The San Francisco Mental Health Board has;
Featuring SF Mental Health Board Chairperson Dr Rebecca Turner, the Queen of Oxytocin Research who has done SO much to relieve the incurable torments of the 'Mentally Ill' ...... on everybody Else's hard earned money.
Dr. Turner: Every child needs some form of treatment. There is an argument that could be made for this.
Mr. Maloney: MediCal will not fund all treatments.
Dr. Turner: There is a connection between foster care and children who later end up in prison. We need to give everyone preventative care.
Dr. Jones: That was our initial goal, but we couldnt successfully implement a plan due to lack of resources. Integration is increasing the opportunity for more screening.
"We need to give everyone preventative care."
Is Dr Turner writing the checks to give/inflict her Opinions of Disability on everyone Else's Children against her own checking account? Excuse us, but a 'Mental Health' Label is Anything BUT a gift, and Dr Turner is talking about making the Parents of all those children whose lives She wants Incurably Slimed, to Pay for it themselves.
Here’s Dr. Turner again.
Here’s a smidgen of Dr. Turner’s life saving, suicide preventing, research.
Here’s a page on Dr. Turner’s Oxytocin itself, “The World’s First TRUST Spray” which certainly looks as ‘Mentally Healthy’ as anything Else the ‘Mental Health’ Industry is peddling.
And here, her “Cuddle Chemical” is cuddling with National Depression Screening day.
And God Bless Wiki: who inform us that we are expected to have Dr Turner's Oxytocin Shoved Up our Noses in order to be chemically swindled into the Highest Level of Trust, in somebody Else's Risky Investment Game.
“Increasing trust and reducing fear. In a risky investment game, experimental subjects given nasally administered oxytocin displayed "the highest level of trust" twice as often as the control group. Subjects who were told that they were interacting with a computer showed no such reaction, leading to the conclusion that oxytocin was not merely affecting risk-aversion.[23]
And: it looks like it's Also good for increasing the chemically swindled subject's Generosity.
Now, ..... we've read through a whole lot more of the San Francisco Mental Health System's 'Integrated' Billings of Uncle Sam than we've posted here, yet, and we keep reading, from them, about the Important Work that they're 'Doing'.
As you're about to read, their 'Important Work' is a Slash and Burn 24/7 Assault on Businesses by Raising Taxes and Driving those Businesses Clean Out of San Francisco Wholesale in order to peddle 'Mystic Illness' Incurables, Wholesale: $200 Million a Year worth of Incurable.
And Congress is currently obsessed with Raising our National Debt Ceiling by another $9 Trillion Dollars over the next 10 years, even After S&P has Downgraded US Treasury Securities from a AAA rating.
And as we're continually Noting, with One notable exception, these Mental Health Creatures will NOT wear their own Stench. They go to extraordinary lengths Avoiding having to wear it, ...... while making a meal of Everyone Else, ...... with it.
And apparently, they Don't want their Own Children getting Slimed with it Either, while they're trying to stick it to everyone Else's children.
"1.1 Directors Report: Board Discussion
Mr. McGhee: Unfortunately Dr. Turner is not here. She is sending her son to college in Scotland."
"ADOPTED MINUTES
Mental health Board
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
City Hall, Room 278
San Francisco, CA 94102
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Rebecca Turner, Ph.D. (Chair); James L. McGhee (Vice-Chair); Bridgett Brown; Bob Douglas, J.D; Toye Moses, Ph.D., M.P.H; Tom Purvis; Jagruti Shukla, M.D., M.P.H; Kate Walker; Virginia Wright.
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Benito Casados; Jeanna Eichenbaum, L.C.S.W; John Kevin Hines; James Shaye Keys; Claudia Lebish; Lisa Williams.
OTHERS PRESENT: Emeric Kalman, Member of the Public; Brother Jefferson R. Johnson-Jeffrey-Reiken-Johnson Clergy Public Ministry (aka John Terrana Group), Member of the Public; HelynnaBrooke (MHB Executive Director); Ayana Baltrip-Balags (MHB Administrator)
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Rebecca Turner, Ph.D. (Chair)
ROLL CALL
Ms. Brooke read the roll.
1.0 PRESENTATION BY PRESIDENT AARON PESKIN, Board of Supervisors
Supervisor Peskin: Im the offspring of two mental health professionals. My father was a psychologist in private practice and taught at San Francisco State University for forty-two years. My mother taught at the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, and ran the Youth and Family Center in Berkeley.
