Disability Rights of California
OCRA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday May 2, 2018, 10:00 a.m.
Disability Rights California, Los Angeles, CA
PRESENT: Elizabeth Gomez, Esther Kelsey, David Oster
ABSENT: Yolanda Vargas 
VIA TELECONFERENCE: Judy Mark and Howard McBroom
STAFF: Catherine Blakemore, Katie Hornberger, Marisol Cruz
INTERPRETERS/FACILITATORS: Barbara McCants 
1. Welcome and Introductions 
Elizabeth Gomez called the meeting to order at 10:07a.m. Members and staff introduced themselves. 
2. Approval of September 14, 2017 Minutes
The Advisory Committee reviewed the minutes.  It was M/S/C (Gomez/Oster/McBroom) to approve the September 14, 2017 meeting minutes. 
3. Appreciation of Esther Kelsey and Howard McBroom 
The Committee thanked Esther Kelsey and Howard McBroom for their time and involvement in the OCRA Advisory Committee.  A certificate was presented to Ms. Kelsey.  Mr. McBroom’s certificate will be mailed to him.
4. Agenda Review 
The Committee reviewed the agenda.  Judy Mark asked to add a discussion of Self Determination.  The topic was added to the agenda.  
5. Public Member Appointment
Ms. Gomez explained that 3 new public members are needed.  Two have been interviewed, Rene Rodriguez and Tammi Bradly.  Ms. Gomez reviewed Mr. Rodriguez’s background.  He is a client of the San Diego Regional Center.  He has served on several Boards of Directors.  He is bilingual in Spanish and frequently volunteers in his community.  She then described Ms. Bradley.  She is a client of Alta California Regional Center. She had experience with her children in the Early Start program.  She worked as an Analyst at the state for In Home Supportive Services program.   Katie Hornberger thanked Elizabeth Gomez and David Oster for their participation in the interviews.  She then explained that a motion could be taken recommending one or both candidates to the executive committee for appointment to the OCRA Advisory Committee.   It was M/S/C (Oster/Gomez) to recommend appointment of both Mr. Rodriguez and Ms. Bradley to the OCRA Advisory Committee.
6. Legislative Update by Catherine Blakemore
Ms. Blakemore explained that the Governor makes recommendations for the state budget in May.  It is called the May Revise.  Ms. Blakemore discussed pending issues.  About a decade ago, families were able to request social recreation and camping from the regional centers.  Those services were cut during the budget crises of 2009.  Lots of efforts have been going on to restore these services by a variety of people.  
Ms. Gomez stated that she was happy to hear about the possible reinstatement of social recreational services. 
Ms. Mark stated there is a website, socialrec.org, there is a sample e-mail that families can use to voice their opinion.  She thanked Ms. Blakemore and Disability Rights California staff for all the hard work. 
Ms. Blakemore explained that the cap on respite was eliminated.  People can now go to the regional center and ask for more respite.  Regional centers had to change their Purchase of Service policy to not include a cap. Many regional centers have a tool that they use to assess the amount of respite that a family needs.  DRC believes that families should have access to the tools or forms to prepare for the IPP meetings.  We have asked that regional centers be required to post those tools with the policy.
Ms. Blakemore explained two other bills DRC is supporting.  The first would require school districts to translate IEPs into families’ native language within 30 days of the meeting.  The other limits when restraints can be used in schools.  Schools should use positive behavior intervention instead.  Getting this bill passed has been challenging.  
Howard McBroom shared that more behavior intervention needs to be used, not restraints.  Students should be educated with no restraints.  
Ms. Gomez asked if the respite tools used by the regional center should be posted, is there a time frame for us to tell people they can look for it?
Ms. Blakemore explained that unfortunately the current law only says the Purchase of Service policy must be posted not the tool.  The new law, if passed, would say that they have to post a form or tool with the policy.  So, there is no date as of yet.  
David Oster asked if the Purchase of Service policies are password protected.  Katie Hornberger explained that they were not.  Mr. Oster explained that when items have password protect it is very difficult to access. Everyone agreed with him.
7. Self Determination 
Judy Mark explained that Self Determination implementation is finally moving forward.  The waiver may be approved within 6 weeks. DDS is not ready to start the program.  Ms. Mark is asking that CRAs reactivate the Local Advisory Committees. Ms. Mark would like for the Local Advisory Committees to meet monthly.  Ms. Mark would like CRAs to help find new members and be involved in the informational meetings.  Ms. Mark would like the CRAs to monitor for concerns and raise them to DDS. 
Katie Hornberger explained that she was preparing an e-mail for staff to push for monthly meetings.  Ms. Hornberger will also include information about recruiting more members and ask to share it on DRC’s social media to recruit members.  Ms. Hornberger explained that participating in all of the informational meetings is hard because of other time commitments.  She will remind them to attend when they have the resources to do so.  Ms. Hornberger explained that she is having CRAs send her the concerns they hear and she can approach DDS with them.  Judy Mark stated that she appreciates the email to CRAs.  
8. Semi-Annual Report by Katie Hornberger
Ms. Hornberger summarized the Office of Client’s Rights Advocacy (OCRA) Semi-Annual Report. OCRA handled 5,372 matters and gave 187 trainings.  Trainings are a bit lower than the last period which included the presidential election when staff did many voting trainings.  Ms. Hornberger was very happy to say OCRA serves people at parity with the diversity of regional center consumers.  For example, 38.9 percent of consumers served by OCRA identified as Hispanic/Latino, higher than the DDS percentage.  African-American regional center clients represent 9.1% of the population and OCRA served a slightly higher percentage at 9.7%.  Asians consumers reported by the regional center are 6.5%, and OCRA served 7.9%.  
OCRA continues to be more involved with people who live in restricted settings. CRAs are part of the behavior support team meetings to make sure that people who live in Enhanced Behavioral Support Homes are treated well and when they are ready for a less restrictive environment there is a transition.  Some of these new models of care homes have delayed egress on doors.  Meaning that when someone tries to open the door an alarm sounds and it gives staff about 15 t0 20 seconds to get to the person and ask what is going on. For example, someone might just be wanting to go outside to work on gardening, but sometimes some one might be upset and want to leave, so it give staff the opportunity to deescalate the situation.  Some homes also have a secure perimeter, a locked fence.  A lot of these homes are in more rural areas. Ms. Hornberger has been to many of the homes and they are spacious and well suited to the needs of the clients.  
Ms. Hornberger discussed the Advocacy Report stories. Under Personal Autonomy, client was getting $20.00 a week, then her money manager decided to reduce it to $10.00 a week.  OCRA got involved and assisted with both changing her money manager and getting her $20.00 a week back.  Ms. Hornberger explained that we do the little things but they are very important for quality of life.  Ms. Hornberger suggested that the committee read the stories as they are really great.  Ms. Hornberger shared the story of a family’s IHSS hours were being cut because the worker did not communicate clearly with the parent to the schedule assessment. Through the Advocate Inquiry Process, OCRA was able to help the family schedule the assessment and get the services back.  This program is in place to help resolve issues quicker.  Ms. Gomez stated that the Advocate Inquiry Process is great.
Ms. Hornberger described a young man who was found sleeping outside and was undernourished.   A non-profit organization helped get him shelter, clothing and food.  The regional center denied him eligibility based on a history of substance abuse.  OCRA got involved and supported the client in securing regional center services.  Prior to hearing the regional center agreed to make him eligible for services. 
Ms. Kelsey and Mr. McBroom were thanked once again.

Elizabeth Gomez adjourned the meeting at 11:31 a.m. 
ATTEST:
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Elizabeth Gomez, Chair