McLean County Board Behavioral Health Coordinating Council met June 14.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
Members Present: Ms. Sonja Reece, McLean County Board of Health; Ms. Stephanie Barisch, Center for Youth and Family Solutions; Mr. Mark Jontry, Regional Office of Education; Mr. Tom Barr, Center for Human Services; Ms. Diane Schultz, The Baby Fold; Ms. Susan Schafer, McLean County Board; Ms. Elizabeth Robb; Ms. Joni Painter, City of Bloomington; Ms. Karen Zangerle, PATH; Mr. Kevin McCarthy, Town of Normal; Ms. Colleen Kannaday, Advocate BroMenn; Mr. Dave Sharar, CEO, Chestnut Health Systems; Judge Rebecca Foley
Members Absent: Chairman John McIntyre; Ms. Laura Furlong, MARC First; Ms. Tosha Maaks, NAMI; Ms. Donna Schoenfeld, Illinois State University; Ms. Lynn Fulton, OSF St. Joseph Medical Center; Ms. Laurette Stiles, State Farm;
Staff Present: Ms. Camille Rodriguez, County Administrator; Ms. Trisha Malott, Behavioral Health Coordinating Council Supervisor; Ms. Julie Morlock, recording secretary; Ms. Tammy Brooks, McLean County Health Department; Ms. Cassy Taylor, Court Services Director,
Others Present: Ms. Judy Buchanan, McLean County Board of Health; Mr. Matt Mollenhauer, Chestnut Health Systems; Mr. David Taylor, United Way
Member Susan Schafer called the called to order at 7:30 AM.
Member Schafer presented the minutes from the March 8, 2019 meeting for approval.
Motion by Reece/Jontry to approve minutes from March 8, 2019 regular meeting.
Motion carried
Member Schafer indicated the first item on the agenda was financial information provided to update the council on the public safety and mental health fund enacted through intergovernmental agreement between County of McLean, Town of Normal and City of Bloomington. Ms. Schafer asked if there were any questions. Hearing none, she moved to the next item on the agenda.
Member Schafer turned the floor over to Ms. Malott for an update on the Mental Health Action Plan. Ms. Malott summarized progress that has occurred since the writing of the Mental Health Action Plan including: the establishment of the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, the annual Community Forum, regular engagement with state and federal agencies as well as national grantors, appointment of a mental health advisory board to the Board of Health and collaborative grant applications. Ms. Malott discussed housing grant PATH and Project OZ recently submitted. Karen Zangerle added that the grant would be for permanent housing for individuals ages 18-24. Ms. Zangerle also stated that if awarded, the grant is a minimum of 1 million dollars guaranteed for as long as the program continues. Ms. Malott stated this action works to address the Mental Health Action Plan component regarding youth housing. Ms. Malott stated that in 2019 the Bloomington Housing Authority was awarded 13 mainstream housing vouchers through a collaborative HUD application and that our supportive housing beds in the community have increased from 84 in 2015 to over 120 in 2019.
Ms. Malott indicated that the expansion of the Law and Justice Center to provide for improved care for individuals incarcerated with behavioral health concerns is mostly complete and changes to the care and treatment have been made which work to address the medication and medical management part of the plan. She said they have a contract with Genoa Health Care to provide telepsychiatry and continue to work with other community partners about efforts to increase psychiatric resources. Ms. Malott indicated the Board of Health has contributed funding for programs such as healthy start with the Baby Fold, Ending the Silence through Project OZ and NAMI, and the embedded schools project here in McLean County at a number of schools to help address youth needs in the community.
Ms. Malott stated that the Crisis portion of the plan has been addressed as nearly 100% of all officers are CIT trained and there are officers who have had some refresher training. She said they continue to evaluate at what point they need training and the type of training that should be given for dispatch. Ms. Malott indicated that the Board of Health has funded the mobile crisis team. She said they are also working to finalize the Triage Center. Ms. Foley asked about status of Triage Center. Ms. Malott said the Triage Supervisor had been hired and they continue to work to hire staff. She said staffing model is that each shift will have one triage center specialist and one peer on staff with some shifts having two. Ms. Malott said they anticipate staff will begin training the week of August 5th and open doors to provide services in the weeks after that. Ms. Schafer asked if there were other questions, hearing none, she moved to the next item on the Agenda.
