Board Meeting - Minutes - April 22, 2021

Minutes of the April 22, 2021

MANITOULIN-SUDBURY DSB BOARD MEETING

Present: Arthur Hayden, David Santi, Maureen Van Alstine, Bruce Killah, Richard Malette, Michael Levesque, Ted Lovelace, Richard Stephens, David Ham, Paul Schoppmann, Kevin Burke, Ned Whynott and Jill Beer

Regrets: 

Staff: Fern Dominelli, Donna Stewart, Connie Morphet, Melody Ouellette, Paul Myre, Lori Clark and Ehren Baldauf
 

1.0 CALL TO ORDER 

Chair, Bruce Killah, called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.
 

2.0 DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of conflict of interest.
 

3.0 Closed Session 

Resolution 21-35

Moved by: Richard Malette                                             

Seconded by: Ted Lovelace 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board move into closed session at 9:33 a.m.

Carried

Resolution 21-36

Moved by: David Ham
Seconded by: Ted Lovelace 

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board adjourn this closed session at 10:11 a.m. and move to the regular Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB Board meeting.

Carried


Minutes of the April 22, 2021

MANITOULIN-SUDBURY DSB BOARD MEETING

Present: Arthur Hayden, David Santi, Maureen Van Alstine, Bruce Killah, Richard Malette, Michael Levesque, Ted Lovelace and Richard Stephens, Kevin Burke, David Ham, Jill Beer and Paul Schoppmann  

Regrets:  

Staff: Fern Dominelli, Donna Stewart, Connie Morphet, Melody Ouellette, Paul Myre and Lori Clark

Media: Tom Sasvari, The Manitoulin Recorder
 

1.0 Chair, Bruce Killah, called the meeting to order at 10:13 a.m.

2.0 Business Arising from Closed Session 

During its Closed Session, the Board discussed Human Resources Issues.
 

3.0 Adoption of Agenda

Resolution No. 21-37

Moved by: Michael Levesque
Seconded by: David Santi

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Agenda be adopted.

Carried
 

4.0 Declarations of Conflict of Interest

5.0 Adoption of Minutes

Resolution No. 21-38

Moved by: Richard Malette
Seconded by: Ned Whynott

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Minutes of the March 25, 2021 meeting be approved.

Carried
 

6.0 New Business

6.1       Paramedic Services 

6.1.1   Peer Support Pilot 

Paul Myre, Chief of Paramedic Services walked the Board through the PeerConnect Pilot – Issue Report. 

Employee mental wellness and mitigation of the impacts from occupational stress exposures remain a priority for our organization. Due to a series of critical events that have taken a toll on our frontline staff and the very real psycho-social impacts of being in a once in a century global pandemic, our Peer Support Network desperately needed some support to rehabilitate and rejuvenate the team. 

We engaged the Breakwater Institute to help guide us through the process and to fill some very important gaps that were present in our critical incident defusing and debriefing capacity. Early in our discussions, the concept of an application to assist the team in reacting and reaching out to those employees in need of support was proposed. There was an application (app) called PeerConnect that was already deployed with several other Ontario Paramedic Services, such as Ornge and Superior North, that was garnering some attention due to the value it was bringing to those programs. 

We began to explore the application by first performing an environmental scan of those utilizing the application and requesting some advice from Dr. Ethier from the Breakwater Institute of the efficacy of the app. Before we could conduct a cost analysis, the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Ministry of the Solicitor General offered an opportunity to participate in a one-year pilot of PeerConnect.

The pilot involves having customized access to the PeerConnect app and supports. Wellness tools, self-assessments, mental health programming, and other resources to enhance our existing peer support program while also allowing for easier access to our peer supporters. One of the added benefits of this app is the opportunity to offer support to family members of our employees. This tool is an Ontario-based solution that is already in use among several Paramedic Services and first responder agencies in Ontario and across North America.

There is no cost to participate in this project for the first year, and new users will have up to March 31, 2022 to use the application at no additional cost.  As mentioned in the issue report, should the application prove to be beneficial to our program, we would discuss the on-going annual costs of approximately $7000.00 within our annual budgeting process. 

Resolution No. 21-39

Moved by: Paul Schoppmann
Seconded by: Jill Beer

WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has reviewed the PeerConnect Pilot – Issue Report. 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approve the  PeerConnect Pilot – Issue Report and authorize staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.

Carried
 

6.1.2 Community Safety Plans

Paul Myre, Chief of Paramedic Services walked the Board through the Community Safety Plans – Issue Report.

