(return to www.keysregion.org)

 

Mental Health Task Force

Meeting Minutes

April 6, 2007

 

Reminder: The next meeting will be Friday, May 11,

due to the Bi-Polar Conference!

 

 

Present:

        * indicates a panelist/speaker for todayÕs topic

Name                                      

Organization

Phone #

E-mail

1.  * Ron St. James

DHHS,

 

2.  * Mary Tagney

DHHS

 

3.  Karen Dufour

439-8391

karen.dufour@csimaine.com

4.  Kim Perham

NAMI-FAMILY York

363-3429

yvfd@juno.com

5.  Bob Belisle

York FAMILY-NAMI

ellhouse@maine.rr.com

6.  Kimberly Plaisted

CHC/York Hospital

chcrx@comcast.net

7.  Michelle Armstrong

DHHS

Michelle.Armstrong@maine.gov

8.  Brenda Gagnon

DHHS

Brenda.Gagnon@maine.gov

9.  Louanne Thomas

Caring Unlimited

louannet@caring-unlimited.org

10.  Deb Erickson-Irons

351-2199

derickson-irons@yorkhospital.com

11.  Maury Elsasser      

603-953-0017 

maury.elsasser@csacmethadone.com

12.  Ted Heselton

324-1137        

jennifer.ouellette@yorkcountyshelters.org

13.  Diane Cyr

SMHC

dcyr@smhc-nh.org

14.  Diane Brandon      

438-9100        CWC/KEYS Coalition

diane@keysregion.org

15.  Herb Hoffman

 

pala@maine.rr.com

16.  Eugene A. Glick, MD

361-1366

(mostly retired psychiatrist) geneg@maine.rr.com

17.  Henry Guertin-Ouellette

363-4444 York PD 

 henlaugo@maine.rr.com

 

 

 

á  Ron St. James and Mary Tagney, DHHS representatives reported about the Community Service Network, Region 7.  The purpose is to communicate more effectively with consumers in order to create a no-reject, low barrier adult mental health system.  The CSN identifies services that are necessary to comply with the consent decree.  Regarding crisis services, Spring Harbor is the gate-keeper for our area that admits to Riverview.  Acadia is the gatekeeper for Dorothea Dix.   Regarding housing, group homes are Òfalling out of favor.Ó  Folks are being encouraged to live in the community in their own apartment that is subsidized and where community-based wrap-around services are provided.  A question was asked regarding Òcooperative livingÓ arrangements.  Cooperative Living arrangements may be stigmatizing.   Members from regional CSNs go to a statewide monthly meeting in Augusta.  Employment Specialist positions have been created.  There are 4 now; eventually there will be one in each CSN.  The Cumberland area specialist is covering York County for now.

á  The Consumer Council System of Maine has been established.  There was a lively discussion regarding what the word ÒconsumerÓ means, and if ÒconsumerÓ includes the families of those being treated by the mental health system.  This system is still being developed and questions exist regarding where the local councils will meet.  A suggestion was made that there be more than one local council per region.  Leticia Hutton from Region One will be pulling together the Statewide Council of Consumers.

á  There are now 2 Intensive Case Managers working in the York County jail Ð Todd Prevatt and Dana Ellsmore.  If a Police Officer tells the booking agent that the arrested individual needs case management services, the case manager will be called.  The purpose is to divert people from jail and connect them to services. 

 

Announcements from those attending:

á  Kim Perham: The NAMI Maine Walk will be held on May 12th in Portland.  Brochures were distributed.  You can join in, or sponsor a NAMI Family York member.  Make checks out to NAMI Maine and be sure to write ÒNAMI Family YorkÓ on the memo line so our local group can receive 40% of the proceeds.

á  Henry Guertin-Ouellette: will bring a card to send to Marie Gray to thank her for her work with us over the years.

á  Diane Cyr: The Bi-Polar Conference will be on May 4th at the Frank Jones Center; the Schizophrenia Group is held the 3rd Thurs/mo from 1-2:30 at Seacoast MH; a grandparentsÕ group is being held every Thursday, 1:00-2:00 at the Exeter office of Seacoast MH.

á  The South Berwick Senior Center is holding a Wellness Fair on May 16, 10-4.  Registration forms were distributed.

á  Maury Elsasseur, LADC is starting his own adolescent treatment practice, Inward Bound Recovery that is based in the outdoors and incorporates spirituality.

á  A Peer to Peer group will be starting in September, most likely in the Center for Life Enrichment in Kittery.  See Kim Perham for more info.

 

Minutes done collaboratively by Deb Erickson-Irons, Karen Dufour, and Diane Brandon