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APPROVED 11/19/2002 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PUBLIC FORUM on MENTAL HEALTH REFORM <br /> TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2002 <br /> 7:00 PM <br /> The Orange County Board of Commissioners met for a public forum on mental health reform on <br /> Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. at the Southern Human Services Center, Chapel Hill, <br /> North Carolina. <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chair Barry Jacobs and Commissioners <br /> Alice M. Gordon and Stephen H. Halkiotis <br /> COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioners Margaret Brown and <br /> Moses Carey, Jr. <br /> COUNTY ATTORNEY PRESENT: Geoffrey Gledhill and Sean Borhanian <br /> COUNTY STAFF PRESENT: County Manager John M. Link, Jr., Assistant County <br /> Manager Rod Visser, Assistant Manager Gwen Harvey and Clerk to the Board Donna S. <br /> Baker (all other staff members will be identified appropriately below) <br /> NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THESE MINUTES ARE IN THE <br /> PERMANENT AGENDA FILE IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. ALL <br /> RECORDINGS OF THE MEETING WILL BE KEPT FOR 5 YEARS. <br /> 1. Welcome and Introductions <br /> Chair Barry Jacobs welcomed everyone to the forum. He said that this was a <br /> public forum and not an official County Commissioners' meeting. This meeting is <br /> mandated by the State as part of mental health reform. The Board will meet on October <br /> 9`h to discuss the outgrowth of tonight's meeting. <br /> Chair Jacobs said that Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health Director Tom <br /> Maynard would make the presentation and go over what the groups will be talking about. <br /> He made it clear that this is an opportunity to share some concerns in the small groups. <br /> He thanked the OPC Mental Health staff and the County staff. He mentioned that there <br /> is a Mental Health Reform Steering Committee that is made up of elected and appointed <br /> officials from all three counties. <br /> 2. Overview and Orientation <br /> OPC Mental Health Director Tom Maynard gave a PowerPoint presentation. He <br /> said that they have already done this in the other two counties. The State reform <br /> movement started with a State Auditor's report. After the legislature heard continual <br /> feedback from citizens that services were not as good as they should be, the State <br /> Auditor conducted a report. After the report was filed, the State changed State law. The <br /> State Statute said that the Secretary of Health and Human Services had to develop a <br /> reform plan. The local plan is due January 1, 2003. Each county has to propose a <br /> strategic plan for how they will address the demands of State reform. The objectives of <br /> the reform are to reduce the use of institutions, strengthen community services, hold <br /> local programs more accountable, transfer governance to counties, increase citizen <br /> input, reduce administrative expenses, and encourage service system choices —free <br /> enterprise model. The major principles of reform include person centered planning, self- <br />