The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutRegion 12 MHDDAD Planning Board Minutes August 2012 Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities Frank Berry, Commissioner Region 2 DBHDD Office 3405 Mike Padgett Highway, Bldg. 3, Augusta, Georgia 30906 Phone: 706-792-7733 Fax: 706-792-7740 Toll Free: 1-866-380-4835 DBHDD REGION TWO PLANNING BOARD MEETING THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012 AT 1:00 PM MEETING SUMMARY The DBHDD Region Two Planning Board met at 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 16, 2012 via video conferences taking place at: the Northeast Health District Office, 189 Paradise Blvd., Athens, Georgia 30605; the North Central Health District Office, 811 Hemlock Street, Macon, Georgia 30507; and the Richmond County Health District Office, 1916 North Leg Road, MIS Conference Room Bldg B, Augusta, Georgia 30909. Board Members Present: Josette Akhras, Putnam; Gloria Berry, Walton; Bessie Bonds, Twiggs; Saundra Brown, Bibb; Andrew Chase, Morgan; Laverne Crawford, Richmond; Martha Crumbley, Burke; Sherri Cunningham, McDuffie; Linda Echols, Wilkes; Linda Ellis, Bibb; Kathy Fitzner, Screven; Ed Glauser, Clarke; Debbie Harbin, Monroe; Cathy Hayes, Columbia; Ann Hester, Oconee; Geneice McCoy, Richmond; Don Wilkes, Emanuel Excused Absences: Nan Gunn, Jefferson; Lisa Jones, Columbia; Mandy Underwood, Jenkins Unexcused Absences: Laverne Williams, Wilkinson Regional Office Staff Present: Karla Brown, DD RSA; Keith Edmonds, BH RSA; Dawn Peel, MH Transition Coordinator; Alicia Sanchez, I&E Manager; Jessica Seigler, Executive Secretary; Audrey Sumner, Regional Coordinator Guests Marcus Crawford Vacancies as of 8/16/2012: Baldwin (1), Barrow (1), Bibb (3), Clarke (2), Elbert (1), Glascock (1), Greene (1), Hancock (1), Jackson (1), Jasper (1), Jones (1), Lincoln (1), Madison (1), McDuffie (1), Oglethorpe (1), Richmond (2), Taliaferro (1), Twiggs (1), Walton (1), Warren (1), Washington (1) Call to Order Geneice McCoy, Board Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:05 PM. Roll Call Present Board members were accounted for and are reflected in the attendance above. June 21, 2012 Meeting Minutes The June 21, 2012 meeting minutes were approved as written with a unanimous decision by the Board, based on a motion by Linda Echols that was seconded by Ed Glauser. Public Comments There were no public comments. Board Member Appointments and Resignations The Board welcomed Andrew Chase, representing Morgan County DBHDD Leadership Council Report Debbie Harbin stated the discussion at the last Leadership Council meeting primarily focused on each region’s 2014 Annual Plan. The commonalities of need were identified and include housing, transportation, supportive employment, providers and services in rural areas and additional funding for NOW and COMP waivers. Commissioner Shelp’s resignation and replacement by Frank Berry, as well as David Blanchard’s position as Deputy Assistant Commissioner, was announced. Public Forums The mission of Public Forums is to gather information directly from individuals, families and providers of those serviced to prepare for the Annual Plan. It was decided by the Board to hold the Public Forums again this year. There will be five held in the following counties and hosted by the following members: Richmond – Geneice McCoy Emanuel – Don Wilkes Bibb and Baldwin – Bessie Bonds Clarke – Ed Glauser Members from surrounding counties are requested to assist with and attend the forums. The Regional Office will contact Commissioner’s Offices to notify them of the upcoming forums. The expenses for, and option of, having food, decorations, refreshments, etcetera fall on the counties that are hosting the forum. The forums will be held between October 15, 2012 and November 15, 2012, with the deadline for venue reservations being September 15, 2012. Addictive Disease Services If an individual is seeking addictive disease services, the process is similar to acquiring mental health services; an appointment is made with the provider, the provider does an assessment and bases the fee on a sliding scale. The individual also has the option of contacting GCAL. Annual Plan The Annual Plan is due in February. A decision will need to be made as to whether to change the priorities. The Regional Office will send out last year’s surveys for the Board Members to review. There will be another discussion at the October 18, 2012 meeting regarding the Annual Plan. Behavioral Health Report Audrey Sumner presented the BH Report. (Attachment 1). Developmental Disabilities Report Karla Brown presented the DD Report. (Attachment 2) Announcements/Concerns Judge Wilkes will provide information regarding his findings on Accountability Courts. Debbie Harbin announced an upcoming Conversations That Matter event and will provide the flyer to the Board. Adjournment Hearing no further comments, Geneice McCoy adjourned the meeting at 3:02 PM. PREPARED BY Jessica B. Seigler Executive Secretary APPROVED AT ____________ BOARD MEETING (Attachment 1) Behavioral Health Report 1.Frank Berry has been appointed to be the new Commissioner for DBHDD. He replaced Commissioner Shelp on August 12. Commissioner Berry said that his top priorities include implementation of the DOJ Settlement Agreement and improving access to services for individuals for individuals with Developmental Disabilities. This includes access to needed MH and AD services. 