Mental Health Board

708 GENEVA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD April 8, 2014 The Geneva Community Mental Health Board met at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, in the Geneva City Hall Chambers, 109 James Street, Geneva, Illinois 60134. Present: Chairman John Ford; Members Goldstein, Johnson, Shogren, Hamilton, Goc, Wagner. Also present Geneva High School Principal, Tom Rogers; Ms. Judy Rhoads, President with Suicide Prevention Services; Recording Secretary Celeste Weilandt and members of the public. 1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chairman Ford called the Mental Health Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. A quorum was present with seven (7) voting members. New members Goc, Hamilton and Wagner were welcomed to the board. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA - Goldstein asked to add the Kane 377 referendum topic to the agenda (Item 7.C.) and keep it on the agenda so she could provide monthly updates as to ongoing efforts. Motion made by Goldstein, seconded by Johnson approve the amendment to the agenda. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 7-0. 3. 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. Motion made by Shogren, seconded by Johnson to approve the Omnibus Agenda. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 7-0. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *A. Regular Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2014 - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. 5. GUEST SPEAKER A. Presentation: Judy Rhoads, Suicide Prevention Services - Ms. Rhoads opened her discussion with an impacting story, summarized of how she got involved with suicide prevention, and is now vice president of Suicide Prevention Services. A new program she is involved with is called suicideTALK (one of three programs) which, she explained, may be a program that can be a useful resource for this board to develop its own exploration in suicide awareness and to develop a suicide prevention climate. She noted that suicideTALK was not about learning suicide intervention skills. (However, safeTALK and ASIST were programs that did teach intervention skills.) Details of the program followed. Ms. Rhoads closed by discussing her agency’s services and the resource handouts that were available to the committee. B. Questions on Presentation - Asked how this board could take a first action step, Ms. Rhoads suggested giving consideration to holding an open meeting and have conversation with a specific audience who would be interested in learning the skills under the suicideTALK session. She also suggested wearing a bracelet to initiate discussion. Member Johnson shared how the involvement of the Kendall County Health Dept., along with Oswego and Plano High Schools, were are adding a middle school program to their curriculum that discusses depression, its signs, etc. She believed tonight’s suicideTALK program could benefit the Geneva school district. Ms. Rhoads recalled some of the challenges she experienced when bringing up the topics of depression and suicide while serving years ago on the Staff Development Committee under the Geneva School District. She also discuss that, as a result of more recent suicides involving Batavia High School students, Batavia High School has been pro-active in this area. Mr. Tom Rogers, Principal with Geneva Community High School, spoke about a suicide which took place back in August and the fact that some of the students did not feel the school did enough to honor the individual who committed suicide. All of the professionals he spoke to recommended talking about suicide, which the school does. However, he asked for guidance on how to not glorify a suicide, in order to avoid copy cat suicides, explaining that to the students. and yet being respectful of the family’s wishes. Rhoads shared her thoughts on the topic and the challenges it presents to being open yet respecting the family. She suggested being open about it but the “it” -- as it relates to the subject itself, or, the individual, would depend upon the family’s wishes. Member Hamilton also shared her experience with the research in this area, noting that both, having suicide prevention programs in place are effective in reducing suicides, while, on the other hand, there is the glorification of an individual who has committed suicide which can trigger other suicides -- and it was a very fine line. Other comments followed by Rhoads and member Goldstein that because suicide and depression programs are becoming part of a school’s curriculum through health classes, for instance, a suicide is not glorified and 708 Geneva Community Mental Health Board - 2- April 8, 2014 the schools are being proactive rather than reactive. Member Wagner indicated that due to the younger ages of children experiencing mental health issues, the board may have to approach the suicide topic with parents first versus the child, with the parents taking the lead. (The board took a five minute break at 8:23 p.m. and reconvened at 8:27 p.m.) 6. BOARD REACTIONS A. Observations regarding Content - Members comments followed that Ms. Rhoads was informative, she laid out the next steps for this board, and the topic was in this board’s mission. Member Shogren, as part of the high school’s PTO board, indicated she offered to be a liaison between the high school and this board, but that Principal, Tom Rogers, would have to get back to her. Per new member Hamilton’s question, Chairman Ford shared this board’s mission and responded to questions regarding the liability of the board, as best possible, and offered to follow-up with the City on the matter with more information next month. For the new members, other comments followed that it could be beneficial to invite back Jerry Murphy and Phyllis Russell to discuss the board’s role. As to a concern about the board presenting programs, Chairman Ford clarified the board was generally educating itself and looking for unmet needs due to the changes in healthcare and its overall environment, which was why speakers from various health care areas were invited to speak. However, Ford encouraged members to educate themselves on a certain topic and invite a speaker. Ultimately, he hoped the topics would be a culmination of a few shared topics this board could focus upon and move forward yet bring together interested parties, who may not otherwise get together, with a time and topic. Lastly, Chairman Ford stated that City Council members Maladra and Cummings would be pleased to receive emails from him on this board’s activities. B. Brainstorm Future Options - Dialog followed that depression also affected senior citizens and the board should invite Senior Services to speak to the board. 7. NEW BUSINESS A. May Topics - Suggested topics for May included: having someone speak about the heroin epidemic in the county; inviting the high school social worker and/or psychologist to speak about at-risk issues among the youth and the programs being offered through the schools; and talk about how the schools address these topics with the parents. Shogren would follow up with the high school’s counseling department to have a speaker. Dialog followed that while the board could not solve the many issues exiting in the community it could be an advocate for the community. On that note, Chairman Ford suggested that each of the board members put together a five minute topic of what they are passionate about, relative to this board, for presentation to the December City Council meeting. B. June Election of Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary - Members were reminded that officer elections take place in June. C. 377 Referendum Update: Member Goldstein reported the estimated vote for the referendum was about 65% against and 35% for it, which she said was similar to the proportion of votes in McHenry County, where no petition drive took place. A rally is scheduled for April 29, 2014, 4:00 p.m. at the Kane County Government Center to continue educating the public on this matter. Chairman Ford indicated he will be speaking with Jerry Murphy, with the 708 Inc. Board, on this matter as to whether the Geneva Mental Health Board can become involved in the referendum should it return. 8. OTHER BUSINESS *A. Approve Payment to Recording Secretary for Services - Approved by Omnibus Agenda. 9. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MAIL Correspondence - Received: Tri-City Family Services, 2013 Annual Report. 10. ADJOURNMENT The board adjourned at 9:08 p.m. on motion by Johnson, seconded by Goc. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote of 7-0. Recording Secretary, Celeste K. Weilandt