Committee on Family, Health and Human Services Minutes
February 28, 2006
Committee Members in attendance: Judy Myers, Chair, William Burton, Martin Rogowsky, and Clinton Young.
In Attendance: CEO: Bill Randolph DCMH: Jennifer Schaffer, Yolanda Cruz- Marrtinez Guests: Laurie Nikolski, The Journal News
Items Discussed: Jennifer Schaffer gave an overview of the Department of Community Mental Health and their initiatives for 2006.
Minutes
Chairwoman Myers called the meeting to order at 12:06 p.m.
Moved by Legislator Rogowsky and seconded by Legislator Burton, the minutes from the February 14th meeting passed 4-0.
Commissioner Jennifer Schaffer distributed the Department of Community Mental Health’s 2005 Annual Report to the Committee. A copy is on file.
The Commissioner explained that the Department of Community Mental Health has three areas of focus: Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Disability, and Substance Abuse.
The Commissioner explained that the department consisting of 150 employees contracts with local agencies to ensure that residents get the services they need. There are four mental health clinics in areas of the County that do not offer sufficient private services for the population.
The Commissioner told the Committee about Mental Health’s newest program- mobile access, which provides services to the most needy clients at their location. This is done for persons who have not done well with appointments at the clinics.
Commissioner Schaffer explained that Mental Health also manages Kendra’s Law. This law allows the County to take patients that refuse treatment to court and have them mandated to participate in treatment programs. There are approximately 30 people in the County who are mandated through Kendra’s Law.
The department only sends about 80 people a year to the State Psychiatric Center in Rockland County. The rest of the clients are treated within the County programs.
Commissioner Schaffer discussed the homeless population with the Committee. The Homeless Management Team served approximately 150 homeless persons last year. There is a homeless drop in shelter on Post Road in White Plains, and the department works in conjunction with Grace Church in White Plains.
The Commissioner described the new Mental Health Court to the Committee. It allows the County to keep mental health patients who have committed non-violent crimes out of prison as long as they comply with a treatment program.
A Medication Grant Program has also been started to provide medication for newly released inmates while they are waiting for their Medicaid applications to be processed.
Commissioner Schaffer described the services the department provides for children. She told the Committee that they work closely with DSS on child programming and handle mental health referrals from DSS. They coordinate with schools to help keep disabled children in school.
The department recently received a $250,000 grant to develop a program to work with young children in Head Start or daycare. They are working with the Westchester Children’s Association and the request for proposals has just been sent out to health care providers, and the program is expected to start soon after the responses are received.
The Commissioner explained that there is currently a state waiting list for services for children. There are approximately 200 people on the waiting list in Westchester. The State is working to expand services, while the County is trying to move cases along so caseworkers can take on new clients.
Commissioner Schaffer told the Committee that DCMH has been working with fire departments in the county to identify children who are fire setters to see if those children need out of home services and to implement a safety plan. Statistics show that half of all arson fires are started by children.
The Commissioner explained that they are working with the State to focus more on suicide prevention and some new initiatives will be implemented later this year.
Commissioner Schaffer discussed Developmental Disabilities with the Committee. DCMH provides more oversight and management for contracted agencies than direct services for those with developmental disabilities. School districts are responsible for students with disabilities. DCMH makes sure that the children receive services when they are no longer in school.
The Commissioner explained that there is a recent focus on Autism nationwide, and April is going to be Autism Awareness month in Westchester County.
The Commissioner discussed Substance Abuse with the Committee. The Alcohol Abuse Office houses the county’s Employee Assistance Program. So far 700 supervisors have been trained to help County Employees with substance abuse, and other problems they may have.
The Commissioner explained that DCMH runs the TASC program. TASC is an alternative to prison for people arrested for substance abuse. The arrestees are assigned to a treatment program. TASC served over 2,000 people last year, saving the County over 32 million dollars in tax payer money on prison expenses.
Commissioner Schaffer described the relationship with the Department of Social Services in terms of substance abuse. If a DSS caseworker suspects substance abuse with their clients, they will refer them to DCMH for screening. If DCMH finds there is a substance abuse issue the client will be mandated to a treatment program in order to receive their assistance from DSS.
The Commissioner then discussed PINS (Persons In Need of Services) with the Committee. DCMH works with Youth Bureau and community organizations such as Student Assistant Services, “Communities That Care” to help prevent substance abuse in teenagers.
Commissioner Schaffer described a new program that is conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office entitled Road to Recovery. This program keeps persons convicted of a non violent felony out of jail and puts them in a treatment program.
Chairwoman Myers inquired about DCMH working with CPS workers on their home assessments of clients.
Commissioner Schaffer explained that Mental Health workers do not go with CPS workers on visits as there are only 150 employees in the department. DCMH does work with CPS through the Child Fatality Team and provides services for families. CPS also refers clients to DCMH for treatment.
The Committee discussed the possibility of expanding DCMH to provide services to abused children in the County through DSS.
Legislator Rogowsky asked the Commissioner what the protocol is when Social Services finds a home with substance abuse parents.
Commissioner Schaffer explained that she is not familiar with their process. DSS does refer substance abuse parents to DCMH for treatment and they are provided the help they need.
The Committee discussed the need for prevention programs and how most of the funding is spent on existing problems. It is hard to prove that prevention programs work, so the State does not fund many of these programs. Legislator Rogowsky questioned whether the County focuses enough on prevention programs.
Legislator Burton suggested that the Committee research problems that families are facing and create and find “grants” in the budget that could be used toward the development and implementation of prevention programs. He suggested, as an example, the idea of a 3-year, interdepartmental grant, that could ultimately become an on-going prevention project.
Legislator Rogowsky moved to receive and file the Campaign for Quality Care: CSEA press release. The motion was seconded by Legislator Burton, and passed 4-0.
Moved by Legislator Rogowsky and seconded by Legislator Burton the Committee on Families, Health and Human Services adjourned at 1:27 p.m.
Text: 
Print:
