January 11, 2012 Summary Minutes
DBHDD Region Six
Regional Planning Board
Regular Board Meeting
Upson County Senior Center
1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.
302 S. Bethel Street, Thomaston GA. 30286
Members Present: Glynda King, Chair-Pike, David Kitchens- Sumter, Deborah
Carriker-Houston, LaVonne Harn-Houston, Donald Boyd-Troup, Teresa
Collins-Meriwether, Leslie Edwards-Fayette, Julie Chibbaro-Carroll, Ros
Duplechain-Carroll,
Jim Risher ?Henry, Amy Kuhns-Henry, Joni Jones-Taylor, Elizabeth
Matheny-Muscogee.
Members Absent: John Thompson, Vice Chair-Coweta, Sheila Mallory,
Secretary-Butts, Lee Hubbard-Clay, Mary Jo Page-Marion, Betsy Loiacono-
Houston, Rev Charles Thomas- Carroll, Angela Craig- Henry, Bettye
Patterson-Troup, Sandy Smith-Coweta, Ruth Kuester-Chattahoochee, Becky
Smith-Crawford, Cecil S. Bowen Jr. Crisps, Bertha Thomas- Dooly, Sandi Allen-
Heard, Ashley Ballard ?Peach, Angela Smith-Schley, Frances Phillips- Spalding,
Kim Griffin-Spalding, [13/31 appointed board members was present a quorum was
recognized per Region Six Bylaws. ]
Staff Present: Lee Johnson, Region Coordinator, Joe Coleman, RSA DD, Veronica
Terry, Board Support Service Worker- Region Six
Opening/Welcome Remarks: Chair welcomed board members staff and guest to the
first board meeting of 2012.
RPB Recruitment: Chair, Welcomed new board members Theresa Collins
(Meriwether), Debra Carriker (Houston)
Guest: Ms. Beverly Garland from Muscogee Co.
Minutes of Previous Meeting: 1st motion to approve November 09, 2011 Summary
minutes by Ros Duplechain (Carroll) and 2nd by Teresa Collins (Meriwether).
Chair?s Comments: Chair Greeted and thanked newly appointed board member
Theresa Collins (Meriwether), Debra Carriker (Houston) and guest Beverly
Garland (Muscogee) for serving and showing an interest on The Regional Planning
Board. Glynda then reported that Liaison Charles Ringling with The Leadership
Council indicated that The Department will do a State Wide Regional analysis
for services of care. As we begin to review how past regional plans that have
been developed. The Department has been meeting with State Wide, Providers,
Leadership Council and Community Service Board members to discuss the bringing
together of many better accesses & quality of care in our communities.
Chair then reported that The Department has selected Mercer Government Human
Services to help develop The Technical Assistance for helping The State of
Georgia, all Regions within and Community Service Boards in our Region. The
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families assessment was not renewed for
Addictive Diseases Waiver Programs.
Leadership Council liaison and board members are hoping to speak with Community
Service Boards Association Chair Mr. Frank Berry during the January 27, 2012
meeting. Chair reiterated that board members are always welcome to attend the
Leadership Council Meetings in Macon.
Leadership Council Nominations- Deborah Carriker (Houston) Reverend David
Kitchen (Sumter) will be attending the upcoming meeting as visitors.
MHPAC- Chair reported that this Council reports on the planning of Georgia?s
State Wide Federal Block Grant Dollars. She also indicated that Region Six is
required to fill the vacancy for an Adult Representative and Alternate. Leila
Anderson continues to be Region Six?s Representative for Child & Adolescent and
her alternate is Floyd Thompson. Lee Johnson, Region Coordinator, expressed
that the most intense time for this Council is right around the late fall, as
Region?s State Wide are preparing to gather Regional assessments for the
strengthening of our Regional Community Services i.e. Recovery Based Services.
The Federal Block Grant Plan will be submitted & reviewed by the Federal
Department. Region Six board member Mr. Jim Risher (Henry) was nominated by a
unanimous vote for the Adult Representative for Region Six. Mr. Risher will see
if Mr. Floyd can be his alternate representative.
B.H. Education: Lee Johnson, Regional Coordinator
HANDOUTS - Children Mental Health- 65% could be eligible for
Medicaid/State Children?s Health Insurance Program in GA. However are not near
that determined eligible. Eligibility determination ensures that Children and
Adolescent is receiving both Medical/BH and other services such as dental.
Georgia is 36th in the Nation for the number of Children and Adolescent
living in poverty. {Source is Gain for Children Report}.
Prevalence Rates: 12% of Georgia Children and Adolescents have no insurance.
Figures can lessen significantly if we could just get them determined eligible.
