RIVERSIDE COUNTY
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
COMMISSION
Meeting Minutes
February 4, 2015
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
Members Present
Beatriz Gonzalez, Co-Vice Chair .................................................................................................................................. Education, District 4
Carole Schaudt........................................................................................................................................ Public Interest Member, District 4
Christina Torres, Co-Vice Chair................................................................................................................ Public Interest Member, District 5
Darrell Connerton ........................................................................................................................................ BOS Representative, District 3
Daryl Terrell ......................................................................................................................................................... Public Interest, District 5
Eric Keen ...........................................................................................................................................................Public Defender, District 1
Georgia Smith ............................................................................................................................................................ Consumer, District 2
Greg Damewood ................................................................................................................................................ Family Member, District 5
James Stuart, Co-Chair ................................................................................................................................... Law Enforcement, District 4
Jennifer Dunaway............................................................................................................................................... Family Member, District 5
Julie Crouch, Secretary....................................................................................................................................... Family Member, District 1
Opal Hellweg............................................................................................................................................... BOS Representative, District 3
Patricia Carrillo ................................................................................................................................................... Family Member, District 2
Phillip McKinnon................................................................................................................................................... Public Interest, District 2
Richard Divine, Co-Chair .................................................................................................................................... Family Member, District 4
Rick Gentillalli.................................................................................................................................................. Law Enforcement, District 3
Victoria St. Johns ........................................................................................................................................................ Education, District 4
Walter Haessler, M.D............................................................................................................................................ Public Interest, District 1
Members Not Present
Gilbert Espinoza ........................................................................................................................................................................... District 5
Others Present
Kathryn Mauro................................................................................................................................................................ Guest/ Consumer
Shannon McCleerey-Hooper ............................................................................................................................. Consumer Affairs/ RCDMH
Bill Brenneman ........................................................................................................................................................... MHSA Administrator
Amanda Lucero ...................................................................................................................................................... Guest/ Lehman Center
Brenda Scott .............................................................................................................................................................NAMI Representative
Matt McGiffen..................................................................................................................................................................... Guest/ CSUSB
Cynthia Oma Gray ................................................................................................................................. Guest/ Soroptimist House of Hope
Rhyan Miller ..................................................................................................................... Substance Use Program Administrator/ RCDMH
Leonel Contreras ............................................................................................................................................................... Guest/ Provider
Deborah Johnson ................................................................................................................................ Forensics Deputy Director/ RCDMH
Claudia Smith............................................................................................................................................................... Forensics/ RCDMH
Maria Mabey .......................................................................................................................................................... Administrator/ RCDMH
Ryan Quist .................................................................................................................................................. Quality Management/ RCDMH
May Farr ...................................................................................................................................................................NAMI Representative
Kim McElroy .......................................................................................................................................................................MCRB Member
William Harris ..................................................................................................................... Substance Use Program Coordinator/ RCDMH
Elin Zerai.................................................................................................................................................................. Recovery Innovations
Ron Hoffman ............................................................................................................................................................ Recovery Innovations
Gloria Hernandez ...............................................................................................................................................................MCRB Member
Sheila Hunt ............................................................................................................................................................. Pacific Grove Hospital
Robyn Kelley ............................................................................................................................................................ Recovery Innovations
Rick Algarin .......................................................................................................................................................................... FAP/ RCDMH
Maria Algarin ........................................................................................................................................................................ FAP/ RCDMH
Tiffany Ross ........................................................................................................................................................................ WET/ RCDMH
Nita Foust .................................................................................................................................................................................... RCDMH
Steve Steinberg............................................................................................................................................................................ RCDMH
Jacqualine Ebule .......................................................................................................................................................................... RCDMH
Mario Lopez ................................................................................................................................................................. Research/ RCDMH
Maria Marquez ............................................................................................................................................................... Housing/ RCDMH
Sharon Lee .................................................................................................................................................................................. RCDMH
Jesse Weller .................................................................................................................................................................. Housing/ RCDMH
Jason Farin ..........................................................................................................................................................................BOS District 2
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RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
CALL TO ORDER AND INTRODUCTIONS
Chairperson, Richard Divine called the meeting to order at 12:05 and Commission members made self-introductions.
CHAIRPERSON’S REMARKS/ CORRESPONDENCE
Due to the fact the Celebrate Recovery speaker had not arrived, Mr. Divine decided to move the Celebrate Recovery segment
back on the agenda.
