Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016
Council Members
NEW HORIZONS COMMUNITY SERVICE BOARD



November 18, 2002 Health and Human Services Building, 2100 Comer Avenue,

Conference Room B, Columbus, Georgia



Members Present: Vickie Allen, Kittye Crockett, Roxann Daniel, Sandra Gill,

Nancy Schroeder, Lawrence Young.



Members Excused: Brenda Hardamon, Anne Hopp, Linda McElroy, Wesley Shorter



Guests: Linette Leslie-Fondon (ADAPT), Greg Hoyt (Region 9), Wayne Lindstrom

(Consultant), Minnie Scott (COS)





1. Call to Order: Nancy Schroeder, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at

3:30 p.m.



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



3. Secretary?s Minutes: M/S/P Lawrence Young/Vickie Allen that the September 9,

2002 meeting minutes are approved.



4. Staff Recognition: Craig DuPriest introduced Ms. Minnie Scott, Certified

Peer Specialist employed at New Horizons Community Service Board. Ms. Scott is

the recipient of the ?Employee of the Year? award presented by the Mayor?s

Committee for Persons with Disabilities, and this is the first year the award

has been presented to an individual outside of persons with physical

disabilities. Ms. Scott stated that ?she is honored to be here and thanks to

everyone for all you are doing for all consumers because we really need what

you?re doing?I received help from New Horizons to get me better and here I

am.? Nancy Schroeder shared with Ms. Scott that the board is comprised of

family members of consumers who have similar situations and expressed to Ms.

Scott that she is an inspiration of hope.



5. Quitman County Behavioral Health Clinic: Board members were provided a

Brochure regarding the newly established Quitman County Behavioral Health

Clinic along with an invitation to an Open House of this new program. The Open

House is scheduled for December 6, 2002 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The

Quitman County Behavioral Health Clinic is co-located in the building with the

Quitman County Commissioners. Quitman County renovated space for New Horizons

Community Service Board and we are responsible for the renovations in lieu of

rent at $500.00 per month. This Open House is an opportunity for New Horizons

Community Service Board to recognize and showcase the hard work of board

member, Linda McElroy, who has worked to get onsite services for Quitman

County.



6. Performance Improvement Report: Cyndy Pattillo reminded board members that

during the January 2002 JCAHO survey, Competency Assessment was identified as

needing improvement. A Task Force consisting of Cyndy Pattillo, Shannon

Robertson and Carolyn Ryder worked to develop a specific method of assessing

and maintaining staff competency as it is a JCAHO requirement to continually

assure the competency of each service provider.



Goals of the Task Force:



? Meet the JCAHO requirements

? Create the minimum possible ?new? paperwork requirement

? Integrate the new requirements with the existing Performance

Management Form

? Complete the Plan by June 15, 2002

? Train by July 1, 2002

? Complete all assessments by August 15, 2002



Steps Along the Way:



? Created a Task Force

? Called the Department of Human Resources to determine if the

Performance Management Form could be altered, and what elements were ?essential?

? Task Force reviewed a JCAHO published manual on competency assessment

? Devised a form that included both the ?essential elements? of the

Performance Management Form and new competency assessment

? Developed policy and procedure

? Created a MENU of frequently used competency areas and measurement

criteria

? Training supervisors

? Reviewed assessments in Human Resources as completed and returned,

with feedback, those needing more documentation



Outcome:



? 581 Competency Assessment Performance Management Forms were due on

August 15, 2002

? 524 were completed (90%)

? 30 Competency Assessment Performance Management Forms were due for

contract employees and 23 were completed (77%)









Competency Assessment Results:



? Agency-wide 20 employees received an overall Did Not Meet rating on

their Competency Assessment Performance Management Form

? Of the 20, ten employees were found not to be competent in one or

more clinical areas

? Corrective actions were implemented





Job Responsibilities Results:



Child and Adolescent Division

? 2 ? Performance Improvement scores below 90%

? 3 ? low productivity

? 1 ? failure to complete Outcome Measures

? 1 ? poor attendance

? 1 ? failure to complete EARFs



Emergency Services Division

? 2 ? poor attendance

? 1 ? organizational commitment

? 2 ? productivity

? 1 ? team work

? 1 ? completion of TRIGRS

? 1 ? assist Emergency Coordinator



Residential Services Division

? 3 ? Performance Improvement scores below 90%

? 2 ? intervention

? 4 ? documentation

? 1 ? emergency assessments

? 1 ? environment

? 1 ? organizational commitment

? 1 ? team work

? 1 ? dress

? 1 ? supervision of staff

? 1 ? unable to meet deadlines



Developmental Disabilities Division

? 1 ? attendance



MH/SA Division

? 4 ? productivity

? 1 ? attendance

? 1 ? Performance Improvement scores below 90%

? 2 ? organizational commitment

? 1 ? teamwork

? 1 ? organizational skills

? 1 ? data entry











Final Results



? JCAHO surveyor was very complimentary of the new process and

impressed that the new process was developed, trained and implemented so quickly



Next ? In the Future



? Continue to fine tune the form and process

? Track the areas where problems with competency were found and focus

training and staff development efforts in those areas.



7. DACE: A November 11, 2002 memorandum to Joann Colwell from Greg Hoyt,

regarding information on New Horizons Community Service Board?s proposal to

start-up/develop a Women?s Group Home and our request for $80,000 to assist

with start-up costs was provided to board members. Mr. Hoyt reported that the

Division has approved the DACE Plan that includes the Women?s Group Home.



