Govenor Scott signed a record sized $74.1 billion budget on Monday. Most of the funding for substance abuse and mental health services was kept intact, however some local projects were trimmed out by the Govenor’s veto. FADAA reports on the list of projects and locations later in this edition of ENews.
Govenor Scott said crafting the budget, and deciding what to veto, largley hinged on two things; jobs and education. He stood by his decision to veto a host of local projects, saying they did not meet his formula for effective state spending. “My filter is this: One, is it going to help our families get more jobs?” he said. “Two, will it help improve our education system in our state? And three, will it help make government more efficient?” The budget goes into effect July 1.
This week we E-Meet Board Member Alvin W. Wolfe. The complete Board Membership is on our website under a tab at the top of our home page. All Board Member profiles are housed there, and you can also navigate to read the minutes of previous board meetings.
As always this week's E-News features timely information on special events that recognize people and issues we are passionate about. Here’s hoping your week goes well!
Alvin W. Wolfe, Ph.D., is a CFBHN Board Member
E-Meet Alvin
Alvin W. Wolfe, Ph.D., is Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology, at the University of South Florida. For thirty years he coordinated applied anthropology internships and taught courses in network analysis. With his students, he has been applying formal network analysis to many social situations, including personal support networks and networks within and among organizations, especially in the area of health and human services. In addition to his community service with CFBHN, Professor Wolfe chairs a USF Community Committee on Anthropological Connections, and serves on the Board of Directors of several not-for-profit organizations, including the Florida Health and Human Services Board, Inc. and the Florida Institute for Community Studies, Inc.
CFBHN Providers are Finalists for TBBJ Non-Profit of the Year
Local organizations have been selected and will compete for top honor June 6
Pam Huff, Director of News Operations for the Tampa Bay Business Journal, reports an independent panel of judges has named 30 organizations finalists for the 2013 Nonprofit of the Year Awards, conducted by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The eighth annual awards aim to honor nonprofit organizations making a difference in the community every day. Since its inception in 2005, this awards program also attempts to recognize organizations that demonstrate strong financial best practices and lean management structures that help them meet their service goals. The 2013 Nonprofit of the Year Awards luncheon will be held June 6 at A La Carte Event Pavilion in Tampa. Visit the TBBJ Events website for more information.
CFBHN congratulates our contracted providers Manatee Glens, Gracepoint (formerly Mental Health Care), and Operation PAR on being recognized for outstanding work!
Project Return Annual Open House Sunday May 26th
Celebration supports National Mental Health Month
They will be offering light hors d’oeuvres and beverages, interactive art and mental health education activities, live music from Bryan and Jordan of Serotonic, and an art raffle. Also featured is a myriad of inexpensive original art (many pieces under $50) all created by member artists. Hours are 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Project Return Center located at 304 W. Waters Ave., Tampa. For more information, call (813) 933-9020 or email kstachowski@projectreturn.org.
Florida School of Addictions Studies Sponsoring 32nd Annual School
Link to their schedule of courses from CFBHN home page and register
They have the same spirit, same quality, but a new location for the July 20-25 offerings. Up to 30 CEU’s can be earned during the week and attendees can hear from some of the leaders in the field. Scholarships are available. For more information go to http://www.fsas.org/annualcourses.aspx.
DEA Collects 14 Tons of Unused Rx Drugs in Florida – Equals 2 Elephants or 7 Average Cars
SunCoast and Circuit 10 Collect 11024.4 pounds
The Associated Press MIAMI — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 14 tons of unused or expired prescription drugs during a recent drug take-back day in Florida. The DEA and other agencies collected the drugs at 124 sites across Florida on April 27. It was the sixth such take-back day in Florida and around the country. The goal is to get people to discard unused drugs that might be prone to abuse or may no longer be effective. Authorities say 70 percent of people abusing prescription drugs get them from friends and relatives. Nationally, the April 27 event collected 50 percent more prescription drugs than the one held most recently. In total, about 371 tons of drugs were collected, for a total in all six take-back days of 1,409 tons of drugs. Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/05/03/4510142/dea-collects-14-tons-of-unused.html#storylink=cpy.
SunCoast and Circuit 10 counties participating in the take back day and totals collected:
Charlotte: 1294 Collier: 990
DeSoto: 65 Hardee: 16
Highlands:1143.9 Hillsborough:1650
Manatee: 453 Pasco: 2400
Pinellas: 1545.5 Polk: 1388
Sarasota: 79
Total 11024.4 pounds!! That’s the weight of an average elephant – the largest animal on earth!
Mandated Reporter Training Coming To Eagle Lake
Florida Abuse Hotline presenters will answer questions and provide handouts August 8 in two sessions
This is mandatory training for a range of professionals including teachers, medical personnel, law enforcement, social workers, and all professionals who provide assistance to children or vulnerable adults. The presentation will cover when to report, how to report, what is abuse, neglect, exploitation and self-neglect, what is needed for report acceptance, what is an acceptable means to locate and what comes next during the investigation. There are two sessions scheduled, 9:00 am – Noon and 1:00 -4:00 pm at the First Baptist Church, 2500 US Highway 17 South at Eagle Lake. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mandatedreporter. Any questions contact Julia Hermelbracht, Circuit 10 Community Development Administrator (863) 519-8736 x 114. You can click here for the flier.
National Council to Sponsor June 3 Live Webcast Noon – 1:15 pm EST
Focus is on keeping you up to date on major federal policy trends and events in health care
The National Council invites you to participate in a June 3 live webcast featuring healthcare expert and strategic consultant Dan Mendelson of Avalere Health. This is the first in a new series of National Council webcasts featuring national healthcare policy experts, designed to keep you up to date on major federal policy trends and events. Presenting live at the National Council’s spring board meeting, Dan Mendelson will discuss current and upcoming federal policy initiatives – including health reform, mental health parity, and more – that will affect the way behavioral health provider organizations do business. He will examine the current political context for these trends and assess their implications for healthcare marketplace and care delivery systems. Don’t miss the chance to hear from Dan Mendelson and glean insights into how the healthcare environment is changing and what you can do to prepare. Date: Monday, June 3, 2013.
Viewing instructions: The webcast will be hosted on the National Council’s website www.TheNationalCouncil.org; stay tuned for details.
FADAA Reports on Governor Scott Signing Budget
On Monday, May 20 the 74.5 billion FY2013-2014 budget was signed
The Governor vetoed $368 million in spending from the budget. This is $225.25 million more than last year's budget veto list of $142.75 million. The approved budget includes maintenance of full funding for substance abuse and mental health services for children and adults. Most community projects funded in last year's budget were continued in the base, a few were shifted from recurring to non-recurring revenue. New funding approved by the Governor includes $8.967 million for treatment expansion for women and their children and $6.75 million for the implementation of 10 Community Action Teams - crisis teams for young adults with serious mental health issues.
The governor vetoed the following health and human service issues:
Mental Health Program:
- Ft. Walton Beach CSU - $1,000,000
- New Horizons of the Treasure Coast CSU Equipment - $227,354
- Operation PAR Behavioral Health & Wellness - $250,000
- Seminole Behavioral Healthcare - $466,667
- 2nd Judicial Circuit Transition Home - $800,000
- 5th Judicial Circuit CSU - $547,500
- Palm Beach County Sheriff's Mental Health Initiative - $450,000
- Cost of Living Increase for Mental Health Contracted Hospitals - $3,220,130
- Osceola County Mental Health Triage - $400,000
- Peace River CSU & Triage - $2,000,000
Substance Abuse Program:
- Pasco County Drug Initiative: Pasco Be SMART - $1,000,000
Economic Self-Sufficiency Program:
- Transition House for Homeless Veterans - $250,000
In the Department of Corrections budget, existing community substance abuse treatment beds were funded and the legislature began to restore community treatment beds lost in previous years. Institutional drug treatment programs were continued and the post-adjudicatory drug court expansion program was picked up by the legislature and approved by the Governor. This program had been funded with federal stimulus dollars and would have been terminated if not funded. Finally, by signing the budget the Governor approved the implementation of the Gadsden Re-entry Center that will have a significant drug treatment component.
The Governor vetoed the following public safety projects:
Community Supervision:
- Pinellas Ex-offender Reentry Coalition - $150,000
- Pasco Sheriff's Office Transition Program - $120,000
Community Substance Abuse Prevention, Evaluation, and Treatment Services:
- Tampa Crossroads - $185,000
Delinquency Prevention and Diversion:
- Informed Families of Florida - $100,000
Some of the other budget items vetoed by the Governor include:
- 3% tuition increase for colleges and universities and workforce education - $46,130,929
- Coast-to-coast bike trail - $50,000,000
- Supplemental veteran educational benefits - $2,000,000
- HMO capitation payments related to DRG reimbursement methodology - $23,268,651
- Rate increases for private day duty nursing services - $9,384,984
- Funding for homeless programs - $2,050,000
- Water projects - $27,000,500
This year's successes are a result of joint efforts with our partner organizations including the Florida Council for Community Mental Health, Florida Partners in Crisis, The Florida Sheriff's Association, Florida Association of Counties, and NAMI-Florida. All of us working together ensured full funding of substance use disorder treatment and mental health care.
That being said, this funding would not have been possible without legislative leaders who have stepped up to protect services and create programs targeting specific statewide needs. In particular, House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Matt Hudson (R-Naples), who stated he was "most proud" of continued and expanded funding for substance abuse and mental health during the presentation of the health and human services budget. Chair Hudson initiated the treatment expansion for prescription drugs and newborns and the statewide community action team pilot projects.
In the Senate, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services Chair Denise Grimsley (R-Sebring) ensured base funding for services in her initial budget proposal. Allocations were higher during the budget conference, allowing her to wrap all community projects funded in FY 2012-13 into base funding and support the new projects proposed by the House.
It would be a nice gesture for each of you to send Chairs Hudson and Grimsley a well-deserved thank you note, including the impact the budget has to your treatment program.