2.Advantage Behavioral Health submitted a successful proposal to be the new ACT provider in the Athens service area. This will be operational by October 16. 3.The Regional Office is in the process of conducting interviews for a Business Financial Manager and a Compliance Officerl This is in anticipation of more responsibility for contract development and management moving to the Regional Offices. 4.A RFP for mobile Crisis was released. This will not have a large impact on Region 2 this year because we already have mobile crisis, but more counties will be added in later years. 5.We will soon begin seeing the fruits of the collaboration with the Department of Community Affairs to increase the supported housing available to individuals with disabilities. We will be transitioning some individuals to DCA vouchers and free up DBHDD vouchers to be used for individuals leaving the hospital. (Attachment 2) DD Planning Board Report Changes in Department  DBHDD’s new Commissioner is Frank W. Berry, previously CEO at View Point Health in Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale Counties.  Acting Assistant Commissioner of DD is Dr. Charles Li (has been Dir. of Operations of Hospitals)  Deputy Assistant Commissioner of DD is David Blanchard (from All About Developmental Disabilities – AADD) Initiatives for FY ‘13  Increased focus on easy access and getting people into services. Working on streamlining processes, particularly for state-funded services.  Focus on getting individuals moved from ICF’s into the community. Finishing up Person-Centered Descriptions on folks at Gracewood  Because of the priority for getting individuals with DD out of the hospital psych units and into the community, Individual Recovery Plans are being use to develop modified PCD’s. (We feel that we are ahead of the game because we already have a provider who has agreed to support 14 individuals in psych and forensic units.) Hospital Transitions  Our DOJ Settlement Agreement requires that we move at least 150 individuals per year from ICF’s into the community. We transitioned 168 individuals last fiscal year.  Region 2 was responsible for placement of 45 individuals.  361 individuals in ICF’s statewide as of this week, with 269 at Gracewood  Individuals at both Gracewood and Southwestern have been identified for transition to the community Region 2 Funding Updates:  Continuing to try to place folks from the Short-Term Planning List into services.  We will try to place individuals who don’t have Medicaid into services with state-funded providers.  Those individuals who do have Medicaid will be awarded Medicaid Waiver funding and assisted to find providers.  Those individuals who have other waivers (CCSP, SOURCE) are going on the Long Term Planning List if they don’t choose our waivers (Individuals cannot receive support from 2 different waivers).  Children who are in school, currently receiving sufficient supports, and not needing support for up to 2 years are being placed on the LTPL. Provider Fairs  Region 2 is holding 3 fairs. (Sent out flyer) Those in Augusta and Athens have already been held. Macon’s will be Saturday, River Edge, 175 Emery Highway, from 10:00 to 1:00.  All DD providers doing business in R2 have been invited.  Providers developed one-page profiles to hand out to families  All individuals remaining on STPL who are eligible and those in Gracewood who we are working on were invited. We sent out over 400 invitations.  Individual and family turnout has been poor. Only 14 people at the Augusta fair and about 25 at the Athens fair. We hope the turnout in Macon is better. Georgia Crisis Response System:  There have been significant changes in the way the system works.  More intense focus on getting people out, and keeping people out, of state hospitals and ER’s.  Mobile Crisis Teams can now go into ER’s, state hospital admissions units, jails.  Region 2’s Crisis Homes have been full, or almost full, for about 2 months.  Continuing to see lots of individuals who have never applied for services before.  Most others have applied and are on Planning List (Our focus on getting all on STPL into services should address this problem.)  Continuing to train providers on importance of having safety plans and contingency plans for individuals in services.  The Crisis System should not be a provider’s contingency plan, if staff aren’t trained to properly implement Behavior Support Plans.  Crisis #: 1-800-715-4225