CEO Headliners
William M. Denihan, Chief Executive Officer
June 23, 2010
Volume 2  Issue 6
FY2011 Funding Decisions
♦ As you recall, this past winter, the
ADAMHS Board was facing drastic
funding cuts for the upcoming fiscal year
from ODMH and ODADAS, in addition to
a possible $12.8 Million dollar cut in our
ODMH 408 funding. With flat funding over
the past three years, our county funding
didn’t look promising either.
♦ These funding stressors required that
we put every possible dollar to the best
possible use to serve consumers and clients.
♦ On March 19, we issued the FY2011
Non-Medicaid Funding Request for
Information (RFI). All responses to the
RFI were due at 4:00 p.m., Friday, April 9.
Sixty-six responses met this deadline.
♦ Staff reviewed each RFI and internal
information, billing trends, program
reviews and quality improvement
information.
♦ Staff and I participated in meetings
with each provider between Wednesday,
April 21, and Wednesday, May 19.
♦ After allocating $16,403,100 for
bed days and $1,203,442 for central
pharmacy, our total estimated federal,
state and local revenues available to
fund services and Board operations is
$157,278,821.
♦ We recommending a total ADAMHS
Board budget of $157,278,821, including
allocations to providers ($148,509,970)
and the Board’s operating budget
($6,901,939 - 4% of the total budget).
♦ There were nine agencies that requested
new funding or funds to expand a
program that we recommend not to be
funded at this time (Catholic Charities:
New request for Youth Wrap Around;
Center for Families and Children: New
request for Central Intake Pilot Project
(CIPP); Cuyahoga County Department
of Justice Affairs: MST for Adolescent;
Fresh Start: New Request for Women’s
IOP; Northern Ohio Recovery Association
(NORA): New Request for IOP Treatment
Service; Recovery Resources: Women’s
Care Overflow; Union Construction
Industry Partners: Training; Scarborough
“It is not enough to take
steps which may some
day lead to a goal; each
step must be itself a goal
and a step likewise.”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
House and Oriana House.) The total
request was for $818,723.
♦ There are five agencies that we have
placed on a Six-Month Performance
“Watch” Improvement Plan (Community
Action Against Addiction: Treatment,
Methadone, and Prevention; Northern
Ohio Recovery Association (NORA):
Prevention; Cuyahoga County Department
of Justice Affairs: TASC, Treatment;
East Cleveland Neighborhood Center:
Prevention; and Golden Ciphers:
Prevention.) Funding for the entire year
has been budgeted at $1,695,428.
♦ Board staff will meet with these agencies
to discuss performance expectations.
♦ Three agencies have been placed on
a Six-Month Review status (Cuyahoga
County Department of Justice Affairs:
Drug Court Sustainability; Recovery
Resources: Women & Family Program;
Community Assessment & Treatment
Services: Drug Court Sustainability.)
Funding for the entire year has been
budgeted at $938,607.
♦ The four agencies that did not meet
the RFI deadline will receive a 3-month
contract extension (Beech Brook, The
Covenant, Far West Center, and New
Directions) budgeted at $435,469.
♦ To ensure no disruption of services to
consumers and clients, we will issue an
RFI for the services provided by these
agencies on Thursday, July 1, 2010.
Responses will be due by 4:00 p.m.,
Thursday, July 22, 2010.
Strategic Planning Update
♦ On June 24 and 25, a 17-member team of
Board management, line staff and Board of
Directors will participate in Appreciative
Inquiry (AI) sessions, an important step
toward building a strategic plan for our
future.
♦ AI is an intentional strategy for change
that seeks out the best in our organization.
♦ All Board staff will participate in the
process in the near future. There will also
be collaborative efforts with providers, consumers and other partners.
Farewell
♦ Regretfully, we accepted the
resignation of Luis Felipe
Amunategui, Ph.D., from
the ADAMHS Board of
Directors. Dr. Amunategui
cited increasing work
and personal demands,
combined with
incompatible schedules for
Board meetings. He will
Luis Felipe
be missed.
Amunategui, Ph.D.
Women’s Outreach Project
Cindy Chaytor, the Board’s Adult
Programs Administrator, led a meeting
on June, 11 with our AOD providers
that serve women to continue to discuss
outreach efforts for women with
addiction issues.
The group is in the process of making
arrangements with Tonier Cain, a national
speaker, to share her story of addiction
during a presentation in October.
Entitlement Workgroup
♦ I have established an Entitlement
Workgroup to identify and resolve issues
and problems impacting our system of
care as it relates to entitlement benefits.
Contact Starlette Sizemore-Rice, Public
Benefits Administrator, at 216-241-3400,
ext. 822, for more information.
DCFS Task Force
♦ I am a member of a special Task Force
that is reviewing Cuyahoga County’s
Department of Children and Family
Services (DCFS). We continue to meet on a
regular basis to develop recommendations to
improve the performance of the department.
More Headliners on Page 2
Board Resolution to Advocate
for Funding Solutions
♦ The 17% loss in General Revenue
Funding (GRF) for mental health and
28% for addiction services in the State
Budget has been catastrophic. The Federal
Government’s American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) prevented
further devastating cuts, but is not a
permanent solution.