I am also a former member of the Mental Health Board (MHB), and I am familiar with the high level of work done by Community Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) and MHB.
Im looking at two issues: Money and specific legislation needed that will allow for mental health services in communities where people are vulnerable or at risk; or where mental health has been stigmatized. I was involved with the Proposition 63 process.
The Mental Health Board is on the frontline of mental health issues and serves as an advisory agent to the Board of Supervisors (BOS). I want you to feel free to present these issues to my colleagues and me on the BOS.
If I dont hear from you about gaps in mental health services or other issues, Im assuming MHB is doing its job. James McGhee comes by a couple times a week to keep me abreast of things.
What are your concerns?
Mr. Purvis: There were efforts by CBHS to see about getting more Proposition 63 money. What other efforts are being made?
Supervisor Peskin: San Francisco didnt fair well under Proposition 63. Dr. Cabaj tried to turn that around; but so far no luck.
Ms. Brown: I will be meeting with Supervisor Maxwell concerning services for women. One area we are looking into is the Veteran Administration services for women returning from Iraq.
Supervisor Peskin: The best way to use the Board of Supervisors is to have us send a letter to Assemblywoman Pelosi to build capacity for veterans.
Dr. Turner: How much of a local issue is this Maybe we can partner with the Veterans Administration.
Ms. Wright: There are not enough programs for transitional youth.
Supervisor Peskin: I commend the Mayor Newsom for focusing on this issue. City Build that comes out of the Office of Economic and Work Force Development is beginning to address the issues of training youth to be able to develop skills that will enable them to get employment. Chris Iglesias is the head of City Build.
Mr. Douglas: I would like the Board of Supervisors to think about safe housing for the mentally ill with primary care. Sixty percent of those in primary care is dealing with psychosomatic illnesses.
Supervisor Peskin: The Department of Health is the largest recipient of the San Franciscos $5.2 billion budget, receiving $1.1 billion. $334 million of the General Fund goes to the health budget. This still is not enough money to meet the need we have.
We need to convince voters to be willing to pay some increase in taxes to cover these costs. We need to be able to tell those who dont need these services of their importance and how good a job we are doing. We can look at a real estate transfer tax, or a parking tax. San Francisco has a progressive real estate transfer tax:
.5%=$1/2 million
.64%=$1/2 million to $1 million
.75%=>$1 million
In Alameda, its 1.64% for all brackets.
The Transamerica building sold twice in eighteen months, which brought us a nice windfall. I tried to raise this tax but was unsuccessful.
In California, only voters can raise taxes; while in other states city councils can do this. It takes fifty-one percent of New York Citys City Council to pass a tax increase.
Ms. Wright: What about illegal apartments? There are a large number of these in the city, and this causes a great problem with car clutter. Sometimes there are twelve to fifteen people living in these places and they all have cars. Maybe the city could require them to become legal, and generate income from this.
Mr. McGhee: I want to thank you publicly for putting me on the Board. The Mental Health Board needs to be more of an impact on what affects mental health services. We need to raise the visibility of people who are providing services for the mentally ill.
Supervisor Peskin: It is important to let the world know what is going on in mental health.
2.0 DIRECTORSREPORT
Monthly Directors Report
1. Awards. On September 30, 2006, Robert P. Cabaj, MD, Director of the Department of Public Health's Community Behavioral Health Services, was awarded the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Addiction Professionals Finnegan-McNally Founders Award for his support of the NALGAP mission to improve substance abuse prevention and treatment services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender individuals continuously for over 25 years. Bob Cabaj was selected by the NALGAP Board as the secondawardee in the organization's history--a group that was founded in 1979 by Dana Finnegan and Emily McNally for whom the award was named. Bob noted he was one of the earliest supporters of NALGAP and was honored to accept an award that emphasized the continuing need to address one of the greatest health problems facing LGBT people. In his acceptance speech, Bob noted the important work our own DPH CBHS is doing around LGBT substance abuse intervention and treatment, especially in addressing the methamphetamine epidemic in San Francisco.
