Steering Committee Highlights
To fill in some missing voices, the Steering Committee approved three new members at its June 2004 meeting:
• Patricia Siebert of the Disability Law Center
• Roberta Opheimer of the Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Mental Retardation for the State of Minnesota
• Denny Ulmer of the Bemidji Regional Interdistrict Council
An updated chart of Steering Committee contact information may be viewed by clicking here. The meeting also included a progress report by the Fiscal Action Team on the following Work Groups: Financial Dysfunctions, Model Benefit Set (see July 7 weblog update), and Administrative Simplification (formerly known as Technical Assistance).
Work Group Progress
Although we would like everything to proceed at the same pace, this is just not practical. Individual actions and timelines vary across the work groups. The Work Force Solutions Action Team recently completed their recommendations. A summary of their results is posted here. Members of this team now turn their attention to forming the Work Groups to take it from here. Remember to check the website for these and other changes to Work Group chairs.
Integrating Pathways for Children’s Mental Health in the Schools, formerly known as Education and Health Policy Framework, is recruiting members. This group, which seeks ways to increase access to mental health care for students and their families, is co-chaired by Mark Kuppe, Senior Director of Behavioral Health at Human Services, Inc., and Mark Bezek, Superintendent at Fergus Falls Public Schools. Mark Kuppe is also on the Steering Committee of the Children’s Mental Health Partnership.
MMHAG staff are in the process of communicating with each Work Group to learn of their progress and identify additional support needed. Many new chairs and co-chairs have been identified. Please click here for Work Group contacts.
Consumer Forum Results Summarized
The Guidelines for a Consumer Responsive Mental Health System may be viewed here. These guidelines consist of 22 questions that each work group should use to design a consumer responsive mental health system. These questions, based on an earlier standard set forth by the State Advisory Council on Mental Health in 1995, has been updated by the consumer forum participants.
Fundraising Proposal
The MMHAG Phase II Fundraising Proposal is now going out to representatives of the health plans and providers who supported Phase I – financially and through personal involvement in the Steering Committee, Action Teams, and Work Groups. We thank them for their invaluable contributions of funds and time, and are grateful for their consideration of the current proposal, which may be viewed here.