Official County Seal of DeKalb Illinois County Government
DeKalb County, Illinois

Minutes of the
DEKALB COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD

June 13, 2005


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Board Members Present:  Robert Krogman, Julia Fullerton, Norm Gilbert, Regina Parker, Jeannette Vaupel,

                                              Opal Zitka.

 

Board Members Absent:  Doug Fraley

 

Other Persons Present:  Elizabeth Carney, staff.  Jeanette Freeman, temporary office staff. 

                                          Michael Flora, Ben Gordon Center. 

 

 

 

     I.  The DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board meeting was called to order by the Board     

          President, Robert Krogman, at 7:09 p.m.

 

   II.  AGENDA

Mr. Gilbert moved that the agenda that was distributed at the meeting be approved as

                    presented; seconded by Ms. Fullerton.  The motion passed. 

 

 

  III.  INTRODUCTIONS

            There were none. 

           

 

  IV.  MINUTES

Mr. Gilbert moved that two (2) corrections be made to the minutes of the May 16, 2005, Board

meeting as follows:  That the meeting was adjourned at  9:30 p.m. and that the phrase, “Ms.

Carney informed the Board the Dan Templin…has accepted a position with the DeKalb County

Community Foundation, ” be corrected to “Ms. Carney informed the Board that Dan Templin….” 

and that the minutes then be approved.  Seconded by Ms. Zitka.  The motion passed.

 

           

 

   V.  CORRESPONDENCE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

             

            Ms. Carney circulated articles that Mr. Krogman had brought in for the Board.  They were about the

            following subjects:  a study planned by the National Association of Social Workers on the impact of

            mental health parity policies on access to treatment, the start-up of a suicide prevention group in DeKalb

            county, and a school-based program to educate the public about teen suicide prevention in the Chicago

            suburbs.  The Board members expressed appreciation for the articles and the Board asked Ms. Carney

            to bring information about the local suicide prevention group to a Board meeting.

 

  

Ms. Carney gave an update on the Peer Support Group which has had two meetings.  Due to the start of some major remodeling at Reality House they held their second meeting at the Newman Center in DeKalb.  Seven participants have attended both meetings.  At the Grant Year 2006 the Board members had expressed interest in purchasing the books for the participants.  Ms. Carney will ask the Board to allocate funds for this when the Board comes to the Finance agenda item. 

 

 

  VI.  FINANCE REPORTS

Ms. Parker moved to approve the June 2005 agency claims in the amount of $113,062.36 as submitted; seconded by Ms. Zitka.   On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously.

 

            Regarding the Office Claims, Ms. Carney pointed out the fees for evaluation of the HVAC systems

            at the Gordon Center, for bookkeeping consultation, and for attorney’s fees.  Mr. Krogman asked

            if a full report had been received from the attorney.  Ms. Carney stated that a partial report had been

            received, but that she was waiting for some information. 

 

Mr. Krogman moved that Ms. Carney contact the Finance Office to request that the payment for the attorney’s fees be held until the Board has received a full report.  Seconded by Mr. Gilbert.  On a voice vote the motion passed. 

           

Ms. Parked moved to approve the June 2005 office claims of $1715.91as submitted; seconded by

            Mr. Gilbert.   On a roll call vote the motion passed unanimously. 

 

            Ms. Carney asked for Board approval to purchase 10 copies of the book, Pathways to Recovery, for

            the Peer Support Group that is being facilitated by Robert Putz and Richard Salazar.  The books

are priced at $24 per book; there will also be a charge for shipping and handling.  As previously

            noted, there are currently 7 participants in the group, but the request is for 10 copies in case

additional persons start the group.  Also, it would be good to have a copy for the office. 

 

            Mr. Gilbert moved to approve the purchase of 10 copies of the book, Pathways to Recovery.

            Seconded by Ms. Parker.  On a voice vote the motion passed. 

 

            Ms. Carney referred Board members to the Finance handouts in their meeting packets.  She

            reviewed the first handout, “Fiscal Issues for the June 13, 2005, Board Meeting,” to identify the

            issues that the Board would be addressing that evening, ie. Reserve Fund Update, Establishing a

            Fiscal Plan, and Completing the Grant Year 2006 Allocations.                                         

 

Ms. Carney then reported the results of her review of the Board’s funds that are held in unrestricted reserve and identified some possible uses for the funds.  Potential uses that she noted were assisting the Gordon Center with the probable replacement of the Center’s roof, starting a reserve fund for assisting the Gordon Center with the eventual replacement of its HVAC systems, starting a reserve fund for the next Gordon Center roof replacement, purchasing or renting office space if a new county building is built, starting a CMH Board operating reserve fund, distribute some funds on a one-time basis or for special projects to currently funded programs, or earmark funds for Board initiatives.  She recommended that the Board wait until the Gordon Center roof replacement estimate is available before any decisions are made and also that the Board definitely an operating reserve fund. 

                       

 

 

There was a general discussion about the funds.  Ms. Fullerton discussed the County’s practice of operating reserves and suggested three-months as an optimal period for an operating reserve for the Board.  Mr. Krogman suggested that the Board may want to discuss its fiscal plan at a separate meeting, perhaps at a Board retreat.  The consensus was that the Board members will develop a plan and will identify a process for doing so. 

 

 

 VII.  COMMUNITY INPUT

            There was none. 

