MERCED COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD PUBLIC HEARING Summary Action Minutes

Transcription

1 MERCED COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD PUBLIC HEARING Summary Action Minutes Tuesday, November 8, :00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Merced City Council Chambers Merced Civic Center 678 W. 18 th Street, Merced, CA 3:00 PM Open Public Hearing/Welcome/Introductions MEMBERS PRESENT: Dr. Michael de Ayora, Chair; Sharon Davis, Vice Chair; Geraldine Rivers, Secretary; James Fuller, CALMHB/C Rep.; Helen Mayo; Kim Carter; Sally Ragonut; Dr. Herbert Opalek MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF/OTHERS PRESENT: Troy Dean Fox, Director; Christina Kraushar, Assistant Director; Elizabeth Freitas, Quality Improvement Manager; Janet V. Spangler, Children s Coordinator; Iris Mojica de Tatum, Administrative Operations Manager; Melissa Westerdoll, Recording Secretary; Merle Charles, Patient Right Advocate Hear public comment on the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Community Services and Supports Three year Plan, as prepared and published by the Merced County Department of Mental Health. The time and date previously set for the public hearing to allow the public to comment on the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Community Services and Supports Three year Plan. Dr. de Ayora, Mental Health Board Chair, provided a brief overview of the process for developing this Plan and introduced the summarized public input already received prior to this public hearing. Dr. de Ayora then asked if anyone present wished to speak and advises the public hearing is to receive public comments. The following spoke: Mark Gregory, employee of Merced County Human Services Agency, questions the prioritization of homelessness/unstable housing in the transition age youth population (refers to CSS Plan, page 29). States he thought it would be higher on the list of priorities for this population. Baljit Grewal expresses her happiness about the MHSA Community Services and Supports Plan and the proposed training for consumers to begin integrating into the work force. Elizabeth Morrison, Director of Behavioral Health, Golden Valley Health Centers (GVHC) spoke on behalf of GVHC and also for any other primary care clinic in the County, expresses disappointment that GVHC was not included in the Plan. Ms. Mental Health Board Public Hearing November 8, 2005 Page 1 of 5

2 Morrison states GVHC sees approximately 25,000 unserved/underserved Latino patients each year; unfortunately there is no same day reimbursement from Medi Cal and same day appointments are the best way to serve their patients. Ms. Morrison highlights that no primary care affiliation was identified in the Plan, which was very disappointing. Kim Crow thanks everyone with whom she has worked in the development of the MHSA CSS Plan. Ms. Crow presents a floral arrangement she created in thanks to the Department. Thanks everyone for letting consumers cross barriers and get rid of stigma; states if everyone can work together, wonderful things can be done for the mentally ill in our county. Steven Wilson expresses concern about the job training program and concerns that consumers will end up with low paying, minimum wage jobs. States this is what happened before at the previous drop in program. States he hopes something can be done about the low wages because consumers also have bills to pay and have to make a living. Kim Crow offers information she obtained from an Internet website entitled Jan s Accommodations, pertaining to regulations on accommodations necessary for employment sites indicating there is no difference between the need for accommodations for chronic fatigue syndrome or an emotional disorder. Ms. Crow asks if the CARE Program will involve working with landlords to allow consumers to have their own apartments, do their own landscaping, etc. Mr. Fox explains the CARE Program is a full service partnership program modeled after the AB2034 program and will involve varying degrees of independent living arrangements most suited to the consumer s individual needs. Ms. Crow states she is very pleased with the Plan and the CARE Program. Steven Wilson asks if the Plan includes training for law enforcement in dealing with mentally ill consumers? Mr. Fox explains the Plan does include crisis intervention training for law enforcement personnel. Dan Van Gilder asks if the department will be hiring new employees and asks where would the department get these new employees? Mr. Fox explains the Plan includes hiring twenty six new positions. Mr. Van Gilder states he thought it would be about two thousand more employees, based on the county s population. Merle Charles, Patient Rights Advocate, comments she has concerns that no board and care home clients or owners were present and asks that those persons living in the board and care homes and other hard to reach consumers are not forgotten throughout implementation of the Community Services and Supports Plan. Dan Van Gilder comments he would like to see the department install some socialization services, like taking people to the coffee shop or to the donut shop. He asks if there will be any kind of all around pal for consumers, because being a pal to consumers goes along with the Mental Health Services Act. Mental Health Board Public Hearing November 8, 2005 Page 2 of 5

