Core Group Meeting Minutes - September 1, 2011

CMT Meeting Minutes
September 1, 2011

Vocational Rehabilitation – Janet
Employees of Voc Rehab have been attending Cognitive Motivational Training, all counselors will attend this training. Kalispell will soon be fully staffed. The Missoula and Kalispell offices are some of the busiest offices in the state, with 100-142 clients per employee in Missoula and 120-160 clients per employee in Kalispell. Funding for VR may be facing some national cuts. The VR office is seeing an increase in patients with psychiatric disabilities and more students. The Transitions program has been getting attention nationally.

Human Resource Council – Maggie
The Youth Program is starting another year. This year they carried over approximately 60% of their youth, up from the usual 30%. There is an increase in participation in the youth program in Mineral County. There is still no word on the Sapphire clinic, should definitely hear by the end of September if the clinic will be funded. The Ravalli County Health Department is cutting back on services also. There is not a current strong connection with the school district’s 21st Century program, and HRC wants to ensure they are aligning with that program to collaborate and work together. Monique mentioned that Maggie’s program has the focus that the district is looking for. Ten years ago the district was offering school credit for work experience. There is a criminal background check required for any employers or on site supervisors who work with the youth in the HRC or school programs.

College of Technology - Lynn
The COT will be advertising for a Chair for the West Campus, Alan recently took a job in Kodiak, Alaska. The recruitment is in progress for an Outreach Coordinator. The faculty was fully staffed as of the start of school. There are large numbers of applications for school coming in at the last minute. The COT is working on a broad based college assessment to look at academic readiness and retention. Enrollment is up from the record high enrollment last year. Previously the COT has had a system with a core block registration system, and could use that in the future. The LLC and COT may be able to partner on Transition to College classes.

Lifelong Learning Center – Monique
Adult Basic Education no longer has a separate phone number, everyone now calls the front desk at the LLC, and the front desk staff has been trained to serve ABE clients. Renee continues in her role with ABE as the Department Chair and an advisor. The performance for ABE was top in the state, so funding is good for this year. The Even Start program has been fully phased out. They are taking ABE and parent education on the road to four Title I Family Resource Centers, at Lowell, Hawthorne, Russell, and Franklin schools. This way the program can tap families into adult literacy at the schools, and offer TABE tests on site at the centers. The Even Start classrooms will be transitioned, one will become a yoga classroom, and the other will be a cooking classroom. The LLC is looking for ABE tutors. There is a new enrollment process for ABE. The first step will be to call and schedule a TABE test. After that, there is a new orientation session, in which they offer a short introduction to ABE, set the school schedule, and start with the classes. LLC is hoping retention will increase with this new format. Adult Education is fully staffed, with 28 new part time instructors. Enrollment is slow at this time. There are new parking arrangements at the LLC, including a new entrance and exit for the parking lot and directional parking in front of the building. They are hoping for more students in the Medical Office Essentials course, starting September 12.

Missoula Job Service – Saundra
Job Service recently launched a Facebook page, and also has Skype capabilities for distance interviews. Cheryl Minnick from the UM recently came to Job Service and offered training on resumes for the whole staff. There are two new employees, one new permanent employee, and one temporary employee who will start at the end of September. Many employers in the oil field are recruiting, and there are employees in Missoula who have been travelling or relocating to eastern Montana or North Dakota to work in the oil fields, where wages are much higher. Job Service has partnered with the Lifelong Learning Center to offer job search classes; those are listed in the LLC catalog. All staff has been attending Crucial Conversation training. Job Service is still seeking qualified participants and employers for the National Emergency Grant on the Job Training Program. Job Service recently met with representatives of the Last Best Place Project to strengthen collaboration between the BEAR program and the Last Best Place Project. The Job Service Employers Council will be offering an upcoming seminar on social media uses and implications for business, including employee background checks using internet tools.