June 17, 2010

 

Mental Health Action Team

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Time of Meeting: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

 

Location of Meeting: Center for Urban Population Health

 

Present:  Gabriela Diéguez, SSCHC;  Leslie Davis, Aurora Walker’s Point Community Clinic;  Trishla Shah, Disability Rights WI;  Melissa Waldo, SSCHC;  Luke Waldo, Sojourner Family Peace Center; Katherine Valentyn, Council for the Spanish Speaking; Sylvia Cortez, Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division; Ursula Flores, Crisis Resource Center; Mirta Cabrera, Aurora Family Service/Walker’s Point; Stephanie Calloway, Proyecto Salud; Lindsey Schaaf, UWM; Azara Santiago-Rivera, UWM.

 

Approval of minutes

Minutes from our May meeting were approved with no corrections.

 

Announcements

• Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force Summit date has been set:  Sept. 21, 2010.  The focus is “Race, Culture, and Ethnicity.”
• MLHC membership forms are available to be filled out.
• Trishla volunteered to be the point person for the MLHC monthly newsletter.  Stephanie will be contacting her at the end of each month to write a few sentences about our Action Team’s progress.
• Trishla provided information about two job announcements, one with Independence First and one with Disabilities Rights WI.
• Leslie will conduct sensitivity training with BHD on 6/23/10.
• Gabriela and Leslie presented a draft letter for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce requesting funds to re-print Spanish resource cards.

 

UWM/SSCHC “Latinos with Depression” project update

• Azara Santiago-Rivera provided an update of the “Latinos with Depression” project, which is being conducted in collaboration with SSCHC:  trainings, consultation with experts, focus groups, use of information from initial results from pilot (shared study manuscript), selection of therapists to be trained, BAL training and continuation of focus groups about immigration process and adaptation to new culture.
• Suggestions from the MHAT:

• Have a focus group with therapists to get an idea of what is needed and how therapists will benefit from the study.
• Importance of looking at how treatment addresses immigrants that were professionals in their country of origin and now have to start over to receive credentials in US.
• Seek collaboration with churches in order to recruit for focus groups.

• Please share with community members information about focus groups.

 

Requests to participate

Discussion about how, as the MLHC and the Mental Health Action Team gains visibility, we have been asked to participate in other meetings and groups.  As a group, we will decide who will participate and whether or not we are willing to collaborate in other endeavors.  Gabriela will attend today’s meeting about integration of services for AODA and Mental Health at the County.  At our July meeting, we will decide if we are able to participate in the Steering Committee for that initiative.

 

WarmLine

Leslie and Ursula provided an update of their work in regards to WarmLine.  Next step is to contact Mexico’s consulate to see the possibility of teaming up with them to create a phone support system for Latinos in the area.  They presented ideas in written form, and discussion will continue at next meeting.

 

Milwaukee County Behavioral Health

Melissa contacted Desireen at BHD regarding our questions.  Melissa’s letter was forwarded to John Chianelli, and a response was received yesterday (6/16/10).  The letter provided information about sliding fee scale and clarified how emergency coverage cannot be used once a person is stable at the hospital.  Group will review letter before our next meeting, and discussion will continue at the next meeting.  If any questions arise in regards to the letter, forward to Melissa. 

 

Action Items

• Gabriela and Leslie: letter to Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Leslie and Ursula: contact Mexico’s consulate.
• EVERYONE: Read Leslie and Ursula’s information page about WarmLine possibilities AND read the letter from Mr. Chianelli.

 

Next Meeting

Thursday, July 15, 9:00-10:30 a.m., at the Center for Urban Population Health.

 

Minutes submitted by Gabriela Diéguez.

 

 

The mission of the Milwaukee Latino Health Coalition is to increase the health and well being of Latino communities by organizing power for social change.