DeKalb County, Illinois
	Minutes of the COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD January 28, 2002

Board Members Present: Norm Gilbert, Patricia Terry, Denny Sands, Bob Krogman, Regina Parker and Opal Zitka

Board Members Absent: Maureen Russell, Sue Franz and Mary Petruchius

Other Persons Present: Staff: Jerry Lane and Sue Halbrader
                                        Guest: Veronica Casella

The Community Mental Health Board meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m. by Vice-President Regina Parker.

Item C "Training" was added under New Business

Board members introduced themselves around the table.

Mr. Gilbert moved to approve the October minutes as corrected, seconded by Mr. Sands. On a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.

Mr. Gilbert moved to approve the November minutes as corrected, seconded by Mr. Krogman. On a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously.

 

Mr. Gilbert announced that Channel 22 will carry the CMHB meeting dates in February

Mrs. Zitka circulated an article on mental illness in children from the Sunday Chicago Tribune

Mr. Lane announced the State Association Spring Conference will be held on April 17 and 18 in Springfield. Due to a conflict with our grant hearings, we will have to adjust our meeting dates later in the meeting.

- the State Association focus will be on amendments to the Community Mental Health Board Act this spring

- a bill to require matching funds (from the general revenue fund) to come to Mental Health Boards has passed the house, but is stalled in the Senate

Mental Health Board staff will be scheduling additional meetings of the Agency Executives, the DeKalb County Training Consortium and perhaps a meeting of various County funding entities.

Both Mary Petruchius and Bob Krogman have been reappointed to the Board

Mrs. Zitka moved acceptance of the December agency claims as submitted; seconded by Mr. Gilbert. On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

Mrs. Zitka moved acceptance of the December office claims as submitted; seconded by Mrs. Terry. On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

Mrs. Zitka moved acceptance of the January agency claims as submitted; seconded by Mr. Gilbert. On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

Mrs. Zitka moved acceptance of the January office claims as submitted; seconded by Mrs. Terry. On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Lane announced that the County Board approved the Community Mental Health Board budget as proposed at its November meeting.

None

None

Reports on the Law Enforcement Response to Mental Health Calls Conference

Mr. Sands stated that Mr. Lane did an outstanding job presenting information about the stress-related consequences of being a police officer. He acknowledged that some people find it difficult to listen to material that hits too close to home and upsets the image of manliness or strength. Half of the conference was about clinical and legal issues concerning the mentally ill helping the officer understand what affects her or him. The second half was about how to deal effectively with people who have mental illnesses.

Mr. Gilbert added that the afternoon speaker, Mike Wargo, Chief Negotiator for the Illinois State Police, was excellent. His dynamic and commanding presentation kept everyone’s attention after lunch.

Mr. Lane distributed to Board members the new brochure that lists county services. Mr. Sands is responsible for assembling the information and designing the brochure. Several members took a number of brochures to be placed in public libraries throughout the County.

Mr. Lane stated that our next project is to put together a conference on mental illness for fire fighters, emergency medical technicians, emergency room nurses and doctors. DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen asked Mr. Sands to plan another conference for police officers next year, as not all of the new officers could attend this conference.

Mr. Lane distributed copies of the State Association’s budget, explaining that each member pays about 3/10 of 1% of their revenues in dues, a much smaller rate than many larger organizations charge. For membership we have influence through our Springfield lobbyist, John Ryan, who is respected as a man with integrity. The part-Association Executive Director keeps things running, which includes arranging conferences in the spring and the fall. CMHB staff serves on Association committees, and is responsible for the biennial salary survey report which should be out by the end of February.

 

NEW BUSINESS

A copy of the 2002 meeting calendar was distributed to members. Mr. Lane called attention to the traditional schedule for grant hearings: We meet on the Board meeting night, Monday, then hold grant hearings on Wednesday, then the following week on Monday and Wednesday. Due to the timing of the Spring Conference in Springfield, we need to rearrange something. Shall we skip the conference? Or shall we move our schedule forward or backward?

Mr. Krogman moved to approve the Board meeting on Monday, April 15, attend the conference on the 17^th and 18^th, then resume grant hearings on the 22^nd, 24^th and the 29^th. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Zitka. On a voice vote the motion was approved unanimously.

The Board’s annual retreat is scheduled in two weeks, on Saturday, February 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Open Door Rehabilitation Center in Sandwich. Brunch will be served.  

Mr. Lane discussed continuing education and training for staff of the smaller funded agencies, asking if the Board wanted to give agency executives an opportunity to attend an upcoming national conference in Chicago. The smaller agencies have little or no no money for training in their budgets. Some CMHB members felt agency boards should help fund staff training of this sort. It was agreed that the Board would support this training on the condition that people will return ready to share information with other interested persons.

Mr. Krogman moved to offer $1,000 apiece to each of the three smaller agencies to assist in sending selected persons to a conference. Seconded by Mrs. Zitka. On a roll call vote the motion was approved unanimously.

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