Minutes from the Health and Welfare Council Meeting On November 22, 2013 Present: Robin Beck (United

d way of Blair County), Denise Adams (United Way of Blair County Family Resource Center), Linda Filkosky (Altoona Area Public Library), Tim Salony (Blair County Library Systems), Teresa Salome (HNA/Nurse Family Partnership), Jodi Cessna (Central PA Community Foundation), Julie Patoskey (Penn Highlands Community College), Paula Craw (Saint Francis University), Cynthia Resnick (Pittsburgh Family Development), Tracy Kelley (Home Nursing Agency WIC Program), Robin Walters (Home Nursing Agency Nurse Family Partnership), Elise Messner (The Learning Community), Dawn McMaster (Altoona Housing Authority), Hannah Weaver (Blair County Drug and Alcohol Partnerships), Amie Pastore (Coventry Cares), Suzanne Snyder (PA Department of Health Blair Bureau Community Health Systems), Jean Johnstone (Catholic Charities), Donna Gority (community), Helen Terza (Southern Alleghenies Service Management Group), Jessica Maxon (Mount Aloysius College), Terri Grove (Contact Altoona), Cindy Cessna (Blair County Chamber Foundation), Mike Hofer (Central Blair Recreation Commission), Don Belsey (Saint Vincent DePaul Assumption Chapel Food Pantry), Kristen Luciano (Skills of Central PA, Inc.), Cathy Crum ( Department of Social Services), Maria Brandt (The Arc of Blair County), Missy Cole (Through Health Clinic), Wendy Belinda (Through Health Clinic), Michele Adams (partnering for Health) and Scott Moyer (Discovery House) Call to Order Mike Hofer called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. Everyone introduced themselves. Presentation: Poverty Simulation Project by Bridges Network Jessica Maxon of Mount Aloysius reported for the Network. The group received a grant from BCHWC to host a workshop. The event will use the kit purchased by Saint Francis College and will be held at the Adler Gym at Penn State Altoona on March 11 from 8:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. The simulation is a 4 hour game designed to help people understand the issues of poverty and not enough cash. Its purpose is to educate people about the realities of living in poverty. Cost to attend is $10. Participation is limited to 88 people. The people involved in planning the event are Paula Craw, Kathy Muller, Tim Salony, Jessica Lattanza, Kristen Luciano, Jessica Maxon and Cathy Crum. Volunteers are needed and participants. Ideally the people providing the services in the simulation will be clients of agencies that provide services, while agency representatives and community leaders will be playing the people receiving services. Playing the role of an agency provider is challenging. Volunteers are needed to set-up on March 10, 2013. Volunteers playing agency representatives should be at the Gym by 8:00 a.m. on the March 11. There will be a training for these volunteers and they must read their script so they are prepared for the role. Registration will be from 8:30 9:00 a.m. Jean Johnstone talked about the simulation that the Diocese had recently. Paula talked about the kit, which contains 1,000 pieces. Gift cards will be provided to all who attend. The Diocese provided gift cards to participants. Jean said that cards should be between $10 and $20 dollars. She asked the group what would be meaningful to the clients. She suggested cards be to Sheetz, Dollar General or Save-a-Lot. Jessica thanked the group for their support. Updates: Cathy Crum reported that Blair County has been accepted as a block grant county. Prior to this the County has had seven different funds coming from the state. As a block grant county, the funding becomes very flexible. Previously if money was left over in one stream, it had to be returned to the state. Under the block grant system, the County will be able to keep the money and use it to meet a need. Robin Beck reported that United Way of Blair County is continuing its campaign and asked everyone to reach out to help raise funds. She also reported that the Community Building Committee has been meeting to review

UWBCs Community Plan for Impact Funding. The Request for Proposal will be posted to UWBC website on January 1, 2014. The committee is looking at establishing on some concrete outcomes, so that UWBC can report results to the community in a more effective manner and hopefully encourage more donations. This will probably occur in 2015 in conjunction with the Healthy Blair County Coalitions work group findings. Donna Gority reported that the State Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) was exploring ways to align with the Healthy Blair County Coalition. She reported that four workgroups had been formed and met recently: o Mental Health Needs or Children/Adolescents is exploring the need for Inpatient treatment. Their next meeting will be on December 11 in the UPMC Altoona Board Room. o Drug and Alcohol SBIRT (screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment) is headed by Judy Rosser o Healthy Lifestyles Nutrition Healthy Activities o Smoking, Tobacco Cessation models exist Next meeting December 16 Donna invited everyone to join one of the groups. Let her know if you are interested. Mike Hofer asked that Agency Announcements be held until the end of the meeting. Grant Report and Announcement Kristen Luciano reported that the threshold on the application and the one listed on the score sheet did not match. The group used the one listed on the application to review these applications and will be reviewing the process. Three applications were received: a. Blair County Library System for a sensory story hour b. Park and Recreation Commission for a Soccer Program c. United Way of Blair County for Parents as Teachers new emphasis on teen parents Mike Hofer asked each group make a presentation about their project. He started. The soccer program is a new program aimed at pre-school children. It will teach leadership and cooperation while introducing young children to a sport that matches they have the skills in which to participate. Denise Adams explained that Parent Educators had been trained on a new curriculum for Teen Parents that incorporates new findings about how having a child at young age effects the development of the parent. This training alters the way these parents will be served. The group also plans to put a greater emphasis on serving teen parents. Linda Filkosky talked about the equipment and approaches that will be used to enable children with special needs and their parents to enjoy story hours. There will be a balance beam and more activity. The group will most likely be open to children between the ages of 3 6. It addresses a need identified by the Healthy Blair County Coalition. Kristen reported that all three applications met the criteria of being new or expanded and of meeting an identified community need. Based on the balance available in the checking account, the review committee was recommending that all three be funded. Jodi Cessna moved to fund all three. Paula Craw seconded and the motion passed. Review/Approval of the Minutes Mike asked if everyone had received the minutes. Kristen Luciano moved to approve them as presented. Helen Terza seconded the motion and all voted to approve it. Review of Treasurers Report

