Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission East Central Regional Human Rights Authority met Jan. 19.
Here is the minutes provided by the Commission:
Members Present: Mary Auth, Paulette Brock, Sandra Dixon, Janet Manning, Kellie Martin, Monique Smith and Robin Spalding
Members Absent: Mike Reed
Staff Present: Teresa Parks and Cathy Wolf
Guests Present: None
Chair, Sandra Dixon, called the meeting to order at 4:06 pm. The meeting was held at the State Office Building Conference Room, 2125 S. First Street, Champaign, IL. Roll call was taken and a quorum was present. Dixon read the confidentiality statement and guests were introduced.
Minutes: Approval of the September 15, 2016 meeting minutes had been delayed due to the lack of a quorum at the November meeting. Janet Manning made a motion to approve the September 15, 2016 meeting minutes, seconded by Kelli Martin and approved by the group. Janet Manning made a motion to approve the November 17, 2016 meeting minutes, seconded by Robin Spalding and approved by the group.
Communications: Teresa Parks discussed correspondence in the HRA packet, including the 2017 meeting calendar, the updated HRA Member list and a new member HRA application. The group discussed conflicts with the scheduled March 16, 2016 meeting date and agreed to reschedule for March 23, 2016.
NEW BUSINESS
Ratifications:
Emergency Complaints: Due to the lack of a quorum at the November 17, 2016 meeting, the HRA Members present used emergency case opening procedures pursuant to HRA regulations (59 Ill. Admin. Code 310.50 (c)) for the cases accepted below; all cases accepted under emergency procedures require ratification at the next meeting with a quorum.
17-060-9007 – Village Apartments/Rosecrance – The complaints allege that a resident of 7 years was inappropriately denied a lease renewal after voicing concerns regarding new management, that there is an inadequate grievance process and that false allegations were made against the resident without considering her side of the situation. A release has been secured. Mary Auth made a motion to ratify emergency case acceptance; Kelli Martin seconded the motion and the motion carried.
17-060-9009 – Danville School District – The complaints that a student receiving special education is participating in extracurricular activities included in her IEP; however, she is excluded from some of the related activities including participation at events, get togethers, practices, competitions and group information sites; the accommodation provided to allow participation in the activity is inadequate; the school has failed to keep the parent informed of related activities, the student’s status or any problems related to the student’s participation; there is an inadequate grievance process in that when the parent raises concerns about the situation, she is called into meetings with administration; and, the school reports behavioral issues associated with the student during the extracurricular activity; however, the student has no behaviors throughout the day and no IEP meeting has been called to address the behaviors. A release has been received. Mary Auth made a motion to ratify emergency case acceptance, seconded by Monique Smith; the motion carried.
17-060-9011 – Heritage Behavioral Health Center – The complaint alleges that a center counselor provided inadequate care to a recipient in crisis by having the recipient arrested without appropriate cause, having the recipient’s benefits canceled and by previously insisting that it serve as the recipient’s representative payee. A release has been secured. Mary Auth made a motion to ratify emergency case acceptance, seconded by Kelli Martin; the motion carried.
17-060-9012 – Collins Square/Pinnacle Opportunities – The complaint alleges that a group home inappropriately discharged a recipient for behavioral needs that he did not have and when the recipient had to spend extensive time in the hospital for medical issues, the group home then refused readmission. There were also questions regarding admission and discharge policies/practices surrounding the significance of medical and behavioral needs that lead to discharge and prevent readmission. A release has been secured. Mary Auth made a motion to ratify emergency case acceptance, seconded by Janet Manning; the motion carried.
17-060-9013 – Villa Grove School District – The complaint alleges that students with disabilities are denied accommodations, accommodations are not reviewed as part of student IEPs or upon parental request and there is an inadequate complaint mechanism. Kellie Martin made a motion to ratify case acceptance, seconded by Janet Manning; the motion carried.
Reports of Findings – Absent a quorum at the November 17, 2016, members present approved draft reports on the cases below followed by telephone votes to meet the quorum requirement of 5 as per HRA regulations (59 Ill. Admin. Code 310.70 (c) (3)). Any reports approved under this regulation require ratification at the next meeting with a quorum. Both Monique Smith and Robin Spalding provided telephone approvals on these reports.
16-060-9016 – Riverside Medical Center – Robin Spalding made a motion to ratify report approval seconded by Sandra Dixon; the motion carried.
17-060-9001 – Kankakee County Training Center – Kelli Martin made a motion to ratify report approval seconded by Mary Auth; the motion carried.
17-060-9003 – OSF St. Joseph’s Medical Center – Kellie Martin made a motion to ratify report approval seconded by Paulette Brock; the motion carried.
Case Closures – Absent a quorum at the November 17, 2016 meeting, members present approved case closures on the cases below followed by telephone votes to meet the quorum requirement of 5 as per HRA regulations (59 Ill. Admin. Code 310.70 (e)). Any case closures approved under this regulation require ratification at the next meeting with a quorum. Both Monique Smith and Robin Spalding provided telephone votes for these case closures.
17-060-9006 – behavioral health hospital – a release was not returned after two attempts. Mary Auth made a motion ratify case closure, seconded by Monique Smith; the motion carried.