PUBLIC REMARKS/ COMMUNITY CONCERNS/ ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brenda Scott thanked all those that participated at the last NAMI Walk. The event helped to raise nearly $88,000. Ms. Scott
also announced that the next NAMI Walk will take place on November 7, 2015 at Diamond Valley Lake.
Ms. Scott provided information regarding support groups in Banning, Hemet, Moreno Valley, and Riverside. Perris provides
Spanish Family-to-Family and Peer-to-Peer support groups. In Hemet and Banning, they provide English Family-to-Family
and Peer-to-Peer. They also have a Spanish Outreach program geared toward the Spanish speaking community called
Compartiendo Esperanza (Sharing Hope). There is also a new program established by NAMI California called Mental Health
101. It is an outreach program to five underserved groups in our community – Spanish, Asian Americans, African American,
Native Americans, and LGTBQ.
COMMISSION MEMBER’S REMARKS/ ANNOUNCEMENTS
James Stuart announced that there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new County Law building in Indio on Wednesday,
February 11. The facility will house the Indio branch of Riverside County Law Library, District Attorney’s Office, Public
Defender’s Office, and County Counsel.
Georgia Smith provided an update regarding the transportation issues that were discussed at the last Adult System of Care
meeting. Ms. Smith stated that two weeks earlier, she and Kathy Mauro attended the Board meeting at Riverside Transit
Agency (RTA). During the meeting, they were informed that two bus stops near Emergency Treatment Service (ETS) will be
removed. Ms. Smith stated that this will cause major issues not only for consumers, but also the rest of the community. Ms.
Smith stated that a survey was mailed to all the community members within the County and they have been highly successful
at getting responses. Ms. Smith requested to have RTA present at the next Adult System of Care Committee meeting to get
more information regarding the removal of the bus stops and their 10-year plan.
Pat Carrillo announced that NAMI Western Riverside has a Veteran’s Family Support group that meets on the second
Tuesday of every month at Kaiser Permanente in Moreno Valley. There is also another location at Pacific Grove Hospital that
meets on the second Saturday of the month. She also announced that there is a NAMI Connections Support Group that
meets at Pacific Grove on the second Saturday of each month on Brockton Avenue.
Carole Schaudt responded to the transportation issue raised by Ms. Smith. The desert region is also experiencing major
issues with lack of proper transportation. Ms. Schaudt stated that Sunline Transit Agency promised that they will have buses
coming past The Path, on Indian Avenue, but has not started. Due to this lack of transportation, individuals in other areas of
Desert Hot Springs are unable to travel to Indio. Nothing has been done in the past year since the previous Director at
Sunline transferred to Riverside. She has tried everything including speaking to the new Director. Ms. Schaudt states that
temperatures reach up to 120 degrees in the desert during the summer, which can be a hazard and presents an even greater
hardship for those unable to get transportation.
Greg Damewood announced that the Inland Empire Disability Collaborative meets on the third Tuesday of the month over at
Inland Regional Center. It’s free and it’s another way to advocate and find out more things that are going on in the
community. Mr. Damewood has attended for several years and is a member. Mr. Damewood stated that it’s a good
organization and noted that a lot of County Mental Health staff attends.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Dr. Walter Haessler stated that there are some inaccuracies in the Attendance and the Introduction portions of the minutes.
Regarding his own introduction, he stated that he has only been a member of the Board for 2 years, since his appointment
began in December 31, 2012. Phillip McKinnon and Mr. Stuart’s introduction were also not included. Lastly, on page 1, Phillip
McKinnon was not listed under “Members Present” or “Members not Present,” but on page 7, he is marked as “present” in the
roster.
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MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
Mr. Stuart decided to correct his portion and stated that he did not say much at the previous meeting regarding his
background. Mr. Stuart was a Marine Corps pilot in the 1960s and served four tours in Vietnam. His final tour of duty was
with the Naval Criminal Intelligence and he returned home after the death of President Kennedy. After returning home, he
began working with law enforcement. Mr. Stuart worked with the California State Parole Board for 17 years. He started with
the Youth Offender Parole Board and transitioned to the Narcotic Evaluation Authority. Presently, he works as a commercial
realtor and represents various businesses between I-215 and I-10 in Arizona, including Applebee’s, IHop, In & Out, and Chikfil-A.
Pat Carrillo stated that in the Introductions portion of the minutes, it only stated that she had a mentally ill son, but she
distinctly remembered stating that she also had a son that struggled with substance abuse.
