January 21, 2010 -- Special Hearing Committee
MINUTES
Special Committee MHB/NAMI
Thursday, January 21, 2010
1380 Howard Street, Room 537
San Francisco, CA
PRESENT: James Shaye Keys (Secretary) (MHB); M. Lara Siazon Arguelles (MHB); Tom Purvis (MHB); Gifford Boyce-Smith, MD (NAMI); Pam Fischer (NAMI); Dale Milfay (NAMI); Valerie (NAMI); Brian Tsang by phone (Physicians Organizing Committee).
OTHERS PRESENT: Helynna Brooke (MHB Executive Director)
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. by Mr. James Shaye Keys (Chair).
Item 1.0 Review of items accomplished at the January 14, 2010 meeting.
The committee discussed historical incidences of hospital bed reductions. In 2005, California Pacific shut down a 32 bed psychiatric unit at St. Lukes in direct violation in the Cal Pacific takeover. It is believed that a certain level of service needs to be provided by non-profit hospitals matching their tax benefit. There was also discussion then about medical redlining. Supervisor Mirkarimi drafted a resolution regarding this two years ago.
The committee then reviewed the outline for the hearing.
Physician speakers: Dr. Rouse and Dr. Linde, and possibly Mark Leary. Valerie mentioned that there are not just inadequate number of beds but not enough discharge beds.
Pam will follow up with Kelly Dunn to get a speaker from the police department.
MHB staff will contact Jennifer Johnson from the public defenders office to talk about Behavioral Health Court. Pam will get in touch with Jo Robinson at Jail Health Services.
Pam is also seeking data from Susan Fahey in the Sheriff’s department to find out how many jail psychiatric cases are in jail by quarters and the cost of providing medications.
Giff will talk to Kathleen Connelly or Judge Mary Morgan.
James Keys has not yet reached Jennifer Friedenbach and if he can’t reach her, he will try Jackie Jenks with Hospitality House.
Hope of Recovery: have a couple of clients talk about how well they are doing to show that with adequate services, their lives are improved.
Closing: NAMI will talk about the possibility of non-profit hospital tax relief and what supervisors can actually do. The city needs step down units or beds if cutting hospital beds. They will give a summary of the continuum of care. They will recommend that the Board of Supervisors request that the Controllers office do a study of lost dollars with the current system, the effect of SFGH on diversion 30% of the time, dollars spent out of county, lost dollars lost because not acute, cost to keep people in jail until they can connect with Behavioral Health Court.
Human Cost: dollars and financial impact. Safety and homelessness increase on streets. When have we reached a point where there is no safety net.
Definite commitments are needed by speakers by the second week of February. Public comment will be sought from UC residents, NAMI folks, MHA folks.
The next meeting will be January 28, 2010 from 6 – 7:30 pm at 77 Geary Street, 5th Floor.
Item 2.0 Public comment
There was no public comment.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM