6/25/2009

Mental Health Action Team (MHAT)

Meeting Minutes

6-25-09

Present: Gabriela Dieguez, 16th Street Community Health Center; Leslie Davis, Walker’s Point Community Clinic; Luke Waldo, Sojourner Family Peace Center; Katherine Valentyn, Guadalupe Head Start; Martina Gollin-Graves, Mental Health America of Wisconsin; Nancy Velasco, Marquette University Senior – CHIP program; Paul Florsheim, PhD., (Clinical Psychologist), Scientist at Center for Population Health, UWM School of Social Welfare, School of Public Health; Brenda Wesley, Outreach and Education Coordinator for NAMI-Greater Milwaukee; Peter Hoeffel, Executive Director of NAMI-Greater Milwaukee and Chair of Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force.

Introductions

Paul Florsheim is currently working with MPS health curriculum prevention (pregnancy, STD, etc) and piloting in South Division High School. The other project he is working on is co-parenting counseling with pregnant teens and their partners.  This project entails trying to develop a program to help young mothers and partners maintain reasonably healthy relationships.  This program was successful in Salt Lake City, and currently working on duplicating it in Milwaukee–Aurora and 16th Street Clinic.  Also working with a group to pilot school-based mental health services for the segment of population who are at high risk and not eligible for mental health services.

NAMI: currently has presence with African American community, but not with Latino community.  The Medical College closures (Mitchell Street and Tosa clinics) have impacted mental health services for the Latino Community.  Approximately 200 clients were being served at Mitchell (closed since May 1st, 2009). Peter and Brenda stressed that the African American outreach program focus is to drive down stigma and work on access piece as well.  They came to the meeting today to share what their organization is doing and partner with MHAT to better serve the Latino community–part of their mission.

Katherine gave an overview of the Coalition and the Mental Health Action Team. She recapped what the Mental Health Action Team has done to date for the new members present.

Resource Directory

List of agencies has been finalized, descriptions have been written, and the Mental Health America (MHA) Mental Health Resource Guide is in the process of being finalized/reviewed for final print.  The guide will be available at the end of the summer 2009. Additionally, MHA prints a bookmark that mirrors the resource guide and is quick and easy to use for clients.  They are willing to now print this bookmark also in Spanish, based on the information that we have provided.  Leslie is following up with Cara (from MHA) regarding the bookmark in Spanish.

In an effort to determine next steps, Katherine asked the following questions: What do we want to do next regarding the resource guide? Do we take what we have right now, include it in the directory, and move on to another project? Do we continue working on compilation of list for the online directory?
Leslie suggested putting together a list of more active Spanish-speaking churches to place online to inform the public of available community services.  Martina suggested narrowing the focus (specific churches to target). Terrie suggested continuing to work on this, but not exclusively, so that we can move on to other projects.  All agreed.  Martina, Leslie, and Katherine (and anyone else who is interested) will meet separately with Cara to continue updating the online resource directory.  Katherine will send an e-mail announcing a separate meeting for this purpose.

Update regarding Community-Based Behavioral Activation for Latinos with Depression

Group agreed on collaboration at previous meeting. Note that this is not requirement for their IRB.  There was a short discussion about the abstract that was sent out by e-mail to the Action Team and the Steering Committee.  Gabriela was concerned about maintaining confidentiality in order not to skew the data.  Discussion tabled due to time constraints at the meeting.  Katherine will follow-up with Gabriela.

Website update

Website update: Milwaukee Latino Health Coalition website getting ready to be launched.  Katherine wrote the goals and sent them to be placed in the website in order to meet deadline.  Team reviewed the goals sent and suggested adding new goals:

  • Monitor and advocate/collaborate with other advocacy groups for the quality of mental health services for Latinos.
  • Build a consortium of mental health providers.
  • Consult with researchers (elaborate on this one so that it reflects what we are doing with UWM and SSCHC).
  • Serve as a resource center and speakers’ bureau on cultural sensitivity and mental health issues for Latinos.
  • Link health promoters with health professionals and the community to be the voice for the community around mental health issues.

Questions and concerns generated from the group: Advocacy work needs to be done.  Then, if this is an area we want to focus on, we need to have data to support it, so we can show the impact we can make.  Also, we want to have people be able to access care, but we don’t want to lead them to closed doors.  The services need to be there for them.

Discussion of goals, objectives, and action steps will continue at our next meeting.

Also, who is in our group–advocates, professors, psychologists, etc.–should be part of the blurb on our website.

Other discussions

Peter shared that Milwaukee is redesigning the mental health delivery system from the top down.  The team working on this is lacking representation from, or the voice of, the consumers.  The team is just at the point of forming focus groups to hear from the consumers about what needs improvement.  Also, they lack representation of the Latino community.  Peter stressed that they need Spanish-speaking/Latino health consumers/providers to voice their concerns now, so that, as the system is redesigned, services can be provided to Spanish-speaking consumers.  This may be an opportunity for MHAT to advocate for Latinos in this area.  Peter will be contacting Rob Henken from the Public Policy Forum to find out how MHAT can provide them information as they work on what they are calling the Mental Health Delivery System Redesign.

Another opportunity for building partnerships and advocating for Latinos is the Mental Health Task Force, which meets every second Tuesday of the month.  Peter is the Chair.  Leslie and Martina agreed to represent MHAT at the next meeting (July 14) of the Mental Health Task Force.  Peter will follow-up with Leslie regarding the topic/length of time on the agenda and any other details.  The Action Team will e-mail Leslie ideas and stories/testimonials to help make the case for advocating for Spanish-speaking and culturally appropriate services.

Brenda and Peter shared that there’s a group called Clinicians of Color (mental health professionals).  It evolved because there was disconnect between providers and the community.  Their goal is to link clinicians with the community.  The African American community is represented there, but not so much the Latino community.

Other homework

Katherine will send updated contact list to all members.

Next Meeting:  July 23, 2009, 9:00-10:30 a.m. at Center for Urban

Population Health.