Tuesday November 11th Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force monthly meeting will be held at Indepence First at their new location 540 South 1st Street.  Parking on the Northside of building.   Ask receptionist for room location. 

In 2008, the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force continues to provide a forum wherein different sectors of the mental health delivery system come together to address and resolve issues of interest to all people affected by mental illness.

Over 45 organizations and agencies continue participation as Task Force members, including:

• mental health consumer groups such as Warmline Inc, Vital Voices, Our Space and NAMI
• representatives of the criminal justice system including the District Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices, and the Sheriff’s and Police Departments
• community mental health service providers such as Transitional Living Services (TLS), Justice 2000 and Wisconsin Community Services (WCS)
• advocacy agencies such as the Mental Health America and Disability Rights Wisconsin
• health care representatives from hospital systems and managed care organizations
• Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division program staff and leadership

The coordination of the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force has been made possible by three consecutive grant awards from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation to Disability Rights Wisconsin.   Without the support of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, much of the Task Force’s work would not be possible.

The meetings are open to the public and involvement is encouraged from all sectors of our community.

 Meeting Minutes

October 14, 2008United Way of Greater Milwaukee 225 W. Vine Street Milwaukee WI 53219 Meeting Minutes Present:  Julie Rothwell, Karen Handrich, Jennifer Winter, Peter Hoeffel, Robin Pedersen, Anne Luber, Sue Adlam, Liz Ford, Karen Avery, Joy Mead-Meucci, Jeanne Lowry, Nick Saynor, Tom Reed, Kris Peterka, Mary Thomas, Randy Neff, Walter  Laux, Bob Wrenn , Marilyn Walcjak, Brittney Neidhardt, Jim Hill, Barbara Beckert. 

1915(i) Deficit Reduction Act:  Social Security Act Statute – 1915 (c ) COP and KIP waivers.  (handout – Fall ‘08 BHD Newsletter)

New Medicaid Initiative that meet the targeted eligibility.  New targeted resources program.  Only one state in America that are doing 1915 (i).  This grew out of last CCS (Comprehensive Community Services) meeting they had.  .  CCS didn’t seem like it would work for various reasons.  We would not have been able to sustain it.  It mirrors CCS.  1015(i) can pay for things that the county picks up like Residential costs – can draw down 60% of revenue from Medicaid.  Their funding has been stagnant for years and years and so haven’t been able to increase funding to providers.  Providers can identify the actual cost and that would become the new Medicaid rates.  Their cost will also go down as a result.  It will reimburse providers better than what they’re getting now.  Start with services they currently provide but it doesn’t stop them from increasing services. 

Hope to implement this Jan 2009.  The state said that it wasn’t going to happen.  They have to wait for federal approval that could be July 1^st 2009 before they’re approved.  And they might not get statutory authority before January 2010.

They looked into expanding this outside of Milwaukee County.  State issued memo series to see if other counties were interested.  30 other counties came back that they are interested but want to see how Milwaukee County does first.  State is going to pilot this with Milwaukee.  Still expecting to get Fed. Approval by July1st. 

To fully take advantage of this initiative they will convert all contracts into fee-for service.  Wanted to start with residential providers.  As they collect the fee-for service information so that come January 2010 they’ll try to bill for all of these services. 

By moving the contracts on the Mental Health Side into Fee-for service it will mimic the substance abuse side.  Sets the stage for integrated systems.

One of the things that they’re going to be doing is creating a work group of providers to talk about integrating systems.  They’re hoping the systems will be integrated by 2011.

Walter will send out a follow up email in the next couple of weeks asking for help. 

Start at Dept. of Health if you want to talk about speeding this process along.

Have to be on Medicaid and use functional screen. The cap is 1500 which is a slight increase over what they serve now. The number is statewide and will increase when the other counties join in.

