Social Services

Board of Commissioners Meeting
 March 22, 2006


Archived Minutes

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:    

Gwen Harris, Dot Dobbins, Glenn Carter, Leonard Bradley, and Barbara Toms

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:

Linda Mattson, Jose Gonzalez

    • Vice Chair Lady Harris called the meeting to order.

    Motion: Approval of February 2006 meeting minutes
    Made by: Commissioner Leonard Bradley
    Seconded: Commissioner Glenn Carter
    Passed unanimously

    Executive Director’s Report: Gerri Robinson

    • Ms. Robinson introduced Dr. Don Bruce, Researcher on Child Only Study from UT Knoxville and Dr. Kerry Mullins with the Department of Human Services, was our partner in the Child Only Data Study.
    • Ms. Robinson discussed Metropolitan Social Services 9-month overview in the New Business Model and how our service numbers are the best they have ever been.
    o Areas of interest are as follows: Congregate Meals, Nutrition Sites, Relative Caregiver, Homeless Commission Pilot Projects, and Partnerships (Parks & Recreation and Access Ride)

    Motion: Approval of Executive Directors Report
    Made by: Commissioner Barbara Toms
    Seconded: Commissioner Glenn Carter
    Passed unanimously

    Finance Report – Pam McEwen

    • All programs are well under budget and the projection is that we will finish the fiscal year well under budget.
    • We have several major contracts awaiting signature for expenditures to occur by the end of the physical year.
    o 4 % Reserve Funds balance of $169,467.53
    o Special Donations Fund balance of $28,583.75

    Program Updates

    Demitria Norman
    • Family Support Unit and the Homemaker Program are working collectively to do Relative Caregiver Presentations.

    • The Homeless Unit is working in partnership with Rooftop Faith Based Initiative, which is a referral source for the homeless.

    Abdeghanni Barre
    • Understanding Nashville’s Immigrants
    o Classifications of immigrants: Non-Immigrants, Refugees, Asylees, and Undocumented/Illegal
    o Only 2.4% of the foreign born above the age of 5 obtained citizenship
    o 15.3% of Davidson County immigrants live below the poverty level.
    o Less than 7.8% have high school, 15.2 high school and some college and 39.5% have bachelors or higher
    o Barriers: language and cultural, gender, religion, and systems/procedures

    HR Updates – Renee Pratt
    • We currently have 6 vacancies and of these vacancies we have the following:
    o a program supervisor position in Homemaker to be filled by April 3
    o an information Systems Advisor II position will close on April 5th
    o in the process of reviewing the Finance Officer II position and interviews should start next week,
    • Demitra Norman has been appointed the Director of Adult and Family Services
    • Quality Assurance has been working diligently on a work plan to organize and coordinate tasks associated with developing best practice through Metro Social Services.

    Non-Parent Caretakers of Child-Only Families – Dr. Don Bruce, UT Knoxville

    MSS is concerned about “kinship caregivers non-parent caretakers of child only cases. Caretakers of child-only cases tend to be:
    Older
    More likely to be married
    Have higher income
    More likely to be grandparents
    Have fewer but longer spells on assistance
    Key areas of service needs:
    Information and case management
    Financial assistance
    Future work:
    Additional analysis of survey data
    Cost-benefit analysis of additional service options