Community Consortium Meeting Minutes
July 15, 2013
In attendance: Bob Guerino, MassHealth, Dave Modzelewski, Network, Jerry Ray, Mental Health Association, Pamela Schwartz, Network, Julianne Siegfried, UMass, Jennifer Wuest, Behavioral Health Network, Heather Zaykowski, UMass-Boston
Note: regrets from Steve Como of Soldier On and Nicole Gagne of Community Health Link, unable to make it due to vacation and other conflicts.
Evaluation Update: 80% to annual goal. More than 90% follow-up rate for 6 months. Above 80% housed. Reduction in alcohol use. Mixed results around drug use. Looking at 6 months to discharge, seeing some declines in substance abuse and significant declines in mental health problems.
UMass update: Sent new version of manual to editor. Trained the CHL peer.
Behavioral Health Network: just enrolled two new people on Friday. Great to be fully staffed. Shared challenge of provider transition for clients, the disruption that causes. Jennifer has a relationship with one client with whom it is difficult to arrange meetings (due to organizational issues), including the discharge assessment. She has worked with him from the start and is concerned about the loss of consistency in provider support. He is currently still housed, which is excellent, and she and others are continuing efforts to get ongoing support through VNA and the VA. Homeless outreach team (Eliot Services) is most stable provider. Also, particular housing provider – Valley CDC – has been especially supportive in this instance. Will continue to facilitate support during this transition. More generally, this transition issue is one that exists across the program and will continue to need attention to enlist as much support as possible to ensure smooth transitions.
Network: no new updates.
Next meeting, 9/23, 11 am Will move to conference call meetings and use bi-annual Steering Committee for our in-person check-in.