2. Great News From Sacramento - Mobile Methadone Bill (AB631) Signed by Governor. On September 29th, legislation authored by Assembly member Mark Leno was signed into law by the Governor. The bill, AB631, which was supported by the San Francisco Department of Public Health and CBHS, changes regulations around methadone treatment to allow the utilization of methadone vans to provide comprehensive treatment services to opiate addicts. CBHS and SFGH OTOP have successfully operated a mobile methadone service as a state pilot program in Bayview and the Mission district for the past 3 years. More than 260 clients have received treatment from this program. The law becomes effective January 1st, 2007, allowing the San Francisco program to move from pilot status into status as a state recognized Narcotic Treatment program. Other areas in California will also be allowed to develop mobile methadone treatment programs, and MediCal clients will be unable to use this service.
Congratulations to all Van Program Staff!
3. CBHS Exemplary Billing Practices. San Francisco CBHS was cited for Exemplary Practice, in the Annual Report of APS Healthcare, for applying quality management practices to its billing procedures.APS Healthcare is the External Quality Review Organization for county mental health plans in California.
The APS citation lauds the CBHS Billing Unit, led by Maria Barteaux, for applying a quality management technique that compares SDMC claims data in context with historical and trend information, instead of only from month to month. The analysis allows for the examination of variations in claims totals by provider and by seasonality, as well as those due to changes in claim processing. This efficient and effective method of claims processing allows the CBHS Billing Unit to identify problems such as "locked out" services, to obtain feedback information about specific providers, to identify corrective action or adjustments needed, and to pinpoint areas for improvement. It has resulted in greater claim reimbursements and, more importantly, fewer claim denials.
Congratulations to Maria Barteaux and the staff of CBHS Billing Unit!
4. CaliforniaBriefMulticultural Competence Scale-Based Training Program
Five County Pilot. San Francisco Community Behavioral Health Services has been chosen as one of five counties to participate in the California Brief Multicultural Competence Scale-Based Training Program (CBMCS) pilot training. Approximately 40-50 San Francisco CBHS providers will be administered the CBMCS, a 21 item scale that assesses training needs in cultural competence. Providers will then complete four eight hour training modules on 1) Multicultural Knowledge; 2) Awareness of Cultural Barriers; 3) Sensitivity to consumers; and 4) Non Ethnic Abilities.
The CBMCS is an empirically-derived scale that was developed by academicians in partnership with the California Department of Mental Health and providers of county mental health departments. Its strengths are that the scale provides a tie in between assessment and training and is regarded as real world. Its appeal is that it is able to assess the cultural competence of providers and then be able to specifically target points of intervention for training.
While most of the five Counties chosen to pilot the CBMCS Training will utilize this training program to specifically target its MHSA programs, San Francisco CBHS will extend its program across all of its direct service programs. As part of the pilot, CNHS will contract with Master Trainers for the program and assist with team teaching.
5. Organizational Provider Manual. Community Behavioral Health Services has published the 5th edition of the Organizational Provider Manual. The manual includes a description of each operated and funded program as well as a catalogue of programs by service mode. It also includes an overview of CBHS mission, scope, selected policies,glossary and other helpful tools for organizational providers day to day operations. Providers may order this manual through the forms room. It can be found online athttp://www.sfdph.org/CBHS/docs/OrgProviderManual2006.pdf . There are similar manuals for use by clients. These may also be ordered through our forms room.
6. Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Update. CBHS contracts for MHSA services are moving forward, with some programs beginning to initiate services in October. The MHSA Advisory Board will have its bi-monthly meeting on November 2, 2006. Members of the public are welcome at all MHSA Advisory Board meetings. CBHS will be hiring Public Service Aides (job class 9924, as needed) to assist in the implementation of MHSA at CBHS. The positions are posted on the DPH websitehttp://www.dph.sf.ca.us/emplymnt/genljobs.htm. These positions are designed for consumers who have internship experience, and who are interested in employment at CBHS administration.
7. CBHS Integration. Integration materials are available for activities to be performed during the 06-07 fiscal year. CDs have been produced that contain the primary information necessary to complete integration tasks this year. CDs will be distributed to Executive Directors and Program Change Agents, but may also be obtained by contacting Kathleen Minioza or Lucy Arellano at CBHS. If you would like to receive the materials in a different format other than a CD (i.e., floppy disk) or by email, please contact Kathleen Minioza at 255-3585 or kathleen.minioza@sfdph.org.
An exciting development for integration is that the state has approved new MediCal codes for Substance Abuse Screening and Brief Intervention/ Referral for Treatment of Substance Abuse. These codes will become effective January 11, 2007. CBHS will provide additional information and training as January 1st approaches.
