Illinois Mental Health Planning and Advising Council Meeting-Minutes 05/02/2024

Illinois Mental Health Planning and Advising Council Meeting Minutes

(approved by Members 07/11/2024)

May 02, 2024 - 12:30pm

• Council Member Attendees: Amy Starin, Chris O'Hara, Fred Friedman, Jessica Gimeno, Joan Lodge, Lee Ann Reinert, Matt Fishback, Mike Davis, Michelle Churchey-Mims, Nannette Larson, Ray Connor, Ron Melka, Sarah Scruggs, Scott Block, Shane Hassler, Shirley Davis, Thane Dykstra, Tracy Meinert.
• Other Attendees: Christina Smith, David Albert, Melissa Guy, Brock Dunlap, Ryan Rollinson, Nic Pleske, Lisa Betz, Valencia King.
• Call to Order/Introductions: 12:36 pm meeting called to order by Ray Connor
• Approval of March 7, 2024 Minutes: (All) motion to approve: motion to approve Ron Melka seconded by Scott Block (all say aye) one abstention-Fred Freidman.
• Division of Mental Health Report: (Director Albert, Lee Ann Reinert, Brock Dunlap, Nanette Larson, Ryan Rollinson, Lisa Betz)
  • Lee Ann Reinert: Christina Smith provided update on behalf of Lee Ann; 988 contract has been signed for back up for text and chat with Centerstone-Alton , IL. CESSA HB 5377 passed with to include extension of CESSA implementation to July 2025. The HB also allows for regional subcommittee additional flexibility for convening meetings with EMS director committee to appoint a qualified co-chair. Fred Friedman asked about coverage for Cook County for 988. Ryan Rollinson reported that DMH partnered with NAMI Chicago to help cover this large catchment area. Fred reported that he has called 988 and did not find the support provided helpful. Fred expressed concern about this as now DMH is now extending CESSA instead of implementing services. Amy Starin inquired about if 988 is doing any evaluation of the system. Lisa Betz shared 988 is managed by Vibrant and all call center staff are trained and 988 is being evaluated by SAMHSA. Dr. Albert responded to the CESSA extension is to help coordinate the 988 call centers with DMH funded Mobile Crisis Response Teams. Director Albert stated that the extension of the implementation date does not impact services currently being provided to individuals. Chris O'Hara asked if CESSA committees will review the call center data i.e on dropped calls, referrals that were disconnected? Or to determine a baseline to ensure that standards are being met. Chris asked how 988 and CESSA interact with 211 system. Dr. Albert reported Statewide Advisory committees happen monthly web page link is here: Lisa Betz shared the following information.
  • SAMHSA 988 website: https://988lifeline.org/
  • CESSA information: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=14744. 
    • Fred stated again that when he was in crisis, he called 988, the help was remarkably unhelpful. He reports he called someone else later and found the help remarkably unhelpful. He did call around and got special services, he is surprised at the positive response of the data on calls being handled effectively.
    • Matt Fishback responded about South/Southwest Cook county 988 provider is PATH. Matt indicated that he would be interested in the quality metrics/assessment being conducted for 988. Scott Block added 988 and CESSA is a primary topic of discussion, recommend next council meeting to provide more in-depth detail on 988, to get a better understanding of the program to ensure it is a quality program and what would that look like.
    • Lee Ann Reinert did join but had no further updates to share. Director Albert reported that the committee is looking at data/metrics. Lee Ann stated that 988 is a part of the overall crisis care continuum and is in the process of being built. The scale is so great as it is statewide, to align level of quality of training will take time. Additional call centers are being created to increase capacity to ensure that calls can be answered within our State. Lee Ann supports the focus of additional information being prepared for future council meetings.
• Committee Reports:
  • Justice Committee Report: (Chair Scott Block): Requested a call for increased membership of this committee. Next meeting scheduled May 8th at 2:00pm plan to discuss CESSA and how it intersects with justice system. June 12th-Matt Fishback to present on deflection services in Cook County. Mental health juvenile justice and DHS received 33 applications for this program, all applications have been scored and award notifications are pending. Goal to increase outpatient fitness restoration for those unfit to stand trial, applicants to apply for outpatient fitness restoration providers to build contracts for those providers who offer these services. Nannette shared that one recommendation of revision of the bylaws that every member must serve on a committee. This, however, is not enforced; the council will need to commit to this and the Development committee will track this participation.
  • Development Committee: (Chair Nannette Larson): met three times since last council meeting. intentional on process to ensure monitoring of council membership list and are working within the parameters of the bylaws. A proposal for a protocol for adding new members to the council. Nannette requested to share before a full proposal goes forward to the council.
