Jeffco LCC – August 6, 2020

Previous Minutes Approved? Yes, No changes!

  • Mike Hughes will send out invite for Jeffco LCC Meetings.
  • Latoya will take this meetings notes.

Karin Stewart: Age Friendly Community Development

*David and Dawn are on the steering committee

Overview:

  • Age Friendly working with AARP and other health organizations has opened up for a larger network.
  • June 2019 was when they completed their designation. They have 2 years to do an action plan.
  • They had a master student take data and report for Jeffco for gaps, already know and want to know information as well as looked at the whole system. They narrowed it down to 4 areas after reviewing and listening to professional stakeholders.
  • Age Friendly wanted to make a community session for people in Jeffco to speak out but due to the COVID, they now have to find ways to get the community involved online. This part is very critical for this development.
  • Mobility and Access is one of the 4 pieces looked at. How do they get to and from places?

The 4 areas looked at are:

  1. Housing: access, healthy, variety of homes (not just all 3 levels but single levels as well)
  2. Mobility: How are people getting to and from places? This is where the Jeffco LCC comes in to assist.
  3. Respect/ Social inclusion: They brought these two together because since the COVID hit, they were able to see it didn’t matter where you lived, everyone was effected. They are looking at the culture of aging. They also want to pull some behavioral health groups to work on this part.
  4. Community and Information: This is where they are collecting information from the community in Jefferson County. They are seeing the places many older adults were getting their information from, are now closed due to COVID and now need to find other ways to reach the older adult population. They used to get their information from: Libraries, Senior Centers and Doctor’s offices. Many of them do not know how to work a computer or get access to online resources. They are looking for a consistent place that older adults could access information.

The goal is to look at all interconnective options and try to combine the conversations. One example would be taking communication and information and intertwining them with Mobility and Access for those in need.

Dawn: “This will give an opportunity to refresh the view of transportation.”

Mike: Q- “Will this drive changes at the policy level”? “What ultimate effects do you expect”?

Karin: A- It comes down to the competing priorities. Sometimes not a loud enough voice. This year they have a stronger voice. They are not only looking at this through an older adult lens. They are using all categories that need attention.

-Ideally, this would be an arm to get council leadership- they need to figure out a realistic mechanism, especially if they4 get the involvement of the constituents.

Hank talked about human services and social services and the fear people live in.

Karin: A- In the past there were some restraints. They have moved over Age Friendly to human services when its under the foundation. This is so they can write and apply for grants. If there is funding and it is needed- its their job to go find it and bring it to the community. They will not be asking constituents for money but rather support. They are not planning on the county to fund it.

They are currently shifting from Steering Committees to Leading Committees.

We reviewed the Action Plan in Seattle, Washington and what they have already done in King County. Age Friendly Community wants to see other states and city and county to see what is working for them and what could work for us.

Starting with a vision, they are looking to the Jeffco LCC for what has been working well for others. The Jeffco LCC is going to bring what highlights on what has been working well in Jefferson County and bring those people into conversations. Ex: If Lakewood Rides is doing great things, bring them in and share the creative changes/ adaptions they have made.

Recruitment is important as well. Bring stats to help drive where we will put our efforts.

Age Friendly might say, “Hey, I got and idea (Travel Training) and will meet some goals in the action plans. Can we get some support?”

Deadlines:

Age Friendly needs the Jeffco LCC to work with them on this. They would like to know what are the LCC doing and what they need in the next couple of months to talk about?

In the next couple of months, the LCC will meet and bring back the gathered information to the group.

All action plans from all groups must be submitted by the end of the year.

The mobility needs to be built by the LCC. Looking at how our vision, good things and gaps are.

Hank, Mike, Latoya and Joe will be working on the Action Plan for this group.

Make sure that the goals are realistic to accomplish.

 

Hank Braaksma- Changes in Paratransit in Jeffco

  • NO Changes- just a different provider
  • SRC gave up transportation to VIA, including staff, vehicles, number, and clients.
  • DRCOG stepped into help make it happen
  • Hank is now the Government Relations from Transportation Manager.
  • Cost of rides are costing more due to COVID and the lack of groups.
  • Lakewood had contract with SRC and Via is now working on the contracts with Lakewood.
  • VIA is willing to increase the staff. DRCOG put money forth for them to do that.
  • The time has changed to 8-430 instead of the previous 8-230.
  • Karin was willing to help get contracts through.

 

Mike Hughes- Re-imagine and Paratransit

  • Meeting for the Technical Work Group on the 26th of August
  • Meeting for the Policy Committee Advisory on the 27th of August
  • The Draft Operation Plan is under review-evaluate System Operation Plan into a single approach.
  • They want to add paratransit/ Access-A-Ride to the plan
  • SOP will be incomplete without paratransit/ Access-A-Ride
  • Public involvement has been everywhere to collect information and thoughts.

Shelly- At Tuesday meeting, they had a briefing and head nods to formalize several concerns about a pause. Staff is now gathering information and putting a white paper on pros-cons to pause. They are focusing on equity- the others were strong regional backbone focusing on land use in transit support.

Old Business: Good

New Business:

  • New Committee on next agenda. Karin will gather the group and will report next meeting.
  • Krystin is on RTD accountability Committee. LCC would like for her to report as often as possible.