Darrell Connerton moved to approve the minutes as noted and Mr. Stuart seconded the motion. None opposed and the
motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Divine stated that Luis Orozco, Pam Shellner, and Dr. Bipin Patel were originally slated to speak regarding Seclusions and
Restraints, but unfortunately were unable to make it due to an audit at the hospital with The Joint Commission. In their place,
Maria Marquez presented on the topic of Prop 47.
Prior to Ms. Marquez’s presentation, Jerry Wengerd announced that Ms. Marquez is retiring. Ms. Marquez is well known in
the Mental Health Department. When Prop 63 was passed ten years ago, one of the major issues that the Department had to
address was homelessness among the mentally ill. Ms. Marquez spearheaded this effort and took part in every aspect of
planning, acquisition, construction, and furnishing of the Housing facilities. Through partnerships with the cities and the
County, Ms. Marquez successfully established two homeless shelters and tried vehemently for a third facility. After Ms.
Marquez retires, she plans to return as a volunteer to work on a few projects. Ms. Marquez’s successor is Jesse Weller and
has been shadowing her for a month. Mr. Weller joins us from the private sector and has worked in Northern California and
Los Angeles.
Ms. Marquez began by congratulating the Commission for becoming the Behavioral Health Commission and thanked the
members for all their work and advocacy for the community.
Prop 47 is what Ms. Marquez calls the “storm cloud gathering.” Prop 47 was passed in November of 2014 and took effect in
January of 2015. The idea is noble – reducing felony charges to misdemeanors to help alleviate the overcrowding of jails and
prisons. The funds saved from this effort will be redirected to mental health services. One of the major issues surrounding the
passage of Prop 47 is that it was effective immediately. The funds needed to implement this successfully are currently not
within reach as the money that would essentially be “saved” from this effort will not be available for another year. There is a
tremendous impact on the mental health system, the public defender’s office, and the district attorney’s office. Over 1,900
people in state prisons and over 200 people in county jails have sought to convert their charges from felony status to
misdemeanor status; these petitions are filed by the Public Defender’s Office. When an individual is brought up on felony
charges and are considered incompetent to stand trial, the court will order them into state hospital where they will receive
services and treatment. The cost of this is charged to the state, but if the felony converts to a misdemeanor, these costs are
charged to the County. As of two weeks ago, 11 people admitted at Patton State Hospital had their felony charges converted
to misdemeanor charges. This conversion results in the unbudgeted cost of $2.5 million, and this is only the beginning.
Another dynamic that can be observed by this passage, is the stronger level of advocacy by the courts and the Public
Defenders. As they become more educated in mental health and substance use issues, they become stronger advocates for
their clients to seek mental health and substance use services and treatment. This becomes an issue when there are not
enough facilities or treatment centers to accommodate a fast growing number of people that need treatment and assistance.
The courts are also struggling with how to keep the community safe. The courts want mental health to place defendants into
locked facilities, which we cannot accommodate. Unless defendants are under conservatorship, we cannot place them in a
locked facility, because they are considered voluntary clients. Ms. Marquez stated that there is tremendous pressure being
placed on the Public Guardian to put criminal defendants under conservatorship. Another option is to put them in state
hospital, which is the highest level of care. The annual cost of a single state hospital bed is about $288,000 a year for a single
person. This is the highest level of restrictive care with a price tag to match. Ms. Marquez also noted that housing is for
voluntary clients; the Department has no enforcement, which means the courts may want them in housing, but the individual
may not. The courts have been patient, but they’re losing their patience and there is pressure on all of us to try and come up
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RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
with resources to meet the needs of this emerging population. Ms. Marquez stated that they are monitoring its progress
closely and tracking the number of cases.
Deborah Johnson gave a brief update on the number of cases that are up for resentencing. To date, there are 2,176 cases up
for resentencing out of prison and 837 out of county jails. Ms. Johnson recently spoke to Judge Dugan and informed her that
of the 837 cases up for resentencing out of county jails, 324 of the cases have been denied so far. Part of what’s difficult for
all judicial systems to understand is that we don’t control IMD beds, we don’t own these beds, and we compete for access to
these beds with every other county in the state. As the courts start pushing them into state hospitals and IMDs become less
available, we are quickly approaching a critical state for ourselves.