8. Comings and Goings:
Maria Iyog-O'Malley is our new MHSA Coordinator. Maria has been with CBHS for 5 years working with the substance abuse component as the Analyst for Prop 63, Drug Court, and grants awarded to the substance abuse unit. In her capacity as Analyst,
Maria worked in tandem with program managers to interpret legislation and make policy recommendations, developed budgets and analyzed expenditures, performed financial reviews of provider expenses, coordinated State audits and prepared State and federally required reports. Prior to working with the City, Maria served as the Program Administrator of the UCSF Collaborative Program for Women's Health in Zimbabwe, Africa. As MHSA Coordinator, Maria will coordinate the planning, coordination and implementation of State program and reporting with all MHSA collaborators including internal DPH units and outside providers and agencies.
Welcome Maria and congratulations on your new position!
9. Other Upcoming Events:
AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURAL EVENT To kick off Novembers American Indian Heritage Month, the San Francisco Mayors Office of Neighborhood Services and the Friendship House Association of American Indians, Inc. present the 2nd Annual American Indian Cultural Event - November 2, 2006, 10:00am-4:00pm, Joseph L.Alioto Performing Artz Piazza (Formerly Civic Center Plaza/across from City Hall). Celebrating the rich culture of the American Indian Community and bringing awareness to policies impacting the future of American Indian people. The event will include a symposium inside City Hall on health, substance abuse, and housing policies impacting American Indians. For more information, please call 415-865-0964 x 4017.
2.1 DirectorsReport: Board Discussion
Mr. Purvis: On behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), thank you for helping us get an office free of charge at the Family Service Agency. It is at 1010 Gough Street near Ellis Street.
Dr. Moses: Can you address the diversity of your new staff?
Dr. Cabaj: The new hires are part of additional positions for the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), and also replacements of people who left.
John Grimes is African American; Ernestina Carrillo is Latin American; Sidney Lam is Asian American, and Helaine Weinstein is Caucasian. Hannibal Lowry, the new Director of Family Mosaic is African American.
Dr. Moses: Good job. We cant ask for more.
Mr. Douglas: How about the disabled?
Dr. Cabaj: We are open to hiring the disabled, but we must rely on the pool of people who apply.
Dr. Cabaj: We make active referrals, and are aware of the newest programs; but they dont want more of a connection with us because they are not actually treatment programs.
Dr Turner: Where does integration of community programs and primary care providers stand?
Dr. Cabaj: Barbara Garcia has talked about a new partnering with substance abuse and primary care. We are also looking at partnering services geographically: Southeast Health Center with Bayview Mental Health for example
We need to look at incorporating disaster response. This would require more localized services.
Dr. Turner: Do you have any more information about Proposition 63?
Dr. Cabaj: We had a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Clinical Services. Of the money listed in last months report, fifty-one percent was supposed to go to Clinical Services and Support. The State said that a portion (thirty-five percent) must also be used for housing.
- Twelve percent went to administrative services.
- Thirty-five percent went to direct full service partnerships.
- Ten percent to housing for these programs.
- Five percent to Trauma and Violence, and recovery programs.
Were looking at increasing cultural competency around youth programs, as well as wellness programs at schools. Larkin Street received three percent for transitional youth support. Ten Percent ($632K) went to supportive housing, and eleven percent ($740K) peer-based centers.
Residential treatment programs like Walden House received one percent ($80K) of the funds. Five percent ($320K) went to developing more integration between mental health and primary care. Four percent ($248K) went to expanding intensive case management. Vocational rehabilitation received two percent ($100K). Well get an additional $200K from the State.
Dr. Moses: Are there any residential programs in the Bayview?
Dr. Cabaj: I dont think so.
Dr. Shukla: This list constitutes larger, more established agencies. How about smaller programs that may have innovative approaches?
Dr. Cabaj: The City cant actually encourage groups to apply. We didnt get new, innovative providers applying. Almost all who applied got funded. Most of who did not get funded were also well-established programs.
Mr. Purvis: Did we get more than $5 million?
Dr. Cabaj: We will get more, but we dont know when or how much.
Ms. Wright: How much did the YMCA get?
Dr. Cabaj: $120 thousand.
2.2 Publiccomment relevant to Item 2.0
Dr. Turner: Is there any public comment to Item 2.0?
