Macon Mental Health Task Force
November 21, 2008


Members present - Jim Bruckner, Julie Durham-Defee, Robert Holland, Jane
Kimsey, Paula Ledford, Kathy McGaha, Mike Neidig, Andy Shields and Martin
Wadewitz

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


Action Items:

Kathy McGaha reported that two proposals had been received for the School
Based Mental Health Services RFP.

Julie Durham-Defee reported that Smoky Mountain had recently conducted two
local Providers Meetings.  Ms. Durham-Defee said the next Provider Meeting 
is scheduled for December 17th.

Brian Welch updated the task force members on the County Transportation Plan.
Mr. Welch said the Transportation Sub-Committee will meet on December 5th, 
starting at 9:30 AM in Meeting Rooms A/B at the Health and Human Services 
Building.  Mr. Welch said this committee will be responsible for developing
alternatives for transporting respondents in involuntary commitment proceedings
and presenting these alternatives to the Mental Health Task Force.

Jane Kimsey updated the task force members on a local information/referral 
line.  Ms. Kimsey stated that Senior Services had applied for and received
a grant for a Community Resource Center.  This grant covers Haywood, Jackson
and Macon counties.  Ms. Kimsey said one requirement of the grant is for a 
1-800 line.  Ms. Kimsey said one consideration is to expand the 211 line in
Haywood County into Macon County.

Jane Kimsey next covered the 160A Service Authority for Mental Health Services.
Ms. Kimsey explained that Medicaid reimbursement funds will no longer be given
to a third-party contractor as of September 2009.  These funds instead will be
provided directly to the local management entities.  This switch means Smoky
Mountain Center must stop providing direct services.  Ms. Kimsey said one 
option is to form a new agency operating in the seven western counties to 
handle mental health services including emergency services, psychiatric 
services and crisis stabilization services.

The task force members asked that Mike Neidig and Sheriff Holland give an
update on the Jail Program at the next meeting.


Mary Ann Widenhouse stated that she had recently attended the National Crisis
Intervention Team Conference.  Ms. Widenhouse explained that the CIT program 
started in Memphis, TN.  The CIT program provides law enforcement officers 
with training on mental illness and crisis intervention.  This goal of the 
program is to keep officer and mental health consumer’s safe in any encounter.
Sheriff Holland stated that fourteen law officers from the Macon County 
Sheriff’s Office and the Franklin Police Department had recently attended a
workshop at Southwestern Community College - "Recognizing the Warning Signs of
Mental Illness and Strategies for Effectively Dealing with it".  Sheriff 
Holland stated this workshop was based on the CIT program.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, December 19th.  The meeting will start
at 10:30 AM in the ICU Conference Room at Angel Medical Center.

Minutes recorded by Rhonda Blanton