Ms. Dunaway asked if individual counties can apply for state or federal emergency housing funding. Ms. Marquez responded
that it happened so quickly that the state hasn’t figured out how to issue the money and it takes awhile to get those protocols,
such as who is going to manage it, how counties can apply for it, and how it will be issued. AB109 was very similar, but the
funds were available much sooner. With Prop 47 the state has not formulated a plan on how the funds will be allocated and
distributed. Any type of housing, even with proper funds, takes a while. There is no such thing as “fast housing.”
Eric Keen provided some clarity in regards to new cases. The law has redefined charges that used to be defined as felonies.
For example, if someone were arrested for possession of methamphetamine, before the passage of Prop 47, the individual
would be charged with a felony, but now it is a misdemeanor. This is the same for cocaine and other illegal substances. This
is deemed as a misdemeanor regardless of the number of offenses that individual has committed. Prop 47 only addresses the
issue of simple possession; not the sale of drugs. It would be up to the prosecution to make the distinction between
possession and sale of illegal substances.
Another major change under Prop 47 is shoplifting. Shoplifting has an added section in the penal code (459.5). Prior to the
passage of Prop 47, shoplifting only included theft and petty theft, now there is a code specifically involving someone walking
into a commercial building and stealing. Now, if an individual steals something in the value of $950 or less, by definition, it will
be charged as a misdemeanor, whether it’s your first, second, or third offense.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY PRESENTATION
Anita Faust introduced Rochelle Esser as this month’s Celebrate Recovery Speaker. Ms. Esser’s struggle with depression
began at age 12, when her cousin raped her repeatedly over a 6 month period of time. Ms. Esser’s cousin threatened to harm
her if she ever decided to speak up, so she suffered in silence. During this time, her cousin introduced her to drugs and
alcohol, which she later turned to as a way to cope. As years went by, she suffered through two abusive marriages and
several other abusive relationships, which only exacerbated her depression and alcohol use. The event that changed her life
was a suicide attempt in 1995. Ms. Esser drove her car off a bridge, which resulted in her becoming an amputee. A business
man on his way from out of town and a family from Colorado on their way to Palm Springs came to her aid as they all
witnessed her car drive off the bridge. Years later, what would have been her mother’s 77th birthday, she met up with a friend
whom she had known for four years. Later that evening, she was assaulted and raped by this man. Once again, Ms. Esser
suffered through hatred, resentment, shock, anger, and pain. She endured the legal process, which failed her for reasons she
doesn’t understand. The man that raped her was not prosecuted or arrested. Ms. Esser managed to get a three-year
restraining order against the man, but her fear, anger, and depression were so deep that she once again turned to alcohol.
After 6 months of heavy drinking, she once again became suicidal. She attempted to overdose on the medication prescribed
to her for anxiety stemming from the attack and later called Xavier Sanchez, her Recovery Coach, to say goodbye. Mr.
Sanchez immediately called the police and asked them to do a welfare check on Ms. Esser. Fortunately, the police managed
to catch Ms. Esser in time. Ms. Esser was then placed on a 5150 hold and stayed in a psych facility for four days. During her
stay, she was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and was prescribed mood stabilizers. Once she started her medication,
she finally felt peace. Ms. Esser will be celebrating four months of sobriety as of February 11. With proper medication, she is
able to stay focused and positive by exercising her skills in photography, graphic design, writing, and playing the drums for her
church worship team. Ms. Esser quotes Winston Churchill to sum up her recovery experience – “A positive thinker sees the
invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” After 18 years in a wheel chair, she is now able to walk and
credits her success with her faith in God, having sought help with her mental health team, and the love and support from her
family and friends. Ms. Esser will be using her life experience to bring hope to her peers as she will be training to become a
Peer Support Specialist this spring.
Opal Hellweg and Georgia Smith congratulated Ms. Esser in her progress with her recovery.
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RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
OLD BUSINESS
1. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE – Darrell Connerton stated that the Bylaws Committee met on January 21 to
discuss and review the Bylaws. Recommendations and changes were made, including the appointments of the
Commission members. Member appointments that ended in December were pushed forward 6 months to comply
with Policy A-21. A Drug and Alcohol Committee was also added to the Standing Committees list. Mr. Connerton
requested the Commission’s approval to submit the revised Bylaws to the Board of Supervisors.
Questions were raised by Christina Torres and Dr. Walter Haessler regarding the composition of members and
definition of the categories. Ms. Torres also stated that she had a few more questions, revisions and suggestions
she would like considered prior to submitting the Bylaws to the Board of Supervisors.