7.4 % of age 0-9 years will experience significant behavioral health
impairment. Children and Adolescents over the age of 9 years will increase to
11% and too experience significant behavioral health impairment. 5% of our
children and adolescents will experience extreme functional behavioral
impairments. {Source: Carter Center, Voices of Children.}
Community Levels of Care: That is provided by private insurance, Peachcare
(State Children?s Health Insurance Program) State Health Plan Children and
Adolescent Medicaid,
The Medicaid Rehabilitation Option MRO Federal eligible for Child and
Adolescent BH. Matched with state dollars and lastly peer state dollars are
state fee for services. Detailed report attached to original meeting minutes.
Residential Level of Care: Lee reported that DBHDD does not provide placement
of children of any kind. Foster home placement and group services are provided
by The Division of Family and Children Services. Therapeutic service to
Children and Adolescents by DBHDD includes prescriptions and counseling. The
highest level of care for Child and Adolescent services is located within the
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities. Those facilities are located one
in Macon, Savannah, and near Augusta. The remaining four facilities are located
in the general Atlanta area. As well these Child and Adolescent services are
for long term, youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance, and with both
Developmental Disabilities/ Serious Emotional Disturbance. Reviews are every 30
days, to see if the youth still requires that level of intensive care. The
Outdoor Therapeutic Youth Program in Warm Springs minus the prescriptions and
counseling are provided by a couple of Community Service Boards. The Outdoor
Wilderness Camp for Child and Adolescent Mental Health is usually paid for by
The Division of Family and Children Services or Georgia Department of Juvenile
Justice. It can occupy 30-35 beds however sessions have been averaging 32 for
both male/female.
Non-Waiver CME /Waiver Services: Our Federal Waiver program for an alternative
to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility care is where we would instead
of putting the youth into a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility; would
develop an Wellness Recovery Action Plan with the support of community
services around the Child and Adolescent. Our federal grant will no longer
exist at the end of 2012. We have been as high as 354 in the program. Lee
affirmed we are in the process of combining Non-Waiver and Waiver so that we
will have two Care Management entities for community youth services . The
total of two verses five entities will save us a lot of administrative dollars
and allows us to keep the program and develop it. The New Managed Care
Terms(Handout) Lee indicated the glossary would provide assistance on the
frequently used terminology by Leadership Council and the Regional
Coordinator members when discussing State Wide topics such as The Regional
Behavioral Health Authority.
RC/Updates: Lee Johnson, Regional Coordinator
Reiterated Chairperson?s earlier report of the Gap Analysis format for the
Regional Offices: to standardize collecting data and development of the Annual
Federal Block Grants. Regional Coordinators State Wide will meet in Macon
January 20, 2012 to discuss the new standardization of the Fiscal Year Plans
State Wide. The final month to provide Region Analysis to The Federal
Department is sometime in June. Legislative Notes: Lee then reported that there
are two major Reform Bills (1) Juvenile Justice which is vast; the reform
writing started was about four years ago. The reform bill is now in process of
becoming an actual bill and being introduced. It carries a lot of key in
collecting the data over the last four years. (2).Criminal Justice -Legislative
is at the summit where they would rather invest in some form of a criminal
justice reform rather than keep building more prisons. Our State Governor has
set aside $10,000, 000 in his budget for more Accountability Courts.
Our Region?s budget outside of The Accountability Courts is being supported by
the Governor and The Office of Planning and Budget and is reviewed by our
Legislative. Lee reported that we have taken a 2% budget cut in Adult (BH)
which mostly came out of {CORE } traditional outpatient services & our
providers. We are shifting our philosophies toward more Severe Persistent
Mental Illness in Adult (MH) in emergency room facilities, the chronic
homeless, Severe Persistent Mental Illness ?leaving our jail/prison systems.
Addictive Diseases: We have taken some major budget reduction from the federal
government in our Temporary Assistance Needing funding for women pregnant/ with
children. This program is mostly referred to by Division Family and Children
Services. Treatment programs for women with an addictive disease along with
their families and children have lost $ 20,000,000 in Federal money. We do
however have a two month extension to continue these services through this
Fiscal Year. With the help of The Office Planning and Budget-the Governor?s
Office has worked with us to try to replace some of the $20,000,000. The Care
Management Entity for Children and Adolescent located in Coweta has been
providing services for a month. Pathways donated the office to The Care
Management Entity. We are also talking about increasing The Crisis
Stabilization Unit in Meriwether Co. Our Region is developing Clubhouses for
Child and Adolescent (BH) there is one in Henry County is coming as well.
Veronica D. Terry, Board Support Service Worker Region Six
Reported on the Rural Human Services Transportation: Solution
Opportunities
*Why Coordinated Transportation?
*Transportation Planning
*The ?Big 3 State Agencies?
*Coordination Preferred Outcomes
*DHS Coordinated Transportation System Overview
Full Report Attached to the original meeting minutes.
