Buena Vista * Calhoun * Carroll * Cherokee * Crawford * Ida *Sac Regional Coalition August 11, 2016-10:00 am Loring Hospital Conference Room, Sac City Meeting Minutes 1. Welcome and Introductions Dawn Mentzer, CEO, provided a brief overview of the Region and the priorities set by the Advisory Board that led to the creation of the following task forces: Calhoun County This task force fulfilled the goal of creating psychiatric and therapy services in Calhoun County. The task force is not meeting on a regular basis at this time. Family and Peer Support This task force assisted in the development of offering Family to Family NAMI classes taught by Calhoun County Public Health employees, Nancy Seavert and Joleen Schmit. The classes have been offered twice, and a new class is slated to start in the fall of this year. Peer support was increased with the addition of a drop in center in Denison (along with the Carroll drop in center already in place) run by PAMHC. Jail Diversion and Crisis Services these two task forces have now merged into this coalition. The two groups were overlapping and it made sense to combine the efforts. Law enforcement is key to both projects and Ken McClure, Sac County Sheriff, has served on both task forces since the beginning. Jail diversion seeks to integrate individuals back into the community with needed mental health and/or substance abuse services, with a regional coordinator that will follow them in hopes of them not returning to jail. Crisis services involves CIT Training for law enforcement, the possibility of creating mobile response teams,
crisis residential (Turning point) and transition living (Stepping Stones) all of which will be discussed today. 2. Crisis Intervention Team/Mobile Response Presentation Melissa Drey (PAMHC) Melissa provided handouts describing CIT training for law enforcement. This training is 40 hours and is taught by law enforcement personnel and is to assist law enforcement in handling mental health and crisis situations. Law enforcement will be taught Understanding of mental health and substance abuse How to de-escalate individuals in crisis and how to use/access community options This is a community partnership and others outside of law enforcement can observe the training In 2017, Johnson County will be hosting 3 CIT trainings and each one will have 6 slots available for law enforcement outside of their county as well as people who would want to observe. CIT is cost effective and increases law enforcement safety and reduces injuries to law enforcement. If interested in CIT training, please contact Melissa Drey, Ken McClure or Dawn Mentzer. Mobile Crisis Response teams will be comprised of two licensed mental health professionals that law enforcement can call upon in crisis situations. The teams will be dispatched to the scene, to do a mental health evaluation, look at options (in hopes of avoiding jail or an inpatient hospital stay), community service options and setting appointments. The teams will have a response time of 60 minutes or less, so there will be several teams in the 7 county regional area to lessen the response time. As the Regional budget has been approved for this current fiscal year, and with the additional expense of transitional living, Mobile Response teams will be considered for funding in FY17 or later. This will require the approval of the Regional Governance Board. 3. Turning Point Crisis Residential Service Ashley Miller(PAMHC) Ashley presented a power point presentation on the Turning Point Home, the services they offer, criteria for admission and success stories. Turning Point is: Less intensive than inpatient A calm, therapeutic, homelike setting
i) Provides individual and group therapies such as coping skills, anger management and so forth Medication management Linkage to other services such as HIS, substance abuse treatment, NA, medical doctors and specialist, assistance with Medicaid and Social Security application. A depression questionnaire and an anxiety scale is done with each person upon admission and again at discharge to measure progress. Daily psychiatric care is provided in person or through Telemedicine. Each person is seen by a therapist within 24 hours of admission and daily thereafter, either in person, by phone or Telemedicine. A WRAP plan is completed with each person, this is their plan that identifies what the person looks like when well, what are stressors and triggers for them, and what to do, who to call when help is needed. Coping skills are identified and taught with the plan. What is a crisis for admission (an admission packet was distributed)? Mood or thought processes that interfere with activities of daily living The person could pose a danger to themselves or others but not imminent Services are needed for rehabilitation back into the community setting. Admission is voluntary Since the opening of the home in February 2016 (through August 2016) 46 individuals have been served with only 6 re-admissions. Funding for the project is provided by the Region, and the home is now open to other regions at a per-diem rate. 4. Jail Diversion Update Regional Coordinators Dawn provided an overview of the program. 6 of the 7 counties have the program in place at this time. Leisa Mayer covers Sac and Calhoun Counties, Lisa Bringle covers Buena Vista and Cherokee and Louise Galbraith covers Carroll, Crawford and Ida counties. The program is not a get out of jail free card, but rather works toward preventing recidivism. Coordinators work with law enforcement, jailers, attorneys and county attorneys and various providers that the person may or need services with. Leisa Mayer described how the program works. Upon arrest there is a ten question screening tool the jailer asks concerning suicidal ideation, if they are in mental health or substance abuse treatment or have been, are they on psychiatric
medications etc. If the person answers yes to some or all the questions, they contact their coordinator to meet with the person. If the person is released before the coordinator can make contact, a brochure and contact information is given. When the coordinator meets with the person, a services screening tool is used to help indicate if services in the jail are needed, if a provider is working with the person they can be contacted, and if the person is released what services will the need or want. Leisa states that several people have contacted her for referral information or assistance with Medicaid and so forth. Coordinators will work with probation officers as well. The program is voluntary and releases are obtained for any contact with providers, attorneys and others. Lisa Bringle handed out a sample plan that the coordinators use when a person is released for jail. The plan is simple and states what the person needs, how often they will have contact with a coordinator, a list of their providers and appointment dates if some have been made, a brief outline of their legal issues and so forth. The program is up to 9 months, however, we can assist people longer if they wish. Again, Lisa reminded everyone that coordinators can assist with re applying for Medicaid upon release, SSI or other programs needed. Louise Galbraith gave a brief description of a successful case. The person has been out of jail for almost one year and has not been arrested or had legal problems since. 5. Stepping Stones Transition Home Clay Adams, Wesco Clay Adams shared information as to how the program was started. They had been looking at the rectory at St. Ann s church in Vail for several years but did not have a use for it. When the Region began talking about transitional living, he realized the building would be perfect for the project. The building has 7 bedrooms with the option of an 8 th, the bathrooms were remodeled by a contractor, all other work was done by Wesco management and staff. Lisa Meyer is the program director and has been interviewing people, and they will be admitting 3 people next week, with more referrals being made. The projected length of stay is up to 90 days, however they realize some people may need more time. During the stay at Stepping Stones, the person will be working on a life plan from the start to help determine where the person wants to live, level of care, services needed and so forth. Once goals are set for living in the community staff with work with the person to learn needed skills, apply for benefits and setting up services. Admission criteria is broad, they have to have a mental illness, substance abuse, or co-occurring disorder or an intellectual disability and be homeless.
6. Next Meeting October 13, 2016 10:00 Sac County LEC Minutes recorded by Louise Galbraith