7:35 - 9:24 PM
Glenview Mansion
| Members Present: | |
Sarah Duffy | Ann Reiss | Eric Wang |
Deborah Hopson | Agnes Saenz | |
Tom Lawrey | Tim Stranges | |
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| Members Absent: | |
David L'Heureux | Michelle Beadle | |
| Staff Present: | |
Mary Lou Jacobs | | Sarah Gicale |
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| Guests: | |
Cynthia Bangali, Community Services Program Coordinator
Andrew Shapiro, Rockville Resident
Joshua Rogers, Rockville Resident |
Re: Call Meeting to Order/ Introductions
Tim Stranges called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
Re: Guest: Cynthia Bangali, Community Services Program Coordinator
Cynthia began her presentation by talking about her background in human services. She said she had started as a case manager for Big Brothers in King County in the state of Washington. She has also done training in life skills and parenting. One of her first experiences in working for the City of Rockville was interviewing different school and community personnel for the needs assessment currently being completed in the new Community Services Division.
In conducting the needs assessment interviews, Cynthia learned that there is a huge drop-off in services available for children after elementary school. She also learned that the middle school years are a critical time for students. She followed the needs assessment interviewing with research on best practices for youth programming. This led to her developing the Achievers Program, which helps middle school adolescents transition successfully into high school. This new program kicked off on November 1st. It provides social skills training (empathy, conflict resolution, anger management), career exploration, study skills training and community service activities with the opportunity to earn credits toward Recreation and Parks classes and activities. The program runs one day a week at the Lincoln Park Community Center from 3:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon and has a current enrollment of eleven. She expects to see this number increase as more people learn about the program.
Cynthia says she is also continuing the Mentoring Program at College Gardens Elementary School for children in third through fifth grades. She plans to expand this program to additional schools early next year. She has recruited adult volunteers from the community and student volunteers enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program at Richard Montgomery High School. Currently fourteen children are matched with mentors.
Other programs that Cynthia is developing for the future include a Literature Club provided by the Commonweal Foundation through their Partners in Learning Program. The program serves youth in low-income areas that may be at risk of academic failure. It helps children build literacy skills and includes testing so that improvement is documented. The Twinbrook Community Recreation Center has served as a site for this program for the past four years and Cynthia is looking to create another “host site” at the Lincoln Park Community Center. The program is free to the City of Rockville.
Cynthia is also exploring the possibility of contracting with a group called SISTERS (Self Image, Strength, Tenacity, Empathy, Responsibility, Success) to provide services to female adolescents. Their programming deals with issues of pregnancy prevention, college and career information, financial literacy, and self-defense education/training while providing peer mentoring and support. Cynthia would like to see it in the Twinbrook area.
Lastly, Cynthia is working on a job description for a work-study position at Montgomery College. This would be a paid internship at no cost to the City, which essentially provides another employee. And, in addition to her myriad job responsibilities, Cynthia is hoping to enroll in a Berlitz course to become fluent in Spanish.
Mary Lou Jacobs pointed out that all of the programs described are recruiting new kids. Cynthia added that most of them are students at Julius West and Wood Middle School. In addition some are known by the two community centers. Deborah Hopson suggested that churches are a good site for activities if Cynthia is looking for space.
Re: Discuss Recommendations re: Gang Prevention
Eric Wang explained that the Commission’s Gang Subcommittee had contacted a Chinese American nonprofit, a Korean American nonprofit and a Latino American nonprofit for information on the need for gang prevention services for youth in Rockville. His opinion is that churches and private organizations need to provide more support in this area. Additionally parents need to become more involved. He pointed out that the time 3-9 p.m. after school is an important time for youth activities especially for youth in single parent homes.
Tim asked Eric which private organizations should provide more support. Eric said that it might be possible to solicit financial donations from area businesses. Tim asked who should head up that effort and how would this translate to a recommendation to the Mayor and Council. Eric said that some type of action is needed; possibly each church could be asked to “adopt” two kids. One way to pursue the issue would be to bring the Mayor and Council and other community leaders together for a meeting on the issue. Tim said it sounded as though Eric would recommend a summit to prevent gangs in Rockville.
Agnes Saenz, another member of the Gang Subcommittee, said that the group had promised a combined chart. She said that they would need to meet again as a subcommittee and review the responses they had received in their survey. She agrees with Eric that prevention is helpful. She also believes that gang activity in the county impacts Rockville. She serves on the Advisory Committee for the Clarksburg Jail and recently learned that the number of youth incarcerated there for gang-involvement went from 17 to 130 in one year. 40% of these prisoners are members of MS 13. There is a huge range in the type of crimes that are considered gang activity. She agreed to meet with the other subcommittee members to develop recommendations before the next Commission meeting.
Re: Approve September 12 Meeting Minutes
Deborah moved that the minutes be approved as written. Sarah Duffy seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Re: Update on Community Services Reorganization
New Hires: Mary Lou said that the reorganization began with a work plan. One piece of this plan was to submit a needs assessment by November 1. Another part of the plan was to hire several positions. One of these was Cynthia’s position. Another position was that of a licensed counselor. Mary Lou said that this position had been filled by Jim Miller who started about two weeks ago. He has worked in the area of psychodrama and has a lot of experience with counseling youth. He has had to start from scratch in contacting school counselors to develop referrals but is already serving eight youth. It was very difficult to fill the position, as there are now new licensing requirements for counseling. Ann Reiss asked how this compared with last year’s caseload. Mary Lou said that sixteen youth were seen last year but half way through the year referrals were stopped as the reorganization started. Surprisingly Jim’s first referrals have been from Wootton High School.
Mary Lou also said that the new association of Community Services with Recreation and Parks has gone smoothly. Burt Hall, the Director, has been very supportive of Community Services. He has visited staff at 20 Courthouse Square and has also visited the Linkages Program at Maryvale. Community Services supervisors have been included in all the Recreation and Parks supervisory meetings. Cynthia attends two regular meetings with other departmental staff. With respect to the Holiday Drive, the Recreation and Parks staff have helped in ways that would never have happened before. One staff member suggested that the King Farm farmhouse be used for sorting and packing food for the Thanksgiving distribution. Trucks and staff to pick up food at various sites had also been provided.
Needs Assessment: Sarah Gicale said that the draft needs assessment had been given to Burt Hall November 1st as scheduled. It is not a lengthy document and is intended to address only those areas of need in which the City has historically provided direct service. As with other earlier needs assessments, it assumes that many human services will continue to be provided by those outside agencies that receive funding through the City’s grants program.
Over 120 people were interviewed for the needs assessment representing school personnel, City staff, Caregivers and Rockville residents (youth and parents). Their comments were recorded and the needs they identified were then pasted into one long list. The list divided easily into three areas of need:
Services to At-Risk Youth,
Outreach to Minority Communities, and
Self Sufficiency Services for Low Income Residents.
The format chosen for the needs assessment is brief, concise and converts easily into a strategic plan. Mary Lou said that when Burt Hall, Christine Henry and Catherine Tuck Parrish have reviewed the document and their changes/additions have been incorporated she expects that Commission members will receive a copy as well.
Re: Plan Agenda for Next Meeting (December 12)
Gang Subcommittee Recommendations
Follow up on Community Services Needs Assessment
Discuss the Mayor and Council Vision for Rockville
Guest Speaker: Director of Rockville Housing Enterprises
Re: Adjourn to Executive Session
Ann moved that the meeting be adjourned to Executive Session. Tom Lawrey seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 9:24 p.m. The next meeting of the Human Services Advisory Commission will be held Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at 7:30 p.m. in the Glenview Mansion Dining Room.