Ms. Schafer indicated the next few items on the agenda were about collaboration and turned discussion over to Ms. Rodriguez. Ms. Rodriguez went over collaboration Staff continues to build with United Way. Mr. David Taylor of United Way provided history on United Way donations, changes that have occurred and how they are working to utilize money in the most effective way possible. He said their Board voted to make youth and family the organization’s focus, which was a change from education, income and health focus previously. He said they are looking to invest in systems that will help youth and family in the community. Ms. Rodriguez said funding going forward tends to be scarce so we need to work together to address mental health action plan. Ms. Barisch thanked the County and United Way for coming together as she felt one of the goals of the Mental Health Action Plan was blending of funding and services for a comprehensive system. Ms. Malott said as a result of conversations with United Way they have started conversations with other funding partners in the community. Mr. McCarthy also thanked them for their collaborative efforts. Mr. Taylor stated he would be recommending to his Board that they consider and act on a motion to formalize the partnership with the County for to assist with programs that address behavioral health needs in the community.
Ms. Schafer presented for action a recommendation for an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Services program concept to be presented to the McLean County Board. Ms. Malott indicated this is a concept that was the result of months of collaborative work, but was not intended to be wholly representative of what may be implemented. She said one of the purposes of this program is to help youth as they transition out of psychiatric hospital care back into the community and school. She indicated this would involve group components, case management, family services, and experiential learning. Ms. Schafer indicated the group Mr. McIntyre appointed to look at youth services had four priority areas and this one came to the top of the list of needs for the community. Ms. Cassy Taylor said she was happy to see the volunteer peer mentor support as part of this concept, but was also glad to see individualized treatment plan as she felt that would be key to the success of program. Ms. Kannady thanked the group and said she continues to be amazed at the number of adolescents in the emergency department for psychiatric reasons and the number of adolescents needing inpatient services that have to be transferred out of the community. She said the earlier we can intervene with youth the better chance we have to change the outcome for them as adults. Ms. Schultz said there is a lot of collaboration among services providers as well as with the County, and it was not providers trying to get the services provided through them but was a collaborative effort to determine what was best for the youth in our community. Ms. Reece said she was impressed with the awareness of how expansive these issues have become such as when children are sent away for hospital care, and families do not have money to travel to be with them. Mr. McCarthy asked if Ms. Malott could give an idea of what is next on the timeline. Ms. Malott stated that the RFP would go to the Executive Committee and then the County Board and if passed then RFP would be issued, applications accepted and reviewed and then a recommendation would be brought to the council regarding group that could fully implement concept.
Motion by Jontry/McCarthy to recommend an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Services program concept to the McLean County Board.
Motion Carried. Mr. Barr Abstained from vote.
Ms. Schafer presented for action a request to approve a recommendation for an Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Services Program concept to be issued as Notice of Funding Opportunity and a Request for Proposals.
Motion by Reece/McCarthy to recommend approval of adolescent Intensive Outpatient Services program concept to be issued as notice of Funding Opportunity and a Request for Proposals.
Motion Carried. Mr. Barr abstained from vote.
Ms. Schafer presented for action Community Behavioral Health meeting leaders to provide updates to BHCC Supervisor for enhanced coordination and collaboration. Ms. Malott said she realizes members all serve on many committees and wanted to organize one place where all meeting information could be found. She said there is a reference in the Mental Health Action Plan to the BHCC being a conduit of information for all of the meetings and committees occurring in the community on behavioral health efforts. She said this is to formalize that piece of the mental health action plan and make a request that the information be funneled back so we can coordinate efforts. Ms. Reece asked her to confirm she wants to know their connections with other organizations. Ms. Malott confirmed. She said she would like to get contact information for other groups so she can get updates on information discussed at their meetings. Ms. Schafer said this might also help avoid duplication of efforts.
Motion by Schultz/Reece to approve Community behavioral health meeting leaders to provide updates to BHCC Supervisor for enhanced coordination and collaboration.
Motion Carried.
Ms. Schafer asked Ms. Malott to provide program initiative updates. Ms. Malott updated the Council on the FUSE program. She indicated they are still reaching out to individuals identified as engaging in multiple systems most frequently and they continue to build their team. She said the physical space is being finalized and they hope to be operational in the near future. Mr. Sharar asked the number of people who would be served in the FUSE program. Ms. Malott said the intent was to start with 10 participants with the highest need. She said this smaller number would allow them to provide highest care possible and work toward proof of concept. She said this is set up as a pay for success model and it is still the intent to reach out to other funders after a year or two of services to prove positive impact on the community. She indicated Medicaid reimbursement is not timely; rates are less than other payor sources and do not cover all services so this is a way for us to absorb some of that burden. Mr. Sharar asked her to confirm there is data on individuals such as utilization patterns, services they access and cost. Ms. Malott confirmed. She said that individuals are asked to sign releases of medical information and they have been able to gather that information. Mr. Sharar asked if she has reached out to all 10. Ms. Malott indicated they continue to work to get in touch with all 10. She reminded them that individuals are in the justice and homeless systems and sometimes do not want to be found.