 Updates: 

Milwaukee County BHD Budget – Make It Work Milwaukee – (handout – Make IT work Milwaukee Action Alert Oct. 3)  Budget for Health and Human Services including BHD.  Mental Health Advocates that turned out to testify did a great job.  Economic Support Center is looking at changing the call center system and looking at IMPACT to take that over.  That budget hearing has been laid over until October 23^rd.  Issues coming up tomorrow is transportation – transit and para-transit.  Session begins at 9am.  Modest increases in the bus fare. 

Universal Screening – From the Summit people said that it would be helpful if they had a universal screening process.  The Budget has $600,000 to start that process.  The actual cost annual is about $2.2 million.  The County Exec took it out of the budget. 

 Criminal Justice – Post Summit follow up – next follow up is Monday, October 20^th from 3pm -4:30 at WCS.   

Crisis Resource Center – Going along, nothing much new.  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conference starting tomorrow that Debbie is going to.  Looking at what the service pattern should be.  They are potentially in a position to expand.  They have been assured that county contract would be something that they can live with.  They’re having an issue with access to services after crisis. 

Office of Consumer Affairs – 5 peer specialists going through program to train people to facilitate AODA groups on the acute units.  Peer specialists will be co-facilitating spirituality groups.

Housing – City Housing Trust Fund, County Housing Division etc –  City planning commission recommended zoning change for Cardinal Capital and Our Space to build 30 units on space that Our Space already resides.  Alderman Bob Bauman withdrew his support on another 30 units of housing on 26^th and Clyborn because Red Cross backed out and turned over the support piece to Community Advocates.  Bauman’s office says overwhelming backlash from constituents.

As a result of the foreclosure bill that was passed a couple months ago money is beginning to flow to states to make millions of dollars to buy up foreclosed properties, rehab them and then sell them.  There is a mandate to designate 25% of the funds to be targeted to people with disabilities.  Very short time period in which plans need to be developed.  There is a dispute between mayor and common council on who is going to organize this money.  The county is also entitled to get some money, because it goes over 2 million dollars it gets rolled back up to the state.  The state will get 38 million dollars.  All of which is supposed to be used for this particular housing initiative. 

As a result of the Emergency Disaster Declaration from earlier this year.  A dozen counties were selected for WHEDA is looking at getting 90 million dollars in tax credits over the next three years.  Additional tax credit money which includes low income housing and doesn’t need to be specific to flood victims.

 Next Meeting – November 11^th at the new Independence First location, 540 South 1^st Street.  3pm-5pm.   

The Mental Health Task Force will be the leading voice and take courageous stands on issues of importance to people with mental illness in Milwaukee County. We will serve as organized, strategic, and proactive agents for change on the issues we address.

Guiding Principle 2: Task Force Mindset

The Task Force is committed to the concept that everyone is equal and everyone plays a role. Consumers of mental health services will have a strong voice and leadership roles in all aspects of the Task Force. Task Force members will strive to set aside self interest for the good of the overall organization, and will follow through on their commitments.

Guiding Principle 3: Recovery

The Task Force will take a Recovery orientation in all aspects of our activity, including maintaining a strong consumer-centered focus and working to ensure that Recovery principles are incorporated in all elements of mental health system reform and service delivery.

Guiding Principle 4: Commitment to the Community

The Task Force believes that people of all ages with mental illness deserve high quality services delivered in community settings of their choosing. We also promote the concept that the entire community needs to be responsive to and accountable for all its members, including those with psychiatric disabilities.

Guiding Principle 5: Respecting Diversity

The Task Force membership will strive to be reflective of the Milwaukee community, and will work to continually improve our cultural competence across all racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and disability-related cultures.

Guiding Principle 6: Education

The Mental Health Task Force will serve as an educational resource to the Milwaukee community, including the general public, elected officials, the media, and public and private mental health service delivery systems on the issues faced by people with mental illness. In all our communications we will strive to reduce stigma and stereotypical attitudes that create additional barriers for people with mental illness.

Guiding Principle 7: Communication Hub

The Task Force will serve as a coalition of coalitions, sharing our information and resources broadly and serving as a clearinghouse for best practices in mental health service delivery.