People First of Nevada Statewide Board Meeting
June 15th, 2012
University of Nevada, Reno
Minutes
This meeting was video conferenced from the NDALC sites in Reno, Las Vegas and Elko. Members who were
not able to attend in person were provided a toll free number to participate by phone. Statewide Board members
that participated were: Santa Perez, James Watson, Cammie Bochman and Scotty Carter. Quorum was met.
The meeting was called to order at 1:07p.m. by Santa Perez, President.
Public Comment:
 Diedre Hammon, support person, provided the following comments via email. They were read out loud
at the meeting.
“Minutes
With regard to Independent Care Giver Option, a critical element of the program that came out at
the June meeting and should be in the minutes is that it is the only self-directed program that
does not make staff sign a "non-compete agreement" which prohibits them from moving with
their client, should the individual with a disability want to change providers. Santa Perez told the
board members and audience that she and her attendant faced this requirement every year. These
non-compete agreements are mandatory for the employee and mean that individuals with
disabilities lose their right to choose providers because - if they want to keep their staff - those
staff can be sued for changing companies, and companies can seek court injunctions to force the
staff under these agreements to stop providing care which was reported as happening already to
individuals in other states.
Nevada Medicaid officials stated they were completely unaware of this issue and voiced surprise.
They stated they would begin looking into it, and return to the committee with what they found.
I am pretty sure the committee first voted to support ICO, then had an agenda item to consider
suspending support, but INSTEAD created the subcommittee at the June meeting for the reasons
above. Support has never been overturned, since the first initial vote to support, but keeps
winding up that way in the minutes, maybe because it’s been an agenda item. But the board
chose to do something different.
Support/Family policy
It is far more likely that support staff need to stay with a person/member to support
communication than for health and safety. For example, to cue the person to the agenda, or to
opportunities for input ("cueing" is a Medicaid approved attendant function for many individuals
with DD), or to interpret communication (i.e. voice or signing) or to pass out papers/support
presentations by the member.
Obviously, if someone needs their vent cleared during a meeting, or may need to request an
attendant to reposition them during a meeting (to prevent skin breakdown or blood pressure
problems), that's an issue, but since communication is central to a meeting, and a life area many
people with disabilities need support for, the Board may want to make "communication"
more central to the above policy.
And maybe, instead of doing what the nondisabled world does - trying to create blanket policies
that apply to everyone - People First could state at the front of their policies and procedures, that
it emphasizes flexibility and an individualized approach within its policies mirroring the ADA
and section 504 of the rehab act which have made life as we know it possible. (And which would
not have passed without supporters and families [see No Pity, Shapiro]).”
Approval of minutes from June 15, 2012 meeting:
 Minutes were approved with the following changes: Under the Independent Caregiver Option, the
sentence, “Members voted to overturn their previous vote of support for the Independent Caregiver
Option and table further action on this item until the next board meeting when more information can be
obtained.” Will be changed to read, “Members voted to table further action on this item until the next
board meeting when more information can be obtained.”
Review/Approve The Role of Staff and Family Members at Meetings.
 This policy was approved with the following changes: #7, “*(if there is a situation where the member
needs full time support staff and family members then support staff and family members may be with
the member for safety or health issues)” will now state, “*(if there is a situation where the member
needs full time support staff and/or family members then support staff and/or family members may be
with the member for communication, safety or health issues)”. Santa stated that this policy doesn’t have
to be adopted by every chapter. It was approved and made available incase it was needed.
Monthly conference calls
 Santa urged all members to participate in the monthly toll free conference calls. She stated, “I don’t
want to be the only one to make decisions for People First. It’s not right. It’s really important if we want
People First to stay alive to communicate with everyone every month.”
 Scott Carter said he would help by calling the Elko/Winnemucca members to remind them about the
calls each month.
 Calls are on the 2nd Wednesday at 5pm and the 4th Saturday at 1pm of each month. Participants are not
required to be on both calls. There are two dates to try to accommodate schedules as much as possible.
The calls are toll-free. The call in number is 877-805-0965 and the passcode is 1256945. Information on
the conference calls can also be found on the People First of Nevada website and Facebook page.
Chapter updates and fundraising
 The Las Vegas People First chapter held a picnic to raise funds to send Las Vegas members to the
upcoming Nevada Disabilities Conference in March of 2013. They raised $175.00. Santa is hoping that
every chapter will have a fundraiser to help send their chapter members to the conference.

Independent Caregiver Option – Update
Santa is still trying to set up a meeting with Tammy Moffit from Medicaid to come and speak to the subcommittee (see minutes from June 15th, 2012 Board meeting). Santa asked if members wanted her to
continue in her efforts. Members voted to have Santa keep trying to schedule a follow up meeting with
Medicaid.
Nevada Disabilities Conference (NDC) – Abilities + Knowledge = Empowerment
 Santa Perez and Nicole Schomberg of the Arc discussed the upcoming conference details. It will be held
at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno on March 19th to the 22nd, 2013 with the next People First board
meeting on the 20th and a legislative/advocacy day in Carson City on the 22nd. As discussed at the last
Board meeting, People First has a line item of $5,000 in their grant budget from the Governor’s Council
on Developmental Disabilities for speaker costs associated with a conference of their choice. Members
voted to use this money for a speaker of their choosing for the 2013 conference. Two possible speakers
were reviewed at this meeting but there wasn’t a price quote from one of the speakers so the board was
unable to vote. Kari Horn will send out an email to members on other possibilities and members will
need to vote on their choice by November 30th.
 Members discussed ideas for the People First of Nevada 10 year anniversary, which will be coming up
soon. Members voted to have an anniversary party as part of the 2013 NDC conference, to have an
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award ceremony for those that have supported People First and for the “Advocate of the Year”. As of
10/31/12 there is $1,352.26 in the statewide bank account. Members voted to let Santa spend some of
that money on a cake, awards and memorabilia (yet to be determined) for the party.
Postpone officer elections until the next board meeting
 Members voted to postpone elections until the next board meeting at the 2013 Disability Conference
Public comments
 Cammie Bochman and Scotty Carter stated it was difficult to do any fundraising and/or attend meetings
for some members in Elko because rural public transportation was such a problem. Cammie stated there
were only 4 buses in Elko now. Members agreed that this is a growing problem, especially in the rural
areas. Suggestions were to include this as part of a People First 5 year state plan and to discuss this with
their Legislators during Legislative Day at the NDC conference.
 Santa suggested inviting the community to their monthly meetings and holding the fundraiser at the
same time.
 James Watson wanted other fundraising ideas other than restaurant fundraisers. Suggestions from the
group were: a raffle, holiday parties, car wash, See’s candy, walk/wheel event.
 Members voted to table discussion of Deidre’s comment “And maybe, instead of doing what the
nondisabled world does - trying to create blanket policies that apply to everyone - People First could
state at the front of their policies and procedures, that it emphasizes flexibility and an individualized
approach within its policies mirroring the ADA and section 504 of the rehab act which have made life as
we know it possible. (And which would not have passed without supporters and families [see No Pity,
Shapiro]).” to the next board meeting.
Santa Perez asked if there were any other public comments. There being none, the meeting was adjourned at
3:30 p.m.
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