Geauga County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board (GC-MHRS) - April 17, 2024
Meeting Details: GC-MHRS Board held its regular monthly meeting on April 17, 2024 at 6:00 pm at the Board offices located at 13244 Ravenna Rd., Chardon, OH 44024. This meeting was in person only with no recording available. No agenda was available in advance on the website or on social media, but the agenda is available through a request to Office/Administrative Manager Teresa Slater by email at tslater@geauga.org.
Public Comment Policy: No formal policy but in practice, public comment is permitted at the end of the meeting.
Board Members Attending: Secretary Jimmy Lee Holden, Treasurer Michael Petruziello and Board Members Reba Dykes, Kathy Johnson, Douglas Lundblad, Patricia Varanese, Carolee Lesyk and Mary Ruth Shumway.
Board Members Absent: Chair Steven Oluic, Vice Chair Alberta Chokshi, Greg O’Brien, Marty Fay, and Ann Bagley.
Staff Members Attending: Executive Director Christine Lakomiak, Clinical/Compliance Manager Michelle Maneage, and Office/Administrative Manager Teresa Slater.
Service Providers: Michelle Bertman, Catholic Charities; Melanie Blasko, Lake Geauga Recovery Center; Charles Long, Lake Geauga Recovery Center; Mary Wynne-Peaspanen, Signature Health; Kristine Frankenberry, NAMI Geauga; Andrea Gutsko, Women Safe; Samantha Jackson, Ravenwood Health and possibly other providers who didn’t sign in on the sign-in sheet provided.
Perspectus Architecture Representatives: Ray Mintas, Sal Rini, and Andrew Swansiger
Guests: Katherine Franz (this LWVG Observer), Mr. N.D. Howard, Linda Miller, Jonathan Tiber, President of the Geauga County Township Association and Claridon Township Trustee, and possibly others who did not sign in.
Call to Order, Roll Call, and Pledge of Allegiance occurred as listed on the agenda. The meeting was called to order at 6:03 pm by Secretary Holden.
Minutes from the March 20, 2024, meeting were approved. Minutes are posted on the Board’s webpage here.
Chairman’s Report:
No Report
Transitional Living Center (TLC) Expansion Update by Perspectus Architects
Perspectus Architects presented the plans for the TLC expansion. They reviewed the process that led them to choose the design. The site is very hilly and they chose the plan to best accomplish the goals and take advantage of the views. There will be two wings off the current building (to the south) which will add seven rooms to the current nine, resulting in a total of 16 rooms. Some other changes include: Improved common areas; New space for outdoor gatherings; Better staff support areas; Improved sight lines; A more open feeling; Upgraded dining and kitchen areas, and a family visitation room. There will be basement storage and mechanical areas under each of the two wings and these areas will not be accessible to the residents.
Additional items of note included:
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Perspectus Architects are waiting for proposed timelines from the construction partner. They are hoping work can be done by the end of the year but, as yet, are unsure if this deadline will be met.
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There will be two distinct residence areas. Construction will be done in three or four phases so TLC can continue to provide services for nine people with everyone living in one wing while work is completed in the other and then switching.
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Two or three additional TLC staff will be required when the expansion is complete. Costs will be covered by billing for services delivered. Medicaid will provide funding for some of the services for some of the residents. Crisis services funded by the state also will cover some of the staffing costs.
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The driveway and parking will remain the same as it is now and will not take any space from neighboring facilities.
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There will be dedicated areas for Wi-Fi access. Security plans have not been determined yet, but there will be a vendor providing these systems. Mr. Lundblad shared some considerations for improved technology that were discussed. The focus currently is on mechanical, electrical, etc. Technology and security will be important considerations down the road.
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While there will be two wings, Sam Jackson of Ravenwood Health responded that they will not be gender specific wings. This allows more flexibility to meet the needs of those receiving the services.
