School-Based Health Center Policy Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting July 27, 2006 Minutes (Meeting held at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia, MD) Council Nominees & Representatives Present: Donna Behrens, Karen Brofee, Liz Cavey (for Sheri Meisel), Francine Childs, Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, Cheryl De Pinto, Nancy Lever, Laura Pope, Kyu Rhee, Annette Snyder, Kathleen Wise Guests Present: Sue Brenchley, Joani Glick MSDE Staff Present: Chuck Buckler (for Council member JoAnne Carter), Anne Walker, Larry Rogers Unable to Attend: Kim Malat, Rose Ann Meinecke, Pat Papa, Amber Teitt, Al Zachik Introductions Ms. Walker introduced herself as staff to the Council and asked that members introduce themselves by name, agency or constituency, and interest in school-based health centers. History & Overview of the Policy Advisory Council Ms. Walker and Mr. Buckler explained, on behalf of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), that Council appointments by the Governor s office have not yet been finalized, so this meeting is for informational purposes rather than for decision-making. Ms. Walker made a presentation summarizing the legislative mandate, history, and composition of the Policy Advisory Council and gave an overview of SBHC programs in Maryland. Handbooks were distributed containing this information and the contents were reviewed. Council vacancies were reviewed and attendees invited to submit suggestions for candidates. Ideas for attracting and involving youth members on the Council were discussed, including using teleconferencing equipment if attendance in person is not always possible. A question and answer session followed in which SBHC representatives and MSDE staff responded to questions from Council nominees. Questions were posed concerning the SBHC enrollment process, utilization levels of the various SBHC services, provision of contraceptive and reproductive health services in SBHCs, and processes for obtaining parental consent. Other topics discussed included meeting schedules and logistics, SBHC funding, the MSDE SBHC grants process, and a request for volunteer grant reviewers. Laura Pope and Liz Cavey offered to serve on SBHC grant review panels. Updates and Announcements Donna Behrens invited Council members to attend the Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Centers (MASBHC) annual business meeting and dinner, to be held on Wednesday, 1
August 2, 2006 from 4:30 7:30 PM at the Turf Valley Conference Center in conjunction with the annual School Health Interdisciplinary Program (SHIP). Cheryl DePinto and Nancy Lever invited Council members to attend the School Health Interdisciplinary Program conference at Turf Valley from July 31 st August 3 rd and said that on-site registration would be available. Nancy Lever invited Council members to attend the11th Annual Conference on Advancing School-Based Mental Health, sponsored by the University of Maryland Center for School Mental Health Analysis and Action, to be held September 28-30, 2006 in Baltimore. More information and registration materials may be found on the Internet at http://csmha.umaryland.edu/. Future Meeting Schedule The Council agreed to the quarterly meeting schedule listed in the Member Handbook, as follows: October 26, 2006, 10:00 AM - noon January 25, 2007, 10:00 AM noon April 19, 2007, 10:00 AM - noon July 26, 2007, 10:00 AM - noon In the event of a member s schedule conflict, a member may send a representative. Council meetings are open, in accordance with Maryland statute, and guests are welcome. We will try to hold the October meeting at (or near) a school with a school-based health center, so Council members may tour the program. Dr. Rhee offered to host the meeting at Baltimore Medical System and to provide a tour of the Thurgood Marshall Middle School school-based health center. The meeting was adjourned at 12:00 noon. (Please address questions or corrections to Anne Walker at 410-767-0297, awalker@msde.state.md.us, or 200 West Baltimore Street, 4 th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201.) 2
School-Based Health Center Policy Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting October 26, 2006 Minutes (Meeting held at Baltimore Medical System, Inc., 3501 Sinclair Lane) SBHC PAC Minutes Council Members & Representatives Present: Donna Behrens, Cyntrice Bellamy. Karen Brofee, JoAnne Carter, Francine Childs, Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, Cheryl De Pinto, Nancy Lever, Pat Papa, Kyu Rhee, Annette Snyder, Mona Vaidya, Kathleen Wise Guests Present: Yvette Benjamin, Sue Brenchley, Kelric Goodman, Mark Hodge MSDE Staff Present: Anne Walker Unable to Attend: Kim Malat, Laura Pope, Rose Ann Meinecke, Sheri Meisel Following a tour by some Council members of the school-based health center (SBHC) at the Thurgood Marshall campus, the meeting was called to order at Baltimore Medical System s office. Introductions were made, and guests welcomed. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in School-Based Health Centers Anne Walker introduced Kelric Goodman, LCPC, who made a presentation on mental health services provided in the SBHC setting. Mr. Goodman is a licensed therapist who also has expertise in the field of addictions, having worked with adolescents in in-patient substance abuse treatment programs. He currently works as a school-based clinical supervisor for Universal Counseling Services, Inc., and supervises clinicians in seven Baltimore City Public Schools. He described his work with adolescents at Northwestern High School and the value of integrated health and mental health services in schools. A discussion followed in which PAC Council members and SBHC representatives commented on issues pertaining to: Minor consent services in SBHCs Parental consent for non-minor consent services Professional ethics in adolescent health care Mental health needs of adolescents and therapeutic interventions Grant funding and insurance reimbursement for school-based mental health services Kathleen Wise suggested that the Council could play a useful role in clarifying difficult issues related to the fine line between mental health prevention services, for which parental consent may or may not be required for children under 16, and treatment services, for which consent is required but often difficult to obtain. Maryland State Department of Education Updates Anne Walker described the contents of the meeting packet. A discussion followed of funding levels for the SBHC program grantees. Ms. Walker explained that her rationale for having the Council tour a SBHC and discuss other SBHC services before addressing Council infrastructure and organizational issues was that not all Council vacancies are filled and the current election season slows the process. She recommended that the following issues be addressed at our next Council meeting on January 25, 2007: Filling Council vacancies 3
Appointment of a Chairman Creation of Council Subcommittees Adoption of operating protocols Clarification of the Council s purpose and scope Ms. Walker introduced Yvette Benjamin, who serves on the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission. Ms. Benjamin described the charge of the Commission, which is to provide grant funding to safety net providers and study a number of issues related to safety net providers, including school-based health centers. A copy of the legislation creating the Commission was included in the meeting packet. Ms. Walker and Ms. Behrens have been asked to make a presentation to the Commission about Maryland s SBHC program at its monthly meeting on November 6, 2006. Council members input is welcomed. Community Partner Updates Donna Behrens, Executive Director of the Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care (MASBHC), shared the following information: The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care will be holding its annual convention in Washington, DC in June 2007. Ms. Behrens is co-chairing the planning committee for the event and welcomes the Council s involvement. Ms. Behrens shared national polling data on favorable public perceptions of SBHCs. Ms. Behrens distributed copies of a federal bill authorizing SBHCs, which is a prerequisite to eligibility for federal funding, and discussed the legislative process. Ms. Behrens distributed copies of a letter to the editor of the Baltimore Sun she wrote in support of SBHCs. Ms. Behrens distributed copies of a letter she drafted on behalf of the MASBHC Board to Governor Ehrlich requesting additional funds for SBHCs in the FY 2008 budget. Kathleen Wise asked whether it would be appropriate for the Council to also draft a letter requesting increased funds for SBHCs. Discussion followed. JoAnne Carter said it may be a conflict of interest for the Council to do this since we still have vacancies, no Chairman, a large number of state agency members, and may lack a quorum for such a decision. Cheryl DePinto said this is a frequent occurrence on legislatively established task forces and councils, and that state agency members often abstain from such votes, and need not prevent them. Kyu Rhee pointed out that in our standing Operating Procedures for the Council, a quorum of the appointed members is required for a vote. Anne Walker counted the members, establishing that 13 of the 17 Council members were present, constituting a quorum. Kathleen Wise offered a motion that the Council send a letter to the Governor supporting increased funding for SBHCs. Kyu Rhee seconded the motion. Ten members voted in favor of the motion (Donna Behrens, Karen Brofee, Francine Childs, Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, Nancy Lever, Pat Papa, Kyu Rhee, Annette Snyder, Mona Vaidya, Kathleen Wise) and three abstained from the vote (Cyntrice Bellamy, JoAnne Carter, and Cheryl DePinto). Anne Walker will draft the letter for Council comment and circulate it by email on Friday, October 27, 2006. It was decided that Pat Papa, as the longeststanding Council member, will sign the letter on behalf of the Council. The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 PM. (Please address questions or corrections to Anne Walker at 410-767-0297, awalker@msde.state.md.us or 200 West Baltimore Street, 4 th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201.) 4