Greg Damewood made a motion for the Commission members to submit all comments and suggestions to the
Behavioral Health Commission Liaison by February 16 for consideration. Georgia Smith seconded, none opposed
and the motion carried.
Mr. Connerton stated that the Bylaws Committee will set up a meeting shortly after February 16 to consider and
make further changes to the Bylaws and have it available for review before the next Commission meeting.
2. MHSA UPDATE – Bill Brenneman provided a brief overview of MHSA and the role the Commission plays with MHSA
planning.
Historically, MHSA is a standing Board Agenda item, and now a Commission Agenda item, to keep members
updated in all MHSA activities.
The Commission is an integral part of the community planning process by assisting in capturing stakeholder input
and act as a neutral party when running annual Public Hearings.
In November 2004, California tax voters voted on the passage of Prop 63. Prop 63 is 1% taxation on all individuals
that earn over $1 million a year. These funds are used to help transform the mental health system by moving
towards recovery, resilience, wellness, and integrated system of care, which has allowed the Department to do more
creative and innovative things. Any program plan devised with MHSA funding has to be developed with consumer,
stakeholder, community input, and most importantly the Commission’s input and awareness. The Commission acts
as an advisory group in all MHSA activities and plays a key role in community planning.
There are five components in MHSA – Community Services and Support (CSS), Workforce Education and Training
(WET), Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI), Capital Facilities and Technology, and Innovation.
CSS provides voluntary services to consumers. The goal is to deviate from the old method of “fail first and
hospitalizations” and move toward voluntary services. One of CSS’s most intensive levels of care programs is the
Full Service Partnership. It is similar to the Wraparound model, with 24/7 access and availability, and maintains a
low ratio of consumer to case manager case load. CSS receives the largest percentage of MHSA funding. Through
the stakeholder process, MHSA developed 6 key Work Plans that are focused by age spans – Children’s,
Transitional Age Youth (TAY), Adult, Older Adults, Peer Supports, and Outreach. The Peer Supports Work Plan
allowed peer-to-peer initiatives, such as consumer employment and peer centers. The Outreach Work Plan allowed
us to go out and engage our communities into our services. The six Work Plans created roughly 40 different
programs serving our community.
WET allowed the funding to develop our workforce capacity, retention strategies, training, and competencies to
compete with other counties regarding staff recruitment. With approximately 40 programs in our unit, WET is
responsible for the recruitment, retention, and development of staff.
PEI allowed funding to provide services to people who do not necessarily have a mental health diagnosis, but to
begin focusing on prevention and/or early intervention activities. This allowed us to partner with community providers
and contractors to help develop services such as stigma reduction, school-based services, trauma services, and
other indirect services.
Capital Facilities and Technology allowed funding to acquire building space to house all the MHSA programs, one of
which is the building on Rustin Avenue. This facility will house multiple programs such as Children’s Services and
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RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
TAY to name a few. Capital Facilities and Technology also allows funding to advance our information technology
and move towards electronic health records and our own internal behavioral health information system.
Innovation receives the smallest percentage of funding and allows us to try new, creative, and innovative approaches
that have not been instituted in our system before.
Mr. Brenneman stated that last year the Department prepared a 3-Year MHSA Plan where all program plans were
updated and went through an extensive stakeholder process. This year we are required by MHSA regulations to
update that 3-Year Plan and are currently going through the community process to gain stakeholder input. Our
responsibility is to update our community stakeholders on how the 3-Year Plan is doing and once we get through the
planning process, we will ask for the assistance of the Commission to hold a public hearing where individuals will
have the opportunity to provide face-to-face comments on the plan.
3. SUBSTANCE USE UPDATE – Rhyan Miller provided a follow-up of items that were requested from the previous
Commission meeting and the current focus of the Substance Use unit.
The first item for follow-up were handouts included in the packet given to all Commission members that list the
location of Substance Use clinics and what type of services are provided in each clinic. The handouts include the
addresses, phone numbers, and supervisor names of all County clinics, contract provider clinics, and clinics that
provide AB109 services (New Life), which provides both mental health and substance use services. The second item
for follow-up was the request to attend a regional board meeting. Mr. Miller stated that he and Ms. Johnson will be
attending the Western Regional Board meeting per the request of the Commission.
Mr. Miller stated that the current focus of the Substance Use unit is the integration of services in one location.