There was no public comment.
3.0 PRESENTATION:
FOSTER CARE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: Steve Arcelona, Acting Deputy Director Family and Children's Services, San Francisco Human Services Agency; LizCrudo, Redesign Coordinator, San Francisco Human Services Agency; Tom Maloney, LCSW, Foster Care Mental Health Director, CBHS; Denise Jones, Ph.D, Assistant Director of Child, Youth and Family System of Care, CBHS.
3.1 Presentation
Mr. Arcelona: My actual position is Chief of Staff, but I am right now Acting Director of Child Welfare. I know that Trent Rohrer spoke to the Mental Health Board in June about his vision for foster care.
We are in a period of redesign, looking at improving the program. We had three goals:
- Maintain children safely in their homes.
- Establish permanency and stability, and reduce the number of children in foster care.
- Once emancipated, provide stability.
When a child comes into the program, immediately referrals are made to partners in the community. We work with families, referring them to community services. We are also looking at using a standardized and structured assessment tool which will require the child welfare worker to respond to specific questions.
Team decision-making is part of the process. We attempt to bring everyone, schools, community-based organizations, and social workers together before making a placement. Were doing business differently than in the past, involving a team to support the childs needs.
There is a disproportionate number of African American youth in the system. We are hoping that our new strategies will help change this fact. We are seeing some improvement with the African American youth numbers in the system going down.
Ms. Crudo: There are 2,395 open cases. This includes children at home with parents, as well as those in foster care. There were 1,937 in foster care as of January 1, 2006. One half of these children are placed with family members. A lot of the others are placed outside of the County. African Americans comprise seventy percent of the youth in foster care. African Americans make up only five percent of San Franciscos population.
Mental Health, Child Welfare, and Juvenile Probation share a common database. There are 1,064 cases shared by Mental Health and Child Welfare.
Youth with seven or more placements, or who are older often do not want therapy. Im not referring to very young children. We need better early screening. Were hoping to see an increase in referrals, and getting more support to foster families.
Authorizations take about three weeks, but we try to get in as early as possible. Out of county placements make it very difficult to offer mental health services because of the difficulty in coordinating with the other counties. We feel it acutely here because so many of our children go out of county.
There is a problem getting or keeping therapists due to the low pay for many of these cases. Therapists need a diagnosis in order to draw supplemental MediCal payments. We also may need to train therapists to be aware of diagnoses of foster care children, like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition, therapists need to be trained in dealing with the courts in many cases. For example, they need to know what reports to file in support of the foster care children. Many dont understand the procedures for filing these reports. Language issues can also be a challenge when navigating the system.
We have about twenty-five percent of children who return to foster care within one year, most of whom are very young. We need to strengthen after-care support programs. Mental Health is one aspect of this as many of the families have substance abuse issues. There also needs to be support for foster parents giving them tools they need, and support for foster care childrens biological parents to assist with unification.
Dr. Jones: In 1996, I became the first Director of Foster Care Mental Health, and began looking at setting up a collaborative framework between Human Services and our department. I am now the Program Monitor.
Mr. Maloney: I have been the Program Director of Foster Care for the past year and a half. Dr. Jones built the program and hired the appropriate staff. At that time, child welfare workers had to seek out and find mental health providers for children. There was no mechanism for coordination between departments and programs. The Foster Care program was created in 1996 to improve coordination between departments.
The Human Services Agency (HSA) and CBHS looked at the lack of progress that was being made by the children, and made an effort to coordinate departments to give children access to services more efficiently. Dr. Jones set up meetings in the community with partner organizations, programs, and stakeholder groups to determine the needs of foster care children. One issue talked about a lot was the need for a comprehensive evaluation of each child.
A pilot study looking at establishing collaboration between clinicians and child welfare workers was done. It determined there needed to be a Memorandum of Understanding. We were able to get court consent for exchange of information on each child to better help child welfare workers look at the childs mental health needs. A comprehensive form was created. Adult services, family services and others could be included in the childs assessment of needs.
The manner in which children were referred was established. A needs-based program was set up where referrals are made based on the needs of a child as identified by the child welfare worker on the assessment form.
