LATE ADOPTED -OCTOBER 26, 1999

Agenda Item No. 19

Introduced by the Human Services Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION TO RETAIN LOCAL CONTROL AND QUALITY OF

SPECIALTY MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES

RESOLUTION #99-275

WHEREAS, the Michigan Department of Community Health is in the process of developing a plan for the bidding out of the provision and management of public specialty health care services (services to those with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse disorders); and

WHEREAS, this bid out will impact both Medicaid recipients and persons meeting the Mental Health Code and Substance Abuse definition for treatment; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Community Health has recently issued a concept paper outlining the goals and general direction of the bid out process.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners urges the

Michigan Department of Community Health to ensure that critical issues identified by their concept paper are used in the bid out process to determine the award of any contracts for the public specialty health care service provision and management (services to those with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse disorders) including the following key points:

1. Assurance of local control of the system including: appointment of board members of the governing body of the care provider/manager by county commissioners; involvement of local government in setting the direction of the system; involvement of local government in determining how local tax dollars, used to support this system, are spent.

2. Assurance that the awarding of the contract is based on the quality of service that can be provided, at a cost, specified in advance, by the State of Michigan, for the vulnerable populations currently served by the public mental health and coordinating agency systems. The cost of such services and their management should be determined actuarially, in advance of the bid out.

3. Assurance that the provider/care manager that is selected as a result of the bid out has experience with adults with serious and persistent mental illness, persons with developmental disabilities, children with serious emotional disturbance, and persons with chronic substance abuse disorders.

4. Assurance of the continuation of the community benefits and integration that have traditionally been provided by the community mental health and coordinating agency systems: collaboration with schools, jails, courts, public health departments, and family independence agency(ies).

ADOPTED - OCTOBER 26, 1999

Agenda Item No. 19

RESOLUTION #99-275

5. Assurance of the same level of accountability to the community for the expenditure of public funds, this assured by the current community mental health and coordinating agency systems including: compliance with the Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act requirements, and consumer appeals and grievances processes.

6. Assurance of the same level of consumer involvement in the governance and operation of the specialty care system that exists in the current community mental health and coordinating agency systems. Such involvement involves the requirement that primary and secondary consumers be included as members of the provider/care manager's governing body and that the consumer should direct the service and supports planning and delivery process.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Clerk send a copy of this resolution to the Michigan Association of Counties, the Governor, and the Ingham County legislative delegation.

HUMAN SERVICES: Yeas: Smiley, Czarnecki, Stid, Severino, Schmidt

Nays: None Absent: None Approved 10/18/99