3 4:30 PM Break Mark Gregory, employee of Merced County Human Services Agency, comments he has been involved in the development of plans such as the MHSA Community Services and Supports Plan for the past thirty years and commended Mr. Fox and his staff on the development of this Plan. He complimented the department on the Plan and its timely completion. Merle Charles, Patient Rights Advocate, expresses support of the Plan, complimenting the original ideas and states it provides a good foundation for growth. She feels it is an excellent Plan and hopes it gets approved. 5:00 PM Continue hearing public comment on the MHSA Community Services and Supports Three year Plan. Dr. de Ayora, Chair, Mental Health Board reconvenes public hearing after thirty minute break and again provides overview of the purpose for this public hearing and introduces members of the Mental Health Board who are present. Dr. de Ayora also thanks the department staff for their work in developing this Plan and compliments them on a job well done. Dr. de Ayora asks if anyone present wished to speak and advises the public hearing is to receive public comments. The following spoke: Steven Wilson asks how the department plans to keep up with the growth in Merced? Mr. Fox responds that this is addressed in the Plan to some degree, however, the Plan is only for three years and requires annual updates. Use of the warm line is included throughout the Plan, which is a method to access mental health services by telephone as needed. Member of the Public, no name provided, asks for more information about the funding available for transitional housing and if there will be some type of accountability expected from the providers of housing to consumers? Mr. Fox advised there is about $300,000 budgeted for housing. The intent is to provide consumers with housing options so they can get out of IMD s or board and care homes into a lower level, more independent setting designed to meet their specific needs. Mr. Fox advises that all housing providers would be expected to abide by department policy like any other contractor. Ms. Freitas also advise the department has in place a formal Quality Improvement Grievance Process, which would include any concerns related to housing. Merle Charles, Patient Rights Advocate, asks what marketing strategies will be used to integrate clients into the community, apart from making presentations to special groups? Ms. Kraushar explains there are a variety of mechanisms in the Plan for community integration efforts, but implementing the Wellness Center will be a starting point. Consumers want the full continuum, a place to go for socialization with peers to trips or on the job training. Ms. Kraushar explains the Mental Health Board Public Hearing November 8, 2005 Page 3 of 5

4 department plans to contract with employment training agencies to provide inhouse and on the job training programs and job placement for consumers. Ms. Freitas further states the consumers really identified the types of specific services, activities and assistance they want available to them through the Wellness Center, including participation in intra mural sports. Member of the public, no name provided, asks about how someone would become a volunteer to help with consumer outreach and activities? Ms. Kraushar advises to begin at the Drop in Program, which is a small consumer socialization program in place at the main clinic on 13 th Street. Additional opportunities will become available once the Wellness Center becomes operational. This same member of the public asks for more information about how the department will involve family members in treatment because it is important for family members to be involved in treatment. Ms. Spangler responds by referencing the full service partnership model in the WeCan Program and advises the recovery model includes use of any and all resources necessary, whatever it takes, to meet the individual s needs for treatment, including engaging and training family members. Dr. de Ayora asks if the Mental Health Board members would like to comment on the Plan: Sharon Davis states she is inspired by the Plan and feels it is one of hope and empowerment. Ms. Davis expresses delight in seeing that, throughout the Plan, the provision of services that are sensitive to gender and sexual orientation is mentioned and is looking forward to seeing this transformation of the system and achieving the goal of the Mental Health Services Act. Helen Mayo comments this Plan is a marvelous piece of writing and the identified goals are within reach. Sally Ragonut states she is thrilled with the Wellness Center program and feels there will be so many people who will take advantage of it. She is a parent of a consumer and believes the Wellness Center will be a good place for consumers to go and have something to do. Ms. Ragonut compliments staff on the ability to get so much of what the community wanted written into the Plan within the funding limit. Geraldine Rivers comments the Plan is nice and she likes the Wellness Center for the consumers. Dr. de Ayora states he likes the Plan and thinks it is a new and innovative way to provide services; it is a good opportunity to take a great leap forward and we need to follow through with it. Dr. Herbert Opalek states the Plan is well written and mentions he is personally interested in seeing how it impacts the homeless population in our community. Mental Health Board Public Hearing November 8, 2005 Page 4 of 5

5 Liz Freitas commented that developing and writing the Plan was an incredible journey and expresses excitement about the new and innovative methods of treatment and recovery. Ms. Freitas thanked her co workers, Christina Kraushar and Janet Spangler, complimenting their creative ability and Iris Mojica De Tatum for her organization in coordinating all of the public meetings and workgroups. Ms. Spangler and Ms. Kraushar concurred with Ms. Freitas that this was an incredible journey and they appreciated the opportunity to be a part of such an exciting process. They look forward to implementation of the programs and the progressive system transformation. 6:30 PM Close public hearing. Dr. de Ayora announces the Mental Health Board will convene their regular meeting at 6:45 p.m. this date in this location. No further action taken and the public hearing is closed. Mental Health Board Public Hearing November 8, 2005 Page 5 of 5