Ms. Malott provided further information on the Triage Center. She said they are likely to begin working on space at the end of the month and hope to begin training staff the first full week of August. Mr. Sharar asked if they would be administering psychiatric medication at the triage center or refer that out. Ms. Malott indicated the current intent is to refer it out. She said that our intent is to provide de-escalation, assessment and referral to the appropriate provider in our community rather than providing ourselves. Mr. Sharar asked how they would be working with the mobile crisis center, crisis residential center at Chestnut and inpatient at Advocate. Ms. Malott said a community crisis group meets and she has been a part of those meetings the in last few months and the Triage Center Supervisor will continue to be the person at those meetings. She said the Triage Center would be utilizing the same crisis assessment adopted by community providers to assist with transition to other locations in the community. She said the intent is to link to the appropriate location and then provided examples of different needs and location referrals and discussed procedures they are putting in place for referrals and possible transfers. Mr. Sharar asked if they intend to bill Medicaid directly. Ms. Malott indicated they are setting up to bill for services when they can, but also recognized there are situations they will not be able to bill. Ms. Barisch asked her to include SASS in the list of crisis responders as they serve up to age 21. Ms. Malott indicated she would.
Ms. Malott provided an update on Telepsychiatry. She stated they are maintaining a contract with Genoa and still working to find the right person to serve our community. Mr. Sharar asked if County was planning to hire a psychiatrist. Ms. Malott provided history of contract with Genoa. She said this was done in response to an increased need and they continue to be committed to try to increase the resource in the community. Ms. Reece stated there are still some people who are not ready to see a doctor on a computer and need to work to get all generations open to the concept that this is a viable way to receive treatment. Ms. Kannady said they have telepsychiatry in the Emergency Department and they have learned that once people start talking to psychiatrist they actually feel more comfortable. Mr. Barr asked where this would be located. Mr. Sharar asked if Genoa could provide psychiatric treatment in the Triage Center on demand. Ms. Malott indicated they are in partnership conversations with Cloud 9, a technology platform who has contracts with psychiatrists and psychiatric vendors in many states about services they can provide. She indicated the clinic would not be located in the Triage Center but possibly located in 200 W. Front Street building. Ms. Malott indicated they continue to discuss how telepsychiatry would be developed. She stated we need to recognize that our country has a shortage of psychiatrists and while higher education institutions are working on this it will take time for the students in these programs to be fully registered, certified and ready to practice. Ms. Robb asked who would house the telepsychiatry program. Ms. Malott indicated it would be under the County and not the Health Department. Ms. Foley agreed about shortage but stated that while we at the table understand the shortage, those we serve do not so we have to do a better job of educating them as to reasons going with Telepsychiatry.
Ms. Schafer asked Ms. Malott to provide an update on partnerships. Ms. Malott indicated they are finalizing be a part of the NYU law enforcement screening tool second phase testing. She described the second phase that would involve scoring and analyzing. She said it will take about 3 minutes in the field and will help law enforcement determine the best course of action. Ms. Barisch asked if they would be able to see the tool. Ms. Malott said they could not share at this time.
Ms. Malott next provided information on a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant. She said the Comprehensive Advisement Team formed out of the behavioral health and school meetings identified children that have a higher level of need and care who would be assisted with this grant. Ms. Schultz asked if the County was writing the grant and what other agencies will be involved. Ms. Malott indicated submission is in about a week and half, the County has to be the applicant and she would be asking for letters of support from members of the team and providers who assist youth. Ms. Barisch indicated there is a planning period at the beginning of the grant so not everything has to be decided at this time.
Under other business, Ms. Schafer reminded the Behavioral Health Community Forum will be on October 17, 2019 and the focus will be trauma. Ms. Schafer also let the Council know that Ms. Malott had set up a twitter account for BHCC (@McLeanCOBHCC) and a Facebook page. Ms. Schafer congratulated Ms. Edith Brady-Lunny on her retirement from the Pantagraph and thanked her for all of her efforts to publicize information about services.
Ms. Schafer reminded members that the next meeting would be Friday, September 13, 2019 at 7:30 a.m.
Ms. Schafer asked if there was anything else to come before the Council; hearing nothing, she adjourned the meeting at 8:50 a.m.
https://www.mcleancountyil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6875
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