Minutes for February 18 2020

Call to Order

Meeting called to order at 5:02 PM by Chair Kathy Smith.

Roll Call

Present:
Kathy Smith, District 5
Peter McAweeney, District 4
Dick Kirk, District 1
Bob Cobb, District 4
Bob Hales, District 5

Excused:
Mary Ann Swanson, District 2
Fran Adams, District 2
Sherry Weyers, District 5
Patricia Gray, District 1
Shellie Hadley, District 3

Absent:
Peterson Pierre, District 1

SRJC PEERS Coalition Representative: Maria Arreguin (excused)

Sonoma County DHS, Behavioral Health Division: Bill Carter (BH Director); Melissa Ladrech (MHSA Coordinator)

Community Members: Carol West (Goodwill Industries);Erika Klohe (St. Joseph’s); Mary-Frances Walsh (NAMI); Katie Swan (Buckelew); Kate Roberge (GIRE); Sean Bolan (GIRE); Sean Kelson (GIRE) ; Anita LaFollette (Homeless Action); Miguel Elliott (Living Earth Structures); Julie Kawahara; David Cox; Laura McCombs (RDH) and a few other community members.

Announcements /Public Introductions & Comments

You may submit agenda items for consideration prior to the Executive Committee meeting, normally held on the first Wednesday of each month, 10:30 AM to Noon. Email or call MHB clerk Rhonda Darrow (565-4850), Rhonda.Darrow@sonoma-county.org to verify the next meeting date.
There are vacancies in Districts 3 and 4. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please contact Rhonda Darrow (707) 565-4850, Rhonda.Darrow@sonoma-county.org.
Please direct all your questions to the Chair.

Approval of Minutes

MHB Draft Minutes from 11/19/19 and 1/21/20 were not approved, as there was not a quorum.

Consumer Affairs Report – Kate Roberge, Consumer Education Coordinator of the Consumer Relations Program of Goodwill Industries ( kroberge@gire.org), and/or Guests

Kate Roberge introduced Miller Phoenix, a peer employed through the Wellness Center (Goodwill Industries) who is the new peer outreach liaison working alongside the Whole Person Care (WPC).

Phoenix Miller reported: “Whole Person Care is an amazing wrap around program that supports clients with setting and then working towards their personal goals in areas of behavioral health, physical health, finances, shelter/coordinated entry and social support. The criteria for WPC is chronic health, mental health challenges, substance use and high utilization of medical/behavioral services.

As a Peer Outreach Worker I literally reach out to all unhoused folks... finding them in parks, drop-in centers, underpasses etc. Some are WPC clients some are interested in the program and some are not. All the people I meet are listened to and offered resources. I have compiled a file of pertinent information which I hand out as needed. When I don’t have an answer I’ve learned where to look and then I get back to that person. So I listen, listen, listen and support with resources. When someone is asking for change in their life I facilitate connecting them to the right agency and or facility. I am the boots on the ground. I offer dignity to those on the streets.”

Public Comments/Concerns/Accomplishments

Miguel Elliott of Living Earth Structures talked about earth art therapy. This is where people construct high quality living earth structures, such as benches, wood fired ovens and small houses encouraging community involvement through educational workshops and gatherings around the finished project, promoting a healthy lifestyle. He works with Homeless Action. He said that these items can also be a source of income, i.e., like making and selling a clay pizza oven to sell. For more information, please go to https://livingearthstructures.com/about.

Erika Klohe of St. Joseph’s shared there will be two suicide prevention events. One will be on March 12th at the Santa Rosa Central Library, and the other will be on March 13th for seniors at Council on Aging. Watch for updated information.

Carol West, representing Sonoma County Peer Council, said the meetings are on the third Friday of the month at a hall on 55 Ridgway, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 5:00-7:00 PM, in the Environment Center (west of Hwy. 101, west of Cleveland Avenue). The next meeting is this Friday, February 21, 2020. The Listening Circle question is “How can we reach people in the shadows and on the margins?” Contact information: Carol West (707) 481-7965; sonomacountypeercouncil@gmail.com.

A representative of Latino Service Providers shared there will be a “Stomp the Stigma” event on May 1st, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, at the Santa Rosa Junior College Student Activity Center. This event is for families and other organizations are invited to come and table their resources.

