HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Monday, February 10, 2025 - 10:30 AM

JoePete Wilson, Chairperson

Charles Harrington, Vice-Chairperson

Supervisor McNally called this Human Services Committee to order at 11:04 am with the following Supervisors in attendance: Clayton Barber, Chris Clark, Robin DeLoria, Derek Doty, Kenneth Hughes, Steve McNally, Jim Monty, Favor Smith, Matthew Stanley, Davina Thurston, and Meg Wood, Mark Wright. Matthew Brassard, Shaun Gillilland, Charlie Harrington and Michael Tyler were excused. Cathleen Reusser and Joe Pete Wilson were absent.

Department Heads present: Angie Allen, Linda Beers, Judith Garrison, Krissy Leerkes, Terri Morse and Michael Mascarenas.

Also present: Renee Bruno and Tracy Ploufe.

MCNALLY: I will call the Human Services committee to order. We have an announcement.

MASCARENAS: Yes, a quick announcement and I apologize. Seth Celotti, I asked him to come to the meeting this morning and then I forgot to tell you all because Friday to Monday is a big problem to me literally. Just to give you guys a heads up I need permission from the board to not open until 1:00 p.m. on April 11^th. We would like to do an active drill here at the county where we are in the middle of trying to do emergency response plan. It will be limited to this campus. We are working with the State Police to assist us in that. At the completion of the exercise we will get a draft of recommendations from the State Police on where some of our vulnerable areas are and how we can maybe address them a little bit better so that we are better prepared as a county to react to an emergency type situation. Seth is spearheading this exercise which is why I asked him to come. All employees will be notified, they will be briefed prior to this happening. They will not be required to participate because active drills can be somewhat stressful for some individuals so everybody will be made aware. The local establishments will be made aware. The hospital would like to participate. We will be bringing a trailer down where we’ll have 911 calls coming through to that trailer so as part of the exercise as well. There will be a public media campaign letting people know this is a drill, this is not a real life activity going on all those things are being covered but I can’t have this campus open while this drill is being active. So I would like permission from the board to close the county complex on April 11 until 1:00 p.m. at that time we will reopen as normal business. Following that I think it’s a really good opportunity, I don’t want to turn it down and it’s really the only time they could do it. We are headed in the right direction with some of these things and this is really going to push us to that next level of how do we get to a final outcome in terms of the safety protocols for the county complex.

MCNALLY: April 11^th is a Friday.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MANAGER TO CLOSE THE COUNTY COMPLEX ON FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2025 AND OPEN AT 1:00 P.M., TO PERFORM AN ACTIVE DRILL. Hughes, Wright

MCNALLY: Questions or concerns?

HUGHES: I just want to say I appreciate volunteerism is being supported in participation.

MCNALLY: All in favor, opposed – carried. Public Health, Linda Beers

BEERS: Hello everybody. Thank you. Good morning. You have my report in front of you. I just want to point out that I have conducted annual training which we require all of our staff. Seth was a member of our annual training. We bring lots of folks from other agencies to talk to our staff about that. If you don’t have any questions on my report I will move to resolutions.

On my resolutions I have a bunch of resolutions they are just moving money forward. Do you want me to do them individually or as one?

MCNALLY: This is very common practice. We do this every year so we can definitely group these together if you would like.

MASCARENAS: Just as I said earlier this is a housekeeping deal.

MCNALLY: This is housekeeping. The money is just being transferred from last year to this year so if we want to do those in one group I think we can.

MASCARENAS: Do you have them all?

BEERS: I do. Thank you so much. So the first one is a request to move unexpended funds from 2024 to 2025, it is for the medical reserve corp. it’s for $12,303, again gifts and donations of $12,303 forwarded into the 2025 budget.

The second is for the MRC Strong Grant in the total amount of $5,500, we are going to move unexpended funds from ’24 to’25.

The third is the nature is to move unexpended funds from ’24 to’25 this is in the public health preparedness infrastructure grant and other grant revenues there’s a lot of moving parts in this one so I really filled out the exact budget line items on the grants but it is for other grant revenue of $533,106.02. Regular wages moving forward of $219,981.87, retirement moving forward of $28,000, social security $8,900.63, health insurance $95,000, other supplies $1,620, misc. expenses $3,471.52, contracted fees and services $176,132 and that would be the public health infrastructure grant.