We wanted services to be provided without barriers, so we still covered these services whether or not they we covered by MediCal. The development of a mental health plan for San Francisco allowed us to broaden our pool of therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), social workers, etc. We were able to add these other professionals, thanks to supplemental funding to MediCal. We are able to pay professionals from forty dollars to sixty dollars, compared to MediCals thirty two dollars and fifty cents. Those who accept five or more cases a year are paid sixty dollars a session. Multilingual specialists can get an additional twenty dollars bringing the fee to eighty dollars per session.
Dr. Jones: In the beginning, we had a staff of four. With the help of HSA, we are now up to twenty. HSA pays for ten of these positions.
Mr. Maloney: There are other avenues for children in foster care to access services. One of the positions is a court liaison that is there to deal with issues that arise here. There are three teams:
- Clinical team:
Six full-time staff, four social workers, one psychologist, one Masters in Family Therapy (MFT), and one court liaison.
The clinical team provides direct services: individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.
- MediCal team:
The team was established to assess a childs needs, and will identify the most difficult issues facing this child and will get a referral for medication if needed.
- Authorization team:
Comprised of case managers, clinicians and psychologists. They do evaluations and reports for courts. They also review cases that are screened out and not going to a caseworker. These cases will often be referred to Mental Health.
Foster Care Mental Health will refer some of these cases to clinics and private providers. If needed, the team will authorize weekly or twice-weekly sessions for the child. These teams are located in different areas of San Francisco, like the Mission and the Bayview.
Foster Care Mental Health tries to oversee the quality of the services for the child. We provide testing for thechild, and work directly with the adults in the childs life.
Dr. Jones: When the program began, fifty-five percent of the children came from Bayview.
Dr. Turner: Seventy percent of children in foster care are African American. Sixty percent of children in the Youth Guidance Center are African American. Are seventy percent of your providers African American.
Mr. Maloney: We probably have only five to six percent African American providers. There are thirty-eight Spanish-speaking providers, seven Cantonese-speaking, and oneTagalog-speaking provider. Only one or two providers are located in the Bayview.
Dr. Turner: We need to recruit at the university level.
Dr. Jones: We have some African American providers in the clinics. There was a very strong effort made to recruit African American professionals.
Dr. Moses: These are alarming statistics. African Americans make up only five percent of San Franciscos population, something is wrong.
I am also concerned with the large number of children placed out of the County.
Ms. Crudo: One half of the children are placed with relatives.
Dr. Moses: What about grandparents who are taking care of their grandchildren? What can you do to increase funding to support them?
Mr. Maloney: This is on my wish list to have financial support for grandparents. Many of the children we see are in multiple homes.
Families have divided loyalties. They want to help the child, but often the child causes real stress on the family. We believe helping connect the family with support services is very important. We also help foster parents.
Dr. Moses: How can we create a solution to the revolving door issue?
Mr. Maloney: Often, foster families need help in working with these children. Child welfare workers need more training.
Dr. Shukla: Your figures strike me as low. Even though early evaluations may be difficult, doesnt every child deserve a psychological treatment plan because they are at a higher level of risk?
Mr. Maloney: There is a need to screen every child, but not every child needs mental health services.
Ms. Crudo: We need a more holistic approach as to how we are working with children.
Mr. Douglas: Im an attorney and used to practice in dependency court, and it seemed very adversarial.
Mr. Maloney: Enhancing attachment and bonding with parents is one of our strong goals. Sometimes the relative or the foster parent doesnt encourage bonding because the child may reunify with the parent. We emphasize that an increase in bonding helps the child.
Dr. Turner: Every child needs some form of treatment. There is an argument that could be made for this.
Mr. Maloney: MediCal will not fund all treatments.
Dr. Turner: There is a connection between foster care and children who later end up in prison. We need to give everyone preventative care.
Dr. Jones: That was our initial goal, but we couldnt successfully implement a plan due to lack of resources. Integration is increasing the opportunity for more screening.
Dr. Turner: What about Proposition 63?
Dr. Jones: Family Mosaic received Proposition 63 money. There is a plan to collaborate between Foster Care Mental Health and Family Mosaic.
Mr. Maloney: We are making good progress with many children and families which is very rewarding. We do have some resources for out of county children working with counselors.
Ms. Wright: What age do you screen children for substance abuse?
Dr. Jones: Six and over.
Mr. Maloney: Our screening tool is designed for teens. We have a part-time person for Foster Care Mental Health integration looking at other programs and presenting to us ways to strengthen partnerships with substance abuse programs.
