Macon Mental Health Task Force
June 4, 2008


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

Welcome - Ronnie Beale welcomed everyone to today’s meeting and thanked 
them for attending.

Approval of Minutes - Jim Bruckner made a motion to approve the minutes.
Robert Holland 2nd the motion, with a unanimous vote for approval.


Action Items:

Ronnie Beale read a letter he had received from Smoky Mountain Center to the
task force members.  Mr. Beale then asked the task force members their opinions
on how he should respond to this letter.  Mr. Holland clarified what was said
at the last meeting and the task force members briefly discussed this and 
gave Mr. Beale their opinions.

Jane Kimsey next led the task force members through a review of the draft of 
the Report from Mental Health Task Force on Mental Health Services in Macon 
County.  Ms Kimsey stated that all comments and recommendations from the task
force members had been included in this draft. 

Jane Kimsey asked the task force members to look at the last section titled
Recommendations/Conclusion.  Mr. Bruckner explained that future local mental
health planning efforts needed to start immediately and be the responsibility
of Healthy Carolinians of Macon County.  Mr. Bruckner stated that assistance 
through HCMC will be instrumental in implementing the Task Force’s short-term
recommendations and developing the long-term recommendations to address the 
mental health needs for the county residents.  HCMC will submit a report with
program and funding recommendations to the Macon County Mental Health Task 
Force by Dec. 31, 2008.  Ms. McGaha explained that these recommendations would
be taken to HCMC’s Steering Committee for approval.

Jane Kimsey next reviewed the short-term recommendations of the Task Force.  
Ms. Kimsey read each of the bulleted recommendations and asked the task force
members to discuss and consider each one.  The task force members agreed with
the six short-term recommendations with only a couple of minor changes.  

Jane Kimsey asked for the Task Force’s approval of this draft.  Kathy McGaha 
made a motion for approval (with said changes) of the Report from Mental Health
Task Force on Mental Health Services in Macon County.  Andy Shields 2nd the 
motion, with a unanimous vote for approval.  

The Mental Health Task Force will continue to meet quarterly to review the 
status of mental health services in Macon County and will continue to advocate
for the development and implementation of quality, local community based 
consumer mental health care.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 1st.  The meeting will start 
at 8:30 AM in Meeting Rooms A/B at the Health and Human Services Building.

Minutes recorded by Rhonda Blanton