16-060-9015 – Livingston County Jail – Monique Smith made a motion to ratify case closure, seconded by Kelli Martin; the motion carried.
16-060-9017 – The Pavilion – Kelli Martin made a motion to ratify case closure, seconded by Janet Manning; the motion carried.
New Complaints: 17-060-9010 – community disability agency – The complaint states that a recipient is not receiving services consistent with his service plan, including inadequate assistance with transportation to the laundromat and physician appointments. The complaint further alleges that the recipient does not have choice regarding workers who come to his home for service provision; the recipient’s preference not to have a particular worker assigned, a worker with whom the recipient has had prior conflicts, is not honored by the agency and when the recipient refuses the worker, the agency delays sending a replacement worker. Two releases were sent and Teresa Parks spoke to the complainant who reported that things with the agency had improved; however, the complainant stated that if issues resurfaced the release would be returned or future contact would be made with the HRA. The release has not been returned. Robin Spalding made a motion to not accept the case for investigation due to the lack of release and the HRA’s contact with the complainant; Monique Smith seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Bi-Annual Review of Executive Meeting Minutes: Teresa Parks reported that the last review was conducted in September for executive minutes from January through July 2016. Today’s review would only include September 15, 2016 executive minutes as there was no executive session at the November 17, 2016 meeting due to the lack of a quorum. Due to potentially identifiable information in the September 15, 2016 executive minutes, Robin Spalding made a motion to keep the September 15, 2016 meeting minutes confidential. Monique Smith seconded the motion and the motion carried.
HRA Member Recruitment: Teresa Parks reported that we have one open position for which we have an applicant who will need to introduce herself at an upcoming meeting. Cathy Wolf also has a potential applicant who is a parent of a student receiving special education services; given our cases in special education, this might be helpful. Members discussed former HRA Members who might be interested in returning. Monique Smith’s term will end in May but she is eligible for reappointment. Sandra Dixon’s term will end in May and she is not eligible for reappointment; she has already served two terms.
Proposed Regional Boundary Change: Teresa Parks reported that the program is reviewing regional boundaries to even out regional caseloads and geographic areas. A proposal has been developed in which McLean, Logan, Macon and Christian Counties would be transferred from the East Central region to other regions; the Peoria region would assume McLean County and the Springfield region would assume Logan, Macon and Christian Counties. This will help reduce the East Central region’s large geographic area. The proposal will be presented to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commissioners for approval in February. The proposal would apply to new cases accepted after the approval date. The Members discussed and voiced no concerns regarding the proposal.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS Mary Auth made a motion to enter executive session at 4:36 p.m. pursuant to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission Act (20 ILCS 3955/21) and the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2) to discuss confidential case details regarding the following cases: 17-060-9007, 17-060-9008, 17-060-9009, 17-060-9011, 17-060-9012, 17-060-9013, 17-060-9005, 16-060-9016, 17-060- 9001, 17-060-9003. Robin Spalding seconded the motion and the motion carried. The HRA returned to open session at 5:16 p.m. having taken no action in executive session. A summary of executive session follows:
Case Progress Reports 17-060-9007 – Village Apartments – A site visit has been scheduled. Mary Auth and Mike Reed are assigned.
17-060-9008 – Symphony of Lincoln – Robin Spalding and Kelli Martin are assigned. A site visit has been scheduled.
17-060-9009 – Danville School District – A site visit has been postponed pending the outcome of another investigation.
17-060-9011 – Heritage Behavioral Health Center – A site visit is being scheduled. Monique Smith and Sandra Dixon are assigned.
17-060-9012 – Collins Square – A site visit has been scheduled. Monique Smith and Sandra Dixon are assigned.
17-060-9013 – Villa Grove School District – A site visit has been scheduled. Janet Manning and Mike Reed are assigned.
Report Review 17-060-9005 – McLean County Center for Human Services – In closed session, the HRA reviewed a draft report. Upon returning from closed session, Kelli Martin made a motion to approve the draft report with a revision; Paulette Brock seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Case Closures 16-060-9016 – Riverside Medical Center – In closed session, the HRA reviewed the provider’s response. Upon returning to open session, Kelli Martin made a motion to close the case making the findings and the provider’s response, at the provider’s request, public. Monique Smith seconded the motion and the motion carried.
17-060-9001 – Kankakee Training Center – In closed session, the HRA reviewed the case. Upon returning to open session, Mary Auth made a motion to close the case making the findings a part of the public record. There was no provider response and none was required. Kelli Martin seconded the motion and the motion carried.
17-060-9003 – OSF St. Joseph’s Medical Center – In closed session, the HRA reviewed the provider’s response. Upon returning to open session Paulette Brock made a motion to close the case making the findings only public; the provider did not respond to inquiries that it wanted its response public so the response will not be part of the public record. As part of the case closure motion, Paulette moved that the closure notice to the provider include information about the Mental Health Code’s application in hospital emergency rooms. Kelli Martin seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Other Unfinished Business: None
Announcements and Comments: The next meeting is scheduled for March 23, 2017.
Adjournment: Monique Smith made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mary Auth. The meeting adjourned at 5:21 p.m.
https://www.illinois.gov/sites/gac/Press/Documents/minutes/2017/ec01192017minutes.pdf
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