The Health and Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, October 1, 2007 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Vice-Chairman Julia Fullerton called the meeting to order.  Members present were Jeff Metzger, Sr., Rich Osborne and Paul Stoddard.  Mr. Rosemier and Ms. LaVigne were absent.  Others present were Liz Carney, Karen Grush and Gary Hanson.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from September 2007.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Moved by Mr. Osborne, seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as presented.

MENTAL HEALTH BOARD ANNUAL REPORT – LIZ CARNEY

          Ms. Liz Carney, Executive Director, for the DeKalb County Community Mental Health Board, presented her Annual Report to the committee.  She highlighted a few areas that she thought may be of interest to the committee. 

          She said that the Mental Health Board does care about the jail.  They try to maximize the value of tax dollars to include continuous performance improvement of Board functions, as well as development of outcomes measurement for funded programs.  The funding for the Mental Health Board is directed to persons with the highest risk needs who have the least capability of paying for services.  Ms. Carney said that in this grant year, 34 programs in 11 agencies received funding from their board.  Their funding is supplemental funding for these agencies.  Ninety percent (90%) of Board revenue is budgeted for allocations to agencies for program funding, as savings for capital projects at funded agencies, or for Board community projects.

          Ms. Carney said that one of the challenges that the Board has experienced this year is a real crisis in psychiatric services in our community. A psychiatrist left our County, which created the crisis.   One new psychiatrist has started with a local doctor recently and another one will start very soon.  What the board has done is taken the money in reserve and funded a mid-level provider.  This person can do medication monitoring.  One person has started part-time at the Ben Gordon Center.  This will not be ongoing, but they have met funding for 12 months and then about 50% funding for the following year for that position.

          The County saw 12 suicides in the last year.  The County needs a community plan for suicide prevention.  We are a little higher numbers-wise than the state level, she said..  This may be because of NIU since some of the victims are about at that age level that committee suicide.

          Another initiative is to design and implement a comprehensive community needs assessment.  The last mental health, developmental disability, and substance abuse services assessment was completed in 1988.  Our community has changed significantly since that time, and an updated assessment is necessary to clarify current needs, and to identify gaps in services and possible service reorganizations that could increase quality and potentially improve cost effectiveness.

          Ms. Carney also said that they would be moving into the new building being built on the Health Facility Campus.

          She then informed the committee that nearly 11,000 people were served in Grant Year 2007.  Thirty-nine percent (39%) were adolescents and sixty-one percent (61%) were adults. 

          Ms. Fullerton asked Ms. Carney how many inmates did they provide service for? 

          Ms. Carney said that she thought about 95 for the whole year, but that she will check on that number. 

          Ms. Carney said that the Mental Health Board, herself and Lt. Klein from the Sheriff’s Department are trying to establish a mini-task force for possible diversion programs.

          There are three goals that they would like to accomplish, those being:

a.)   Keep people out of the jail that really need a different kind of intervention.

b.)   Reduce the burden on the jail staff.

c.)   Impact recidivism rates of persons that are there.

Mr. Hanson asked Ms. Carney if the Board does spend 39% and 61% of

the dollars the way the (3^rd) chart shows?

Ms. Carney said yes or very close to those numbers.  She will check on

those numbers and get back to Mr. Hanson.

          She informed the committee that this information that she is talking about tonight can be found on the County’s website, under her department.

          Under the Reserve Fund in the Budget, Ms. Carney said that the Lease Renewal with Ben Gordon equals $20,000 a year that the Mental Health Board helps fund them with.

FY2008 BUDGET DISCUSSION

          Mr. Hanson said that two appeals have been filed so far, but one of them was formed in a question by Ms. Vary regarding the savings account for the jail.  Where would the money come from?  It would need to be recurring item.  These proposed cuts show that the Health and Human Services Committee would have three items that could be affected if the reductions take place.  The Health Department’s budget would be reduced by $18.000, the Mental Health Board would be reduced by $80,000, and the Senior Services Tax Levy would be reduced by $19,000. 

          Ms. Fullerton asked how could we affect the Senior Tax Levy?

          Mr. Hanson said that the County Board has the right to set the levy and you could set it lower and the County could raise the general fund higher.

          Ms. Carney said that this proposed cut would decimate the Mental Health Board.  If you cut $80,000 the first year, it would double the amount next year to $160,000, so on and so on. 

          Ms. Grush, Public Health Director, said that it does add up each year and that it does add up to big money.  The families affected by these cuts are lower-income families that don’t have a lot of money. 

          Ms. Grush also said that they are introducing the new Spay-Neuter Program at the Health Department, which would increase their fees.  They are also adding $15,000 to this new program.

          Mr. Metzger, Sr., asked what were they going to do with the old van?  Could it get utilized by another department?

          Ms. Grush said that in the past they have sold some of their vehicles to the Forest Preserve District, but that the transmission on this van is starting to go. 

          Mr. Hanson said that if this request by Ms. Vary comes to fruition that these items will be discussed at the November 2007 Finance Committee meeting.

ADJOURNMENT  

          Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                Respectfully submitted by,

                                                ____________________________________

                                                 Vice-Chairman Julia Fullerton

_________________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary