Macon County Mental Health Task Force
Minutes – March 14, 2008



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

Welcome and Introductions:  Ronnie Beale welcomed everyone to today’s meeting
and asked everyone to introduce themselves.  Mr. Beale introduced Pamela Baker
and thanked her attending today.  Mr. Beale informed the task force members
that Ms. Baker would do a brief presentation during today’s meeting.  Mr. 
Beale welcomed the other public attendees and thanked them for attending 
today’s meeting.

Approval of minutes:  Robby Holland made a motion to approve the minutes.  
Andy Shields 2nd the motion, with a unanimous vote for approval.



Action Items:
Ronnie Beale announced that the meeting with providers had been a great
success.  Mr. Beale said the providers were very thankful for this meeting and
he had received many positive comments.  Mr. Beale asked each task force member
for their views on this meeting:
* Don Sandoval - He stated he was very surprised and pleased with the number of
providers that attended the meeting.
* Paula Ledford - She stated that comments made during the meeting validated 
the issues that this committee have been discussing.
* Andy Shields - He said we still need to work on an easier path for the 
consumers to connect with the providers.
* Jane Kimsey - She stated that the providers also expressed frustration with
the current system of dealing with mental health.
* Mike Neidig - He was impressed with the number of providers attending and had
met some providers he did not know.
* Kathy McGaha - She stated that even though she did not attend, she had heard 
many positive remarks about the meeting.
* Robby Holland - He stated that he had been attending another meeting, at 
which questions and comments were made about our efforts to deal with the 
mental health issue.

Jane Kimsey announced that one request from the providers meeting was to 
develop a list of providers available for Macon County, also listing what 
services they provide.  Ms. Kimsey said Judy Kuehn had worked on the 
development of this listing.  Ms. Kuehn provided the task force members with
a rough draft of this listing.  

Ronnie Beale asked the task force members if they had read or reviewed the
Comprehensive Community Health Assessment that Healthy Carolinians had 
completed in 2007.  Mr. Beale said this assessment contained a lot of useful
information and asked the task force members to review this assessment if 
they had not.  Ms. McGaha also announced that the results of the 2007 Youth
Risk Behavior Survey were now posted on the Healthy Carolinians website 
(maconnc.org).  

Jane Kimsey said she had been asked at the providers meeting, if the minutes
from our meetings could be posted as well as any other information this task
force has gathered.  The task force members discussed who would be responsible
for verifying all the information and keeping it updated and who would maintain
and update the website.

These issues were not settled and will be discussed at a later meeting.

Ronnie Beale next asked Pamela Baker to present her proposal.  Ms. Baker stated
she is working on a proposal for a residential program in the Franklin area.
Ms. Baker said this proposal is for a 40 bed group home.  Ms. Baker said she
is currently working on getting a waiver to obtain the needed licensure.  
Ms. Baker said there is no other program like this in the area.

Robby Holland next gave the committee members a handout to review.  Mr. 
Holland said the handout listed the results of a survey that had been 
conducted in five WNC county jails. Mr. Holland said the results of this
survey reinforce the need for a jail program.

Ronnie Beale asked Mr. Bruckner about the status of the meetings with Smoky
Mountain Center.  Mr. Bruckner said the first meeting had been completed.  
Mr. Bruckner said the second meeting had been cancelled, but he is working on
setting up new meeting date.  The next meeting will cover the topics of an 
educational program targeting substance abuse that can continue once the 
inmate is released and a best practice model.

Ronnie Beale asked the task force members to further consider the addition of
Smoky Mountain representatives to the task force.  Mike Neidig motioned for 
the appointment of Rhonda Cox, Tammy Keezer and Judy Kuehn to the task force.
Jim Bruckner 2nd the motion, with all members in agreement.  Mr. Bruckner will
send a request to Smoky Mountain inviting these nominations to attend the next
meeting on March 28th.  Mr. Beale will forward these nominations onto the other
Commissioners.

Ronnie Beale asked the task force members if they had read the recent editorial
in The Franklin Press.  This editorial mentioned the recent articles in the 
Raleigh newspaper on mental health.  

Judy Kuehn also passed out an article on youth risky behaviors.  Mr. Kuehn 
invited everyone to attend the upcoming presentation on youth risky behaviors
being held on March 17th at the FHS Fine Arts Center starting at 6:30 PM.  
Ms. Blanton passed out flyers for this upcoming event.

Kathy McGaha informed the task force members about funding opportunities that
were available.  Ms. McGaha passed out a handout on one funding opportunity for
Substance Abuse Prevention for the task force members to review.  Mr. Beale 
asked Ms. McGaha to keep the task force informed about other funding 
opportunities.  Mr. Beale also asked Ms. McGaha her opinion about writing for
grant funding.  Ms. McGaha said that it would be better to wait until the task
force has a plan in place.  Ms. McGaha said it would make any grant 
application stronger.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, March 28th.  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