The issue report provides a complete briefing on the plan itself and the expectations from the Ministry. 

In mid-2019, then Chief of Paramedic Services Robert Smith along with then Director of Integrated Social Services Donna Stewart began reaching out to the Municipalities within the DSB service area to discuss the mandated Community Safety and Wellbeing Plans (CSWBP). 

The purpose of those early discussions was to first, educate members on what exactly the CSWBP were and second, to solicit interest in combining nineteen (19) possible plans into four (4) joint plans so as to limit duplication and enable active participation by not having several plans under development at once.

Chief Smith then gave four (4) separate presentations beginning in June 2019 for the Manitoulin group; October 2019 for the SEMA group followed by two (2) December sessions for LaCloche and Chapleau respectively. During these presentations, the requirements of the plans were explained along with the framework to be utilized when drafting commenced.

Chief Smith was explicit that while Paramedic Services were not among the required agencies, his involvement in the four (4) plans would involve drafting a Terms of Reference for the Planning Committees and creating a community engagement survey that could be posted on member websites as a means to collect information from the general public.

Once the Steering Committees were assembled and all of the necessary elements and measurable performance outcomes were identified, Chief Smith would then offer to “assist in the facilitation of the Community Safety and Wellness Plan design and development as deemed necessary by the Planning Committee”.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic the Solicitor General sent a notice in late December of 2020 notifying municipalities that the January 1st, 2021 deadline to publish individual plans was extended to July 1st, 2021.

We remain committed to supporting Municipalities as they convene their individual planning committees as outlined in the framework and Terms of Reference and further assist in facilitating the development of 4 plans once all of the critical elements are identified and appropriate countermeasures are established. 

Resolution No. 21-40

Moved by: Ned Whynott
Seconded by: Arthur Hayden 

WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has reviewed the Community Safety Plans – Issue Report.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approve the  Community Safety Plans – Issue Report and authorize staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.

Carried
 

6.2 Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH)  

6.2.1 Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF) Phase 3 Allocation 

Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services walked the Board through the SSRF Phase 3 Funding – Issue Report.

On March 10, 2021 the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB board chair received important details regarding additional provincial funding being offered to us through the third phase of Ontario’s Social Services Relief Fund. 

To receive this funding, the Ministry required a completed Investment Plan and our sign back to the terms and conditions of the funding by March 22, 2021.

The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB staff identified the following priorities in the SSRF Phase 3 investment plan:

  1. Food Banks in the district have continued to see a rise in the need for food security. The need has increased by 15%. Amongst the already existing 7 food banks, 2 new ones were created in 2020 in French River and St. Charles. We have also ensured that the food banks across the district are getting wholesale prices through a partnership with the Sudbury Food Bank who delivers to most of them on a monthly basis. The total for this initiative is $251,405.
  2. The Manitoulin Family Resources current food bank building is being converted to hub/counselling space and it requires renovation in order to offer community kitchen programming. The total for this initiative is $50,000.
  3. A partnership has been formed with the Manitoulin Family Resources agency to ensure that anyone who is homeless or is faced with COVID-19 has access to an Isolation Centre (motel/hotel room) with wrap around supports in order to adhere to Public Health Guidelines (i.e. Supporting social distancing). The total for this initiative is $100,000.
  4. The DSB is already supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association Sudbury/Manitoulin in the provision of a Housing Case Manager designated to ensure that vulnerable persons remain housed with wrap around services so that they are not faced with homelessness or evictions. We will be expanding this model to the Sudbury East and Sudbury North regions as we are seeing an increase in opioid crisis, paramedic calls and police calls. The total for this initiative is $225,000.
  5. The DSB have also partnered with Manitoulin Family Resources to provide transitional housing support to vulnerable persons with Mental Health & Addictions who wish to relocate into the community. They will be provided with wrap around services to ensure that they don’t ‘fall through the cracks’, especially during the pandemic. The total for this initiative is $181,405.
  6. The DSB has also identified that more community paramedicine check-ins and transportation for medical appointments for vulnerable people, especially during the pandemic for persons who are homeless, who may not have a doctor or who live in areas where there are no clinics or doctors available. There is no public transportation in the district, hence the need to reach out to the most vulnerable. Referrals would come from local citizens, police, social workers, physicians, hospitals etc. The DSB would use some of this funding to ensure that this service is available to do community outreach to support vulnerable populations, especially those in self-isolation. The total for this initiative is $98,463.
  7. Lastly, the DSB will reach out to local libraries in each part of the quadrant (Manitoulin, LaCloche, Sudbury East and Sudbury North) to work with them in creating a location for a soundproof pod to allow the vulnerable population to have access to video conferencing for medical appointment or appointments with social services agencies (i.e. for access to food, housing, employment supports etc.). The pods and video equipment will be operated by the Library themselves. The total for this initiative is $100,000.

The plan put forward may not be the final plan as we start talking to our community partners some plans may not work as described and may need to be changed. 

Although we have chatted with Manitoulin Family Resources and Canadian Mental Health Association, it is important to note that some of these ideas are still conditional as some agencies have not yet been approached. 

Furthermore, in order to sustain some of the initiatives identified in this Investment Plan, the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB will continue to explore ongoing partnerships and other funding through the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative to keep these initiatives going for future years. 

Staff are recommending the Board approve the SSRF Phase 3 Investment Plan totaling $1,006,274 as submitted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Resolution No. 21-41

Moved by: David Santi
Seconded by: Richard Stephens 

WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has reviewed the Social Services Relief Phase 3 Funding – Issue Report.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approve the  Social Services Relief Fund Phase 3 Funding – Issue Report and authorize staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.

Carried 
 

6.2.2 Homeless Enumeration 

Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services walked the Board through the Homeless Enumeration 2021 – Issue Report.

In March 2020, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) communicated to Service Managers and sector organizations its intention to introduce By-Name Lists across Ontario in 2021. Over the past months, MMAH has engaged with a select group of Service Managers and experts to inform Ontario’s By-Name List approach and homeless enumeration in 2021. 

In February 2021, MMAH provided Service Managers a letter regarding next steps for the implementation of By-Name Lists and enumeration by Service Managers in 2021. 

On March 19, 2021, MMAH provided Service Managers with guidelines giving details on the requirements and standards for developing and maintaining a By-Name List and for conducting local homeless enumeration. 

Service Managers are expected to begin developing their By-Name List in April 2021 and have it operational by January 1, 2022. The By-Name List must include people experiencing homelessness across the entire Service Manager area, who consent to be on the list. 

Service Managers are also required to enumerate homelessness in 2021, using a Point-in-Time Count to provide a snapshot of homelessness in their communities. The Point-in-Time Count includes collecting demographic information about people experiencing homelessness using a set of 17 common questions that align with the enumeration approach used by the federal Reaching Home program.

Service Managers must implement an approach that provides a By-Name List that covers their entire Service Manager area. At a minimum, Service Manager By-Name Lists are expected to include people experiencing homelessness who use MMAH-funded services, including outreach. Service Managers are encouraged to include other services, where possible. 

Service Managers are responsible for selecting the tool or tools that work best for their communities, based on local needs and priorities. Approaches for collecting information from clients can be adjusted, as appropriate, for specific populations. 

There is no new funding to complete the By-Name List homelessness enumeration. As in past years’ Service Managers are expected use the administration component of the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) funding to pay for enumeration. CHPI guidelines normally allow 10% for administration, but the province has allowed Service Manager to allocate 15% towards administration in order to cover the costs of enumeration. This does however mean, there will be 5% less available for homeless programming.

Service Managers are required to provide anonymous, aggregate data to the Ministry following the completion of their Point-in-Time Count. This data will be used to understand homelessness across the province and will inform future policy and program development. 

The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB is exploring the option to complete this work jointly with the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association. Details of this process will be examined further with all NOSDA representatives. Staff will keep the board apprised of the process as staff move along with this work.  

Resolution No. 21-42

Moved by: Richard Malette
Seconded by: David Santi 

WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has reviewed the Homeless Enumeration 2021 – Issue Report. 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approve the  Homeless Enumeration 2021 – Issue Report and authorize staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.

Carried 
 

6.4 Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services 

Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services walked the Board through new vision for Ontario’s Social Assistance System.

As part of Ontario’s new vision for social assistance transformation that was announced on February 11, 2021, the government is proposing amendments to the Ontario Works Act, 1997, within the Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, 2021. 

The proposed amendments, if passed, would:

  • Enable further codesign and re-alignment testing of Ontario Works functions among municipalities, District Social Service Administration Boards and the Ministry in support of the new delivery model; and,
  • Support the vision’s enhanced focus on life stabilization to enable people in receipt of social assistance to achieve greater independence and financial resilience. 