♦ There is cause for concern that the Ohio
Department of Mental Health (ODMH) and
the State of Ohio will not have sufficient
funds to cover the Medicaid match in
FY 2012, and will be unable to meet the
mandates of the Mental Health Act of 1988.
♦ Additionally, the Ohio Department of
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services
(ODADAS) may not have the necessary
funds for services.
♦ As a follow-up to the OACBHA
General Membership Meeting on May
25, the ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga
County will be putting forth a resolution
authorizing me to advocate and
promote the following three funding
recommendations:
- Community Behavioral Health
Medicaid Match shall be funded
out of the Ohio Department of
Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS)
525 line;
- Boards shall not be required to
utilize local levy funds for the
purpose of Medicaid Match;
- ODMH line items 408 and 505,
as well as ODADAS line item
401, shall be fully funded, with the
dollars allocated to communities.
Mental Health 101 Training
♦ As Chair of Cuyahoga County Reentry
Coalition, I am pleased to announce that
the ADAMHS Board will be providing
Mental Health 101 training to direct service
workers who serve Cuyahoga County
residents returning from prison.
♦ Carol Ballard, ADAMHS Board Forensic
Specialist, and Katherine Wareham, a
member of the Re-entry Coalition from
Cuyahoga County Community College,
worked with ADAMHS Board Training
Officer Tonya Birney to develop a
curriculum that will review severe mental
illness, mental health disorders, available
community resources and communication
and de-escalation techniques.
♦ These free, one-day trainings will be
offered twice a year, starting in August.
Candidates Forums
♦ The Cuyahoga County Reentry
Coalition, which I am Chair, will host
three Candidates Forums to allow
people who were formerly incarcerated,
advocates, citizens and government
officials to meet with the candidates for
national, state and county offices to
share concerns about the struggles that
ex-offenders face when returning to
society from prison, such as employment,
transportation, behavioral health, etc.,
which result in higher recidivism rate.
♦ As of today we scheduled a forum for
Cuyahoga County Executive Candidates
on September 11 from 6-8:00 p.m.,
at the ADAMHS Board. Since this is
pre-primary all candidates for the County
Executive seat will be invited.
Reentry & Employment
♦ The Cuyahoga County Reentry
Coalition believes that without
employment, ex-offenders cannot fully
integrate in the community. Often
highly qualified ex-offenders are not even
considered for positions. The Coalition
so strongly believes in this issue that
it passed a resolution indicating that
all of its members will be open to
hiring qualified ex-offenders. In order to
properly serve ex-offenders and change
policy and the public’s perception, the
providers, funders and overseers of the
system must be the first to believe that exoffenders can fully reenter and participate
in society.
Safe Surrender
♦ We are providing assistance to the
U.S. Marshall who will be holding a Safe
Surrender on September 21-25, at the
Mt. Zion Church in Oakwood Village,
where people with outstanding non-violent
or misdemeanor warrants who wish to turn
themselves in can do so in a safe and nonviolent environment.
Non-Medicaid Initiative
♦ Our Non-Medicaid Initiative pilot
program continues. As of June 16, a total
of 157 diagnostic assessments have been
completed: 109 from Connections; 38
from Center for Families & Children,
and 10 from Mental Health Services.
♦ Agencies are submitting tracking
forms to verify the referred consumers’
attendance at the first appointments. We
have verified that 82 clients have kept
their initial appointment.
CATS Celebrates 20th Anniversary and Completion of New Treatment Facility
♦ On June 3, Community Assessment and Treatment Services (CATS) held a ribbon-cutting
ceremony to open their new $2.2 million state-of-the-art women’s residential treatment
facility that houses 48 residential beds as, well as a large outpatient department. The day’s
events began with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at CATS’s location 8415 Broadway
Avenue in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood.
♦ Later that evening, I attended CATS’s 20th Anniversary gala at Bohemian National
Hall, 4939 Broadway Avenue, Cleveland, with NewsChannel 5’s morning anchor, Kimberly
Gill, serving as the mistress of ceremonies.
♦ Construction of the new women’s residential treatment facility was made possible through
a $500,000 grant from The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati and support from the
Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, The Woodruff
Foundation, Thomas H. White Foundation, a KeyBank Trust, The Wolpert Fund, The
Steffee Fund, The Higley Fund, The Third Federal Foundation and Deaconess Community
Foundation and many other public, private and individual donors.
William M. Denihan, CEO of the ADAMHS Board (front row, third from right) at the ribboncutting ceremony for the new CATS treatment center on June 3, with CATS Executive Director
Roxanne Wallace (with scissors) and a crowd of people invested in the project.
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More Headliners on Page 3
Lapsed Medicaid Hospital Admissions
♦ Admissions to the State Mental Health
Hospital for consumers with lapsed
Medicaid continues to increase. We are
now at 54% of all people admitted have
lapsed Medicaid.
Summit Addresses Hospital Funding
for Behavioral Health Services
♦ On Friday, June 18, I participated in a
Ohio Behavioral Health and Managed
Care Collaborative strategic planning
summit with representatives from the
Departments of Psychiatry at University
Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth,
St. Vincent’s and the Free Clinic, Mental
Health Services, and the Center for
Health Affairs.
