Chairman Rosemier further explained.

The committee agreed that this was fine as long as it pertained to educating the County on the issue and to be proactive with regards to research on this issue.  Chairman Rosemier will be inviting someone from this foundation to speak to the committee in May.

ADJOURNMENT  

          Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Osborne, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                Respectfully submitted by,

                                                ____________________________________

                                                 Chairman Robert Rosemier

_________________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary