MHDDAD :: MH Advocates' Meeting 2007-05-22 2:00pm, Call-In participation..

From Glynda King's very information, high volume (i.e. fair warning given) emailing list..

Below is our proposed agenda for the MH Advocates meeting.

The MH Advocates meeting will be held at 2 Peachtree on May 22nd on the 22nd floor in room 270 at 2:00 PM. Please plan to attend the meeting to meet Audrey Sumner, Mental Health Director, and have the opportunity to discuss MH issues and concerns.

For those who are unable to attend, you may call in 1-886-244-8528 passcode 218749.

If you have any items you would like to add, please email Anna McLaughlin at anna.mclaughlin@gpsn.org.

DRAFT agenda for May 22 advocate's meeting with DMHDDAD

• Welcome Audrey Summer, the new MH chief, and clarification of scope of the job.
• There are problems with implementation of fee-for-service in delivery of child and adolescent mental health services
• How is the Division supporting core providers who are not CSBs in the transition to fee-for-service?
• What plans are being made to protect vulnerable adults as money is removed from that system?
• Will the Division survey providers to ask if the fee structure will support quality services and if they can provide uncompensated services like 24/7 emergency phone contact services?
• Can the billing process be simplified?
• How can/will systems of care be incentivized?
• The scheduled July 1 implementation of the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility short-term model also has problems
• Children with severe disorders related to years of trauma, children with severe behavioral symptoms and neurological symptoms and/or co-occurring disorders, and children who have a history of sexually aggressive behavior are not able to be served in a short-term model. Who will serve them?
• There is need for greater coordination with DCH.
• How can DHR's rehabilitation model be reconciled with DCH's medical model to serve people more effectively?
• We understand that a mental health block grant plan modification is being made. Please tell us more about that.
• What is being done about the issues we have discussed in the past around people who have mental illnesses and who are homeless?

Atlanta Paratransit Action Today :: MARTA Headquarters, Lindbergh Station

A forward representing a cooperative effort of several Atlanta-based disability advocacy organizations.. Fifty rides is not enough when one considers that this barely covers the coming and going to work, let alone all the other activities one must perform just to maintain the status quo of Life..

This MARTA Paratransit action takes place in little less than two hours.. If you're anywhere near the Atlanta downtown area right now, please help out by show of Body and Voice..

Snipped for brevity

WHAT: MARTA Paratransit Action for People with Disabilities!

WHEN: Monday, May 14, 2007 -- 12:00 noon until..

WHERE: MARTA Headquarters at Lindbergh Station
2424 Piedmont Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30324

For more information, call Cheri Mitchell at 678-755-6015

WHY: People who ride para-transit vans now pay $105.00 dollars for one month's worth of unlimited rides. The MARTA Board of Directors is now proposing that para-transit riders must pay the same $105.00 dollars, but for only 50 rides per month! 50 rides per month is not enough!

Even though People with Disabilities riding para-transit pay double what others pay, they get:

• Poor Service
• Late Para-transit Pick Ups
• Almost No Response from Dispatch
• Long Hold Times when Dispatch Does Respond

OUR SOLUTIONS:

• Unlimited Rides!
• On-time performance of 95% (Industry Average)
• Ride times of 60 minutes or less
• Timely response from Dispatch with hold times of no more than 5 minutes.
• No Trip Denials

Cross-posted at: Six. Almost Seven....