Macon County Mental Health Task Force
Minutes – 02/01/08



Members present:  Ronnie Beale, Jim Bruckner, Robert Holland, Jane Kimsey,
Paula Ledford, Kathy McGaha, Mike Neidig, Don Sandoval and Andy Shields

Approval of minutes:  Robert Holland motioned for approval of the minutes.
Jim Bruckner 2nd the motion, with a unanimous vote for approval.


Action Items:
Commissioner Beale welcomed Paula Ledford as a member of the task force.  
Ms. Ledford is representing the school system.  Mr. Beale asked Ms. Ledford
if she could break down costs of mental health to the school system and 
report this back to the task force.  Ms. Ledford said she should be able to
report an amount at the next meeting.

Jane Kimsey asked the task force members to refer to the resource booklet
for information.  Ms. Kimsey thanked Rhonda Blanton for organizing these 
booklets.  Ms. Kimsey said some school data was included in the booklets.
Ms. Kimsey also asked the task force members to look at an article obtained 
by Brian Welch.  This article is titled - "County and Municipal Government in
North Carolina".  Commissioner Beale asked the task force members to read the
section in the article on budget and control. Ms. Kimsey asked the task force
members to read the entire article and create a list of questions and requests
for Smoky Mountain.

Jane Kimsey next reviewed county funding.  Ms. Kimsey said she had met with
Evelyn Southard about the funding allocation from Macon County to Smoky 
Mountain Mental Health LME.  Ms. Kimsey reported that the county contributes 
$8,975 monthly/$107,700 annually to the LME.  Ms. Kimsey said this amount has
not changed since the 2004-2005 fiscal year.  After a group discussion, the 
task force members decided that they needed to identify both direct and 
indirect costs related to the county’s mental health services.  Ms. Kimsey 
also asked the task force members to review Smoky Mountain’s 
strategic/business plans, which are posted on their website.  One interesting
figure on Smoky Mountain’s 06/07 audit, Smoky Mountain had an unreserved fund 
balance of $9,214,000 or 61% of total general fund expenditures for the fiscal
year, which $2,908,606 of the unreserved fund is designated for future client
services.

Sheriff Holland provided figures on the number of involuntary commitments the
Sheriff’s Department has transported to mental health providers since 2005. 
Mr. Holland stressed that the number of commitments, officers utilized and 
hours expended have continued to increase since 2005.  Mr. Holland also 
explained that there is a discrepancy between how the Sheriff’s Department
counts commitments and how Smoky Mountain LME counts them.  

Jim Bruckner next passed out a sheet for strategic planning.  Mr. Bruckner 
reviewed the sheet and asked the task force members to work on the sheet and
bring it back to the next meeting.  Once the forms are completed, Mr. Bruckner
will compile the data and present it to the task force.

Sheriff Holland and Mike Neidig explained a substance abuse treatment program
they would like to provide to the inmates.  Sheriff Holland said he had 
conducted several surveys amongst the inmates and a great interest has been
expressed for a voluntary treatment prevention program.  Mr. Neidig said he 
has met and talked with Smoky Mountain several times about a program being 
offered to the inmates.  This program would be similar to the matrix model.

Jane Kimsey and Kathy McGaha reported that Smoky Mountain Center will be 
sponsoring a Mental Health Provider Fair on Friday, February 8th.  It will be
held from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the Community Facilities Building.  

Next meeting is being held on Friday, February 15th.  The meeting will start
at 8:00 AM in Meeting Rooms A/B at the Health and Human Services Building.

Minutes recorded by Rhonda Blanton