[Northwest Senior Services Board]

ADVANCE MEETING MATERIALS

SEPTEMBER 6, 2017

REGULAR MEETING

1:00 – 3:30PM SKAGIT PUBLISHING - COMMUNITY MEETING ROOM

1215 ANDERSON ROAD MOUNT VERNON, WA 98274

Northwest Regional Council 600 Lakeway Drive

Bellingham, WA 98225 360.676.6749

Map to

Skagit Publishing

1215 Anderson Road

Mount Vernon

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Exit 225

Exit 225

Anderson Road

Skagit Publishing 1215 Anderson Rd

Cedardale Road

Anderson Road

Bellingham

Camano

Take exit 225 off I-5. At the end of the exit ramp, head east on Anderson Road. Skagit Publishing will be on your left, just past the Cedardale roundabout. If you get to Blodgett Road you have gone too far.

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Date: September 6, 2017

Time: 1:00pm – 3:30pm

Location: Skagit Publishing 1215 Anderson Road Mount Vernon, WA 98274 Community Meeting Room

Agenda Time Topic Pages Action

Required 1:00-1:05 Regular Meeting Call to Order

Barbara Pesola, Chair • Pledge of Allegiance• Introduction of Guests• Roll Call• Review of May Minutes• Announcements• Public Comments• Call for Expense Reimbursement Forms

3-6 Motion

1:05-1:10 NWSSB Membership Update Barbara Pesola

Handout Information

1:10-1:35 Tentative Funding Allocations Michael Dunckel

7-10 Motion

1:35-1:40 State Auditor Commendation Barbara Pesola

11 Information

1:40-1:55 2017-19 Strategic (Area) Plan Update Progress Report Elizabeth Anderson

Handout Information

1:55-2:05 Special Subcommittee Report Ryan Blackwell

Verbal Information

2:05-2:15 Break 2:15-2:45 Agency Update

Elizabeth Anderson and Ryan Blackwell Handout Information

NORTHWEST SENIOR SERVICES BOARD

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2:45-2:55 Fall Conference Information Ryan Blackwell

13-14 Discussion

2:55-3:10 State Council on Aging Appointment Barbara Pesola and Ryan Blackwell

Handout Motion

3:10-3:15 State Council on Aging Update Carl Bender

Verbal Discussion

3:15-3:25 Updates from Our Communities Members

Verbal Discussion

3:30 Adjourn Verbal Motion

Upcoming Northwest Senior Services Board Meetings and Events: October 4, 2017 Regular Meeting / Mount Vernon

Strategic Plan Update Public Hearing October 18, 2017 AAA/SCOA Fall Gathering Tacoma October 19, 2017 Senior Lobby Fall Conference Tacoma November 1, 2017 Regular Meeting Mount Vernon

Upcoming Northwest Regional Council Meetings: December 7, 2017 Governing Board Meeting Mount Vernon

Meetings are held in accessible facilities. For more complete information, please contact the NWRC at 360-676-6749 or 1-800-585-6749, 600 Lakeway Drive, Suite 100, Bellingham WA 98225.

Anyone needing special accommodations to participate in a meeting should contact the NWRC at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting.

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Northwest Senior Services Board Meeting Minutes May 3, 2017

Guests Present: Leslie Lawson new unconfirmed member from Skagit County

Members Present: Anna Ankrum, Carl Bender, Jim Cloore, Jana Finkbonner, Wendy Gilbert, Bob Monize, Ken O’Mhuan, Barbara Pesola, Tasker Robinette, Jodi Sipes

Members Absent: Bob Bandarra, Bill Bezanson, Georgiann Dustin, Shirley Forslof, Joan Fortune, Alberta Horn, Baozhen Luo, Melisa Nelson, Diane Vendiola

Staff Present: Ryan Blackwell, Elizabeth Anderson, Lesley Morrison, Penny Morgan

Review of Minutes: Bob Monize suggested investigating a change to the bylaws that clarifies what constitutes a quorum when there are vacancies on the board.

Motion was made by Bob Monize, Island County and seconded by Tasker Robinette, Skagit County, that the minutes from the March 1, 2017 meeting be approved. The motion passed unanimously.

Announcements: There were no announcements

Public Comment: There was no public comment

Expense Reimbursement Forms: Collected

NWSSB Certificate of Appreciation for Kim Boon Barbara Pesola, San Juan County

A copy of the Certificate presented to Kim Boon was presented in the meeting materials. Barbara Pesola spoke to Kim’s contributions to NWSSB and the communities that she serves.

NWRC Service Levels Ryan Blackwell, Health and Human Services Planner

Ryan presented a statistical report that was developed by NWRC Fiscal Manager, Cindy Madigan following a request by Ken O’Mhuan at the January 2017 Meeting of NWSSB. This analysis seeks to quantify the services provided by NWRC on a county

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by county basis. The members discussed how this tool might be used to track trends and shortcomings in services over time. Ryan offered to provide this report on an ongoing basis.

Strategic Plan 2016-2019 Review Ryan Blackwell, Health and Human Services Planner

Ryan reviewed the progress of the NWSSB’s Strategic Plan 2016-2019. Metrics that rate the level of accomplishment in each of the plan’s five focal points were outlined. Areas where the plan has met expectations and others where adjustments may be necessary to realize the plan’s goals were identified. Power point slides included in meeting handout materials. Discussion followed.