Kristen Luciano reported that the balance as of 8/31/13 was $4911.58 in Health and Welfare and $138.82 in SHIP for a total balance of $5,050.40. We had deposits of $710 in dues and an expenditure of $56.54 for officers gifts, bringing the totals as of 10/31/2013 to $5, 703.86 ($5,565.04 in H&W and $138.82 in SHIP.) Jessica Maxon moved to accept the Treasurers report as presented. Don Belsey seconded the motion which was then approved by the members. Committee Reports o Mike Hofer Changes are being proposed to the structure of the auditing committee. Classes will be established so that a new person will rotate onto the committee each year, allowing for both new blood and experienced members. Mahlon is looking into drafting language to establish those classes. Debbie Garritano and Donna are reviewing the by-laws in general. The committee is looking at SHIP in relationship to the Healthy Blair County Coalition and also reviewing the threshold criteria for grants. Michele Zitsch is creating a table with executive committee terms. o Kristen Luciano deferred to Robin Beck for the Audit Report. Robin reported that the committee consisting ot Robin, Donna Gority and Cindy Cessna met on Friday, November 8 at 12:30 pm at United Way of Blair County. The committee found the books to be in order and commended Treasurer Machel Drahnak for her efforts. A written report was prepared and submitted to President Mahlon Fiscel for the record. o Jessica Maxon reported that meetings had been publicized. o Robin Beck reported for Michele Zitsch that we currently have 34 paid members. A lsit of paid and unpaid members was circulated. Robin asked people to reach out to any unpaid members that they knew. o There was no report on the website. Donna Gority stated that it was discovered by the Grants committee that the by-laws listed were not the most recent. Everything else is up-to-date. Agency Reports Since there was time available, Mike Hofer asked agencies to share information. Suzanne Snyder announced that due to health care reform, the Community Health Offices were more restricted in what they are able to do. The Huntingdon County site continues to serve Blair County. They can be reached at 946-7300 or 627-1251.They no longer are able to provide vaccinations, but will be doing a one day public flu campaign at the Salvation Army in Altoona on Thursday, December 12 in conjunction with the observance of National Influenza Day. There will be a $5 charge. Call to register to ensure adequate supplies are available. Jodi Cessna announced that grant applications for the Community Foundation will be posted in January to their website www.centralpagives.org. It is a new application. Cynthia Resick reported that the Pittsburgh Family Development was now offering services in Blair County. They work with women that are pregnant until the time their baby is one year of age. They provide incentives in the form of mommy or daddy dollars that can be redeemed for cribs, wipes, diapers, etc. Their goal is to promote healthy prenatal and parenting skills. They are not limited to first-time mothers. Mike Hofer announced that the Recreation Commission and Booker T. Washington is honoring Joe Keller at their annual dinner on February 27. Chuck Webner, the boxer that was the inspiration for the movie Rockey, will be the speaker. Mamma Randazzos will provide the food and the event will feature a silent auction of sports memorabilia. Fliers are available on the resource table. Jessica Maxon reported that Mount Aloyisus will open their wellness and convocation center in January. It will be open for community use. A grand opening will be held later in the year once the likelihood of snow is over. Contact Altoona and the Mount just concluded their 3rd annual Pathways to Empowerment seminar and will start planning for the 4th annual.

Don Belsey wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving and announced that the Saint Vincent DePaul Food Pantry is now the third largest food pantry in PA out of 500 pantries in the state. It serves 2400 people. Missy Cole talked to the group about the Through medical clinic which is open on Thursdays to serve Southern Blair County. They are located in the former East Freedom Elementary School building and also house a school for autism, a coffee shop, addiction support groups, a food pantry which is open on the third Saturday of each month. They also offer budgeting classes. They have just finished coding all of their services with Contact Altoona so they are available on 211. Paula Craw announced that Saint Francis has formed an Autism Task Force to help build a network for parents of children with autism. It includes IT people that are working to develop job opportunities. The universitys Disspio Center has a toy lending library. If you are interested, contact Paula. Denise Adams reported that the Toasty Toddler Program has already served 340 children, birth through age four. Referrals continue to come in. Right now there is a need for sizes 5T and 6T coats. Mike Hofer thanked everyone for attending and wished them a happy Thanksgiving. The next meeting will be on January 24, 2014. Mike adjourned the meeting. Sincerely,

Robin Beck