    • Referral to council by some mechanism.
    • Expect to attend one meeting for observation, to increase understanding of expectations.
    • If a person is still interested, they need to submit a letter of interest and disclose personal or professional reason for wanting to join.
    • Letter of interest goes to the development committee chair and the Development Committee makes recommendation to the full council whether to recommend the person or not.
    • The Full council votes member to be appointed.
      • Chris O'Hara asked about the letter of interest and how does it need to be submitted. Fax, email, in the mail. Nannette will put more detail in the proposal.
      • Fred Friedman shared that he knows a person who may want to join, but she struggles with finding the time to attend. The Development committee wants to be strategic in the recruitment of members to understand who members are demographically, what role they play, other demographic details on race, ethnicity. Goal to create a dashboard and report this information out at each council meeting. Nannette recommends a survey "anonymous" to go out to members. This would be the only way to go about it to capture this detail. Lee Ann commented and supported the need to increase membership to ensure we are meeting the requirements of the block grant. Attendance and input from the members is valuable and necessary. Attendance is an expectation of membership. The idea of a survey, DMH has requirements for demographic makeup of our council members which is required by SAMHSA. Fred responded that he does not want to be considered argumentative, but there are lots of people that their symptoms of mental illness are linear and can't predict how they are going to be and be able to attend a meeting. There is a huge stigma to having a mental illness, also stigma with gender and revealing that can be dangerous. Fred brought up reimbursement/stipends for participation in council meetings. Shirley Davis responded that she has 12 stipends still pending and is concerned with the process of receiving payment timely. Lee Ann replied that a stipend form is completed, submitted to the treasurer who confirms attendance, treasurer submits to DMH for reimbursement. The delay in payment can be attributed to the need to confirm attendance as this is based on the approval of minutes which can be delayed for at least two months. Chris O'Hara requested for this process be streamlined. He reports that he has never been paid a stipend for the entire time he has served on the council. He is requesting it to be a priority, this will make a meaningful change and help support membership for individuals with Lived Experience. Lee Ann indicated that confirmation must occur through the treasurer of the council by approved minutes (2 month delay). If there is another way for the confirmation to occur that can be timelier DHS would support this. Brock Dunlap responded about the rules of approval for payment. We must have approval that the service, event happened and must be confirmed by signature.
      • Director Albert wants to convey that this is important and DMH wants to address this, he offered to be copied on emails or communication. Brock reports that there are not currently any outstanding requests currently. Stipend/Reimbursement requests are to be submitted via e-mail DHS.DMHFiscallnvoices@illinois.gov, Brock Dunlap brock.dunlap@illinois.gov and Director Albert david.albert@illinois.gov.
      • Ron Melka replied that he would support a procedure or process to shorten time for approval; proposed that Committee Chairs send attendance to the treasurer to confirm attendance at that meeting to facilitate processing of stipends quicker.
      • Amy Starin requested if the committee could vote on approval of attendees. Chris O'Hara stated that DMH that we have more important to deal with than this, recruitment for membership is important. I have been a part of this council for years, I must attend training, but unless there is a real change on how to make this process better, I have a lot of doubts.
  • Adult Inpatient (Shirley Davis): Committee did not have a quorum and was unable to meet. Shirley shared the committee needs members.
    • Chris O'Hara asked about when the committee meets; First Friday of every other the month next meeting June 7th.
  • C&A (Michelle Churchey-Mims): Minutes were sent out, old business areas to focus this committee to increase awareness of practice wise and opportunities to look at CMHC stakeholders that there is availability in access. Possible future learning collaborative to help make the tools useful. April 10th was the last meeting but pending approval, these minutes will be sent out in the future. Increasing participation in this workgroup will be helpful. Next meeting is June 13th 12:30pm-1:30pm.
  • HFS Report Kristine Herman- no report
• New Business: None
• Public Comment: None
• Motion to adjourn: Motion to adjourn made by Shirley Davis seconded by Mike Davis, meeting adjourned at 1:58pm.
• Next Council meeting: July 11, 2024

Respectfully submitted,

Joan Lodge, IMHPAC Secretary