 

 

  III.  COMMITTEE REPORTS

            Recruitment of Board Members:  Ms. Fullerton reported that there will be three openings on the

Board, and that after a review of the candidates, she and Mr. Fraley decided to meet with candidates with the goal of identifying two prospective members while continuing attempts to seek additional candidates from the southwest part of the county for the third opening. 

 

            Ms. Fullerton further reported that she, Mr. Fraley, and Ms. Carney met with two candidates and

            want to meet with a third.  Ms. Carney noted that Mr. Fraley would be unavailable to meet with the

            third candidate due to a medical issue, so he asked that the Board President take his place on the

            committee for the third interview.  Mr. Krogman agreed to do this.  Ms. Carney will contact the third

            person who was identified by Ms. Fullerton to schedule an interview. 

 

            Mr. Krogman reminded the Board members that it is important that all members come to the July

            meeting to ensure that a quorum will be present. 

 

           

  IX.  OLD BUSINESS

Ms. Carney reported to the Board that she and Mr. Putz from the Consumer Advocacy Council of DeKalb County have discussed guidelines for handling unusual requests made to the Council for

Mental Health Board funds and that she will be working with him to develop criteria to assist him with these.  Ms. Parker noted that Mr. Putz’ work with the CACDC has been very effective and other Board members agreed. 

 

Request from the Ben Gordon Center:  Ms. Carney communicated a request that was received

from the Ben Gordon Center to allocate any funds remaining in the Psychiatric Evaluation Purchase of

Care contract directly to the Center to assist with funding psychiatric services.  The Board discussed

this option, including clarifying that the Board’s intent was to make evaluations available to persons who did not have insurance or Medicaid and who could not afford the full cost, to make evaluations

available from any psychiatrist, that there may be situations in which a specialized psychiatric evaluation that is not available locally may be needed, that client choice is to be built into this contract, and that the funds were allocated to provide access to specific clients that were identified by agencies

as being unable to pay the cost of this service.   The item was tabled for further investigation and discussion.   Ms. Carney will meet with the Gordon Center, Family Service Agency, and the DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau to evaluate the current contract. 

 

 

Grant Allocations for Grant Year 2006:   Ms. Carney reviewed the allocations that were completed at

            the May Board meeting and then recommended that an additional 1% be allocated for all continuing

            programs that were funded at the May meeting.  She requested that this additional 1% be figured on

            the Grant Year 2005 grant amount, and that it not be included in the 2006 grant itself, but rather be

            allocated as a one-time, additional amount. 

 

Mr. Gilbert moved to allocate an additional 1% to the programs that had received allocations of 3% at the May 16, 2005, meeting and stipulated that the 1% would be a one-time additional amount and would not be considered part of the 2006 grant.  Seconded by Ms. Parker.  On a

voice vote the motion passed unanimously.    

 

Special Projects funding:  Ms. Carney presented the total requests for Special Projects funding in the amount of $125,578 for five programs.  She noted that $3000 of this was for a Consumer Education program that is usually reviewed in the spring as the request is for funding for consumers to attend the NAMI convention that is held in June each year.  She asked the Board to consider evaluating the use of education funds.  The Board discussed the funding requests.

 

Ms. Zitka moved to fund the Family Service Agency Social Phobia Group for $2300 from Special

Projects with the stipulation that consideration for continued funding will be dependent upon

demonstration of significant outcomes.  Seconded by Mr. Gilbert.  On a voice vote, with Ms.

Parker temporarily out of the room, the motion passed unanimously. 

 

Ms. Fullerton moved to adopt the remaining funding recommendations by allocating the

following from Special Projects as one-time allocations.  Seconded by Mr. Gilbert. On a voice

vote the motion passed unanimously.   

 

            1.  No funding for Healthy Families Illinois, but consider it for next year.

            2.  Family Service Agency:  Child Abuse Counseling - $10,000.

            3.  Ben Gordon Center:  Medical Services Program - $10,000.

            4.  Evaluate the use of Education funds.

 

 

Ms. Vaupel, Chairman of the Nominations Committee, presented the following slate of officers to

the Board:

 

            President:                             Mr. Fraley

            Vice-President:                     Ms. Fullerton

            Secretary/Treasurer:              Ms. Parker. 

 

Ms. Vaupel moved to elect the slate of officers presented by the Committee.  Seconded by Mr.

Gilbert.  The motion passed.  Mr. Krogman noted that the newly elected officers would assume

the duties of their offices on July 1. 

 

  

 

X.  NEW BUSINESS

             

            Appointment of Board committee members:  Mr. Krogman noted that new members should be

            appointed at the July Board meeting.   He suggested that at the time the Board may want to

            review the present committee structure for possible revision. 

 

            Ms. Fullerton moved that the Board go into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing

            a personnel issue.  Seconded by Ms. Vaupel.  On a roll call vote the motion passed.  The Board

            went into Executive Session at 8:55 p.m.

 

Mr. Gilbert moved that the Board close the Executive Session.  Seconded by Ms. Parker.  On

a roll call vote the motion passed.  The Board closed the Executive Session at 9:17 p.m.

 

           

As Ms. Zitka was retiring from the Board, Mr. Krogman presented her with a plaque to thank her for

many her years of service.  Board members also expressed their appreciation to her and wished her

well in her future endeavors.   

 

 

 

  XI.  ADJOURNMENT

            Mr. Gilbert moved to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Ms. Zitka.  The motion passed and the

meeting was adjourned at 9:27 p.m.

 

 

_____________________________________________

Regina Parker, Secretary/Treasurer

 


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