Currently, a Substance Use clinic located in Cathedral City is in the process of moving to Desert Hot Springs. It will
be housed in a facility that includes services for Older Adults, MDFT, WIC, and Public Health. They have also put in
the certification process for Lake Elsinore where they will be housed with mental health services. The goal of this
effort is to provide all services in one location as a “One-Stop Shop” for consumers so we can serve the community
better. Some of the new locations include Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Banning, and Desert Hot Springs.
Ms. Schaudt inquired about transportation in Desert Hot Springs. Mr. Miller stated that they are researching this
matter and currently have found no issues. Mr. Miller added that they will also be providing pick-up services from
Cathedral City to Desert Hot Springs.
Mr. Stuart asked why the clinic in Cathedral City is moving to Desert Hot Springs. Mr. Miller stated that the
fundamental reason for the move was due to budget cuts at the state level. Moving the clinic allows the Department
to keep the clinic open, co-locate with other programs, and provide services all in one roof. Integration of services
also eliminates the cost of expensive leased buildings, which allows the Department to save funds and makes sure
more consumers in the community receive services.
Ms. Smith asked what the case load is with clientele. Mr. Miller stated that between the clinic in Cathedral City,
MOMS, Outpatient, Drug Free, and other prevention programs, the number fluctuates between 70-90 clients.
4. FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE – Will Harris provided an overview and update of the Friday Night Live program.
Will Harris, is the Prevention Services Coordinator for the Substance Use Program. Everything that Substance Use
Prevention does is based upon our strategic prevention framework plan. The latest iteration of the 5-Year Plan plan
began on July 1 of last year and will continue into 2019. Based on the input from providers, Substance Use
Advisory Board, and consumers, they identified three areas of focus, which are underage drinking, marijuana use
among youth, and prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse among youth.
It was discovered that the youth in Riverside County are drinking too early, too often, and too much, which is a
pattern that is also seen across the state. With marijuana use, it is the goal of the program to reduce the use of
marijuana and increase the perception of its harm among the youth. On a related note, one of the things that they
are trying to do, which is a statewide push, is trying to educate the public on the dangers of marijuana use to the
developing brain. The reason for this focus is the certainty of an upcoming ballot measure in 2016 legalizing the
recreational use of marijuana. The goal of this statewide effort is to provide the populous and the electorate with
evidence based and scientific data so they may make an informed decision when voting. Finally, prescription drug
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MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
use within our youth in Riverside County has seen an increase, especially with opiates. This increase in opiate use
has also been tied to the increase in heroin addiction, which is why there is also great focus in this area. The Friday
Night Live program is one of the avenues used by the Department to address these issues.
The Friday Night Live program is a statewide program that was established in 1984. It operates in 53 out of the 58
counties. Riverside County has the largest Friday Night Live program in the state and has been for several years.
This year, there are 117 chapters chartered around the County in all levels of school, community based
organizations, and faith based organizations. The focus of Friday Night Live is youth development. It is found that if
we can foster an atmosphere of youth development, there is a greater return on our investment. Not only can we
prevent drug and alcohol abuse, we can also prevent teen pregnancy and suicide. The Friday Night Live Program’s
success can be credited with the work of its advisors. A couple of weeks earlier, advisors attended training in
Arrowhead. Mr. Harris stated that they are the bread and butter of the program. They work tirelessly with the kids
and keeps the program functioning. Next month, Mr. Harris is scheduled to take 600 kids to Idyllwild for youth
development training. The program will take 300 kids one weekend and 300 kids the following weekend.
Lastly, Mr. Harris gave a brief overview of their Individual Prevention Services Program. It is a local innovative
program created within the County. It is based on the Desert Sands Unified School District model, which won state
and national recognition. Currently, the program is available at all 7 of the Substance Use Clinics. The program is
geared towards high risk youth and adults who are just beginning to experiment with drugs and/or alcohol. This
program is designed to work with them on an educational basis with the goal to reverse their views on substance use
before they become addicted. This approach allows the program to use prevention funds and is in the process of
expanding into new clinics in Lake Elsinore, Perris, and Banning.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Mr. Wengerd began by informing the Commission about a negative report recently published by the Hoover
Commission regarding Prop 63. Much of the information they have is not factual and is not indicative of the efforts by
counties across the state. There have been several opinion columns and editorial pieces published across the state,
the most notable being in Kern County where the article expressed opposite opinions.
