Mental Health Board

708 GENEVA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD February 12, 2013 The Geneva Community Mental Health Board met at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, in the Geneva City Hall Chambers, 109 James Street, Geneva, Illinois 60134. Present: Chairman John Ford; Members Davidson-Bell, Johnson, Goldstein, Schoedel. Absent: Member Dantino. Also present: Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt. 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Ford called the Mental Health Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and noted whom was present. A quorum was present with five (5) voting members. 2. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBER - Cheryl Johnson Chairman Ford introduced new member Cheryl Johnson. Ms. Johnson summarized that she just retired last year as the executive director and public administrator for the Kendall County Health Department. Ms. Johnson spoke about her professional background. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA - None 4. OMNIBUS AGENDA ( OMNIBUS VOTE ) All items listed with an asterisk ( * ) are considered to be routine by the Mental Health Board and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a board member or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Omnibus (Consent) Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the Regular Agenda. Schoedel moved to approve the Omnibus Agenda, seconded by Davidson- Bell. Motion carried by voice vote of 5-0. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *A. Regular Meeting Minutes of January 8, 2013 - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. 6. OLD BUSINESS A. Q&A regarding January 7 Letter from Phyllis Russell on Definitions - Chairman Ford reminded members that member Goldstein had asked Ms. Russell for legal definitions pertaining to mental health. He asked members to provide their feedback regarding Ms. Russell’s letter. Schoedel stated that the list of mental health issues listed on Page 2 of the letter would cover those agencies that appear before this board, including those agencies that supported cancer-related and bereavement issues. While the chairman agreed, he pointed out that they were under the heading of Medicaid. However, Johnson confirmed they were still under Illinois statute. Goldstein was glad to see Pervasive Development Disorders (Autism) being treated as a developmental disability. Ford asked members how they envisioned using Ms. Russell’s information and whether it should be a formal part of the grant application. Schoedel did not see the information being used on a form. Johnson pointed out that all the applying agencies should have an awareness of the code. Chairman Ford, however, discussed some of the challenges he saw in the past as it pertained to mental illness and substance abuse and the fact that there was nothing in the law that dealt with education which posed the question whether this board or another agency should fund the high school. To that point, Davidson-Bell called attention that under the sub-heading Nondependent Use of Drugs, it would cover the high school and the intervention aspect. Chairman Ford suggested that when the definition information was finalized to place it on the board’s website and reference it as part of the application process. Schoedel, however, said she could find three short definitions in her psychiatric book and the board could extract those definitions. Schoedel was directed to forward those definitions to the recording secretary whom would forward them to the members for next month’s discussion with Ms. Russell. B. Plan for Subjects to be discussed with Ms. Russell at March Meeting - Chairman Ford suggested narrowing down topics for Ms. Russell to address, such as what other 708 boards were trying, as in the form of initiatives outside their normal routines. Specifically, items to consider for discussion included this board looking at the capital budget and looking at smaller projects in order to use the funds sooner rather than later; discuss “creative” financing options and see what other agencies were using to getting homes constructed for DD individuals. To that point, and upon hearing how this board provides general funding for the agencies and not necessarily for a specific program, Johnson questioned where the evidence would exist for the outcomes, wherein Chairman Ford explained how the agencies responded in a qualitative manner. Other board members welcomed hearing Johnson’s ideas on how outcomes were measured, wherein Johnson explained that projections were made and expectations were made. Examples followed. Dialog followed by 708 Geneva Community Mental Health Board - 2- February 12, 2013 Davidson-Bell that there was no reason this board could revise its grant application to request that the agencies provide outcome data. Returning to the topics for Ms. Russell to discuss, other topics included the various options for short-term and long-term capital projects; discussing the changes in Rule 132 as it pertains to the Medicaid Community Mental Health Services Program; discussing how will the Managed Care changes impact this board’s agencies and the community; creating a 377 county-wide mental health board (in the future); and how can 708 boards act as a catalyst to other organizations and bring them together for the benefit of the population. Johnson mentioned that in Kendall County her office held a “breakfast” to bring the various agencies together to collaborate in a round table format. Lastly, it was mentioned that Ms. Russell could be asked to provide her impression of what other 708 boards distributed (ratio distribution) to the three categories of mental health. (Chairman Ford would email Goldstein the list of topics for Ms. Russell to address.) 7. NEW BUSINESS A. Review our Annual Distribution Ratio among the Three Disabilities - Chairman Ford commented that the law does not identify the ratio of money to distribute among the three disabilities. Where some 708 boards distribute funds in thirds; others may use target percentages. He stated that this board does not have a distribution ratio. Ford recalled that last month Ms. O’Shea did ask this board what percent it distributed to each group, noting that AID broke it down informally to 30% to DD, 60% to mental illness, and 10% to substance abuse. The chairman asked members their thoughts on the community’s needs and how they wanted to see the distributions to occur, i.e., either formally, in some other manner, or leave them as is. He reminded the board that part of this was being brought up due to the question of a potential 377 board coming into existence and whether the 708 boards would be relieved of the obligation to fund DD services, or, dependent upon a per-708 decision unless the county created some overriding rule. Johnson said she did not agree with O’Shea’s breakdown of percentage figures, given the numbers she was reviewing. Dialog followed on what other 708 boards were distributing to the various agencies and for this board to understand the agencies’ needs and who they serviced. Personally, the chairman felt no need to have a formal policy on the ratio distributions since there was no mention of it in state law. Other members also agreed that setting a ratio was limiting and placed the board “in a box”. B. Open Discussion regarding Geneva’s Efforts for Future DD Housing - Chairman Ford asked members whether they wanted to pursue something formally with the DD housing issue. However, given the recent school shootings and reading a recent newsletter about the success of the Mental Health First Aid program, she suggested exploring the idea of providing a training grant to either schools and/or first responders to provide security at schools, followed by a “train the trainer” process. She believed it would be low cost. (Chairman Ford to place on agenda after P.. Russell speaks?) Goldstein briefly announced that AID was looking to construct new DD housing in South Elgin and that supporters could attend a village meeting on February 19, 2013, 7:00 PM at 10 N. Water Street, South Elgin. 8. OTHER BUSINESS *A. Approve Payment to Recording Secretary for Services - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. 9. PUBLIC COMMENTS A. Introduction of Guests - None B. Written Correspondence - Chairman Ford announced he had received various letters received from the agencies formally thanking the board for the grant funds. Ford welcomed members to review the letters. Johnson announced that on February 25, 2013, Aurora University, as part of its Mental Health Awareness Day, will be hosting a presentation with Ms. Kay Redfield Jamison, author of “An Unquiet Mind” (bipolar disorder). Members were directed to visit the university’s web site and to search under Arts and Ideas. 10. ADJOURNMENT The board adjourned at 8:00 p.m. on motion by Goldstein, seconded by Schoedel. Motion carried unanimously. Recording Secretary, Celeste K. Weilandt