The next is ADKFound Gifts and donations sometimes people pass away or leave us funding. We have a little fund for that and there’s $3,811.93 we are going to move that forward.

We have Prevent Atkinson Bequest and this was a wonderful woman and we took care of her for many years and when she passed away she left us money $34,549.75 and we use a little of it every year and we’re moving it forward.

And the next is the Credible Minds grant Terri moved this money from one of her fund items into mine, it came in 2024, we need to move it forward it’s $13,000, she’ll talk about Credible Minds more.

We also have ECHO which is the Essex County Heroin Opioid other settlement payment which we are moving forward $24,782.99 and last but not least we are moving the public health miscellaneous grant of Baby Steps to Bright Futures opioid settlement funding money that you awarded me through a grant, moving it forward which is $31,749.52 and that completes all of my moving forward.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS FROM VARIOUS UNEXPENDED 2024 FUNDS INTO 2025 BUDGET LINE ITEMS. Stanley, Wright

MCNALLY: Questions or concerns?

DELORIA: What was the first one? $12,000? I don’t have that one.

BEERS: That was Medical Reserve for $12,303, do you not have it Judy?

GARRISON: I do not have a copy of that one.

BEERS: Then if you don’t have it I will move it forward next time please disregard.

MASCARENAS: No, move it forward now just give her a copy of it.

BEERS: I apologize, thank you.

DOTY: Linda when you get donations like the Atkinson at $34,000 is it like discretionary?

BEERS: Yes, well she left it, Ms. Atkinson left it, she wanted it to her points were something to do with health, good eating type of initiatives and heart health so we would not use that money for per say for – she did denote what she wanted it used for so we use the money and spend it I write a resolution to pull the money out so we have a trace of what we use that funding for.

DOTY: That’s great.

BEERS: I know it is wonderful.

MCNALLY: Any other questions? All in favor, opposed, carried.

BEERS: Thank you so much.

MCNALLY: We are back, the Department of Social Services, Angie Allen.

ALLEN: Good morning everyone. You have my report in front of you. Is there any questions for today?

DOTY: I noticed, I’m guessing they are related seven children in your family corner foster care and then the next line you have seven are freed for adoption.

ALLEN: Actually it is two different sets. We contract with Berkshire Farms to provide our foster homes. We also contract with Family Corner which is an establishment out of Malone, New York they certify homes specifically for therapeutic foster care so it’s two separate things.

DOTY: Okay thanks.

HUGHES: Berkshire Farms is that down in Columbia County?

ALLEN: So actually they moved. It was in Canton, New York so it is in Columbia County. Yes.

HUGHES: It’s in that area?

ALLEN: Yes.

MASCARENAS: They have a local presence so there’s two different Berkshire Farms that you’re going to see. You’re going to see the actual farm which is a certain amount of therapeutic process there. What they do for us is they certify homes and they develop foster families locally so that when Angie has to do a removal they don’t necessarily go to Berkshire Farms they stay local but Berkshire is the licensing agency that handles those foster care placements.

HUGHES: Did you say Canton?

ALLEN: Canton, New York is where the farm is. So they have residential components which is actual a farm and that’s in Canton New York and then for the foster care services they provide us they are down on Hand Avenue.

HUGHES: Great, thank you.

MCNALLY:Mental Health.

MORSE: I have a report that I provided you. I know it’s lengthy. About every quarter, every three months I will provide you a little more in depth information about what’s going on at the clinic so you have a lot of beautiful information that my Director of Clinical Services have prepared. Do you have any questions before I highlight one thing for you and then also go through resolutions?

MASCARENAS: Can I just say Terri and I’ve looked at your report prior to you coming that I feel like you’ve listened and our now reporting in a manner that’s really understandable and I want to commend you for it. You know when I look at your notes on the side of what definitions of what things are I think you did an outstanding job in terms of that so I think if we are going to give you a hard time about not understanding we need to say when you do a good job too and it’s well done.

