NC Crisis Services Workgroup Minutes 1/22/08

We are posting the minutes of DHHS Secretary Benton's Crisis Servives Workgoup. We'll try to get the minutes from the other workgroups. Let us know what you think.

Crisis Services Work Group

Meeting Notes

January 22, 2008

Dorothea Dix Campus, Adams Building, Room 264

Members Present: Secretary Dempsey Benton, Amy Blackwell, Wendy Webster, Sarah Wiltgen, David Rubinow, Jack Naftel, Tony Lindsey, Ellen Holliman, Mike Watson, Patrice Roesler, John Tote, Robin Huffman, Dr. Marvin Swartz, Carl Britton-Watkins, Peter Mumma, Mike Hennike, Mike Lancaster, Leza Wainwright, Mike Vicario, Yvonne Copeland, Tara Larson, Linda Povlich Stuart Berde, Walker Wilson, Jack St. Clair.

Members Absent: Foster Norman, Barbara Beatty, Brent Myers, Dr. Darlene Menscer

Others Present: Barbara Whitaker, Katherine Davis, Paula Graham

• Secretary Benton opened the meeting with introductions and appreciation for everyone's participation. He challenged the Crisis Services Group to come up with the core components of a crisis service system and to determine the inpatient bed needs in the state. The expansion budget request is due Feb. 19 but he stated we probably had a 30 day grace period during which he wanted this group to have some recommendations for the Department.

• Leza Wainwright presented several maps depicting the current picture of crisis services across NC which invited further discussion about crisis services functions, realistic expectations, response time, geographic accessibility, data needs, effectiveness of mobile crisis units, etc.
  
  
• Discussion highlighted a number of concerns and needs. Many fell into the following themes:
  
  1. Emphasis on work force development, training and retention
  2. Bed inventory versus bed availability/need
  3. How are crisis dollars being spent
  4. Excessive paperwork and need for conformity in forms and processes
  
  
• Suggested agenda items for next meetings include:

1. A review of the models being used at Southeastern, Piedmont, Smokey and Sandhills.

2. A presentation by Mike Vicario and Yvonne Copeland on the mobile crisis teams' report being presented to NCHA on January 29^th.

• The group agreed to meeting on alternate Tuesday afternoons beginning February 5th. Please note for logistical purposes, the time has been changed to 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This will enable the earlier group to vacate the conference room in time for our group to convene. It is imperative that everyone be prepared to begin our meeting at 3:15 to maximize our time together.