Anita LaFolette of Homeless Action asked why no housing funding in the MHSA Plan. It will be explained in the special presentation.

Special Presentation: MHSA Capacity Assessment, Three-Year Integrated Planning Process an Innovation Project (Presenter: Melissa Ladrech, MHSA Coordinator) Link to Mental Health Services Act web page: http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Behavioral-Health/Mental-Health-Services-Act/, underAnnual Updates and Reports, please click on “Sonoma County MHSA 2018-2019 Plan Update and Annual Update for 2016-2017.” Please go to Capacity Assessment and click on “Sonoma County MHSA Fiscal Year 2016-2019 Capacity Ass4essment – January 2020” for the full report.

PowerPoint slides from the presentation (PDF:984kB)

“On July 2, 2016, Governor Brown signed legislation enacting the No Place Like Home (NPLH) program to dedicate up to $2 billion in bond proceeds to invest in the development of permanent support housing for persons who are in need of mental health services and are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness or who are at risk of chronic homelessness. The bonds are repaid by funding from the MHSA. In November 2018 voters approved Proposition 2, authorizing the sale of up to $2 billion of revenue bonds and the use of a portion of Proposition 63 taxes for the NPLH program.” Link: https://hcd.ca.gov/grants-funding/active-funding/nplh.shtml. The Sonoma County NPLH program non-competitive funding allocation is $3.8 million. Two Sonoma County projects submitted through the NPLH competitive process have been funded. Danco will develop the Santa Rosa College Av Housing project. Burbank Housing will develop the Caritas Home project.
https://www.treasurer.ca.gov/cdlac/programyear/2020/02_February_12_Allocation_Meeting/04_Developers_List.pdf

The MHSA Innovation Project from 2012-2018 was the Mobile Support Team (MST). This program is no longer funded under the Innovation budget item but now is funded under Community Services and Support (CSS) of MHSA and county general fund. Peter McAweeney, MHB representative of District 4, asked if there were any plans for expansion of MST in Cloverdale. Bill Carter responded that funding is an issue, as the program is relatively expensive but is highly requested by law enforcement and the community. MST’s annual budget is about $2 million. There are about six employees who share shifts on Monday through Friday, 1:00 to 9:00 PM.

One of the MHSA 2019 Capacity Assessment’s areas of improvement was to “increase population specific programs and services, currently the services are focused on prevention rather than treatment.” There was discussions on how to get more bi-lingual and bi-cultural SCBH staff.” There are fewer Latinx consumers compared to Sonoma County’s population. Suggestions were made to offer clinicians Spanish-speaking classes, i.e. immersion classes or opportunities. The hope is to have more programs designed to serve specific underserved populations.

Melissa Ladrech is planning to have the MHSA Three-Year Integrated Plan’s draft budget completed by April 7, 2020.

Behavioral Health Director’s Report/Hbh Fiscal Update/Mental Health System Transformation:

Bill Carter or Designee

Sonoma County’s Mental Health Services Act [MHSA] page is at www.sonoma-county.org/mhsa
The State’s MHSA page is at http://www.dmh.ca.gov/Prop_63/MHSA/default.asp
MHSA newsletter is available at the link http://www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/pdf/mhsa/

No report given.

Peers (People Empowering Each Other To Realize Success) Coalition Intern Report

This is the link to SRJC’s webpage about current health events around the campus: https://events.santarosa.edu/calendar-events

No report given.

Other Reports (Including CALBHBC And Program Assessment Matrix (PAM) Ad-Hoc Committee Reports:

This is the link to California Association of Local Behavioral Health Boards and Commissions website: http://www.calbhbc.org/

The MHB members are currently working on refining the current site visit tools. They are also working on selecting the next programs for site visits.

The Mental Health Board will be hosting a presentation on ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and trauma-informed care on March 17, 2020 at the Wellness and Advocacy Center. Kathy Smith and Sherry Weyers are looking for presenters to be on a panel. They are looking for a peer voice representative.

he Mental Health Board Retreat will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2020. “’Resilience’ is a new documentary that delves into the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and a new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress.” It will be shown at the lunch hour at the retreat.

MHB CHAIR’S Report:

No report given.

BOARD AND PUBLIC COMMENTS:

None.

Meeting adjourned at 6:51 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rhonda Darrow, Mental Health Board Clerk