MORSE: Thank you. A sign of good leadership Mike. Okay so I did say the last time I was here I didn’t have resolutions for a while but I made up for it this month. The first resolution is, you approved us opening up a satellite clinic in Lake Placid Elementary and Lake Placid High School maybe four months ago and Office of Mental Health has invited us to participate in some startup cost opportunities so I was able to secure $25,000 for each of those schools to help with some of the costs in starting it up and that includes salary and fringe.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000.00, NYS OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR START UP OF LAKE PLACID ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL SATELLITES. Hughes, Doty

MCNALLY: Questions, concerns? All in favor, opposed – carried.

MORSE: The Adirondack Foundation Generous Acts grant is one that many of the organizations in Essex County have applied for over the years. We are applying for one in the amount of $18,800, this is to help continue the Building Resilience in Essex Families project about community conversations as you probably have heard me say that the SAMSHA grant funding comes to an end on February 28 of this year and so we are looking for continued funding to support that initiative.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT AN ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION GENEROUS ACTS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,800.00, AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE SAME. Wright, Hughes

MCNALLY: Questions, concerns? All in favor, opposed – carried.

MORSE: In the same vein that Linda brought a slew of 2024 carry over to 2025 funding we have several contracts that go from April 1 to March 31 and so we need to carry over the funding that’s still sitting in those accounts and so I have four of them.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS FROM VARIOUS UNEXPENDED 2024 FUNDS INTO 2025 BUDGET LINE ITEMS. Wright, Hughes

MCNALLY: Questions, concerns? All in favor, opposed – carried.

MORSE: Based on the community Services Board we have individuals who are re upping their terms starting January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028, as indicated in my report.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZNG APPOINTMENTS OF MEMBERS (Cammy Sheridan and Linda Beers – Board Members, Cammy Sheridan and Dava Clement – Mental Health Subcommittee, Kenneth Hughes – Alcohol Substance Abuse Subcommittee, Sara Evans and Sara Stone – Intellectual Development Disability Subcommittee) OF THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD OR SUBCOMMITTEE FOR A TERM EFFECTIVE 1/1/205 TO 12/31/2028. Hughes, Wright

MCNALLY: Questions, concerns? All in favor, opposed – carried.

MORSE: And the last item for resolutions is the fact that OMH has awarded several of our organizations pass through funding for cost of living adjustment and so that is spelled out in this resolution.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $937,061.00, NYS STATE AID AND STATE FUNDED COLA’s PASS THROUGH FUNDING. Doty, Wright

MCNALLY: Can you explain that?

MORSE: The state agency gave us 4.2% cost of living increase that is passed through to the Mental Health Association, Families First and also Essex County Mental Health.

MCNALLY: So it has no bearing the payroll the county still maintains still the same contractual payroll with the union employees?

MORSE: That is absolutely correct but it does help offset the –

MCNALLY: It does offset right it’s not on top of their existing?

MORSE: That’s right.

MCNALLY: Any questions? All in favor, opposed – carried.

MORSE: The next page after the resolutions is a little explanation about what the community services board is. Very, very brief if you want to know more about what the community services board is you are welcome to read Article 41 in New York State Mental Hygiene Law if you would like but briefly what mental hygiene the history is that back in the 60’s when the facility Willow Brook which was not treating their individuals very humanly they, the State decided to take all those residents and bring them out of the facilities and put them in their communities so they created something called the community services board which is sort of a little bit of a watch dog group but also they make sure that the quantity and quality of mental health, substance use and intellectual development disability services are what is needed in our community so these are a group of people that are on the board that help with making sure that’s happening for you all of your community members. So as you can see I’m very proud to report that we have a good mix of individuals from communities across the county. I will say I am in need of one more board member and a couple subcommittee members so if you do have somebody in your community that’s a leader and especially has those topics that I mentioned near and dear to their heart please refer them to me so they can be part of that. Ken, is there anything you would like to share about the community services board?

HUGHES: I’ve served on it for a couple of years now. I didn’t really understand what I was getting myself into in the beginning but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about how services are provided to people throughout Essex County from the providers. Terri’s leadership as the, Terri’s just general leadership for the board has been exemplary always keeping us in the loop and educated on what we need to know and it’s a solid board of people from a wide variety of towns and backgrounds which is really great.

MORSE: Thank you Mr. Hughes and it’s very, very helpful to Linda’s board too. It’s very helpful to have a representative from the Board of Supervisors on this board so I thank you Ken and others who have served. That’s it.

MCNALLY: Anything else? Thank you very much. Office for the Aging.

