Valley Mountain Regional Center
FY 2017/2018 POS Data Expenditure presentation & Information Meeting
Date: Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Location: ATCAA 427 N. Highway 49, Sonora
Meeting Minutes
This year Valley Mountain Regional Center conducted three different public meetings specifically addressing the Purchase of Service Disparity Report for the Fiscal Year 2017-2018. The meetings where held on March 05, 2019 in Tuolumne County; March 16 in Stanislaus County and March 30 in San Joaquin County.
Attendance: Calaveras County: 9 Stanislaus County 24 San Joaquin19
There was a total of 52 people who attended all of the meetings
The first of the three public meetings occurred on 3/5/19 in Sonora. The following synopsis demonstrates the substance of the meeting.
Carlos Hernandez Jr., VMRC’s Cultural Specialist, began the meeting by welcoming participants and leading introductions. Mr. Hernandez shared the agenda for the public meeting.
Mr. Hernandez provided the presentation in English and Spanish. All materials for the meeting were made available in English and Spanish.
In attendance were persons receiving services, parents, vendor staff, and VMRC staff.
3 – Parents (Hispanic) 3 Tuolumne County
3 – VMRC Staff (1 Hispanic, 2 White staff) 2 Staff Tuolumne County, 1 Staff All 5 Counties
1 – SCDD staff (White) All 5 Counties
1 – Family resource Network Staff (White) All 5 Counties
1 – ATCAA Agency Staff (White) Tuolumne County
Mr. Hernandez provided an introduction for the POS expenditure data presentation and mentioned that two handouts were provided in English and Spanish which was the POS Data presentation and a workshop form “What’s Working / What’s Not Working”. Mr. Hernandez continued to provide a brief summary of VMRC demographics, counties covered, number of individuals served, POS funding for FY 2017/18 and the number of Service Coordinators and number of Bilingual Spanish-speaking Service Coordinators. Mr. Hernandez then explained the purpose of the presentation and the data being presented and why consumer and family feedback is very important. The Cultural Specialist explained that the “Primary Goal for VMRC is to meet the Consumer’s Needs. Data was provided by DDS for regional centers to access and utilize the same report format. VMRC’s reports were generated and posted on VMRC’s website by December 2018, as required by law.
Mr. Carlos Hernandez clarified the ethnic, age and primary language data in some detail, and advised that variance in expenditures is occurring throughout the regional center system. Mr. Hernandez stated that people receiving services self-identify according to the categories provided by the State of California on all intake documents. Mr. Hernandez shared the VMRC Staff Ethnicity by percent and compared the data with 2016, 2017, 2018; the data showed that VMRC has significant growth within the Asian Staff. The White staff has stayed stagnant and the Hispanic staff has reduced approx. 1% within the last 2 years. Mr. Hernandez shared information on VMRC Consumers by Ethnic Group: Fiscal Years 2016, 2017, and 2018 were compared. The information revealed that by July 2018 VMRC Hispanic consumers surpassed the White consumers in growth of whom are being served by Regional Center. Mr. Hernandez provided examples of the Asian community and shared some examples why the Asian community is low on the chart. Average cost of services for persons served by ethnicity and age: The data depicted the highest per capita expenditures for ethnicities was for persons age 22 and over. One of the parents asked why Early Start is higher per capita cost than Children’s units. The Cultural Specialist expounded that for Early Start and the age category of 3-21 years of age, here are a few reasons and one of them might be the fact that by the age of 3-22 the school begins to offer the services that regional centers offered when child was in Early Start.
Breakdown of various categories was reviewed and discussed.
Consumers with no purchase of service by ethnicity is as follows:: In FY 16’ 17’ 18’ the Native American community remains the same. The Hispanic group increased by 70 consumers who do not have Purchase of Services. The Asian group increased by 33 and the Caucasian group showed that people without POS have slightly reduced.
Cost of services billed based on where person serve lived: The graph depicted that most people receiving services live in the family home with a parent or guardian. The chart depicted that the next largest categories of residence type were for Independent/Supported Living and Community Care facilities. It was explained that it is more costly living in a Community Care facility than living with their families.
Graph Cost of Services per persons by residence type: The Cultural Specialist compared cost of living in a CCF and family home. The graph illustrated the cost by residence type and age category. Overall, POS expenditures for FY 17/18 for those who identified as White/Caucasian were higher than those who identified as Hispanic, although the total number of people served in the Hispanic category was higher by 288 Consumers. The White/Caucasian category received double the amount in Total Expenses and in Total Authorized services than the Hispanic population.
Total Authorizations noted for the White population vs. threshold ethnicity of Hispanic: Whites/Caucasian’s total authorized was $95,564,243. Hispanics total authorized was $55,019,557. A difference of $40,544,686 in total authorizations.
Total Expenses noted for VMRC’s White population vs. threshold ethnicity of Hispanic population: Whites $92,061,791 > Hispanics $45,795,760 Difference of $46, 266,031 in total Expenses.
Mr. Hernandez then presented data on persons served by primary language and per capita spending by primary language: Over 76% of people served by VMRC indicated their primary language is English, followed by approximately 23% for Spanish and the remainder for other languages. Per capita expenditures for persons with English as their primary Language were higher than those with Spanish as their primary language. Cultural Specialist Carlos Hernandez shared information about what the data presented tells us. POS variances exist but it does not answer the reason why services are being used, or why services are not being used. It was explained to families that more information is needed and how important it is for families to share their concerns with Valley Mountain Regional Center to learn from one another.
Mr. Hernandez Shared Community feedback & Responses and explained that VMRC has gathered a list of community concerns and is working on addressing them. A few examples:
Cultural Specialist informed the audience that VMRC is making a difference in the community, such as community outreach and Committee’s within VMRC to address issues shared by families Cultural Specialist Carlos Hernandez informed the public that VMRC in 2016-2017 VMRC applied for grants to help reduce disparities such as the ABX2-1
In FY 2016-17 VMRC was awarded $441,600 in funding to address disparity through the following projects:
In FY 2017-2018 VMRC applied for $559,000 but was awarded $30,000 for continued community outreach efforts.
Closing-
Mr. Hernandez shared information about what the data presented, tells us. POS spending variances exist but the data does not answer why variances exist. More information is needed. The data does not indicate that people’s needs are not being met. VMRC honors personal choice and follows a stringent person centered planning process with persons needs identified in the IPP.
Mr. Hernandez then proceeded to facilitate a small group workshop which consisted of them filling out form “What’s Working / What’s Not Working” which is used in Person Centered training. Families filled out forms and a few asked if they had to put their names on the form. Cultural Specialist replied with “No you do not have to put your name on the form”.
WHAT’S WORKING / NOT WORKING – 2 PERSPECTIVES –WORKINGIN TEAM’S OF 2
(Forms attached for documentation efforts)
WHAT’S WORKING
VMRC has many benefits that our children deserve and they have appropriate evaluations
NOT WORKING
Questions and Answers:
Carlos Hernandez opened up the meeting for questions and answers.
Parent shared that she is thankful for VMRC educating parents which in turn has helped her find services for her child. Parents asked when they could possibly have “Coffee with the Boss” up in the rural areas. Cultural Specialist Mr. Hernandez responded that they would set up a meeting as soon as possible. In order to bring the program to rural areas.
Carlos Hernandez concluded the meeting at approximately 1:20 pm
Valley Mountain Regional Center
FY 2017/2018 POS Data Expenditure presentation & Information Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2019
Location: Valley Caps 1900 Blue Gum Ave #B, Modesto Ca 95358
1:30am – 2:30pm
Meeting Minutes
Carlos Hernandez Jr., VMRC’s Cultural Specialist, began the meeting by welcoming participants and leading
Introductions. Mr. Hernandez shared the agenda for the morning.
Spanish speaking presenter. All materials for the meeting were made available in English and Spanish.
In attendance were persons receiving services, parents, vendor staff, and VMRC staff.
17 – Self- Advocates 6 White, 2 Latino, Middle Eastern 1, Multi1, Unidentified 7
5 – VMRC Staff (2 Hispanic, 2 White staff, 1 Multi)
1 – SCDD staff (White) All 5 Counties
1 – Office Of Client Rights Staff White
Following is a summary of the public meeting that occurred on 3/16/19:
Mr. Hernandez provided an introduction for the POS expenditure data presentation and mentioned that two handouts were provided in English and Spanish which was the POS Data presentation and a workshop form “what’s working / what’s not”. Mr. Hernandez continued to provide a brief summary of VMRC demographics, counties covered, number of individuals served, POS funding for FY 2017/18 and the number of Service Coordinators and number of bilingual Spanish speaking Service Coordinators. Mr. Hernandez then explained the purpose of the presentation and the data being presented and why consumer and family feedback is very important. Ethnic, age and primary language data in some detail, and advised that variance in expenditures is occurring throughout the regional center system. Mr. Hernandez stated that people receiving services self-identify according to the categories provided by the State of California on all intake documents.
Cultural Specialist shared how the “Money Flows”
The Cultural Specialist explained that the “Primary Goal for VMRC is to meet the consumer’s needs. Data was provided by DDS for regional centers to access and utilize the same report format. VMRC’s reports were generated and posted on VMRC’s website by December 2018, as required by law.
VMRC Staff
Mr. Hernandez spoke about VMRC Staff Ethnicity by percent and compared the data with 2016, 2017, 2018; the data showed that VMRC has significant growth among Asian staff. The White staff has stayed stagnant and the Hispanic staff has reduced approx. 1% within the last 2 years.
