ORDER NO. 31019 INDIGENT HEALTH CARE AND CRIME VICTIMS COORDINATOR OFFICE SPACE Came to be heard this the 22nd day of September, 2008, with a motion made by Commissioner Letz, seconded by Commissioner Oehler. The Court unanimously approved by a vote of 4-0-0 to: Approve building office space for Indigent Health Care and the Crime Victims Coordinator, in the courthouse basement as presented, with the funds to come from the Maintenance Department budget. /~~ 3i of ~ 3tol g COMMISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST MADE BY MEETING DATE: Jeannie Hargis/Rosa Lavender OFFICE: Auditor's Office Crime Victims Office September 22, 2008 TIME PREFERRED: None SUBJECT: Consider, Discuss and Take Appropriate Action on creating an Indigent Health Care Full-Time Employee position with a minimum of a 14.1 Step/Grade for FY08-09, and Appointing a Supervisor. Consider, Discuss and Take Appropriate Action to authorize building of office space for the office of Indigent Health Care and Crime Victims Coordinator in the existing open area in the basement. A proposed drawing of the location of the offices as well as the cost of construction is attached. EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON) NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: Jeannie Hargis/Rosa Lavender ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION: 5 minutes IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE: Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code, is as follows: Meeting scheduled for Mondays: THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY: THIS RQUEST RECEIVED ON: 5:00 PM previous Tuesday @ .M. All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be appreciated and contribute towards your request being addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules Adopted by Commissioners' Court. Page 1 of 1 Jeannie Hargis i`~r"hom: Eva Hyde [ehyde@co.kerr.tx.us] Sent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008 9:12 AM To: 'Jeannie Hargis' Cc: ehyde@co.kerr.tx.us Subject: Indigent Care Position Agenda Item Jeannie, Within the Commissioners Court agenda item there needs to be something regarding the following: Consider, discuss, and take appropriate action on creating an Indigent Care Full-Time Employee position with a 14.1 Step/Grade for the FY 08-09. Thanks, Eva M. Hyde Kerr County H.R. Director ehyde@co.kerr.tx.us $30-896-9023 office 830-257-9227 fax Confidentiality Notice: Protected Health Information Enclosed: Protected Health Information (PH) is personal and sensitive Individually-identifiable information related to a person's health care. It is being faxed/emailed to you after appropriate authorization from the individual or under circumstances that do not require authorization. You, the recipient, are obligated to maintain it in a safe, secure and confidential manner. Re-disclosure without rrthorization or as permitted by law is prohibited. Unauthorized re-disclosure or failure to maintain confidentiality could subject you to penalties described in federal and state law. IMPORTANT WARNING: This message is intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying or distribution of this information is strictly prohibited. Please notify the sender immediately to arrange for the return or destruction of these misdirected documents. 9/12/2008 SE Op ~H Rosa Lavender Kerr County Victims' Rights Coordinator County Courthouse, Suite CB10~, 700 Main Street Kerrville, Texas 78028 Phonc: (830) 792-22~J Cell: (830) 324-6402 E-mail: rlarender~co.kerr.tx.as September 9, 2008 To: Kerr County Commissioners' Court PROPOSAL After talking with several people i have a proposal to address the Indigent Health Care office issue and the future structure of the program. Because there are no offices available on a short-term or a long-term basis for the Indigent Health Care Program, I would propose that two offices be built and include a waiting area in the existing open area in the basement of the courthouse annez. One office would become the Victims Services office and the other would become the Indigent Health Gare office. I am willing to assume supervisory duties over the person hired for the Indigent Health Care office since Crime Victims and Indigent Health have many common clients and issues. Since my program began in October 2004, I have worked closely through a Cooperative Working Agreement with the Indigent Health Care office at Sid Peterson Hospital, now Peterson Regional Medical Center, to be sure that crime victims' bills were channeled to the Texas Crime Victims Compensation Fund instead of the county's indigent health care program. This will be a win-win situation for me because it will also provide me with an office that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act criteria which I have never had. Nat being ADA compliant has caused several problems for victims who have sought help from me...causing me to have to meet them upstairs and then find available space to talk with them or, in same cases, I have made home visits. Both my program and the Indigent Health Care program must maintain confidentiality of clients and this arrangement would protect those people's rights. I called AACOG and spoke with the Criminal Justice director and two of the support staff and they said I can do a budget amendment to my 2008-2003 grant showing the salary in the current grant as adjusted to 35%. i can move the other 5% in this year's grant into office supplies or travel or phone/fax. The county would then pay me 5% (about 52700) to assume the supervisory role. My net salary gain from this will be O dollars this year but it will provide an ADA compliant office for my clients and address the county's need for the Tndigent Health Care Program to come to the courthouse. Nett year when I do a new grant application then I can make adjustments to the salary request if this idea works out. In no way will this reduce the services I provide for victims in Kerr County, but a~ it will provide a transition for the county to assume the Indigent Health Care administration under proper guidance and better serve Kerr County residents in crisis situations. I would propose to hire someone for the Indigent Health Care office at a 14.1 pay grade and step as soon as we can find someone. That person would set up a temporary office in my current office until the new offices are completed. Beth Taylor, former Indigent Health person for SPMH for several years, who works in the county treasurer's office, has agreed to help in the setting up of the program once someone is hired. Again, I see this as a win-win for Kerr County and look forward to discussion and consideration of this proposal at the September 22 commissioners' court meeting. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thanks for your support. Rosa Lavender O DS G~-I ~ r 'n ~ Ca~ ~ Q r ~.. ~ ~ r U I ~~~ ~~rU~ces. 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