Director Lakomiak stated that the original $1,134,000 funds received from OhioMHAS allowed for the seven additional rooms. These funds from OhioMHAS originated from the Federal government American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). When more funding was received, it enabled the project to expand to an upgrade of the entire facility and make it “a place for healing.” It is envisioned as a place to facilitate the residents' return to society. Ms. Lakomiak noted that it will be a model facility and so many have worked hard for this to happen. Increasing access to housing has been a priority of the GC-MHRS Board for many years, and she said that it is exciting to see this project coming to fruition.
Perpectus Architects expressed thanks for the opportunity to work on this project and excitement about the impact it will have on the community.
Executive Director’s Report:
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Provider agencies have all submitted their Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to the GC-MHRS Board. These are all the service providers’ proposals to provide mental health and recovery services in the State Fiscal Year 2025. The revisions and acceptance of these bids form the framework for services and the GC_MHRS budget for the next year. The Board staff is working with agencies to gather further information. At the next GC-MHRS Board meeting in May, the Board staff will present their recommendations and new contracts will be presented and voted upon.
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The Agency Relations committee meeting will be held on April 29 at 5:00. The Agenda is focused on outlining powers and duties of the Board. Director Lakomiak will describe the services that the GC-MHRS Board are required to provide to have a full continuum of care. It was noted that up to six board members can attend. Ms. Johnson, Ms. Shumway and Ms. Varanese will be attending, so up to three additional board members can attend. Dr. Lesyk stated she cannot attend. Any other Board members interested in attending should let Director Lakomiak know.
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Last month at the full board meeting, the suicide rate in Geauga County was discussed. During that discussion, Board members had asked some questions about suicides in the county. Statistics questions in the board packet are in response to the discussion in March.
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Agency Relations is going to begin digging deeper into specific topics when they meet every other month (drug addiction, suicide, etc.). They will share what they learn with the full board. This is seen as a more efficient way to learn about these topics rather than taking time at the full board meetings.
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Discussion of the suicide data followed. Average age of those committing suicide is 46. Mr. Lundblad and others expressed being surprised by the age of suicide victims being older than they expected. Ms. Shumway and others remarked about the role serious mental health diagnoses as well as financial problems might have in those who commit suicide.
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Mr. Petruziello asked if the data shared includes only those who died from an overdose and was told this was the case. Overdoses that do not result in death are not tracked in this data. It was noted that there were 97 deaths by suicide and overdoses in Geauga County in the four years contained in this data. This number does not include people who overdosed and did not die. Ms. Shumway remarked that there is a need for more services and that there are waiting lists to get help.
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Ms. Jackson (Ravenwood Health) was asked if the TLC has a waiting list. She stated there are 5-6 people waiting for housing.
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Mr. Petruziello asked “How do we address this?” He stated we need to look for those needing assistance. Ms. Johnson reiterated that the County has good agencies and they are always trying to improve, including by working through coalitions.
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Ms. Shumway stated that she feels, while there are always ways to improve, Geauga County Job and Family Services (JFS ) is “at the top of their game” and could teach other counties. She said she feels the same is true for GC-MHRS providers and the Board, noting many counties don’t have something like TLC and that there is much to be proud of.
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Opioid HUB meeting: Director Lakomiak summarized the trends. Providers reported an increase in opioids, more relapses, and increases in alcohol use. There are higher rates of relapse and dropping out of treatment. Drug usage is shifting from opioids to stimulants and alcohol. Recent requirements will result in reporting of drug overdoses. Emergency Rooms used to report only deaths, but now will report ER visits by those who overdosed and survived.
Observer Note: Following the Board meeting, Director Lakomiak sent an email to all Board members and also to this observer. The following excerpt is from that email:
“We provided our local statistics on suicide and overdose deaths (2020-2024) on Wednesday. I recognize the emotional response and appreciate the thoughtful discussion Board Members had during our meeting. We sent a local team to a regional suicide coalition meeting, including Michelle (Maneage) from our office and left with new ideas/goals and direction to move our coalition forward. Michelle didn’t waste time and as a result, our Geauga County Suicide Prevention coalition is highlighted in the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation newsletter, April edition!! Suicide devastates families, friends and communities and we are devoted to do better. Staff continue to monitor local wait times for services – our data from this week demonstrations (SIC) the majority of our programs don’t have a wait time. Please reach out to our office if you hear differently from community members so we can connect them directly.
