Western Highlands Network

CFAC (Consumer And Family Advisory Committee)
Meeting Minutes

 

MINUTES OF CFAC MEETING
February 5, 2007

Members Present: Bill Cook, Donna Tatnall, Howard Graves, Janet Price-Ferrell, Leslie Huntley, Mona Cornwell, Nancy Baker
Absent: Kelly Boone, Rosemary Weaver
Staff Present: Anne Doucette, Melissa Faulkner
Guests: Bob Huntley, Jim Greer

Community Connections
Bill- Met with clinical director at Alpha Omega. Getting report of service needs. Planning to attend legislative. CFAC members take issue with scheduling of breakfast. Several (WHN) counties are not represented.
Howard- None to report.
Janet- Training case managers on IEP process.
Donna- Arc of Rutherford: suffered loss of revenue (Funding from Knights of Columbus). Will affect adult DD services in Rutherford/ Polk. Will find other avenues for funding.
Leslie- Polk County planning to develop plan to submit with dissolution funds. Concerns on internal communication with Family Preservation. Suspicious that services are not being delivered appropriately, services being delivered according to payment, not necessarily what’s in the best interest of the consumer. Family Preservation not opening cases for Magnolia House, may be break down in communication. Proposing development of “Friends of Magnolia House” as a 501c3, fund raising entity.

I. Welcome and Introduction

II.Guests Comments
Bob- Comment that New Vistas may have over exaggerated number of clients and this could have given other providers the false impression that there were more clients to serve. Result being that they did not pick up as many clients as they had anticipated, and are scrabbling fiscally.
Jim- New Mountain Council; funding was assistance came from LME and CFAC. Working on getting approval to award CEU’s for contact hours for SA training. Statistical data of service needs in western North Carolina. Will send Bill more information.
Suggested youth leadership training; What it means to be a good advocate. Age range proposed15-21, don’t want to set strict limits in the beginning. Need food and space. Maybe have youth from leadership training attend CFAC meeting to offer feedback.

III.Ground Rules
On display.

IV. Approval of Agenda (Any additions by Committee Members – what do you want to know?)
Bill request Anne discuss PCR department, hiring new positions. Will do with LME update.

V. Review of the Meeting Minutes for January 22, 2007
Approved, with minor changes to Committee Reports- Nominating Committee.

VI. Committee Reports


Executive – Leslie Huntley


CFAC Executive Committee met with WHN board executive committee. Discussed several issues that need to be addressed. CFAC is supposed to compose list of concerns to WHN board. Wanting to become more involved in board committee meetings; Board Meetings (9:30 on third Friday), Finance (8:30 day of WHN board meetings), Personnel (no standing time), Quality Improvement (12:00 on day of board meetings), CQI: Continuous Quality Improvement (9:30 on 3rd Tuesday, Looks at internal and external systems and problem solves). Need CFAC observer at each committee meeting.
Volunteers; CQI- Janet, Quality Improvement – Leslie, Finance- Bill

Membership – Donna Tatnall


Committee recommend Bob Carey as new member. Application from December Harris received. Planning presentation on recruitment by Jim Greer in March meeting. Need approximately 30 minutes. Will do another CFAC orientation once new members are confirmed. Is disability representation required? No, recommended. Need new officers by June.

Finance – Bill Cook

Pre-imbursement Form (for CFAC members). Complete and turn in to WHN two weeks prior to event to get pre-paid for training/ meetings attended. Reconcile receipts on return. Need budget. Leslie will bring old budget to next meeting.

 

Parliamentary – Janet Price-Ferrell

Executive Committee recommended suspending calendar in by laws. Approved. Status of by-laws revision
By laws need updating. Janet and Jim will work on updating.

VII. LOC Report – Larry Thompson
Priorities for legislative action asked to develop list advise the committee on.
Suggestions:

  • Concerns with decline in number of substance abuse providers.
  • (#3)DD services are all geared towards rehabilitative, need habilitative services.
  • Best practice.
  • Crisis services.
  • (#9) Expand flexibility for single stream funding (all money comes down from one pot and LME distributes moneys appropriately, where the need is most prevalent.) to additional LMEs also need to be more accessible. Current mechanism for accessing funds has caused a shift in services delivered because providers are bogged down with paper work and documentation, not appropriate services.
  • (#2) Outreach for substance abuse.
  • (#14) Common fee schedule. Would this have a greater impact where the cost of living is higher?
  • (#13) Training programs for consumers. Seems repetitive, there are already many programs in place. Not sure this should be a division role. Could be a conflicting position. Also concerned that this is not best use of funds. Shifting task of the division’s role with consumers.
  • (#7) Process of using nurse practioners, social workers, etc.
  • (16) Transportation.
  • (15) Care Coordinators with LME. LME staff follows consumer for the first month after they enter the system in emergent or urgent situations, until they are appropriately referred to services. Intensive, short term case management. WHN currently has 2 care coordinators, but their focus is on hospital discharges.
  • (4) Need more prevention, then maybe don’t need so much crisis services. Particularly child crisis services. State suggesting that with success of mental health reform there will not be such a high demand for crisis beds.
  • Outcomes vs. details around funding. Action plan: Feedback to Larry by 2/14/07. Email suggestions to larryt@blueridgehomes.com and Cc: Leslie and Nancy.

 

VIII. LME Report – Anne Doucette
Survey Distribution by LME staff. NAMI Four Seasons will receive through email distribution. Leslie will see if there is time in agenda for Anne to come and speak at next NAMI meeting (2/17/07). Northern counties are only being contacted through collaborative and JCPCs. Anne requesting info on any existing organizations that Anne can present to. Transylvania County has coordinated a forum. MH advisory board in Polk, Rose will attend. Other venues: Resource Council with Polk County; next meeting in March; Polk stakeholders meeting on Wednesday; 8:30 (suggested Arthur attend; Mental health advisory board & Arc of Rutherford, very small meetings, usually same attendance; Human Rights tomorrow.
New staff: 11 positions approved. Holding on more positions until we have budget from the state.
Provider & Consumer Relations: Support Staff, SA Provider Specialist, General Provider Specialist
Access: 3 positions
Business Office: 2 positions
COO
Community Relations: Jen (Community, southern counties), Karen (Guardianship), Lynn (Human rights, grievances), Rose (Community, northern counties) Leslie suggested community relations specialist should be from and out in the community they are representing.

IX. Update on CIT
Plan for coordinating crisis intervention services with law enforcement. Planning 8-12 months of development. Customizing for each community. Wanting WHN support. Leslie drafting letter to board for Executive Committee in support of program.

X. Report Form to State CFAC
No time to address. Each person should complete form and return to Melissa by fax (225-2800), email (faul0852@westernhighlands.org) or mail (356 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, 28801) deadline of 2/14/07.

Other Items
CFAC planning to request WHN staff monitor appropriateness in consumer placement (level of care), particularly in Rutherford/ Polk. Anne suggest being very specific so WHN can address concerns directly through focused provider reviews.
Concern with Arc in Rutherford.

 

Western Highlands Network  356 Biltmore Avenue   Asheville NC 28801

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