♦ The purpose of the summit was to discuss
solving funding problems for mental
health services and the burden of indigent
care at hospitals and other emergency
care services that are ill-equipped to
provide psychiatric services at high costs.
Links East Update
♦ We are in the process of assisting Links
East, a consumer operated service, transition
to becoming a part of the Exchange Center.
The process is being facilitated by Myra
Henderson, our Recovery/Employment
Specialist. Monthly meetings will begin in
July.
News from Other County Boards
♦ Bill Harper has resigned from his
position as Executive Director of Summit
County’s ADM Board to accept a position
with a private, non-profit organization,
effective July 18, 2010.
♦ Jackie Martin, formerly executive
director, is no longer with the Lucas
County ADAMH Board.
♦ Both will be missed on a state level for
their input and knowledge of the behavioral
health system.
County Transition
♦ I am a member of the Health
& Human Services Transition
Workgroup, one of 13 committees making
recommendations for the new county
government.
♦ So far this month, the committee has
held 16 public meetings throughout the
County districts to gain the public’s
input. Additional community meetings are
scheduled for the rest of the month. Please
visit the Cuyahoga County Charter
Transition Advisory Group Web site for
a listing of the meetings at http://charter.
cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/home.aspx.
♦ On July 14, the committee will hold
an information session for all of the
candidates running for the County
Executive and County Council positions
so that they can have an understanding of
the Health & Human Services System. The
session begins at 8:30 a.m., at Tri-C East
Corporate College.
ADAMHS Board Hosts ODADAS for
Gambling Treatment Training
♦ Thursday, June 17, and Friday, June
18, the ADAMHS Board hosted a free
training developed to increase participants’
knowledge and understanding of problem
gambling and gambling addiction provided
by Jen Clegg, MSW, NCGC I, OCPS II and
Tracy Tillotson, BA Ed, MA.
♦ Part of the Ohio Department of Alcohol
and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS)’s
regional effort to address the potential
impact of casino gambling and treatment
services, this two-day training covered
a number of topics relating to treating
individuals with pathological gambling
issues.
♦ Attendees also received a historical
overview of gambling, games and
addiction and examined the federal and
state gambling regulations. The possible
effect of Ohio’s changed legislation, which
approved the addition of four new casinos
throughout the state, was also discussed.
Office Update
♦ Work on the first of the three
elevators in the United Bank Building
is complete and it is working great! The
third elevator has been adjusted and
refurbishment has started on the second
elevator which should be complete in
about four to six months.
♦ Work on the parking lot should begin
in mid-July. When work begins, I ask
staff, Board Members and visitors to be
patient with the parking situation.
♦ The sign company has begun the process
of installing the exterior ADAMHS
Board sign on the West 25th Street side of
the building. It should be complete soon.
August Board Meeting Schedule
♦ I would like to remind the community
that there are no Board meetings planned
for the month of August. If an emergency
meeting needs to be scheduled, we will
make the proper public announcements.
♦ July meetings will be held as planned.
Interesting Board Staff News
Staff Recognized for Harvest for
Hunger Campaign
♦ I am proud to announce that the
ADAMHS Board staff were among this
year’s Harvest for Hunger Campaign
Bronze level donors, joining other area
organizations who raised either $5,000 $9,999, or $30-$39 per employee.
♦ In addition to contributing individual
donations, ADAMHS Board staff
participated in a number of fundraising
activities throughout the month of March,
including a bake sale, a pizza party, Dressdown, Brown Bag lunch day, and a “penny
war” between the floors.
♦ Thanks to Julie Fogel, Public
Information Officer, for coordinating this
year’s campaign for the ADAMHS Board.
Drug Free Workplace
♦ In keeping with our integrity of
promoting alcohol and other drug addiction
treatment services in the community, I
initiated a voluntary participation in a
Drug Free Workplace policy that includes
random drug and alcohol testing for nonbargaining staff.
Club 103
♦ There is no elevator to success. You
have to take the stairs. One Hundred and
Three steps, to be exact, to reach the sixth
floor reception area at the ADAMHS
Board. And, in this case, success is
literally, found in taking the stairs.
♦ Coordinated by Stephanie Graham,
Accountant II and an accomplished
marathon runner, Club 103 is a group of
Board staff who have pledged to take
the stairs, improving their health and
encouraging each other along the way.
♦ The newly formed group of 11, including
me, has set challenges to increase their
activity each week. The first week’s
challenge was to climb as many steps as
it would take to reach the tops of a few of
the world’s greatest treasures: to the top
of the Statue of Liberty (354 stairs), to the
top of Mount Rushmore (506 stairs) or the
Washington Monument (897 stairs).
Canine Accomplishments
Cindy Chaytor, the Board’s Adult
Programs Administrator, raises and shows
dalmatians. We congratulate her and
two of her dogs on the following awards:
Sparkles was honored with the title of
Novice Agility Jumper in the Cleveland
All Breed Agility Show. Blaze received
the title of Winners Dog in Best of
Winners at the Canton McKinley Show.
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