The amendments being proposed are a key first step towards a new social assistance delivery model that takes a person-centred approach to human services. This approach has ‘results for people’ at its core. 

These proposed changes recognize and further strengthen the critical role for municipalities to support social assistance recipients to access needed supports on their path to independence and employment. The proposed changes also enable provincial staff to oversee financial assistance, making it quick and easy for people to access the system while ensuring program integrity. 

Given the role of municipalities and DSSABs in this important work, the province will continue to partner and co-design with Service Managers to improve outcomes for social assistance recipients. 

It is important to note that there would be no immediate changes to the program if these proposed amendments are passed. Regulations would be required to implement the realignment of provincial and municipal roles. The Province intends on using the co-design and stakeholder engagement process to inform those regulations. There would also be no direct impacts to benefits or eligibility as a result of the proposed legislative amendments.    
       

6.5 Ministry of Education 

Lori Clark, Acting Director of Integrated Social Services walked the Board through the time-limited public health actions for schools and childcare.  

On April 12, 2021 the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health made the decision to move elementary and secondary schools to remote learning following the April break. 

Effective April 19, 2021, childcare for non-school aged children (children aged 0-4) will remain open. Before and after school programs will be closed and free Emergency Child Care for the school-aged children of eligible workers will be provided.

Licensees may not operate an emergency childcare program for school-age children unless approval is received from the Ministry of Education. The Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB submitted a request for approval for 12 sites across our district all of which have been approved. 

Childcare staff/providers implementing Emergency Child Care for school-age children are asked to create conditions that support students’ engagement in remote learning but are not responsible for managing the requirement of each child’s individual virtual learning environment.  

Funding costs for emergency childcare will be covered during the period elementary schools are closed for in-person learning province-wide and/or in regions identified by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

CMSMs and DSSABs are being asked to keep track of funding associated with managing and operating ECC sites and will be asked to provide a rationale for the incurred costs.

The provision of safe, quality childcare remains a priority and the role that the childcare workers have played has been vital to supporting children and families. Childcare workers are eligible to be vaccinated as a part of Phase Two of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
 

6.6 NOSDA 

Fern Dominelli, CAO walked the Board through the NOSDA AGM – Issue Report.

The 2020 NOSDA AGM was cancelled due to COVID-19. As we look forward to the 2021 AGM, COVID-19 is still a real concern, and we will need to host a virtual Annual General Meeting. 

2021 NOSDA Chair Meeting 

In order to prepare for a virtual 2021 NOSDA Annual General Meeting, the NOSDA Executive felt it was important to bring all 11 NOSDA Board chairs together to discuss NOSDA’s strategic directions for the upcoming year.

The NOSDA Chair meeting will occur on Monday May 17, 2021 and the DSB Board chair will be in attendance.

NOSDA Virtual Annual General Meeting

The NOSDA Virtual AGM is scheduled for Tuesday June 22, 2021. At the AGM we will be electing all 3 NOSDA executive members as their terms all expire this year

In accordance with the current NOSDA by-laws, the NOSDA Board shall consist of the Chair and the two Vice Chairs and that every effort should be made to ensure the Board reflects the regions NOSDA represents. 

Qualification for NOSDA Board of Directors shall be individuals, eighteen or more years of age and shall, at the time of their election or within ten days thereafter and throughout the term of their office, be members of the Corporation.

In addition to electing the NOSDA executive, NOSDA will lay out its strategic direction for the upcoming year through a series of resolutions that will be tabled at the Virtual AGM.

Staff are recommending the Board approve the attendance of the Board Chair and Vice Chair to the NOSDA virtual AGM to be held Tuesday June 22, 2021.

Resolution No. 21-43

Moved by: Kevin Burke
Seconded by: Paul Schoppmann 

WHEREAS the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB has reviewed the NOSDA 2021 Annual General Meeting – Issue Report.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB approve the  NOSDA 2021 Annual General Meeting – Issue Report and authorize staff to action the recommendations contained within the report.

Carried 
 

7.0 Next Meeting – May 27, 2021 

8.0 Adjournment 

Resolution 21-44

Moved by: David Ham
Seconded by: Jill Beer

BE IT RESOLVED THAT we do now adjourn at 11:00 a.m. until the next regular meeting to be held on May 27, 2021.

Carried

 

Original signed by Bruce Killah - Chair

Original signed by Fern Dominelli - CAO (Secretary-Treasurer of the Corporation)