The Community Mental Health Board meeting was called to order at 7:38 p.m. by President Maureen Russell.

Introductions were made as the Board is welcoming a new member, Jeannette Vaupel, and guests from CACDC and Ben Gordon Center were present.

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

Mr. Gilbert moved to approve of the June office claims as submitted; seconded by Ms. Fullerton. On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Bob Putz and Mr. Jim Repp of the Consumer Advocacy of DeKalb County (CACDC) attended the meeting to answer questions from Board members on how the Special Needs Fund is administered. Mr. Putz provided copies of the forms used to each Board member. The first page is a list of monthly expenses, page two lists all the relevant paperwork from the client that is to be submitted with a request for financial assistance, page three is the form in which the request is explained in narrative form, page four is an insert, a five sheet daily planner to assist persons with budgeting, and page five is a consumer agreement and release of liability, page six is release of information.

Mr. Putz explained that the form was being used to determine the needs of those requesting help. Board members voiced approval and appreciation for the work done by the officers of CACDC.

Ms. Heather Mucha added that her role in providing financial assistance was not an active one, rather she is a resource when needed in the effort to prevent homelessness and provide medication for persons who are temporarily indigent. A We= ve had a stand-off position,@ said Ms. Mucha. A The CACDC leadership works well together.@

Mrs. Russell inquired if free medications were being provided by drug companies. Ms. Mucha said the programs have stopped. She explained that pharmaceuticals have a certain number of years to establish a market for new drugs, and once the market has been established they take away free medications for needy persons. Psychotropic drugs can run $1,200 per month. For persons living on SSDI or SSI this is impossible to afford. Dr. Kirts said if the drug samples stop coming, it will be a disaster. Ms. Mucha said a few samples are provided to Ben Gordon Center, but in very limited quantities.

Medical cards will only apply in a very limited way, dependent on the type of benefit a client has, and what kinds of medications that individual requires to stay well.

None

The allocations approved in May for all agencies funded by the Mental Health Board have remained unchanged. No appeals have come forth and no changes are necessary. Allocations for FY-05 were approved last month. Consensus was that another vote was unnecessary.

The State Budget is still uncertain. Legislators say they are A working on it.@ Maybe we= ll have a budget by the ten o= clock news tonight, or it might be months. Madigan has offered the continuance of the present budget that will hold the state together past the end of June, when the old budget is defunct. Everything is still on the table. Rumors are flying, including the story that the St.Charles Corrections Center will remain open, although two downstate prisons are going to close. Stay tuned.

giving Ben Gordon Center title to the mental health center property would take two or three weeks.

The Nominating Committee of the Board presented a slate of candidates for the coming year: President, Mr. Krogman, Vice-President, Mrs. Zitka, Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Parker.

Mr. Lane told the Board that we will have the County= s budget packet at the July meeting. Without a State Budget, we do not know exactly how we may be effected. All opinion is in agreement that it will be another tight year, followed by two or three more, due to the state budget crisis. As far as Medicaid goes, it may be a wild card. We don= t know anything. We have no idea about the rules, or what will happen to agencies and programs if (when) the state changes programs to fee-for-service. We were informed at the last State Association meeting that it may be illegal for us to provide grants-in-aid to programs that are designated fee-for-service. At this time, it looks as though fee-for-service will become effective in January. That may mean the Board will have to hire more clerical staff to manage the Medicaid Match, hoping the cost will be covered by funds recovered by the match. Everything is up in the air at this point.