There is a nonprofit organization called California Forward that is assisting the County with reevaluating all the
systems in place that deal with inmates in our jail and detention systems. California Forward is forensics based and
focuses on prisons, detentions, probation, and local jail systems. The organization is based out of Sacramento and
consists of retirees and higher management volunteers. Their goal is to assist California’s government in becoming
more functional. Its major focus in the last few years has been around criminal justice and what can be done
differently within the jail population. They picked out a few counties they wanted to work with, and we were the first
chosen. The County was approached two years ago and the Board of Supervisors and County CEO immediately
agreed to work with them. The reason that Mr. Wengerd raised this topic is because during California Forward’s
evaluation of our forensic systems, they found that some issues lie within our mental health system. Mr. Wengerd
stated our Department works steadily alongside the Probation Department and its officers, but with the newly
implemented AB109, it was found that we may be able to do more in certain areas and improve upon our system.
This has been an ongoing study for about one year and will continue for a few more.
In Substance Use, the Healthcare Reform is looking to create a new benefit that increases the amount of drug and
alcohol services available to the community. This is Federal law that is currently rolling out in counties across the
state. Over the course of a year and a half, with direct involvement with Sacramento, a waiver has been written
between us and the Federal government that will allow us to draw on Medi-Cal in a new way that fits with the new
healthcare reform. This waiver creates a whole new benefit that will be open to the public and the private sector.
This has only been offered to four counties. Counties have the option to design a plan and be compensated
according to the amount of people within the service. The goal is to prevent emergency room use, provide intense
care services, case management, follow-ups, and save them from turning to high-priced, high-end services. The
state department is in the process of figuring out how to distribute the funds and the waiver is currently with the
Federal government.
In Mental Health, the Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS) has contacted 3 counties about creating a new
health home for the mentally ill. Out of the three counties they contacted, only two are participating – Riverside and
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February 4, 2015
Los Angeles. Mr. Wengerd stated that he believes the reason DHCS contacted our County is because we have had
the experience in the last few years of integrating mental health, primary healthcare, and drug and alcohol all in one
place. The Rubidoux Clinic is our longest running clinic that provides all services under one roof. Mr. Wengerd
stated that it is a fortunate thing that we are constantly selected to participate in such endeavors because it allows us
to help design and provide input in these programs and projects.
Lastly, Mr. Wengerd provided an update on the construction at Rustin. Mr. Wengerd stated that we are in the
process of purchasing the building and will be ready to move in April. The 170,000 square feet campus sits on 12acres and will house 11 programs. It provides easy access, plenty of parking spaces, and will be walking distance of
the Metro station.
SITE REVIEWS
Mr. Stuart assigned Tori St. John to chair the new Site Review Committee to educate members on the Substance
Use sites and requested to have a member from the Mental Health group to co-chair and provide information on the
Mental Health sites.
COMMITTEES
Christina Torres provided an update from the Quality Improvement Committee meeting. Since the meeting was
limited with time, Ms. Torres handed out a report from Patient’s Rights containing trend data from January to
December of 2014 regarding seclusions and restraints.
ADJOURN
Darrell Connerton made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Christina Torres seconded the motion, all were in favor,
and the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 2:10 pm.
Maria Roman
Julie Crouch, BHC Secretary
Maria Roman, Recording Secretary
Page 8 of 9
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
MENTAL HEALTH BOARD MINUTES
February 4, 2015
2015 Behavioral Health Commission Attendance Roster
MEMBERS
J
A
N
F
E
B
M
A
R
A
P
R
M
A
Y
J
U
N
J
U
L
S
E
P
O
C
T
N
O
V
Beatriz Gonzalez, District 4
Carole Schaudt, District 4
Christina Torres, District 5
Darrell Connerton, District 3
Daryl Terrell, District 5
Eric Keen, District 1
Georgia Smith, District 2
Gilbert Espinoza, District 5
A
A
Greg Damewood, District 5
James Stuart, District 4
Jennifer Dunaway, District 5
A
Julie Crouch, District 1
A
Opal Hellweg, District 3
Patricia Carrillo, District 2
Phillip McKinnon, District 2
A
Richard Divine, District 4
Rick Gentillalli, District 3
Victoria St. Johns, District 4
Walter Haessler, District 1
Present =
Absent = A
Approved Leave of Absence = LOA
Minutes and agendas of meetings are available upon request and online at. To request copies, please contact the BHC
Liaison at (951) 955-7141 or email at MYRoman@rcmhd.org.
Page 9 of 9