Sponsor: Social Services
Title
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Restructure of Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council as Community Advisory Council
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Recommendation
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1. Repeal Resolutions 79-665, 79-681, 81-698, and 2002-410 regarding the Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council.
2. Approve the restructure of the Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council as the Community Advisory Council to partner with and advise Social Services, Financial Assistance Services and the Health and Wellness Administrative Division.
3. Delegate to the County Manager or designee the authority to appoint members to the Community Advisory Council and to approve revisions to the bylaws.
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Background and Rationale
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The Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) was established in 1979 to advise the Ramsey County Board on human services-related programs and services. Currently, the Ramsey County CAC has seven committees:
1. Adult Mental Health Advisory Council
2. Adult Services Committee
3. Children's Mental Health Council
4. Children's Services Review Panel
5. Disability Services and Support Committee
6. Low Income Committee
7. Substance Use and Recovery Committee.
Three of the seven committees are required in order to receive state and/or federal funding and have additional responsibilities according to state mandate and federal law:
• Adult Mental Health Advisory Council - Minnesota Comprehensive Mental Health Act of 1989 (Minnesota Statutes, section 245.484, subdivision 5).
• Children's Mental Health Advisory Council - Minnesota Comprehensive Mental Health Act of 1987 (Minnesota Statutes, section 245.466, subdivision 5).
• Children's Services Review Panel - Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act requires each state to create citizen review panels to meet and report annually on efforts to ensure that the state is in compliance with child protection requirements; the Children's Services Review Panel is assigned by Minnesota Statutes, section 256.01, subdivision 15 as a Citizens Review Panel.
The CAC bylaws, originally adopted in 1987, state that the CAC reports to and advises the Ramsey County Board, on behalf of Ramsey County residents, on issues related to services delivered. Substantive revisions to the bylaws require Ramsey County Board approval - the most recent revision was approved in 2017 (Resolution B2017-181) to align the county’s vision, mission and goals with the work of all committees providing resident input to the county.
The proposed changes include repealing all previous resolutions regarding the Ramsey County Citizens Advisory Council and approving its restructure as the Ramsey County Community Advisory Council, an entity that would report to and advise Social Services, Financial Assistance Services and the Health and Wellness Administrative Division instead of the Ramsey County Board. Resolutions to be repealed include:
• Resolution 79-665 adopted on June 4, 1979, established the Ramsey County Community Human Services Advisory Committee.
• Resolution 79-681 adopted on June 18, 1979, established the Income Maintenance Division Citizens Advisory Committee as a subcommittee of the CAC.
• Resolution 81-698 adopted on August 10, 1981, described the responsibilities and duties of the CAC.
• Resolution 2002-410 adopted on November 26, 2002, ratified changes to the CAC bylaws.
It is recommended the authority to appoint CAC members and approve the CAC bylaws be delegated to the County Manager or designee. This change would provide autonomy to the CACs as it relates to appointments, reporting requirements, and Open Meeting Law.
Historically, CAC membership has not been representative of the cultural, ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity of county residents. In alignment with Ramsey County’s strategic priority of Advancing Racial and Health Equity and Shared Community Power, it is also important that community have a stronger voice in the appointment process, along with those within the county who provide services, and can discern and recommend applicants who are representative of the population and knowledgeable on issues related to services delivered for membership on committees.
As a formal advisory group to the Ramsey County Board, the CAC has been subject to the state Open Meeting Law, which requires all meetings to be conducted in-person and be open to the public. For many community members, the requirements of the Open Meeting Law are a barrier to participation on CAC committees because they do not have easy access to transportation, do not have childcare available, or they have a physical disability that makes travel difficult. The restructuring of the CAC from a board-appointed advisory group to an informal advisory group would allow both the members and the public to participate virtually, and largely improve community participation as a whole.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
CAC membership has not evolved with the increasingly racially and culturally diverse Ramsey County population, and committee membership has declined over the past few years. Each committee should have 15 members; however, the largest committee at this time has fewer than 10 members. Department staff and community are currently working together to identify potential members who represent the populations that are most impacted by county services as evidenced by the racial disparities data. For example, the Open Data portal shows that for the past few years disparities have existed in MnCHOICES assessment results. In 2021, African Americans with MnCHOICES assessments who received waiver services rather than Personal Care Assistance only was 43%; American Indians with MnCHOICES assessments who received waiver services rather than Personal Care Assistance only was 59%; White people with MnCHOICES assessments who received waiver services rather than Personal Care Assistance only was 86%. Despite the disparities, the Developmental Disabilities Services and Support committee does not have any African American or American Indian members to represent and advocate for these communities.
Community Participation Level and Impact
The restructure of the CAC to an informal advisory council will make the committees more accessible for a larger variety of diverse communities to become involved. Enhancing the membership to be more representative of the communities served will help provide a better perspective into the decision-making and improve the outcomes of the committees’ goals.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☒ Empower
Fiscal Impact
CAC members are eligible for a stipend of $50 per monthly meeting and an additional $25 per subcommittee meeting. For the first year, the estimated compensation total is $35,000. The funds will come from Social Services department’s community engagement budget.
Last Previous Action
On August 1, 2017, the Ramsey County Board approved revisions to Citizens Advisory Council Bylaws (Resolution B2017-181).
Attachments
1. Revised Bylaws
2. Marked Up Bylaws