Aging Board Minutes 031511 - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 Ms. Sprigg noted that the enormous amount of participation created synergy. This endeavor requires more publicity, especially in the private sector. Streamlining the planning document will result in easier readability. Jan Wells asked if the NC Division of Aging Plan’s style is too simple. Ms. Sprigg responded that the key is to state what can reasonably be accomplished in the five-year period. Mary Fraser asked about the size of the Steering Committee, which previously included all subcommittee chairs. Ms. Sprigg suggested that subcommittee chairs could report to the Steering Committee without having membership. This Committee could be the evaluation group for the process. Discussion followed about how the evaluation process could be designed. The Chair asked the Advisory Board to consider its next step in this pre-plan process. Ms. Sprigg noted that the Orange County Master Aging Plan was the first in North Carolina and one of the first in the nation when it was adopted in 2001. She stated that Carol Woods has a three-year plan with an annual work plan. The key is to solicit community input early in the process, using the community engagement model to reach a cross-section of the population. She referred to the large amount of data collected for the previous plans that is available for use. Janice Tyler announced that several folks have responded to the Senior Times notice to volunteer for this planning process. The Chair asked the subcommittee who had reviewed other Plans (Allison, Castro, Fraser, Wells) to report their findings. Ms. Fraser stated that many followed the NC Division of Aging Plan format by identifying six issues. The State Plan focused on categories of services: those to protect, improve, or expand. Another way to evaluate service was to identify gaps in the system. Mary Fraser remarked that town hall meetings are time consuming but the information gained would be very valuable. Ed Flowers suggested targeting the Northern Orange, West Hillsborough, White Cross and Bingham communities for input. The Cooperative Extension network and the Department on Aging listserv are other avenues. A draft of the timetable was reviewed with the Plan Update to be present to the County Commissioners in May, 2012. Alex Castro suggested that the State Plan could be the template for the Orange County Update. Ms. Fraser added that the Advisory Board could recommend the guiding principles for the Plan and the Steering Committee could develop the content. The plan review subcommittee agreed to review the Division of Aging Plan and make a recommendation on its use as the template to the Advisory Board. The Board Chair and Department Director will join in this effort. Ms. Harvey noted that the Healthy Carolinians are currently conducting a community health assessment that may provide information that will be useful to the planning process. Jan Wells summarized the Senior Tar Heel Legislature 2011 priorities just adopted at the meeting in Raleigh: • Expand Project Care $1.5 million • Increase HCCBG by $5 million (17,000 currently on waiting list for services) • Increase funding for senior centers by $2 million • Mandate random drug testing for long term care facilities staff • Add four mobile units to the dental care program