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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMH Provider Meeting Minutes 12-11-20Mental Health Provider Meeting Friday, December 11, 2020 MH 1 12/11/20 MEETING MINUTES Welcome & Introductions The meeting was held via Google Meet. Jim Gilbert confirmed the attendance of providers that were present. Standing Agenda Items  Child Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) Update – Kim Lucas All schools are different. There have been meetings this week with the districts in the county. As a result, participants are finding that some of the issues with families and children with mental health are continuing. Staff is looking at what they can do from the agency to support the children, the parents and the district personnel. The Student Assistance Program (SAP) has been very involved with the schools in Franklin and Fulton counties and statewide. Meetings occur monthly about how things are and what is being done differently. CASSP meetings are still occurring. All meetings are remote and things seem to be going as smoothly as possible. Meetings are tending to be larger due to the virtual option. If any agencies would like Kim to present on CASSP, please contact her at kmlucas@franklincountypa.gov, or (717) 709-2307. Kim is able to join virtual staff meetings to discuss CASSP, when to refer, what it’s about and how everyone can work together as a team to support the individuals and families. During the discussion of CASSP, it was noted that some are being informed that children are not that stressed. This is a concerning statement.  Healthy Communities Partnership is seeing major stress in individuals in the SAP program.  Family Based noted that there was an increase in inpatient with youth since the pandemic.  Kim noted that there are calls for inpatient and in residential treatment facilities (RTF). Kim further discussed how agencies are no longer seeing children in person, only on a screen or on the telephone so those involved may not necessarily know what is going on. There was a comment made in a CASSP meeting about an individual who was struggling in school in terms of social issues, school anxiety, etc. That particular child is no longer stressed since starting remote learning. However, this is not the case for all children. During the statewide SAP meeting, it was noted that there are at least 50% of students not engaged in school and truancy is at an all-time high.  At the suicide prevention task force, the Safe to Say program was discussed. It is a program where anyone can report if a friend is indicating they are suicidal or have mental health concerns of if they themselves Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 2 12/11/20 are. When schools were closed, the numbers dropped to almost nothing. When the schools opened back up, the numbers went back up.  Tuscarora Managed Care Alliance (TMCA) Update – Gen Harper All TMCA staff are working remotely. They are accessible and will get back to you quickly via email. Phone numbers attached to staff are routed to their cell phones. Feel free to reach out if you need anything. TMCA continues to update providers related to COVID and alternative payment arrangements (APA) monthly. Meeting are informative for providers to keep everyone up to date. These meetings will continue throughout the year.  PerformCare Update – Kourtney Griggs Meetings for providers receiving APAs will resume in January. PerformCare staff continues to work remotely as they have been since the beginning of the pandemic. This will continue until further notice. There has been no back to the office date provided at this time or a date to allow in person meetings with providers. Everything is held via phone, email or Zoom at this time.  Community Resource Spotlight – I&R and 211 – Stacy Yurko Stacy Yurko handles Informal & Referral (I&R) for Franklin County. Stacy is the PA 211 Housing and Referral Specialist and the Link Coordinator. Services under link are specific to aging, 60+ and have a disability. This can include a parent calling for a child with Autism, someone with mental health needs, etc. Under PA 211, there are no specifics or requirements to be able to call in and be provided assistance. Franklin County is unique in that they have the 211 Coordinator imbedded in the county. Most counties have a call center. Our center is in Harrisburg and we contract with them. When Stacy is in meetings, off or on a call with other individuals who are requesting help, the call center will pick up the calls. Stacy reviewed a monthly report for Franklin County. This report will be shared with the minutes. In January, 211 started using a new system which can narrow down what services residents are requesting. It can also track individuals calling, new callers each month, are they reaching out via text, website or calling, etc.  There were 483 phone contacts last month and nine (9) text messages. There were 4,435 year to date that have reached out for some sort of need. That need can be assistance with food, counseling, IQ testing, spiritual counseling, where to get a rapid COVID test, etc.  The report shows the trend of this year versus last year. At this time, numbers are increasing and continue to increase. A lot is due to COVID which is affecting individuals housing, food and utilities. Overall, the trend continues to increase with the exception of December. Historically, calls are low during this time.  