New Horizons Community Service Board has a DACE payback for 301-bed days

over-utilization for the first quarter of FY2003 (July 1 ? September 30, 2002)

in the amount of $80,666. For the second quarter, through Friday, November 15,

2002, New Horizons Community Service Board is 226 days under our allowable DACE.



8. Financial Report: Valerie Bowden reported that the Medicaid billing for

October 2002 experienced an increase in actual Medicaid billing dollars. There

was some increase in productivity with Medicaid Revenue per Day. For the month

of October 2002, we experienced a ($20,816) deficit. The Financial Performance

for the Four Months Ended October 31, 2002 revealed that New Horizons Community

Service Board is experiencing a ($242,161) deficit.



Our projection is that with the recent staffing changes to assist in reducing

costs, New Horizons Community Service Board can effect a $600,000 surplus over

the next eight months and end the fiscal year with a $487,000 surplus. This

will be contingent on any expenditures we might make to enhance our information

system.



9. Use of Donated Funds: Perry Alexander reminded board members that last year

a policy was developed for the board to approve the use of donated funds. Last

year, New Horizons Community Service Board of Directors approved the purchase

of three used vehicles to be used to provide consumer transportation. This

year?s request is to purchase household furnishing (beds, couches, chairs,

tables, etc.) to be used in establishing a comfortable living environment for

consumers in our residential programs. This will benefit consumer?s who are in

need directly and will solidify the solicitation of funding for these items.

M/S/P Kittye Crockett/Lawrence Young that New Horizons Community Service Board

staff are approved to use donated funds to purchase household furnishings for

consumers in residential programs.



10. NARSAD: Board members were provided information on cards that can be

purchased from NARSAD. Persons with brain disorders have completed all artwork

on the cards. Orders are due by November 20, 2002.



11. Corporate Compliance: Susan Gallagher provided the Corporate Compliance

Report:



? Education and training was provided to 46 employees through New

Employee Orientation for August ? October 2002. Average score on post-test was

96.7%

? Monitoring and auditing reports for October reveal that areas of

weakness are ? Annual Mental Status Exams, Annual Updates, Outcome Measures,

TRIGRS and TRIGRS Reviews and Financial Reviews on follow-up audits that were

performed at 11 sites and auditing 91 charts. Thirteen sites will be audited

during November 2002.

? No reportable calls have been made to the Hotline or other channels

available for reporting instances of possible non-compliance.

? Non-Delegation of Authority ? no new hires match against the Excluded

and Debarred List provided by the Office of Inspector General through the month

of October.

? Annual Review of the Compliance Plan ? two sites have been visited

with a third visit scheduled on November 15, 2002 at River?s Edge Community

Service Board to coincide with the Georgia Association of Community Service

Boards, Inc.?s HIPPA meeting.

? HIPAA Implementation ? Training manuals have been received. Members

of the Supervisor?s Coalition received training on the HIPAA manual on November

13, 2002. In-house policy and training program revisions continue with

moderate progress. No problems to report in meeting the January 1, 2003

deadline to rollout New Horizons Community Service Board?s privacy program.



12. Consultant?s Report: Dr. Wayne Lindstrom reported to the board that New

Horizons Community Service Board?s greatest weakness is in our Information

Technology System. An Information Technology Specialist has been at New

Horizons Community Service Board on November 18 ? 19, 2002 to examine our

information system and to make recommendations on software and hardware that

will assist in providing more structure and standardization across the computer

system. Dr. Lindstrom reported that he would provide a series of

recommendations with costs for the board regarding what it will take to get the

computer system to where it needs to be for optimal use.



13. Public Comments: Greg Hoyt requested a copy of the Quitman County

Behavioral Health Clinic?s Open House invitation. The Regional Planning Board

needs a representative from Quitman County.



Mr. Hoyt reported that PERMES data information would be provided to Perry

Alexander. Region 9 has the highest volume of PERMES data submitted. Mr. Rick

Dunn from the Division Office will visit Region 9 to review the PERMES

information and work on identifying performance indicators on positive clinical

gain of consumers we serve.



On November 13, 2002, the first meeting of the combined Regional Planning Board

for West Central Georgia (Region 9 and Region 2) was held in LaGrange,

Georgia. At this meeting, Regional Planning Board members established the

board structure as sub-committees to meet by service areas focusing on needs in

their service area.



Mr. Hoyt reported that the Division Office has changed the way the FY2004 Plan

is done ? no work has been done on the Plan but an abbreviated document will be

developed to merge Region 9 and Region 2. This Plan is due to the Division

Office by February 28, 2003. The FY2005 Plan is also due on February 28, 2003

in an effort to establish priorities and service needs to establish budgets.



The next Regional Planning Board meeting will be held on December 17, 2002 at

2:00 p.m. at West Central Georgia Regional Hospital. The theme for these

meetings focuses on strong encouragement to board members to attend community

service board meetings in the area they are responsible for.



Mr. Hoyt requested information on ordering the HIPAA manual and test.



14. Adjournment: M/S/P Lawrence Young/Roxann Daniel that the November 18, 2002

meeting be adjourned at 5:10 p.m. as there was no further business to discuss.













Sandra Gill





SG:je



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