COALITION MEMBERS: Larry
Calkins, Becca Ames, Chelsea Dodd, Bill Bowman, Joyce Nebush. Heather Rich,
Kelly Wright, Bud Ziolokowski, Carolyn White, Melerena Back, Rachel Milone,
Jake Coulombe, Cassie Forbus-Robbins, Connie Wille, Jared Croy, Josh Duck,
Tracy Leonard, Jennifer Elliott, Jayme Smith, Jay Ulrich, Connie Thompson,
Denis King, Sheena Smith, John Wilson, Taylor Hansen, Kyle Plaske, Emily
Marquart, Emma Bracket, John Coppola, Tammy Landerway
AGENCIES
PRESENT: Seaway
Valley Prevention Council, Credo Community Center, Champlain Valley Family
Center, Citizens Advocates, Mountain View Prevention Services, St. Josephs,
St. Regis Mohawk Health Services, Pivot, Prevention Team, Grace House, Anchor
Recovery Center, ASAPNY, North Country Freedom Homes, St. Lawrence County, St.
Lawrence Health System
1. Call to Order
· Meeting called to order by Bill Bowman at 10:04 am.
2.
A motion was
made by Kelly Wright, seconded by Connie Wille to approve the January and
February 2023 minutes.
3. Treasures Report
Treasure Updates:
$10,612.34
Membership
paid dues:
°
Carolyn White
°
Credo
Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions, Inc.
°
Janet
Price-Kurta
°
Joyce Nebush
°
Mountain View
Prevention Services
°
Seaway Valley
Prevention Council
°
St. Lawrence
Health
°
Substance
Abuse Prevention Team of Essex County, Inc.
°
Pivot
°
St. Josephs
Rehabilitation Center
°
North Country
Freedom Homes
4.
Action
Items:
5.
New
Business:
May Meeting Saranac Hotel,
Saranac Lake, NY May 16th 10:00 am Click here to Register
Bylaws Rachel Milone
°
Larry Calkins suggest that the Executive Committee meet to work on the
Bylaws and bring to the May meeting.
Larry Calkins would like all committees to take minutes/notes at their
meeetings and send them over to Becca Ames to keep on file.
6.
Updates
North Country Regional Network of Care
°
Care
Coordination Grant Bud Ziolkowski & Rachel Milone Website
i.
Website is
set. Rachel and Bud would like to work with agencies to come in and go over the
site with staff.
Committee
Updates:
°
Wellness
i.
Ideas/suggestions to send to the Commissioner
1. Wellness budget from OASAS:
use that as incentives for things like gym, yoga studio, massage, food, etc.,
having a choice on how to use this money
2. Mandatory Health Breaks each
day, 10 mins built into the daily schedule
3. OASAS to fund/purchase
things like health apps for all agencies to give to staff such as purchasing
the calm app, and all staff would have access to it or having a point system to
earn points towards a Fitbit or other health/wellness-related things.
ii.
Barriers to wellness:
1. Intense amount of paperwork
to complete daily
2. Staff paying out of their
own pocket when trying to do group activities off-site or after hours
3. No funds
4. No time
iii.
Larry Calkins suggests getting ahold of Bill to draft a letter for the
Commissioner. He also suggests bringing this to Northern Tier Conference.
Heather Rich states that the committee will get together and get a letter to
bring to Larry and Bill.
°
Education
i.
Committee met in February, working on getting presenters for the Northern
Tier Conference. If anyone has suggestions reach out to Rachel Milone.
°
Advocacy
i.
Group has not met yet.
ii.
Some of the group met with local legislation last month.
°
Sustainability
i.
Met in February. Discussed making a Charter.
ii.
Formalizing a charter to enlist new members, the committee will form a
draft for the next meeting.
Conference:
°
November 7-9,
High Peaks Resort, Lake Placid, NY
°
Looking for presenters;
agenda for time slots is set so if you would like to reach out regarding times.
°
Looking for
sponsors for portions of the conference. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NTPCCSponsor23
OASAS:
°
ASAP Update:
°
Budget bills came
out last week. Deadline for the budget is March 31st. Budget maybe
late this year.
°
8.5% COLA is in
the budget bill but does not have the money to cover this, so it may end up
lower, hopefully about 5.4%.
°
Governor included
in the executive budget, a number of insurance reforms. The Assembly removed
all of them. Developing a page will send out to Larry.
°
340B Pharmacy
carveout, federal program, state plans to remove on April 1st.
Working on another bill to replace this.
°
Transition is
going well
Providers:
°
Champlain Valley
i.
Intensive Crisis
Stabilitaion Center, continue in a dual process with fisability and capital
funding and the clinical piece attached to it. Cautiously optimistic about a
late fall opening.
ii.
Operating
Certificate is still the system at the state. Continuing to do work behind the
scene.
iii.
Clinic itself is
doing CQI work, trying to get family members included in the treatment process
iv.
Did data review
of 2022, Peer Engagement have brought in a large number of individuals that
have never received ttreatment before.
°
Credo Community
Center
i.
Chasing grants to
supplememt reimbursement to help out in clinics
ii.
Senator Schumer
was recently in town to get on camera with a 3 point plan regarding new drugs
coming into the North Country.
iii.
Want the
continuous push on Narcan and education on Narcan.
iv.
Capital Project
has studding
°
St. Lawrence
County Community Services
i.
Around 160
clients
ii.
Looking to get
more staff because of the high numbers
iii.
Overwhelming the
transportation system.
iv.
Mobile clinic is
on its way up here today.
v.
OTP got a 3-year
operating certificate
°
St. Lawrence
Health System
i.
Working on LGTBQ
Endorsment, hoping to hear any day now.
ii.
Submited a grant
to extend Peer program.
iii.
Offering Narcan
training to family members of patients
°
North Country
Freedom Homes
i.
Almost at
copacity.
ii.
Busy with referrals.
°
St. Regis Mohawk
Health Services
i.
Having issues
with work force.
ii.
Preparing for
OASAS review with Outpatient program.
iii.
Continuing to do
a lot of Narcan training in the community.
°
Citizens
Advocates
i.
Ribbon Cutting
ceremony April 21st at 10:00 am for Watertown location. Soft opening
May 1st.
ii.
Got 589 operating
certificate in Ogdensburg
7.
Adjournment
A Motion was made by Larry
Calkins, seconded by Connie Wille to adjourn at 11:17 am.