Raising Coalition Visibility: Geauga County
In March, the Geauga County Suicide Prevention Coalition attended the Northeast Ohio Coalition Collaborative Meeting in Akron. As part of the meeting, coalition leaders covering 14 counties participated in a discussion on increasing visibility within the community hosted by staff from You Thrive Consulting. Following the meeting, Geauga’s coalition started working on some new branding and marketing materials. At a recent meeting, they brainstormed the tagline “Building Hope Together.” Now, their focus will shift to updating their mission statement.
“We are so inspired and have so much more direction for our coalition,” says Coalition Member Michelle
Maneage.
We look forward to sharing the Geauga County Suicide Prevention Coalition's updated mission statement and branding soon. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about suicide prevention resources in Geauga County, visit the Geauga County Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services website.”
Committee Reports
Board member Ms. Johnson stated they did not meet this month. The next meeting is April 29 and will focus on charting the Agency Relations Committee’s course for the coming months.
Mr. Petruziello stated the Finance Committee didn’t have a quorum and will reschedule.
No one was present from this committee, so there was no report.
Ms. Dykes reported they have not met beyond TLC meetings which have been frequent.
Board Review and Action Items
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has awarded $37,000.00 to the GC-MHRSB to incentivize landlords to rent or secure permanent housing to individuals with a criminal record, those who experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders, or those who are being discharged from a psychiatric hospital; and the GC-MHRSB shall utilize this award for the above purposes for individuals that meet the criteria set by OhioMHAS.
The GC-MHRSB has allocated the $37,000.00 of the Landlord Incentive Program allocation for the above mentioned purposes.
Vote: Yea unanimous
Director Lakomiak noted that there is a $2,000 per landlord limit. She said that this funding will be used to assist landlords in meeting safety standards, repairing damage caused by residents, helping with moving, etc.
Financial Reports.
Director Lakomiak reported the following as prepared by Mr. Mausser for the the board packet:
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So far in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024, 68.8% of the office budget has been expended. The SFY 2024 is 7/1/23 - 6/30/24.
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For the County calendar year 2024 (1/1/24-12/31/24), the Board has expended just over $1.93 million through March.
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The Auditor’s Fund Balance: the March unencumbered balance is just over $2.29 million.
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Voucher recap #693 for March: $521,392.77.
Old Business - None
New Business - None
Public Comments
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Ms. Gutko, Director of WomanSafe, shared a case of a woman with 4 children who has benefitted from a comprehensive wrap-around plan developed by many different providers. Everyone has been fully invested in helping her, but they have had no luck with finding housing. Ms. Gutko said that they have tried everything and need help. She offered thanks to all Geauga partners who have been working together and noted that she is open to ideas. The Director offered to have a case conference.
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Mr. Tiber, President of the Geauga County Township Association, said many Lake and Geauga officials have spoken to their association and have done a great job helping the township officials understand all the services in the county. He invited the GC-MHRS Director to come speak to their association. He also commented that clearly many are here today because of their heart for this important work.
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Ms. Frankenberry has experienced some staffing challenges. NAMI Geauga has made a decision to combine their walk with the Cuyahoga County walk. Katie Jenkins, the Executive Director at Greater Cleveland NAMI, has been essentially acting as interim director for Geauga as well. Marketing materials for the NAMI walk will come out soon. Ms. Frankenberry wanted to be clear that 100% of any sponsorship dollars will go to Geauga. The NAMI Walk will be on Saturday, September 21 in Cleveland this year. Hopefully next year the NAMI Walk will be back in Geauga.
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm.
Board Minutes: Available at https://www.geauga.org/board-minutes/
Next meeting: The next meeting will be on May 29, 2024, at 6:00 pm. Reviewer Note: A previously published version of this report erroneously reported that the next meeting date was April 17, 2024.
More Information: https://www.geauga.org/
Observer: Kathy Franz
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: 4/26/24
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