The top 2-1-1 caller needs are rent payment assistance, housing related coordinated entry, electric service payment assistance, food pantries and Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 3 12/11/20 low income/subsidized private rental housing. The top listener caller needs are loneliness, health issues, mental/emotional, stress/anxiety and depression. The listener caller line is available 24/7.  The top five (5) referred agencies are PA Department of Human Services, South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP), Waynesboro Community & Human Services, Saint Vincent DePaul Ministry of Corpus Christi and Marantha Ministry.  The report includes data for contact geographic, age, gender, related to COVID, whether their housing situation is a result of discrimination, etc. It asks if the caller has to worry that their food won’t last. Those who answer the phone have gotten better at asking specific questions to help narrow down what is going on in the home with food. This is one of the easiest things to assist a family with as they are referred to the local food pantry.  Top unmet needs include rent payment assistance, community shelters, motel bill payment assistance and electric payment assistance. Housing services require an eviction notice or notice to quit. This information is tracked to see if there is a need. If a trend is noticed, why and is there something we can do to change the program to meet the perimeter. Example: SCAAP has a housing assistance program. Due to the new system, those involved were able to show the numbers and ask what was going on. SCCAP was able to make internal program changes, such as changing to 200% poverty guideline instead of 150%. As a result, it opened up the door to help more individuals.  The report includes the top 25 referred agencies and their services. There is more than just non-profit and governmental agencies on the list. Saint Vincent DePaul Ministry of Corpus Christi tied into our services almost two (2) years ago. They work in coordination to make sure services are being provided and individuals are not falling through gaps. 211 has been able to build to have their faith based partners a part of the program.  Stacy noted how she has seen a change over the years. She used to be asked more about rent, gas money, etc. Where now, callers appear to be in crisis at that exact moment and need someone to talk to. The volume of individuals calling went from 100-200 a month to up to 500 even 600 at times. Stacy reviewed the new and improved 211 website. It is available to anyone. Previously, there were no quick links. Those utilizing the website had to search but now quick links are broken down to include areas such as crisis hotline, food, clothing, disability, transportation, veterans, etc. If you are unsure what group assistance may fall under, you can still complete a search for that type of assistance or even search for a specific agency.  Under mental health, it is broken down into specific topics such as intervention, evaluation, counseling, treatment, etc. If you click on one of them, it breaks it down further which makes it easier for the individual to find a specific service.  There is the option to search all of PA or you can enter a specific zip code. A map will then appear. You can click on the agency you are interested Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 4 12/11/20 in and on the side of the page detailed information, to include contact information, will appear for that agency/service.  The website is confidential, free and available 24/7. Questions – Who answers the phones when Stacy is not?  There are several call centers (one out of contact helpline, one out of northeast, United Way in Lancaster, etc.). It is a cloud based system, so when Stacy is not answering the phones, the calls are automatically routed to the next available person at a call center. There are volunteers working. However, housing specialists are all paid staff as it requires a specialized training. If someone needs assistance with housing/application process, can they utilize the website or is that via phone?  Because housing requires in depth detail such as the need for social security number, date of birth, number of individuals in household, income, landlord, etc. individuals need to complete this process via the phone not the website. Housing calls can take 20-40 minutes depending on the services needed.  On the website, if you click on housing, payment for assistance, provider agencies information will list that they only accept referrals through HMIS by a Housing Specialist. This just means that they must call 211 to complete the process. Instead of the individual applying to three (3) to four (4) programs themselves, 211 is able to refer them to the programs that they would be eligible for. They would not have to share their story every time to multiple agencies. For housing, programs require individuals to show proof that they have an income to sustain except for the homeless prevention program. This program is limited though. When an individual says they do not have an income, the housing specialist needs to come up with alternative ways to help them/go into more in depth diversion. Stacy also has a I&R line also known as the access center. The number is (717) 261-2561. If she does not answer, leave a message and she will call back.  Human Services Block Grant 101 – Stacy Rowe History of the Block Grant – The Block Grant was established in 2012 through Act 80. Initially it was a pilot program in which Franklin and Fulton counties were a part of. Franklin/Fulton is the only joinder in the state that both counties are participating in the Block Grant. Initially there were only 20 counties in the pilot but now it is open to any county who wants to participate. Franklin County’s portion is around $6 million. This represents a small portion of overall human services which is around $30 million as a whole. The Block Grant combined funding from certain categorical – mental health (MH), intellectual & developmental disabilities (IDD), drug and alcohol (D&A), housing assistance Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 5 12/11/20 and human services development funds (HSDF). For D&A, the only funds in the Block Grant are Act 152 and behavioral health initiative funding. The rest is through the Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs (DDAP). When the Block Grant was established, all silos of funding was broken down. Previously, the county would receive allocations per program and it could only be utilized in those specific areas. For example: if MH received $100,000 and could only utilize $50,000 that fiscal year due to restrictions, the remaining unutilized funds would go back to the state. The Block Grant, however, allows flexibility of funding. It also allows the programs to support specific services outside the core categorical, such as aging and children and youth services (CYS), through the human services development funds. Funding Allocation Process – The Block Grant is governed by a committee. There is an internal work group and external committee. The external committee has voting members that are comprised of those in the community. A Block Grant plan is submitted annually to the state. It is voted on and approved by the committee members then the County Commissioners prior to submission. As for the allocation process, first we look at the internal core Human Services Block Grant programs (core categorical – MH, IDD, D&A, housing and HSDF) to see if they have specific needs. For example: D&A’s allocation has been at a deficit the last couple years as services have exceeded funding. We look at internal need to divert funding if it is available. If it is determined that these programs’ needs are met, the second tier is to look at internal non-Human Services Block Grant programs, such as Aging and CYS, to see if they have a need. The last couple of fiscal years, there has been a need in Aging as services have exceeded available funding. The Block Grant was able to assist. Once the needs are met in these two (2) areas, if there is additional funding it is opened up to external Human Services providers/any organizational entity that wants to apply. This is done almost like a mini grant process. It would be established on the front end knowing how much money is available. It would be noted that the Block Grant is accepting applications for X amount of funding. It would then go through a formal application process where a separate committee would evaluate and score the applications received. There have been questions in the past, specifically from MH/MH providers. Since MH is a core categorical in the Block Grant, if there is a need within MH from a provider, the first line of request would be to work with your MH Program Specialist and Director. Since MH is a core categorical, the Block Grant would look to that program for availability within their own budget to accommodate the request. If the request is above and beyond what the program budget requires then the program director can submit a request to the Block Grant on behalf of the Mental Health Program. Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 6 12/11/20 Requests to the Block Grant should be for one time funding. The Block Grant funds would not be able to sustain a full time position or service ongoing. Example: There has been programs that have wanted to expand services but did not have the startup funding to make it happen. The program was able to be sustained going forward through the MH budget so the Block Grant provided the startup funds for that program. Provider Announcements & Updates  TrueNorth Wellness Services Things are going well. TrueNorth is cutting back on mobile. They are offering telehealth and in office appointments. TrueNorth has been experiencing issues with staff recruitment. The staff TrueNorth has is phenomenal but getting new staff has been significantly challenging across all programs. If anyone knows of anyone, please have them reach out to TrueNorth. They have openings in just about every position across their agency.  Laurel Life Services Laurel Life continues to try to maintain Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS) and Family Based services as primarily in home. Sessions were at 80% occurring in home with a wellness plan, COVID precautions and pre-screening in place. Laurel Life continues to review the ability to do this weekly. Some families are not comfortable with the mandates. This is an ongoing basis. Outpatient is at 50-60% utilization of telehealth. Laurel Life is still accepting referrals for outpatient and Family Based services. IBHS program is moving forward. Laurel Life has the licensure and are working on credentialing for the program. There is a wait list for all levels of service. Hiring, particularly licensed and highly credential staff for IBHS, is a challenge. If anyone has any ideas or recommendation to continue to recruit, Laurel Life welcomes any feedback.  