Matt Hudson,
Harmon Turner Building, Suite 212 3299 Tamiami Trail East
Naples, FL 34112-5746
Phone: (239) 417-6270
Denise Grimsley
205 S. Commerce Avenue Suite A
Sebring, FL 33870-3626
Phone: (863) 386-6016
Please feel free to contact Jill at jill@fadaa.org if you have any specific questions relating to the FY 2013-14 Budget or the Governor's budget vetoes. FADAA is short for Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
Glenn Close’s Family Sheds Light on Mental Illness StigmaNew PSA by BringChange2Mind offers surprise twist
· One in four people are affected with mental illness
· Mental health care is not on parity with physical health care
· Glenn Close's sister Jessie is bipolar; Her nephew Calen is schizoaffective
Calen Pick has schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He was 15 when he realized something was wrong, 16 when he checked himself into a lockdown mental health facility, 18 when he got out and 28 when his sanity touched down on solid ground. Now 31, Calen got married last year and, along with his mother, Jessie Close, who is bipolar, and his aunt, six-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close, is working toward ending stigma and discrimination of the mentally ill through the foundation BringChange2Mind, which Glenn founded in 2009.
"The most powerful way to change someone's view is to meet them," says Glenn. "People who do come out and talk about mental illness, that's when healing can really begin. You can lead a productive life."
Jessie and Calen, who are both easily unsettled by loud noises and large crowds, took the issue of stigma front and center, literally. In 2010, with Calen wearing a T-shirt with "Schizo" printed on it and his mother wearing one that said "Bipolar," they walked into Grand Central Station in New York City and stood there to film a PSA directed by Ron Howard.
"It was scary. People just stared at us," says Calen. "But I think of myself as an intact soul, so for me to put myself out there like that, I hope initiates more people to talk about it. Just talking about mental illness would do it a great service."
Their effort seems to have paid off: that PSA, which also features John Mayer's Say, has aired in 800 million households. According to BringChange2Mind, one in four families is affected by mental illness. When Jessie started showing signs in her early twenties, bipolar disorder was largely unknown. "At that time, it was really common to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. Then I was given my first treatment in my late forties and finally, the correct diagnosis — and medication — when I was 51," Jessie says. "I'll be 60 in July and I grieved for those lost years. There were careers I couldn't handle because of it. I wish I was able to get help earlier."
In their second PSA, Schizo, which will be out May 21, Calen steps into the spotlight. The PSA plays like a trailer for a horror film, ending with the camera shooting down a dark hallway, a door opening and Calen standing in a kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I'm sorry to disappoint you," he says in the final scene.
"When he got out of that mental health facility, (Calen) never took off his dark sunglasses, which helped him be around large groups of people. Once Jessie came to visit me in New York City and she had to leave a restaurant we were in because it was too noisy and she went to sit on a stoop to collect herself," says Glenn. "So that (Jessie and Calen) were brave enough to wear those T-shirts, standing in a place as busy and echo-ey as Grand Central Station, is miraculous."
That Calen and Jessie have stepped out from the shadows to share their experiences is a rarity; one that they hope will inspire not just people with mental illness to come forward, but policy makers to start putting laws in place to protect them and to put mental health care on parity with other health care.
"If you change policies, eventually that will affect what people think," says Bernice Pescosolido, an Indiana University professor who focuses on mental health care, stigma, and suicide research. "There are two parts to mental literacy, one is knowledge and the other is what to do about it. That's where we need to make progress. How do we get through the door? Insurance doesn't address long-term help. And service isn't available everywhere, especially as you get to more rural areas."
The backbone of Calen's progress is the support from his family. "If our family had not supported Calen, he would have been caught up in that terrible cycle of jail, street, jail, street," says Glenn. "What do people do when they're in that cycle? I don't have a good answer to that."
Schizophrenia is not only the most serious of mental illnesses, but the most stigmatized. "Fear is lodged with people who don't know someone with mental illness. How you treat someone with cancer or diabetes is more accepting than someone with mental illness," says Pescosolido. "If you can see the entire person, not just the label, and the more people interact, then the more that the attitudes go away. Contact is a powerful predictor of greater tolerance."
For those first brutal years when Calen was psychotic, Jessie, despite also suffering from a serious mental illness, found herself at a loss as to how to handle her son's erratic behavior. "One afternoon, we were standing in the yard and he said that the TV antenna was put there to keep track of him," she recalls. "When he was overwhelmed, he'd rock, with his forearms tight against his thighs, his hair hanging down."
With a combination of talk therapy, careful medication and the support of his family, Calen pieced together his splintered sanity. "It was scary not knowing where to draw the line; my imagination just didn't know how to stop," he says. "It was like a free association of everything around me. Everything took a special meaning; it was thoughts building on thoughts and me trying to put reason to them. It was a good 10 years, every hour I was awake, I lived in hell."
As the psychiatric field and policymakers search for a solution, families and patients can find relief through organizations like BringChange2Mind. "I would love BringChange2Mind not have to be anymore, which is when people are talking about mental illness without shame or judgment," says Glenn. "It's about social inclusion and when people are enlightened then change can happen."
Drug Free Highlands Shares Valuable Link
Even though the school year is winding down this could be a valuable lesson to share with youth