Minutes for May 16, 2020

Working Retreat Minutes May 16, 2020,

Virtual Zoom Meeting

Present: MHB Members: Kathy Smith, Peterson Pierre, Carol West, Mary Ann Swanson, Peter McAweeney, Becky Ennis, Bob Cobb, Bob Hales, Patricia Gray

Guests: Theresa Comstock (CALBHB/C), Betzy Chavez (Hanna Institute), Anita LaFollette (Homeless Action), Christi Tays (candidate for MHB, District 4), Michael Johnson (candidate for MHB District 3), Montserrat Archila (St. Joseph Health), Vicky Kalish, and another call-in

Retreat Facilitator: Susan Morris Wilson

Recorder: Rhonda Darrow

Board Retreat Agenda

1. Introductions and why members wanted to be on the Mental Health Board
2. Update from Theresa Comstock, California Association of Local Behavioral Health Boards and Commissions (CALBHB/C) (see attached PowerPoint slides)
3. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), also known as childhood trauma, discussion/training (see attached PowerPoint slides)
4. Viewing of “Resilience” movie
5. Reflections and final thoughts

    

Retreat Action Items and Notes

1. Continue with planning of ACES training at two MHB general meetings – use of panel of lived experience community members and Wendy Wheelwright as a trainer.
   • Discussed inviting SCOE and District Superintendent of Schools to MHB meeting to hear about their training of trauma-informed of teachers and parents; discussed partnering up with SCOE and SCBH to show the movie, “Resilience,” and trainings of ACES and trauma-informed. Invite Montserrat Archila to these training to show the movie and her expertise as she is the School-based Behavioral Health Programs, Lead, Community Benefit Department, St. Joseph Health. Betzy Chavez, bchavez@hannacenter.org, is the Education Specialist at the Hanna Institute, an arm of the Hanna Boys Center dedicated to building trauma-informed care practices among schools and youth-serving organizations in our community. The work at Hanna Institute is working with the Spanish-speaking community in partnership with La Luz and Raizes Collective to provide Spanish ACES training for parents and family members on a virtual platform.
   • Making self-healing communities
   • Handle with Care program in Stanislaus County where first responders call the school to inform staff to “handle this child with care today,” after being in a traumatizing event.
   • Sonoma County ACES Connection, https://www.acesconnection.com/g/sonoma-county-aces-connection
2. Bob Hales, Mary Ann Swanson and Carol West watched the documentary, “Bedlam”
   • Discussion around how our jail/prison system is the largest housing facility of those with mental health issues
   • Talked about inviting someone from Sheriff’s Department to update all with the building of the new mental health module at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility; invite a Task Force Liaison; invite SCBH Forensic staff to meeting to learn more about AB 109 and other Diversion Programs; ask Patricia Gray, with her past forensic experiences as a judge and starting the Mental Health Court, and Carol West, with her work at the Petaluma Peer Recovery Center with jail experiences, to share at a special forensic Presentation at a Mental Health Board meeting.

Reflections and Final Thoughts:

1. What worked or did not work for the retreat’s virtual retreat?
   • Good introduction as virtual retreat
   • Needs mid-time break
   • If a virtual Zoom retreat, should not be longer than two hours
   • Maybe could do two sessions of 1-1/2 hours each – one in spring and one in fall
   • Surprisingly effective
   • Appreciate having a facilitator and for the virtual retreat not to go over 2 hours
   • Need Action Items going into a retreat
2. There will be an audio recording shared of this virtual retreat along with two set of PowerPoint slides.