Handouts: Lee Johnson
SAMHSA- Working Definition of ?Recovery? Which has become the ?Official
definition of Recovery.
MHPAC-November 08, & 17, Meeting Minutes
Provider Services and Informational Brochures
GMHCN-Pipeline Newsletter
DD Education: Joe Coleman- DD, RSA
DBHDD Provider Open Enrollment ?Accept and process applications to become New
DD providers. Open enrollment is twice a year in January and July. In Macon GA,
in the month of December there was a State Wide Enrollment. There was also
Educational and Informational Open Forums for professionals working with people
diagnosed with an Intellectual Disability who are considering becoming a DD
provider. Lee, RC, further added that other new providers were one of the top
priorities of 2011 plan from our board members.
New Waiver Slots-Our Region was awarded 26/100 State Wide for new waiver slots.
These wavier slots were determined by staff reporting individual needs and
collecting data which was presented to our Atlanta office. Chair expressed the
importance of board members, individuals and their families advocating concerns
with our Legislators.
Waiver Conversions: Converting from Grant-in Aide funding (State) funding which
is paid at the 100% rate to Waiver (Federal dollars) individuals determined
eligible for Medicaid. The savings have shown from spending 100% cents to 38 %
cents and Federal dollars pays for 62% on the dollar.
Hospital Transitions: This will afford individuals receiving government
disability benefits living in State Hospital Facilities the opportunity to live
in community settings. Presently individuals are being transferred from Central
State Hospital in Milledgeville focus is on having all of the individuals
transitioned into community surroundings by the end of fiscal year 2012.
DD Aging Specialist: (Handout Aging & Disability Resource Connection) List of
Area Agency Aging providers within Region Six.
Recent development in Region Six is the hiring of Heather Nix who is our
Aging Specialist. Ms. Nix business cards were given to present board
members. Reports indicate that with growing medical knowledge and application
in regards to persons diagnosed with an intellectual disability there is an
increase in mortality. Ms. Nix will be available to provide Education Sessions
to our board members and communities on the subject of anticipating the needs
of our DD aging population.
Joe informed board members in relation to the four Area Agency Aging providers
now serving our Region. (1)Southern Crescent: Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Heard,
Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup and Upson. (2) River Valley Regional
Commission: Americus, GA-Harris, Muscogee-Chattahoochee, Stewart, Quitman,
Clay, Randolph, Talbot, Marion, Webster, Taylor, Schley Sumter, Dooly Crisp.
(3)Middle GA. Regional Commission: Crawford, Houston, Peach and one located in
Perry, GA. Macon-Bibb and Warner Robins, GA. (4)Atlanta Regional Commission:
Fayetteville and Henry.
Informal Taxonomy of DD: (Handout) Developmental Disabilities results from
chronic conditions/disorders that developed before the age of 22 and
significantly limit an individual?s ability to function mentally and/or
physically. Generally defined by a person having an IQ score of 70 or less.
Adaptive Functioning is defined as below average performance in 2 or more areas
i.e. communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of
community resources, self-direction, functional academics, work leisure, health
and safety. Mental Retardation now referred to as an ?Intellectual Disability?
is characterized by significant deficits or impairments in adaptive and
intellectual functioning before age eighteen that is going to interfere with
the person?s mental and/or physical aptitude.{Source: is the Federals
definitions for both DD and Intellectual Disabilities}.
Person Centered Planning: Informational, Explains how the Developmental or
Intellectual Disability person chooses to live their life. Developmental
Behavior model are designed for individuals with gifts, talents, has the
ability to contribute, and expresses ambition. Our position is not to make
decisions for our individuals but to listen to what their dreams are and to
assist those person with pursuing those dreams.
Psychotropic Medication (Article Handout) the importance of staying vigil and
remaining aware from too much to not enough medication and finding the balance
applicable to our DD/Intellectual Disability population.
RPB Annual Plan: Handout: Annual Fiscal Year 2013
Board member Leslie Edwards (Fayette) May have located two possible places to
hold one of four Community Forums. Lee, RC, suggested space for about 30-40
people with the ability to break off into two forums for BH and DD if need be.
At this time we are awaiting approval for locations in Columbus- Main Public
Library, Warner Robins- Flint Energies and Americus-South GA. Tech. The chief
goal of these forums is to receive input, collect data from our individuals,
their families, communities, providers, to determine the top five priority
services; the questionnaires will be given out at this time.
Lee lastly reported on an Article this week in the Atlanta Journal around the
Source Cuts that have occurred because we are not able to meet the Federal
definition for The Source Waiver in GA.; which for essentially nursing home
level waivers we had a number of folks with DD to receiving that are now
ineligible.
All Detail Reports with in this Summary Report are attached to the Original
Meeting Minutes.
Public Comments: None
Adjournment: Chair 3:05 p.m. Next RPB March 14, 2012
Attachments
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