Mental Health Board

708 GENEVA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD January 14, 2014 The Geneva Community Mental Health Board met at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, 2014, in the Geneva City Hall Chambers, 109 James Street, Geneva, Illinois 60134. Present: Chairman John Ford; Members Goldstein, Davidson-Bell, Absent: Johnson. Also present: Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt. Nominee Suzy Shogren, 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Ford called the Mental Health Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and noted a quorum was present with three (3) voting members. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA - None 3. INTRODUCE NEW BOARD MEMBER NOMINEE Chairman Ford welcomed Ms. Suzy Shogren, who was a nominee for the board. Ms. Shogren proceeded to discuss her background, explaining she was a former special education teacher in a junior high school and also volunteered in a number of capacities. She hoped to serve on this board by bringing her passion in serving the community as it relates to mental health. 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. Goldstein moved to approve the Omnibus Agenda, seconded by Davidson- Bell. Motion carried by voice vote of 3-0. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *A. Regular Meeting Minutes of November 12, 2013 - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. 6. OLD BUSINESS A. Strategic Plan - General Review - Chairman Ford restated the board’s strategic plan was a work in progress and was required by this board’s enabling legislation. Should the upcoming March referendum on the countywide funding for intellectual disability pass, it would affect the board’s plan and the board’s legislation. Goldstein reported on the steps the League of Women Voters were using to get the word out on this referendum. B. Geneva Ordinance No. 89-30 - Chairman Ford referenced the ordinance and reminded members of this board’s charge and to read through the document. 7. NEW BUSINESS A. Tim Baker on Operation Snowball - Geneva Police Sgt. Baker and Ms. Melissa Byrne from the St. Charles School District were present to discuss the Greater Fox River Valley Chapter of Operation Snowball program, which program was not presented at the last November funding meeting. Sgt. Baker explained that the prevention program involves 150 students from 13 area high schools where students are brought to an event to openly discuss some of the challenges of being a teen. Topics can range from of unhealthy choices, distracted driving, suicide, etc. but students are able to discuss their issues with other students, sometimes making a difference in one’s life, or other lives, thereby creating a snowball effect. Students have to be drug and alcohol-free to be in the program. Sgt. Baker mentioned that the previous funding (between $4000 and $8,000 per year) that Chic Williams asked for was under the DARE program. Sgt. Baker emphasized that the program involved healthy teens that make healthy choices and those teens tend to attract other teens that may be on the fringes. Per questions, Byrne and Baker estimated that about 50 Geneva resident-students come through the program yearly but the total number of Geneva kids attending the Thursday night events averaged between 20 to 25 teens. The two snowball events averaged about 160 students each event. Per Sgt. Baker, the budget for the program was $30,000 and came from a variety of sources -- parental donations, participant fees, etc., and was not funded out of the Geneva Community Chest. Chairman Ford noted that about $20,000 was being funded outside of the payments made by the students’ parents per year. Per the chairman’s question, Ms. Byrne stated she will be going before the St. Charles 708 Board seeking funding. Sgt. Baker further explained that the Geneva High School facility is used for staff training purposes prior to events and also for post-event activities. As for clarification of the funding, other chairman questions 708 Geneva Community Mental Health Board - 2- January 14, 2014 followed, with Sgt. Baker responding that he does not interact with Candice Phalen, Teresa White, or Mary Jane Johnson at the high school. Chairman Ford invited Sgt. Baker to attend the November grant funding meeting to present his organization’s needs, explaining the financial information that will be needed in preparation for that meeting. (Sgt. Baker distributed copies of funding request letter to members.) Chairman Ford noted that previously this board was helping to subsidize other students from other communities and the board had to understand the structure of the program. Additionally, some of the previous discussions that Mr. Williams spoke about were the at-risk students under the high school program and the Snowball program was different than that. Ms. Shogren shared her daughter’s recent, positive experience with a Snowball event. B. MHB Web Page Change - Chairman Ford discussed some of the changes (and challenges) to the board’s new web page. He would follow up with Kevin Stahr, the City’s communications contact. C. December Grant Format - Chairman Ford shared the regular process that takes place during the December City Council meeting where the agencies are distributed their funding grants. He suggested that members consider some new ideas for next December, possibly having one or two special speakers or inviting a couple of residents from the South Street home to speak. D. DD Referendum - Referenced was the handout of the special needs residents that have a new home in Mt. Prospect. E. February Topic - Goldstein said she invited Ms. Joanne Fernis to talk about crisis intervention and victims assistance program next month. (Chairman Ford announced that member Johnson is responsible to have a topic for March and Davidson-Bell was responsible for April’s topic.) 8. OTHER BUSINESS *A. Approve Payment to Recording Secretary for Services - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. Chairman Ford stated he will find out what terms are up for reappointment and he will ask City Admin. McKittrick to print out the board’s financial budget, noting $123,000 was in the reserve fund and could be used for the Snowball program, if members desired. 9. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MAIL Written Correspondence - Thank you notes were received from the agencies thanking the board for last year’s grants. Additionally, AID thanked this board for the $7500 start up money it had separately requested. Chairman Ford distributed the ACHMAI booklet information to Ms. Shogren. He also mentioned the news article on the new supportive home in Mt. Prospect for special needs individuals and expects more information on this topic will be forthcoming. He also believes that support for such housing in the community will have to come from the city’s officials. A general dialog followed regarding the Eden’s supportive living complex located in North Aurora and whether it was being well utilized to Chairman Ford briefly summarizing for Ms. Shogren the challenges the new Health Care Act is placing on various agencies and health care programs. 10. ADJOURNMENT The board adjourned at 7:55 p.m. on motion by Davidson-Bell, seconded by Goldstein. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 3-0. Recording Secretary, Celeste K. Weilandt