Monthly Mixer Meeting, July 2009

Paso del Norte Social Work Academy
Monthly Meeting Mixer
7:30 AM, July 31, 2009

Present:
Maria Perez Lupe Castaneda Brittany Hall
Jaime Barceleau Maria Lugo Herlinda Gutierrez
Armando Rodriguez Elva Montoya

1. Personal introductions.
2. This meeting was hosted by Maria Perez, social worker at Volar Center for Independent Living.
3. Maria provided a history of the disabilities movement and included a history of effort to establish Centers for Independent Living across the country. She shared her philosophy of helping people with disabilities and explained her role at Volar. She explained that she can be a valuable resource to hospital social workers, and she offered to make presentations to social workers in other settings.
4. Armando, Herlinda, and Elva explained that the October meeting at the University Medical Center, formerly known as Thomason Hospital, will focus on medical services for undocumented immigrants through the UMC.
5. We discussed topics for other forums.
• Jaime agreed to coordinate a forum on immigration policy topics. A recommended panel of speakers includes Jose R. Rodriguez, Dr. Mark Lusk, and Dr. Dennis Bixler-Marquez.
• We discussed a forum on health care reform. Armando agreed to ask Herlinda and Elva if they want to take on that project.
• We agreed that a forum on the on-going discussion regarding the legalization of drugs would be a good idea.
6. The Non Profit Enterprise Center is planning a host a forum to allow the state delegation to provide a report on the last legislative session.
7. There will be an ethics training, August 28th, 8:30 AM to noon, at 1101 E. Schuster, cost will be $40. Contact Norma Perez, 544-8484 or norma.perez@pdnchildren.org to register. Guest speaker is Jose R. Rodriguez, County Attorney.
8. PdN Social Work Academy has a blog, anyone wanting to post something on the blog can submit it to Jaime Barceleau.
9. Coming meetings, note meetings are generally the last Friday of the month at 7:30AM :
 August 28, will be at Paso del Norte Children’s Development Center, 1101 E. Schuster Ave., in conjunction with an ethics workshop, invited speaker is Jose Rodriguez, County Attorney to talk about ethics in public service.
 September 25 will be at Region 19 Education Service Center, more details to follow.
 October 30 will be at University Medical Center, hosted by Herlinda Gutierrez and Elva Montoya
 November 20 will be at the Border Children’s Mental Health Collaborative, hosted by Rita Ruelas.