Columbus, Georgia

NEW HORIZONS COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD





January 12, 2004 Health and Human Services Building, Conference Room ?B?, 2100

Comer Avenue, Columbus, Georgia





Members Present: Vickie Allen, Lizzie Denson, Sandra Gill, Anne Hopp, Terina

Kenyon, Ben Richardson, Nancy Schroeder, Wesley Shorter, Lawrence Young



Guests: Mike Giglio (SQRC County Director); Dr. Givens (New Horizons Community

Service Board?s Medical Director) and Larry Stephens (Regional Planning Office)



1. Call to Order: Sandra Gill, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at

3:35 p.m.



2. Recognition of Guests: All guests attending today?s meeting were recognized.



3. Oath of Office: Ms. Terina Kenyon, Clay County representative to the board,

took her official Oath of Office as a member of the Board of Directors for New

Horizons Community Service Board.



4. Development Advisory Board Project: Perry Alexander reported to board

members that the Service Definition Committee has been working on

re-engineering our service delivery definitions and the committee?s work will

be provided to board members by March 2004. A portion of the re-engineering

of the service delivery system is that we are looking at providing a 28-day

program (halfway house). Dr. Givens reported that the 28-day program is

designed for consumers who are struggling to stay in recovery. This would be a

midpoint treatment phase. Sometimes it is important to remove the consumer

from their environment to a more intense treatment and the 28-day program will

provide that structure. Our goal is for the consumer to continue working at

their jobs while recovering in this residential treatment facility. The 28-day

program will teach stronger recovery skills and we will work closely with the

consumer?s family. M/S/P Nancy Schroeder/Wesley Shorter that the New Horizons

Community Service Board of Directors identifies funding the 28-day program

(halfway house) as the Development Advisory Board?s project for this upcoming

year.



5. Secretary?s Minutes: M/S/P Lawrence Young/Vickie Allen that the September 8,

2003 and the December 8, 2003 meeting minutes are approved.



6. Strategic Plan - FY2004: The Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2004 was

presented for board action. There was discussion regarding the service

definition re-engineering and Perry Alexander stated that staff are reviewing

the program?s service definitions to help us become more efficient in our

service delivery. We are looking at areas where we are providing services and

receiving no funding. We are also reviewing contract requirements for our

service delivery. M/S/P Vickie Allen/Lawrence Young that the Strategic Plan ?

Fiscal Year 2004 is accepted as presented.



7. Monthly Financial Report: Valerie Bowden reported that the December Medicaid

billing saw an increase over November. There was a decline in the Revenue per

Day during this month due to the holiday season and consumers not attending

services. The 10 percent Medicaid Rate reduction that was implemented in July

2003 has not had a negative effect on our budget due to staff?s productivity

being up and we continue to provide services even with a 10 percent budget

cut.



For the month of December, New Horizons Community Service Board experienced a

$26,472 surplus. Our year-to-date deficit is ($33,509). However, by April

2004, we expect a breakeven budget status for the fiscal year ending June 30,

2004 ? this is barring any potential state budget cuts.



Salary and Benefit expenses were under budget due to physician turnover.

Contract expenses were over due to having to employ several locum tenens

psychiatrists.



8. Occupied Bed Days: Valerie Bowden reported that through November 2003 New

Horizons Community Service Board?s allowable occupied bed days was 5,508. The

actual amount used was 4,350 bed days.



9. Mental Health Court Award and Update: Cyndy Pattillo reported that the

Mental Health Court?s Steering Committee has continued to meet and has

developed a flow chart for the courts. We have hired a temporary case manager

(to replace the case manager originally hired who is no longer employed).

Twelve inmates currently in jail have been identified and New Horizons

Community Service Board is in the process of gathering information and

assessing each inmate to determine whether to recommend to participate in the

Mental Health Court. The Mental Health Court is slated to begin at the end of

January 2004. Judge Gottfried, Suzanne Goddard and Cyndy Pattillo will attend

Mental Health Court training (along with the other Mental Health Court

recipients) in Cincinnati, Ohio during the week of January 19, 2004.



10. CARF: Cyndy Pattillo reported that the CARF application is in the process

of being completed and will be mailed this week. The CARF accreditation survey

will be scheduled in May or June 2004. Barry Carson, CARF Consultant, will

attend the February 9, 2004 board meeting to discuss questions that CARF

surveyors will be asking board members.



11. The Governors Budget Report (Amended Fiscal Year 2004: Perry Alexander

reported that in The Governor?s Budget Report (Amended Fiscal Year 2004) on

Page 41, the Governor?s Recommended Budget Adjustments call for ?adjust funds

to reflect Medicaid revenue earned in excess of the initial revenue

maximization target in the amount of $1,826,126. New Horizons Community

Service Board?s portion of this adjustment is $1,668,718 which is 22.8 percent

of the statewide cut of $7.3 million of the recommended cut to the nine

community service boards that earned in excess of the initial revenue

maximization target.



During the last legislative session, The Georgia General Assembly issued House

Resolution 694 ?commending the community service boards for their revenue

maximization efforts; and for other purposes?. However, now the state is

proposing to impose budget cuts to those nine community service boards.

Letters have been written to our local legislative delegation and the

Department of Human Resources? Board of Directors asking that these budget cuts

be implemented statewide not just to those community service boards who

exceeded their revenue maximization target. This, in our opinion, would be the

only way to fairly implement the budget cut.



Board members stated that it is important that legislators hear from them in

support of this recommendation. A Press Conference was suggested so that our

message can be conveyed as we attempt to keep our legislators abreast of the

situation along with the community. We will schedule a Press Conference ?

Nancy Schroeder agreed to be a speaker and Doris Keene (NAMI-Columbus) will be

asked to participate. Board members asked that the budget information along

with the House Resolution 694 be e-mailed to them so that they might add a

personal note for the legislative delegation.



12. Community Service Board Day at the Capitol ? February 4, 2004: Perry

Alexander announced that the Community Service Board Day at the Capitol is

scheduled for February 4, 2004 beginning at 10:00 a.m. If board members are

interested in attending, please let us know so that we can provide registration

and transportation.



13. Public Comments: There were no public comments.



14. Executive Session: M/S/P Nancy Schroeder/Vickie Allen that the New Horizons

Community Service Board of Directors go into Executive Session to discuss a

personnel matter.



15. M/S/P Nancy Schroeder/Vickie Allen that the New Horizons Community Service

Board of Directors come out of the Executive Session and return to the board

meeting.



16. Adjournment: M/S/P Lawrence Young/Wesley Shorter that the January 12, 2004

board meeting is adjourned at 5:10 p.m.











_____________________________

Anne Hopp



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