School-Based Health Center Policy Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting January 25, 2007 Minutes Members (and Designees) Present: JoAnne Carter, Francine Childs, Cheryl DePinto, Nancy Lever, Kim Malat, Whitney Obrig (representing Mona Vaidya), Jessica Osborn (representing Kyu Rhee), Pat Papa, Laura Pope, Annette Snyder, Al Zachik Guests: Yvette Benjamin (MD Community Health Resources Commission), Ebony Hector (St. Frances Academy), Jay Parkinson (DHMH intern), Stacey Russum (Choptank Community Health), Pat Setlow (St. Frances Academy) Staff: Anne Walker Location of Meeting: Lake Clifton High School, Baltimore City, MD Members and Guests took a tour of the Lake Clifton High School School-Based Health Center from 10:00 10:30 AM, retiring to Room 101 for the Council meeting. Council Procedures Discussion The STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES of the Council from October 2005 were reviewed. It was agreed that the following provisions will be added to Section C: Procedures: 1) Council decisions will be made by consensus when possible. Alternatively, following a discussion in which consensus is not reached, a member of the Council (or designee with a proxy vote) may call for a vote. If a quorum is present, a super-majority of 2/3 of the members present will carry the question. 2) A Council member may designate a representative by letter or email to attend a Council meeting in his/her stead, and to vote on matters before the Council. In keeping with Procedure #6, which states: A member of the Council may not receive compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget, Anne will send out reimbursement forms to Council members. Council Committees and Infrastructure Discussion The proposed Committee structure was discussed. Alternative structures were considered for carrying out the Council s mandated responsibilities. JoAnne asked for a flow chart or operating procedures for the Committees in order to clarify their work. Anne suggested a Council Retreat in order to establish - priorities and a course of action. Jackie, Al, and Cheryl suggested that financing of School Based Health Centers (SBHC) is a priority, but finance needs to be integrated with strategic planning. Annette asked how the Council could advise concerning financial matters. Anne listed several such matters: sources of funding, the role and desirability of having local management boards continue as fiscal intermediaries, and sponsoring a strategic request for funding to the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission to strengthen the SBHC program statewide. Whitney 5
observed that current state fiscal realities make it unlikely that a request for more state general funds would be well received at this time. Outcomes are needed to show the benefits of SBHCs. A discussion of outcomes followed. Whitney said the Department of Budget and Management analyzes agency effectiveness in terms of outcomes. Kim agreed, saying that the Governor s Office for Children uses the Results Accountability framework for the Local Management Boards, also. Anne showed the Council a draft of a SBHC Profile which includes some descriptive and some outcome information, with a future goal of linking school performance outcomes with SBHC use. Jackie said that school-based mental health outcomes are a standard part of record-keeping and her program has good outcome data. Anne will research these topics, consulting Council members about their expertise. Yvette Benjamin said she felt a retreat would help the Council clarify its direction. The group agreed. Anne will develop a proposal for a Council Retreat and forward it to Council members in advance of the next meeting on April 19, 2007. Partner Updates Anne reported that Donna Behrens and Kathleen Wise are absent because they are attending the Children s Action Network s annual legislative day in Annapolis. The Maryland Assembly on School-Based Health Care held its annual legislative day on January 24, 2007, featuring SBHC clients and staff meeting with Maryland legislators to testify to the importance of SBHCs. Nancy reported on an initiative by the National Assembly on School-Based Health Care - to recruit participants for a February forum on expanding school-based mental health services. The Council had agreed via email to support the initiative, and suggestions were made for participant nominations. Next SBHC Policy Advisory Council Meeting The next SBHC Policy Advisory Council meeting will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2007 from 10:00 AM noon at Northwestern High School in Adelphi, MD. 6