Agency Update

Medicaid Transformation Project Ryan Blackwell, Health and Human Services Planner

Ryan reported details on the federal Medicaid funding available to expand the Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP). Now known as the Medicaid Transformation Project Demonstration (MTPD), this recently approved federal waiver includes five years of federal funding to pilot Washington’s ideas for improving services and cost effectiveness within the Medicaid program. Expanding supports for family caregivers is a key strategy in Washington’s list of ideas. In order to roll out this expansion of NWRC’s current FCSP:

• The application and verification process for caregivers must comply withMedicaid standards

• All payments to providers must be from the state’s Medicaid payment system• Program staff will utilize an integrated data system that supports the

implementation of program or navigate between multiple data systems.Discussion followed. NWSSB was informed that the proposed motion regarding the expansion of this program (pg. 25 of meeting materials) was approved by the NWRC governing board at the April 27, 2017 board meeting.

Chronic Disease Self-Management Grant Elizabeth Anderson, Health and Human Services Planner

Elizabeth announced that the NWRC governing board authorized the submission of a grant proposal through the federal Administration for Community Living to expand its CDSME/Wisdom Warriors program at the April 27, 2017 meeting. Wisdom Warrior Program handout provided. This three year grant would allow NWRC to extend the program beyond 4 counties to tribes throughout the state. The program’s goals are to increase access to CDSME/WW workshops for American Indian/ Alaska Native populations state wide, and to facilitate self-sustaining program sites within tribal communities. Discussion followed.

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Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) Outreach Special Committee Ryan Blackwell, Health and Human Services Planner

Ryan explained that successful implementation of the expanded Family Caregiver Support Program will depend on successful outreach efforts. The NWSSB can offer key insights on how to find and engage busy caregivers in their communities and the unique challenges in their counties.

Motion was made by Bob Monize, Island County, and seconded by Jodi Sipes, Whatcom County, that rather than convening the usual subcommittees of the NWSSB in the summer of 2017 for contract review, form a special committee to inform and advise NWRC on outreach efforts for the Medicaid Transformation Project expansion of caregiver services. This special committee will be open to all NWSSB members wishing to participate and will strive to have representation from all four member counties. The motion passed unanimously.

Elder Economic Insecurity in Washington Ryan Blackwell, Health and Human Services Planner

Ryan Blackwell presented a report by W4A and the National Council on Aging regarding Elder economic security. Report included in meeting materials. This study compared seniors in various locations and living situations and found that large proportions of seniors live in the gap between poverty and economic security. This can easily translate to one unforeseen expense away from not being able to make ends meet. Discussion followed.

State Council on Aging Update Carl Bender, San Juan County

• At-large vacanciesCarl encouraged everyone to spread the word about the 2 at-largevacancies representing western Washington within the State Council onAging.

• Management BulletinThe HCS Management Bulletin included in the meeting materials detailsthe requirements and application process for the 2 vacancies. (NWSSBmembers are not eligible).

• Ideas for Senior Center RecruitmentCarl asked that Ryan start a group conversation/email to discuss ideas forrecruiting new senior center members. Carl will take lead in getting someinformation from Legacy Leadership Institute. Handout was distributedregarding classes on aging services offered by Legacy LeadershipInstitute.

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Updates from Our Communities Members shared updates from their communities. . Announcements and Adjourn Ryan Blackwell announced that October 4th is the date for the next NWSSB meeting.

There being no further business, Bob Monize, Island County, moved and Tasker Robinette, Skagit County, seconded that the NWSSB adjourn. The Motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 3:15.

_____________________________________ Penny Morgan, Admin Assistant

Reviewed and approved by the Northwest Senior Services Board at the October 4th, 2017 meeting.

_________________________________ Barbara Pesola, NWSSB Chair

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Office of the Washington State Auditor

Pat McCarthy

Insurance Building, P.O. Box 40021 Olympia, Washington 98504-0021 (360) 902-0370 Pat.McCarthy@sao.wa.gov

July 27, 2017

Dan Murphy, Executive Director

Northwest Regional Council

600 Lakeway Drive

Bellingham, Washington 98225

Dear Director Murphy,

The State Auditor’s Office is pleased to recognize the Northwest Regional Council’s dedication and

commitment to making government work better and to the overall audit process.

The Council’s leadership promotes a culture of accountability for public resources and strives to maintain

strong, well-documented, internal control processes that ensure compliance with accounting standards, federal

compliance requirements, and state law. Throughout our history of interactions with the Council, staff have

consistently demonstrated their commitment by performing risk assessment checklists to evaluate all programs,

sub-recipients and vendors. They also perform audits on any identified risks, which includes making

recommendations on controls and following up to ensure all concerns are resolved.

During the recent implementation of GASB 68 Accounting for Pensions, the Council performed detailed

research, attended all available trainings, and utilized all available resources. Their attention to detail was

evident in the Council’s final financial statement reporting.

We would also like to take the opportunity to commend the Council on the professional and collaborative

working relationship with our Office. Regular status meeting are held, and we are able to communicate any

questions or concerns as they arise. The Council quickly addresses them and responds timely, providing any

necessary supporting documentation.

It is apparent that Council management and staff want to be accountable to the citizens, good stewards of public

funds, and are always striving for ways to continually improve. They understand the value of our audits and

have fostered a positive and professional working relationship with the State Auditor’s Office.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the citizens of Washington.

Sincerely,

Pat McCarthy

WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR

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