Meeting Minutes

Date: Thursday, April 8, 2010

Time: 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Place: 1080 Emeline St., Building D, Small Basement Auditorium, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

1.0 Call to Order

Chair Heylin called the meeting to order at 12:40 p.m.

2.0 Roll Call

Present: Peter Heylin, Charles Stone, Jeannette Cosentino Workman, Robert McGaw, Joe Quigg, Tom Crain, John Dougherty

Excused: Deborah Lane

Guests: Rama Khalsa, Director of Mental Health Services; Joy Miller; Richard Salazar, Pajaro Valley Prevention Services

Staff: Mary Thuerwachter, Commission Coordinator

3.0 Oral Communication

Joy Miller can to talk about Soquel Cemetery. Her husband uses a wheelchair to visit a family grave. The cemetery is going to dig up the only driveway and there will be no disabled parking. They want to put in more graves. People will have to park on Old San Jose Road. Chair Heylin will speak with the owner. Staff will look up regulations governing cemeteries.

April is Autism Awareness Month.

4.0 Presentations

Rama Khalsa, Director of Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, spoke to the commission about plans for emergency mental health services when Dominican Hospital no longer has the Behavioral Unit. The contract with the County to provide services expires in June 2010. However, it has been extended until December 2013. The County is working on plans for a facility. Dominican has pledged $5 million over five years for construction. House Member Sam Farr has also put in an appropriations bill for funding. The license is currently for 28 beds- thinned is about 15. The County would like to wrap around crisis services. Some time patients can be aggressive, suicidal or assaultive. Average length of stay is five days. The location will be mid-county, preferably near Dominican hospital. Khalsa said she welcomes input from the commission, along with MHCAN and NAMI, as the project develops and would like a letter of support for funding. Khalsa said that the commission will be invited t participate in focus groups this fall. The letter was unanimously approved. Msp JD/CS

Richard Salazar, Pajaro Valley Prevention received funding for outreach to seniors and persons with disabilities. He said that cigarette use is a learned behavior for self-medication. What works initially, doesn’t work later as receptors get dull. Many are impacted by second hand smoke. They are offering free quit groups under a new grant. Many are able to get nicotine patches through MediCal. 1-800-NOBUTTS for free service to develop a quit smoking plan.

7. Ongoing Business

Chair Heylin reported that OnCare has put in a disabled unloading zone and a blue parking space (although somewhat hidden). The facility staff is currently using the handicapped space. Heylin has send a letter and does not have a response yet.

Chair Heylin reported that Boulder Creek got a $220,000 grant to put in another park instead of a ramp at Junction Park. Stairs and a handicapped accessible picnic table were put in 2006. Another park is in the final planning stages at Kings Creek and Highway 9. At Junction Park the pitch is steep but a ramp is possible. Heylin will check with the Boulder Creek Department Head to see if they would allow the ramp if he can get someone to build one at no coast.

Commissioner Cosentino’s survey is proceeding. Staff will work on translating survey to pdf format, creating check boxes and fill in text areas.

Elections: Peter Heylin Chair and Charles Stone Vice Chair by acclamation.

Arana Gulch follow-up. The commission approved another letter in support of the project. Msp CS/BM

Brookdale Post Office - The green zone in front of the building has been eliminated because, according to the postmistress, it interfered with the loading and unloading of the mail. There is now no safe place for disabled people to park to use the post office. Heylin will write a letter supporting a green zone citing the Architectural Barriers Act of 1986. Msp JD/CS

Meeting adjourned 2:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Mary Thuerwachter

Commission Coordinator