Mental Health Association Through the Suicide Prevention Coalition, a group of volunteers have come together to put hanging bags on community member’s doors. The bags contain information about services available in the county. There is information regarding food pantries, services, information about if you get sick, symptoms, testing centers, a magnet with the Helpline number, etc. If your organization would like to provide MHA with a brochure about your services, they would be happy to insert it into the bags. The information can be dropped off in the lobby of MHA’s office. Please send Sheri Morgan or Bethany Peake an email informing them you are dropping off items. Helpline staff are still in the office and would be able to bring the box into the office (as other MHA staff are working remotely). Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 7 12/11/20 MHA will continue the hanging bags after the holidays; once a month, indefinitely. The Helpline has received increase calls since the hanging bags went out. Staff has asked callers where they have heard about MHA and they have noted it was due to the hanging bags (package). MHA has room for more peers. If you know of anyone interested, please reach out to MHA. MHA has a Senior Reach Call Specialist that reaches out to seniors at home. If anyone is interested in this service, please reach out to MHA. MHA has a strict mitigation process they have been utilizing. They have not had to close services and are able to provide in person services for those who want it. County Announcements/Information  Reports due since our last MH Provider Meeting:  MCR Report (Program funded providers only) [NOTE: MH Fiscal Officer will contact these providers after receiving the MCR report from the State]  Quarterly report of Expenditures (July - September)  Reports due prior to our next MH Provider Meeting:  Audited Reports (for FY ending June 30th)  Progress report on outcomes in Appendix A (first six months)  Internal Quality of Service Survey  Quarterly Report of Expenditures (October - December)  Appendix A for upcoming fiscal year  Budget/Rate letter for upcoming fiscal year  Staff Roster for upcoming fiscal year (if appropriate)  Unit Assumptions for upcoming fiscal year (if appropriate)  Budget Narratives for upcoming fiscal year (if appropriate) It is soon contract time again! MH staff are meeting internally about contract goals and the content for those goals in the next fiscal year. More information will be provided in the near future.  Staffing Updates Many of MH/IDD/EI staff are working remotely and continue to do so. There are still some staff who remain in the office. A new Administrative Officer will be starting early next year.  Psychiatric Admissions Reporting Overview The report provided is for July – September. The numbers ebb and flow in regards to admissions and length of staff. Generally speaking, the children’s admissions tend to be longer than adults. There is nothing outstanding to point out from this report. If anyone has any questions, please let Jim know. Mental Health Provider Meeting MH 8 12/11/20  Forensic Specialized Community Residence (FSCR) Update Things are moving forward. This past Wednesday (12/9), the state completed their licensing inspection. It went well. There were some items identified in which Program Management will address in the very near future. Recruitment of staff is ongoing. Hiring and training continues. Once the program receives their licensing and staff is in place, they will begin to move individuals into the eight (8) bed facility on Ragged Edge Road. As Keystone Service Systems did with the Specialized Community Residence (SCR) on McKinley Street, they will move one (1) to two (2) individuals in at a time. After a period of time, they will move additional individuals in. Referrals are still being reviewed. Interviews and assessments are being scheduled. At this point, there is no tentative opening date.  Trauma Certification Course There was a tremendous response from the trauma informed course the County offered. Of those registered, 57% are providers; the rest are county staff. Of those registered, 58% have completed the course with 51% of them being licensed and able to get the certification to be recognized as a trauma certified therapist. The course is available until May so there is still time for completion. If there is anyone new interested in the course, please let Cori know. The hope is the county can offer future training opportunities like the trauma certification course. Any feedback or conversations from providers of what they would like to see would be helpful. Please reach out to Cori or Jim.  CDC Eviction Moratorium Tracy noted that the CDC eviction moratorium will end at the end of this month. If you know of individuals having trouble paying their rent or their landlord is proceeding with an eviction for non-payment of rent, please have them call 211 to see if assistance is available. You can also have them seek legal advice regarding the eviction. The meeting was adjourned. Next Meeting: March 12, 2021 starting at 10:00 a.m. 2021 Meetings: March 12th June 11th September 10th December 10th