3.2 Boarddiscussion of Possible Board responses to the presentation
Dr. Moses: The statistics are alarming.
Dr. Turner: Maybe people are turning down services because they are uncomfortable.
Dr. Moses: Trent Rohrer talked about the same issues. Sophie Maxwell understands the grandparent situation, because she is taking care of her grandson; but when the money is handed out, it doesnt go to programs for helping grandparents. We need to encourage the department to request money for aid to grandparents.
Ms. Walker: One thing that keeps coming up is that combining services is more efficient. Perhaps we can look for duplication of services being more costly.
Mr. Douglas: There are three to four bills signed by the governor to improve the foster care system, but it is very complicated.
Mr. McGhee: The Mental Health Board could draft a resolution to the Board of Supervisors. This is a mechanism we should be using.
Dr. Turner: The African American communities need support. Many are leaving San Francisco, and those remaining are in a lot of pain.
Dr. Moses: Years ago there was acupuncture in the Bayview.
Dr. Shukla: Mental health services are those in need. Im concerned about Mr. Maloneys statement that not all clients need mental health services.
Dr. Turner: Maybe someone from the Disproportionatly Task Force could do a presentation to the Board.
Dr. Moses: We should do a resolution or write a letter to the directors of the Department of Health and the Human Services Agency asking that they include in the next budget funding for a residential treatment program in the Bayview, and help for foster parents, and grandparents taking care of their grandchildren.
Dr. Shukla: Maybe the Board could be a resource to connect people to apply for Requests for Proposals.
Dr Moses: There should be money for technical assistance to small non-profits.
Dr. Turner: Is there any additional Proposition 63 money targeted for foster care?
Mr. McGhee: Outreach to the community is needed. The proposals are very intimidating. They want to limit the amount of people they give money to by looking at larger agencies to handle it.
3.3 Publiccomment relevant to Item 3.0
Mr. Kalman: "I couldnt hear thirty percent of the presentation because of the rooms poor acoustics. With each of the recent presentations, the issues discussed are always related to financing. The presenters should bring the costs of services to the meeting."
4.00 ACTION ITEMS
4.1 Publiccomment relevant to Item 4.0
There was no public comment.
4.2 Resolutions.
4.2a PROPOSED RESOULTION: Be it resolved that the minutes of the Mental Health Board meeting of September 13, 2006 be approved as submitted.
Mr. McGhee: On page nineteen in item 3.2a, my name is misspelled.
Minutes unanimously approved with correction.
4.2b PROPOSED RESOLUTION: Be it resolved that the Mental Health Board commends 12-Step Recovery Programs.
Resolution unanimously approved.
5.0 REPORTS
5.1 Report from the Executive Director of the Mental Health Board:
Ms. Brooke: There is a conference titled, Working to Erase Stigma that is coming up. I have brought copies of the flyer, and will do a mailing.
I have also brought Mental Health Board note cards for you all to use.
5.2 Report of the Chair of the Board and the Executive Committee:
Dr. Turner: The Mental Health Board Retreat is scheduled for December 9, 2006. Please email Retreat agenda items to Ms. Brooke.
There is a Family Member seat that is open. Let Ms. Brooke know about any people you feel are suitable candidates.
5.3 Program's Committee Report: Rebecca Turner, Ph.D.
Dr. Turner: "Mr. McGhee did a great job of getting everyone to sign up for the committees, and establishing a Planning Committee. Tom Purvis has agreed to chair the Planning Committee who will meet next Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at 1380 Howard Street."
5.4 Budget Committee Report: James McGhee
Mr. McGhee: We need to look at what it will cost to fund the reception.
5.5 Report by members of the Board on their activities on behalf of the Board.
There were no reports.
5.6 New Business
Dr. Moses: "I think the Executive Committee should draft a commendation for Trent Rhorer.
We should invite Ed Lee, Chief Administrative Officer to present about language issues they encounter. I heard him recently speak, and he was quite good."
6.0 PUBLICCOMMENT
Brother Jefferson: My group is developing a disaster preparedness program. We would like to encourage volunteers to work with us. We would like the City to consider creating a clearing house where we could have our ideas put through to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Every Child is at risk from Mental Health peddlers. They've never Cured Anything.
But at least they've been Cited for their 'Exemplary BILLING PRACTICES'
America is Broke.
We can't afford to keep funding 'Mental Health' Con Artists.