LEERKES: You have my report I will touch base with you after but I did just give everybody a packet. I do have three funding streams as Linda and Terri mentioned moving forward. The first one is some Covid funding in the amount of $55,115.62, the second is Gifts and Donations in the amount of $11,442.28 and last is DSRIP funding in the amount of $166,180.83 that we would like to move forward.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BUDGET AMENDMENTS IN THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS FROM VARIOUS UNEXPENDED 2024 FUNDS INTO 2025 BUDGET LINE ITEMS. Stanley, Doty

MCNALLY: Questions, concerns?

HUGHES: Does the Covid funding have a timeline for completion?

LEERKES: Yup at the end of September however it is already accounted for yes, it’s appropriated we are just waiting for a van to come in but we have to move the money forward.

HUGHES: Great, thank you.

MCNALLY: Anything else?

MASCARENAS: I was going to ask you the same question for DSRIP. DSRIP has been around a long time and Medicaid seems to be moving in a different direction. Is DSRIP still going to be there is it not going to be there? How is that going to go?

LEERKES: So DSRIP is done. There’s new initiative of the 1115 waiver but we have been told to continue to use the money in the manner that it was set for and while we received it whether it was projects or because of the work that we were doing in the community so when we are able to support in this case we’ve used a lot of DSRIP funding like for the Town of Jay to purchase different types of recreational and socialization health and wellness type of products where we would not have any other funding stream otherwise but it’s meeting that criteria of DSRIP.

MCNALLY: All in favor, opposed – carried.

LEERKES: Next in the packet I tried to give this to you every single year. It is our Essex County Advocacy binder and that is something our association does for every single one of our counties so you’ll see data that is statewide but then you’ll see data specific to Essex County and we use this, our association uses this for all of our elected officials so I just think it’s pertinent for you guys to see the data when it comes to Essex County.

Next you have some projects that we’ve been working on with NYSOFA all of these projects are basically provided to the constituents to Essex County at no cost to the county. There are two new ones that will be rolling out fairly soon and that’s on the last page and that is the Smart Hygiene which is an artificial intelligence bidet for individuals that may need support in that manner and you’re looking at the SCC MedQR bracelets so these are bracelets that they are scanned and their medical information is on this QR code so hospitals and health care professionals are trained to scan this code and they are able to pull up lists of medications, any type of health diagnosis and these you would want to work with, we just learned about this Thursday morning I believe or maybe last Wednesday I can’t remember but our intent would be to work with OES and local emergency squads to really look at their communities for individuals that may have some cognitive impairment but don’t have families support living close by with them so stayed tuned on that and then I’m always constantly talking about Medicare so I gave you some Medicare information whether you use it for your personal use or your family or your community and then you have my report and I don’t have anything else unless anyone has questions?

MCNALLY: Alright, thank you very much. I just have a question on Seth’s program. Do you think it would be advisable, you said it was for only this campus but for all other county employees should be here that day? Bring them on campus?

MASCARENAS: We are going to allow people to participate that want to participate and there will be a sign out if you do not want to participate that doesn’t mean that the people are going to get a day off. We will have a dedicated area where those individuals will have to report to work in one location but yes, we are going to offer it Mr. McNally to everybody. It will be an interesting type thing because there will be actors, there will be moorage, there will be ambulances, there will be all those things that are going to be happening during that period of time but yes, it will be offered to every county employee.

MCNALLY: Okay, wonderful.

MONTY: We are going to advertise this out in the community so nobody panics when they see all this stuff?

MASCARENAS: Absolutely there’s going to be a public outreach in this in terms of this is what we are doing. We are not going to get into details with what we’re doing here but we are going to get into the details of we are having an active drill and don’t be alarmed and Seth is going to visit our adjoining neighbors personally and then we’ll do a social media outreach as well as some press releases and those types of things.

MONTY: What we don’t need is the one person who hasn’t been in Elizabethtown in ten years and decides to drive in that day and see everything going on and panic.

MASCARENAS: Absolutely.

MONTY: I think it’s a great idea.

MASCARENAS: Last thing I want is you showing up here with your rifle.

MCNALLY: Anything else for the human service committee? If not, we are adjourned.

As there was no further discussion to come before this Human Services committee it was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Garrison, Clerk

Board of Supervisors