Minutes 05-10-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Because Chapter 122C of the North Carolina General Statutes empowers and requires counties to determine the area authority through which they provide services, the OPC Area Board requests authorization from each county to proceed in accordance with the motion it adopted. Successful negotiations would result in the necessity at a later date of a resolution from each Board of County Commissioners to both join PBH for the provision of services and to dissolve OPC. The only action needed at this time is the Board of County Commissioners' concurrence in the negotiations recommended by the OPC Area Board. Judy Truitt said that federal law mandates that people have choice and it is not just an open door. She said that OPC will not be kicking providers out of the system. Every provider in the system will come under the Medicaid waiver and it will be an outcome-driven system where providers are matched with the needs of the community and will be held to performance standards. The system is evolving that corrects some of the steps that were taken when the reform effort began. She said that the reality is that things have changed and public mental health is no longer what it was in 1968. There is extreme pressure to change because of federal health care reform. She said that they are designing a regional presence that will be located in Concord and they will also have a local presence. She said that at the regional level will be the back office staff. Bill processing for the waiver and decisions about the waiver will be made at the regional level. She said that local management of the local center will sit at the policy level at the regional level in Concord. She said that there is also concern from the development disabilities groups because they believe that there are potential losses for consumers with developmental disabilities. The concerns have been heard and are being addressed. She does not agree with all of the concerns, but they still care about the issues. There will be a series of public forums across the region. The first public forum will be in Orange County. There is an email address where people can ask questions and answers will be posted on the Q&A page of the website. She said that there have been concerns raised across the state from some advocacy groups that if OPC participates in this waiver, then counties are going to be at risk. This is not true and the counties will be no more at risk under a managed care waiver than they currently are. The legislature has included language in the draft bill, HB 916, which makes a flat statement that counties will not be at risk for cost overrun or expenses in a managed care environment. Judy Truitt said that they are under an order to announce the partnership they will be joining by May 20th and if they do not, the Department of Human Services will make that choice and will tell them who they will join and how it will be done. She thinks that OPC will be moving forward by April or July of next year. Commissioner Yuhasz said that this allows the County to negotiate with PBH as to how this merger will be structured. Judy Truitt said that there have been concerns raised about how OPC is not contiguous with PBH. It is separated on the southern end by Randolph County. She said that she would argue that being non-contiguous incentivizes the system to make sure that there is a strong local presence. Commissioner Jacobs asked about the governmental structure of this large, multi- county entity. Judy Truitt said that under the current general statute, Boards of Commissioners appoint the representatives who sit on the area mental health board. If N. C. General Statute remains the same related to governance, then the 15 counties that would be a part of the new entity would create the board for the new entity. The statute says that the board cannot be