Minutes of ESCOTA General Meetings

Minutes from the Thursday, June 10, 2010 General Membership Meeting

Date of Meeting: Thursday, June 10, 2010
Presentation: What’s New? The Effect of City Cuts and Changes within DFTA-Funded Programs on East Side Homebound Elderly
Speaker: Kate Geitner, Frank Geritano

Reeva Mager called the meeting to order at 3:30pm and welcomed the group. Amy Lowenberg, Director of Senior Services at Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center, hosted the meeting and spoke about the programs and services available to seniors through Stanley Isaacs.

Announcements:

Check our website escota.info for details and updates.

• Job opening:  Education & Recreation Coordinator, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center. See Job Listings on the ESCOTA website for details.
• Job opening:  Full-time MSW Social Work Position available in the Case Assistance Unit at the Carter Burden Center.  Responsibilities include concrete services, advocacy, supportive counseling, money management.  Please forward all resumes to: M. Dodd.  CBCA, 1494 First Avenue, NY NY 10075.  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
• The 2010-11 ESCOTA Directory is in production and will be in the mail to members this summer.

Presentation:

What’s New? The East Side Case Management Consortium and Stanley Isaacs Meals-on-Wheels Program explain how city cuts and changes within these DFTA-funded programs are affecting the homebound elderly on the East Side.

Kate Geitner is the Director of the East Side Case Management Consortium, which includes Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Search & Care and Carter Burden Center for the Aging. 
Frank Geritano is the Director of Meals on Wheels, which includes Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Union Settlement Association, Carter Burden Center for the Aging and Roosevelt Island Senior Association.

East Side Case Management Consortium

• DFTA-funded, partnership among 4 different East Side agencies. Born out of the RFP that changed the “map” in April 2008.
  Serve 950 homebound elderly, 59th-143rd Streets on the East Side of Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.
• Goal of program is to enable seniors to stay in their homes. Assessments are holistic and thorough. Eligibility requirements: 60 y/o+, some functional or cognitive impairment, can be maintained safely at home with supportive services. Case management is free of charge.
• NYC requires that client been seen by their case manager 1 x per year, telephone contact every 2-3 months. However, most ESCMC clients are spoken to much more often.
• With the formation of the consortium came the change that all clients receiving Meals-on-Wheels would also receive case management services.
• Case management has been hit with a $140,000 cut (10% of their budget.) EISEP services have experienced significant cuts. These lower cost housekeeping/home health aide services are appropriate for low-income clients who do not qualify/have Medicaid.
• NY State pays a certain amount toward these services and NY City is required to match it.
• In the past, the city has gone over the match, which has allowed services to be relatively available to clients. The city will no longer go over the match.
• Case managers are reviewing case loads, must reduce home care hours where they can. Are encouraging applications for Medicaid when clients may be eligible – DFTA is mandating that clients cannot receive EISEP if they appear eligible for Medicaid. Clients with significant resources (as EISEP eligibility looks at income but not resources) are being asked to privately hire some of the hours.
• Each Consortium member does a considerable amount of fundraising to supplement money that NYS/NYC budgets.
• The Consortium is halfway through a 2 year evaluation of the work it is doing. Hartford faculty fellow Dr. Nancy Junta is researching the efficacy of case management, and whether the consortium model differs from stand-alone programs.

Meals on Wheels

• Stanley Isaacs has been providing MOW for 40+ years. In 2008, Isaacs was providing 400 meals/day.
• In 2009, MOW providers formed their own consortium and now serves 725 meals per day.
• To be eligible for MOW, you must be 60y/o+, be unable to prepare a meal by yourself and do not have a caregiver present who could prepare a meal for you.
• Are able to provide frozen delivery 2x/week; this allows some freedom to clients who would rather not stay at home each day awaiting hot meal delivery. Now also offer Kosher meals.
• All referrals now come through Case Management, and as a result, Meals-on-Wheels are seeing lower numbers. They are currently 100 meals under the expected numbers.
• DFTA budget cuts have not directly affected MOW. However, case management cuts impact MOW: case management staff must be reduced, thereby reducing case loads, thereby reducing the number of MOW clients.
• “Presumptive Eligibility” is a way to provide MOW to clients without first having a thorough case management assessment. Allows for a quick phone screen by case management to turn on MOW immediately. A full case management assessment must be conducted within 4 months.
• Number of MOW client can fluctuate as many of the clients only need the service on a short-term basis (ie, post hospitalization.)
• An Outreach program has been established over the past 6 months. Flyers are being distributed, staff is reaching out to physicians, clergy, pharmacies, hospitals.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00pm.

Next Meeting:

Date: Thursday, September 16, 2010
Location: 92nd Street Y, Weill Art Gallery
Presentation: TBA
Speaker: TBA

Respectfully submitted by Amy Stern, Secretary

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