Meeting & Agendas

Present: Jack Housworth, Cynthia Tafoya, Jeanna Keener, Jennifer Edwards, Tammy Hanna, Corey Weber and Liz Coccia. Not Present: Liz Salinas, Kipa Smith, Rosana Sielaff, David Houke and Michelle Shuler (ex-officio).

Christine and David will now rotate off; and Tammy will replace Christine. Liz will check with Kipa and David about continuing on as Board members.

Please send to Liz Coccia.

Minutes were reviewed and a motion to approve was made by Jack; seconded by Jeanna.

a. Discipline Assessment Cycle Data from 2018 Outcome - Last year, there were two department goals. The first being to increase the number of student internship sites by at least two; that goal was met. The second was to provide networking opportunities for our students. We met that goal in having Management and Training Corporation (MTC), Park University & Concordia University Texas provide presentations to our students. Regarding the student learning outcome objective (measured after students begin internship), we have a department quiz that measures the students’ ability to pass or fail the quiz. Students have to achieve an 80% pass rate and this measure was achieved. b. Marketing Efforts for the Therapeutic Recreation Program – Last year (as a result of consistent low enrollment), an effort to market our Therapeutic Recreation (TR) program was initiated. We had a department faculty person design a new TR flyer and we sent it to all ACC Advisors, Campus Managers and other ACC contacts (i.e., Occupational and Physical Therapy programs). We also shared the same information in an advising session with Advisors to raise the visibility of the department program.

a. Discipline Assessment Cycle Data for 2019-20 - Our department goal this year is to increase networking opportunities for our students, with the objective to have a minimum of three outside college visitors come and speak to our students (with the goal of having 50 students attending these events). This fall, we had two Opioid Overdose Education/Prevention training presentations conducted by Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative (TONI), Park University and Texas State – Owls program. We will be scheduling a visit from Huston-Tillotson University (HTU) in the spring. We will also begin an articulation agreement with HTU; and they have indicated they will accept ACC transfer students in their Psychology & Sociology programs. Our student learning outcome goal objective entails internship supervisors’ completing student evaluations so 80% of interns can be rated at the end of the semester as “good” or “excellent” (4 or 5) on a rating scale for professional behavior. b. Liz Coccia’s Retirement and the Implications - With Liz’s departure, there will be a significant change within the Human Services (HUSE) department. There will be no institutional knowledge left; but this will be an opportunity to look at all HUSE programs and decide how the department will move forward. All departments are required to conduct an Internal Program Review (IPR) every three years. Michelle will lead this; and she will review all data (retention, graduate, demographic, percent of student withdrawals, students who don’t graduate, etc) to help direct the future of where HUSE needs to go. The incoming new HUSE full-time faculty person will need to be able to teach addictions and general HUSE classes. The new hire must hold LCDC and LPC or LMSW or LCSW licenses; and also have a great connection within the community. The position posting closes in January and the department will interview in late February. The search committee will consist of seven individuals; and ten applicants will be interviewed. The HUSE program has been wonderful and it will be difficult to replace Liz. c. Therapeutic Recreation Program Enrollment Problems & Decision - Therapeutic Recreation (TR) student enrollment has diminished. Every semester has had its challenges. Enrollment within the advanced TR classes has not met the required percentage to keep the class from being cancelled, which in turn has required the HUSE department to request an exception from the VP of Instruction. In spring 2019, there were only three students enrolled in the advanced classes. When students enroll in ACC they are required to declare an Area of Study (AOS) and a major. However, in checking the statistics regarding this information most of the students are not in the TR program; in reality, HUSE only has about six “active” TR students and that has been consistent over the last few years. All marketing efforts have not made this situation better. In TR, in order to become a CTRS you must have a BA. Students can finish out a TR degree at ACC and then transfer; but ACC only offers a TX certification. In the TR profession, employment is at a CTRS level. Our students are mostly employed by nursing homes and assisted living programs. Addictions & General Human Services enrollments are at 150 students; whereas, TR runs about six to seven students in comparison. If we sunset the TR program we are required to offer TR classes for at least three more years until every student who’s enrolled, graduates. If the Board’s recommendation is to sunset the TR program the recommendation will remove it from the ACC 2020-21 catalog, and the department will notify all Advisors to not advise new students into the TR program. Jack made the motion that we sunset the program; seconded by Jeanna. All voted in favor; unanimous.

Jack stated Bluebonnet Trails Community Services has opened an outpatient location in Georgetown, as well as a residential detox facility. They are currently licensed with four school districts and are working with two other school districts for facilities. It will be their 19th or 20th facility. A new MSW at Park is in progress, to be built in blended format. Cynthia is working a proposal for the program to be offered at Park in Fall 2020. It has not yet been approved. Sarah with Austin Recovery reported their detox unit has reopened; however, the north outpatient location will close. They have opened a co-ed weekend program. They will also be hiring a second counselor. They are hiring for a Peer Specialist. Their outpatient and resident locations will take interns; however, a 20 hour/week commitment from students will be necessary (especially in the women’s day program). Jennifer at Down Syndrome Association of Central TX (DSACT) indicated they bring their interns into their daily office functions and staff meetings to give them perspective. Jeanna with Child Protective Investigations advised that a few years ago the state has changed their agency position on filling positions to, work experience with an AAS. Corey with MTC shared they have created a Treatment Specialist position. The Kyle facility has added seven new positions and that has raised their staff position count to 30 employees. There is a need for commercial residential sites and residential community services in corrections, as well as property to build new facilities. Tammy with ACC STEPs program shared their student-base is growing. They provide vocational training for students with Intellectual Disabilities and they are working with the Round Rock community to do internships for their students. They will accept ACC interns to work with their students. Adjourned at 11:04am.