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HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

MINUTES

March 2, 2009

The Health and Human Services Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Monday, March 2, 2009 @ 6:30p.m. in the Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Jeffery L. Metzger, Sr., called the meeting to order.  Members present were Eileen Dubin, John Emerson and Paul Stoddard.  Ms. LaVigne and Mr. Osborne were absent.   Others present were Jess Collins, Mary Ramp, Elena Grimm and Mr. Barry Schrader.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Moved by Ms. Dubin, seconded by Mr. Stoddard, and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from February 2009.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Chairman Metzger, Sr., said that the agenda would be amended tonight since Kishwaukee Hospital called this morning and said that they would not be able to attend.  They did offer to reschedule but next month this committee will have the Senior Tax Levy Hearings and will not be able to add anything else to the agenda for that evening.  He encouraged all committee members to attend the Mental Health Board Forum that will be held on March 9^th at 7:00p.m. at the Multi-Purpose Room.  Based on what comes out of that meeting on the 9^th we may be able to invite them back at the May meeting or so, he stated.

Moved by Mr. Emerson, seconded by Ms. Dubin, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

PUBLIC COMMENT

          The committee heard from Mr. Barry Schrader who is forming a citizen’s group that would like to have the mental health unit reopen at the Kishwaukee Hospital.  He said that there are eight to ten psychiatrists in the county and that they had contacted several of them who said they were never notified or consulted that the hospital was closing these units.  He also said that Sheriff Scott nor the Chiefs of Police were notified either. 

Mr. Schrader continued by stating that there was a survey being conducted by the Mental Health Board at the time in November when they closed the units.  The Mental Health Board mailed out the survey to a little over 4,000 homes regarding a Mental Health Needs Assessment survey and the hospital did not wait for the results of the survey.  The results of the survey are in now.

Chairman Metzger said that he would like to see the results of that survey.

Mr. Schrader said that there was a bill that was passed by Congress last year, which would force insurance companies that give mental health insurance to pay the same amount for mental health hospitalization as they do for other medical costs.  There would no longer be a cap allowed on mental health care.  So that means that there should be more money for hospitals for this care.

The other thing is that the meeting was initially a closed session by the hospital when they made this decision, the press was not notified and the minutes were sealed.

Currently Mr. Schrader said that the mental health patients currently are being taken to Rockford, away from their families.  He is now writing a letter to the Editor of the Chronicle on this issue.

Chairman Metzger told Mr. Schrader that he and the committee appreciated them coming this evening. 

Ms. Dubin said that she had a concern on how the Hospital closed the units.  She said that it was her understanding that the hospital could not close the units without a final word from the Illinois Health Planning Facility Board.

Mr. Schrader said that he is being told that there are three psychiatrists on staff at the hospital now and that two of those three doctors have already left.

Mr. Schrader also mentioned that Ben Gordon has seen an increase of over 500% in sending patients out of the county.

RECYLCING AWARENESS DISCUSSION – MR. PAUL STODDARD     

          Mr. Stoddard said that our county is already doing a good job when it comes to recycling.  He said that he felt that our webpage is not user friendly when it comes to recycling in the county.  He said that he would like to see a button on the front page of the County’s website that says “Recycling”.  Then when a person clicks on that button the page would come up with links in the county.  This page could be called “Recycling in DeKalb County” so that a person could find these items faster and easier.  For example, these are the items that are picked up curbside and other items like latex paint, electronics, batteries, etc. 

          The committee discussed rural recycling and what is being done for that. 

          Mr. Stoddard stated that for rural residents, at the workshop the other night, right now you have to take it to the landfill.  The problem with the DeKalb site was that people were dumping battery acid, motor oil, TV sets, couches and those items then contaminated it.  So, Waste Management is now thinking of putting a recycling center at four points in the county, like the southern part and the northern part, etc.  There are discussions about a program with the Health Department to get each rural township to have a pickup going on now too.  Another note is that a person can have Waste Management pick up their recyclables at their homes.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT – SENIOR TAX LEVY PROPOSALS DISTRIBUTED: MARY RAMP

          Ms. Ramp passed out the applications for the Senior Services Tax Levy Grant to have the committee prepare for the hearing next month.  She explained what the committee members could look for in the applications and what the guidelines are to follow when reviewing each application.

          Chairman Metzger, Sr., mentioned that he had heard from Open Door who explained that they did not have the clientele to warrant them to apply for the funding.

          Ms. Ramp said that Safe Passage said that same thing and that they did not apply either.

          Ms. Ramp explained that there were four new agencies that have applied for funding.  They are Ben Gordon, DeKalb County Government, Hope Haven and the YMCA.

          She explained that in the past the procedure was that the committee would listen to all of the agencies and ask questions at the first meeting in April of each year.  The committee will need to set a date for a second meeting in April, usually a week later, for the committee to award the funding to the various agencies.  The awards would then go the full board in a resolution form at the May County Board meeting for approval.

          The committee decided to listen to the first 2/3rds of the agencies on the list on April 6, 2009 @ 5:30p.m.  The remaining agencies on the list would report to the committee meeting on the second night, scheduled for April 13, 2009 @ 5:30p.m., and then the committee would go into discussion and award the funding.

          Ms. Ramp reminded the committee that each agency that applies for funding has to show how it would prevent premature institutionalization of seniors.  They need to show how their program would keep seniors out of nursing homes. 

          Ms. Dubin asked Ms. Ramp if the senior population is growing?

          Ms. Ramp said yes, the 70 year olds and older are growing the fastest.

          Mr. Stoddard asked, is the number growing faster than the county population?

          Ms. Ramp said that it is in the state, but she didn’t know the numbers regarding that question for our county.

ADJOURNMENT

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

                                                Respectively submitted,

 

 

                                                _________________________________  

                                                Chairman Jeffery L. Metzger, Sr.

 

_____________________________ 

Mary C. Supple, Secretary