VMRC Consumers by Ethnic Group
Mr. Hernandez shared information on VMRC Consumers by Ethnic Group: Fiscal Years 2016, 2017, and 2018 were compared. The information revealed that by July 2018 VMRC Hispanic consumers surpassed the White consumers in growth of whom are being served by Regional Center. Mr. Hernandez provided examples of the Asian community and shared some examples of why the Asian community is low on the chart
Average Cost of Services for Persons Served by Ethnicity and Age
Average cost of services for persons served by ethnicity and age: The data depicted the highest per capita expenditures for ethnicities was for persons age 22 and over. One of the parents asked why Early sSart is higher per capita cost then the Children unit. Cultural Specialist expounded that for early start and the age category of 3-21 years here are a few reasons and one of them might be the fact that by the age of 3-22 the school begins to offer the services that Regional centered offered when child was in Early Start.
Consumers with no purchase of service by ethnicity:
Amount Spent and Authorized Services By Ethnicity or Race
In FY 16’ 17’ 18’ the Native American community remains the same. The Hispanic group increased by 70 consumers who do not have Purchase of services. The Asian group increased by 33 with people without Purchase of Services. The Caucasians group showed that people without POS have slightly reduced
Total Authorizations:
In Total Expenses
Cost of services billed based on where person serve lived
The Cultural Specialist mentioned that folks receiving services live in the family home with a parent or guardian. The chart depicts that the next largest categories of residence type were for Independent/Supported Living and Community Care facilities. It was explained that it is more costly living in a Community Care Facility than it would be living with their families.
Cultural Specialist compared Cost of Living in a CCF and family home. The Graph illustrated the cost by residence type and age category. Overall, POS expenditures for FY 17/18 for those who identified as White were higher than those who identified as Hispanic, although the total number of people served in the Hispanic category was higher by 288 Consumers. The White category received double the amount in total expenses and in total authorized services then the Hispanics.
Mr. Hernandez informed information about persons served by primary language and per capita spending by primary language. Over 76% of people served by VMRC indicated their primary language is English, followed by approximately 23% for Spanish and the remainder for other languages. Per capita expenditures for persons with English as their primary language were higher than those with Spanish as their primary language.
Cultural Specialist Carlos Hernandez shared information about what the data presented, tells us. POS variances exist but it does not answer the reason why services are/are not being used. It was explained to families that more information is needed and how important it is for families to share their concerns with Valley Mountain Regional Center to learn from one another.
VMRC wants to be fair to all “What does this mean?”
Mr. Hernandez then proceeded to facilitate a small group workshop which consisted of them Filling out form “What’s working / what’s not” which is used in Person Centered training. Families filled out forms and a few asked if they had to put their names on the form. Cultural Specialist replied with ” No you do not have to put your name on the form”.
WHAT’S WORKING / NOT WORKING – 2 PERSPECTIVES –WORKINGIN TEAM’S OF 2
(Completed forms are attached)
WHAT’S WORKING
NOT WORKING
VMRC keeps working very hard to a better job of serving the whole VMRC Community!
VMRC hired Carlos Hernandez Jr as their first ever Cultural Specialist! He gets to represent VMRC out in the community and tell people about the service and supports VMRC offers.
Cultural Specialist informed the audience that VMRC is making a difference in the community, such as Community outreach and Committee’s within VMRC to address issues shared by families Cultural Specialist Carlos Hernandez informed the public that VMRC in 2016-2017 VMRC applied for grants to help reduce disparities such as the ABX2-1
In FY 2016-17 VMRC was awarded $441,600 in funding to address disparity through the following projects:
In FY 2017-2018 VMRC applied for $559,000 but was awarded $30,000 for continued Community Outreach efforts.
Discussions:
Self-advocate asked that she would like to have Coffee with the Boss Tony Anderson.
Self-advocate informed the rest of the self-advocate how important the use of your voice is. “Fight for your rights”
Closing- Carlos Hernandez concluded the meeting at approximately 1:20 pm
Valley Mountain Regional Center
FY 2017/2018 POS Data Expenditure presentation & Information Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2019
Location: PCS Lodi 651 North Cherokee Lane Lodi, Ca 95240
8 pm – 9pm
Meeting Minutes
Carlos Hernandez Jr., VMRC’s Cultural Specialist, began the meeting by welcoming participants and leading
Introductions. Mr. Hernandez shared the agenda for the morning.
Presentation was given in English with a Spanish translator present.
Spanish speaking presenter. All materials for the meeting were made available in English and Spanish.
In attendance were persons receiving services, parents, vendor staff, and VMRC staff.
10 – Parents 8 Latino parent, 1 White, 1 Latino interpreter
2- Self advocate White
3- Chose not to self-identify
2 – VMRC Staff (1 Hispanic, 1 White staff)
1 – Office of Client Rights Staff White
1 – Multi Cultural
The following is a summary of the public meeting held on 3/27:
Mr. Hernandez provided an introduction for the POS expenditure data presentation and mentioned that two handouts were provided in English and Spanish which was The POS Data presentation and a workshop form “what’s working / what’s not”. Mr. Hernandez continued to provide a brief summary of VMRC demographics, counties covered, number of individuals served, POS funding for FY 2017/18 and the number of service coordinators and number of Bilingual Spanish speaking service coordinators. Mr. Hernandez then explained the purpose of the presentation and the data being presented and why consumer and family feedback is very important. Ethnic, age and primary language data in some detail, and advised that variance in expenditures is occurring throughout the regional center system. Mr. Hernandez stated that people receiving services self-identify according to the categories provided by the State of California on all intake documents.
Cultural Specialist shared how the “Money Flows”
The Cultural Specialist explained that the “Primary Goal for VMRC is to meet the Consumer’s Needs. Data was provided by DDS for regional centers to access and utilize the same report format. VMRC’s reports were generated and posted on VMRC’s website by December 2018, as required by law.
VMRC Staff
Mr. Hernandez spoke about VMRC Staff Ethnicity by percent and compared the data with 2016, 2017, 2018; the data showed that VMRC has significant growth within the Asian Staff. The White staff has stayed stagnant and the Hispanic staff has reduced approx. 1% within the last 2 years.
VMRC Consumers by Ethnic Group
Mr. Hernandez shared information on VMRC Consumers by Ethnic Group: Fiscal Years 2016, 2017, and 2018 were compared. The information revealed that by July 2018 VMRC Hispanic consumers surpassed the White consumers in growth of whom are being served by Regional Center. Mr. Hernandez provided examples of the Asian community and shared some examples why the Asian community is low on the chart
Average Cost of Services for Persons Served by Ethnicity and Age
Average cost of services for persons served by ethnicity and age: The data depicted the highest per capita expenditures for ethnicities was for persons age 22 and over. One of the parents asked why Early Start is higher per capita cost then the Children’s units. Cultural Specialist expounded that for Early Start and the age category of 3-21 years here are a few reasons and one of them might be the fact that by the age of 3-22 the school begins to offer the services that regional centers offered when child was in Early Start.
Consumers with no purchase of service by ethnicity:
Amount Spent and Authorized Services By Ethnicity or Race
In FY 16’ 17’ 18’ the Native American community remains the same. The Hispanic group increased by 70 consumers who do not have Purchase of services. The Asian group increased by 33 with people without Purchase of services. The Caucasians group showed that people without POS have slightly reduced
In Total Expenses:
Cost of services billed based on where person serve lived
The Cultural Specialist mentioned that folks receiving services live in the family home with a parent or guardian. The chart depicted that the next largest categories of residence type were for Independent/Supported Living and Community Care facilities. It was explained that it is more costly living in a Community Care facility than it would be living with their families.
Cultural Specialist compared Cost of Living in a CCF and Family home the Graph illustrated the cost by residence type and age category. Overall, POS expenditures for FY 17/18 for those who identified as White were higher than those who identified as Hispanic, although the total number of people served in the Hispanic category was higher by 288 Consumers. The White Category received double the amount in Total Expenses and in Total Authorized services then the Hispanics.
Mr. Hernandez informed information about persons served by primary language and per capita spending by primary Language. Over 76% of people served by VMRC indicated their primary language is English, followed by approximately 23% for Spanish and the remainder for other languages. Per capita expenditures for persons with English as their primary Language were higher than those with Spanish as their primary language.
Cultural Specialist Carlos Hernandez shared information about what the data presented tells us. POS variances exist but it does not answer the reason why or why not services are being used. It was explained to families that more information is needed and how important it is for families to share their concerns with Regional Center to learn from one another.
VMRC wants to be fair to all “What does this mean?”
Mr. Hernandez then proceeded to facilitate a small group workshop which consisted of them Filling out form “What’s working / what’s not” which is used in Person Centered training. Families filled out forms and a few asked if they had to put their names on the form. Cultural Specialist replied with “No you do not have to put your name on the form”.
(Attached are the documents completed at the meeting by participants)
WHAT’S WORKING / NOT WORKING – 2 PERSPECTIVES –WORKINGIN TEAM’S OF 2
WHAT’S WORKING
NOT WORKING
In FY 2017-2018 VMRC applied for $559,000 but was awarded $30,000 for continued Community outreach efforts.
Discussions:
Closing- Carlos Hernandez concluded the meeting at approximately 9:20 pm
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