7/23/2015 HUMAN SERVICES Minutes

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• Appointment of a Subcommittee to Review Contracts for a Cost -Benefit Analysis Janice Walford reminded the committee that former town manager Joyce Mason had made a commitment to a 10% increase in the budgeted contract amount each year for 5 years. The current contract budgeted amount is $38,500, which reflects the first of the five years. John Cahalane reminded the committee that the new town manager is not required to abide by earlier agreements such as this. Janice Walford asked Elinor Glener to chair a subcommittee to review the contracts for a cost - benefit analysis of the contracts and Ms. Glener agreed to take on that assignment. Ms. Walford stated that we want to determine where our few dollars are going to do the most good and where is the most value for our few dollars. The committee agreed that statistics will need to be available as to how each contract agency is spending the funds awarded by Human Services. Lynne Waterman recommended that the budget focus of the Human Services Committee should be strictly on an increase in the contract amounts. Ms. Walford said she believes it is important for the committee to be familiar with the total budget, so that it can be an advocate for other needed increases, in addition to contracts. Ms. Waterman recommended that we look at the over-all contract number, the bottom line of the contracts, perhaps ask for a reasonable increase, and then decide which agencies we think should be increased and what the amounts should be, and look for information to support that increase. Mary Bradbury suggested another approach to analyzing the Human Services budget: stating that the focus might be to look at percentages of each part of the budget, i.e., contracts, office maintenance needs, etc. and recognize that each year those percentages will be dedicated to the approved Human Services budget. Lynne Waterman also recommended that the committee consider what the ripple effect on Mashpee residents would be if the contract amount for a particular agency were to be removed. Gail Wilson pointed out that the contract services are utilized by Mashpee residents and that in advocating for clients it is sometimes helpful to contact the agency directly on behalf of the residents to expedite services. This has been helpful in many situations. Elinor Glener stated that she would plan to have a report for the committee at the September 2015 Human Services Committee meeting. • Regional Substance Abuse Council Focus Group Findings Gail Wilson stated that Cheryl Bartlett will be the guest speaker at the August 20th Human Services Committee meeting. Ms. Bartlett will review the focus group findings and Ms. Wilson has asked her to discuss local and regional initiatives. • Coordinator's Report — Gail Wilson No report. Postponed to August 20th, 2015 meeting. OTHER BUSINESS Food Pantry. Discussion followed as to what the Committee might do to increase the Food Pantry contributions from the public at the Town Meetings. One suggestion was to increase the scope of advertising of the opportunity for public contributions well in advance of the Town Meeting dates. Following the example of the Recreation Department, a second suggestion was to involve the Police/Fire department personnel in manning collection stations in the school parking areas to accept donations, thus eliminating the need for contributors to lug their bags the long walk up to the school auditorium. Rack Cards. Following up on an earlier committee request, Elinor Glener asked that an additional 2000 rack cards be ordered for distribution throughout Mashpee. Hoarding. Veronica Warden reported an increase in the number of serious hoarding cases in Mashpee. Ms.Warden stated that hoarding is now classified as a mental illness. V