Notes from CC Minutes
Alamance County Board of Commissioners
Regular Meeting
Possibility of allocating American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to use towards a diversion center. Current services that were provided by RHA on Anne Elizabeth Dr, Burlington. Goal was to have a diversion center that would be available 7 days a week/24 hours per day. He continued that the county had been working on enhancing the mental health crisis and diversion center for many years. County currently paid about $1 million to RHA from the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds. The Sheriff's Office was able to obtain a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) which provided $239,500 annually for 3 years for extended mental health crisis services. He reminded the Board that Cardinal Innovations had given the county a one-time allocation of $1.2 million for capital needs towards mental health services.
New model would have outpatient programs with expanded hours and inpatient services that included 23-hour chairs as well as a number of beds where people could stay in the building for multiple days to begin treatment. May want to consider using $13.2 million in ARP funds due to the significant expansion of the program services. Estimated another $2 million a year for cost of increased operations above what they currently pay using the MOE and BJA monies. He said the cost to build/purchase a building was estimated at $9.2 million based on discussions with a developer and RHA. He reiterated they still had the $1.2 million from Cardinal Innovations, $261,000 banked from MOE funding, and $125,000 from the Petree startup costs. County Manager Hagood reminded the Commissioners they would need to replace the $2 million ARP funding at the end of 3 years. He stressed this was a conceptual figure, they had no concrete proposals.
Chairman Paisley, seconded by Vice Chair Carter moved to set aside $13.2 million and that it be appropriated until otherwise decided. The motion was denied 4-1 with Vice Chair Carter, Commissioners Lashley, Thompson and Turner voting in opposition.
After a brief recess, Vice Chair Carter moved for approval of having County Manager Hagood engage in discussion to determine what a deal would look like on the proposed properties and if other properties could be brought into the discussion with no commitments of dollars and no commitments of anything else. Commissioner Turner asked if Vice Chair would consider an amendment to his motion. Commissioner Turner thought his motion was appropriate and he offered to the amendment that the county manager would seek out opportunities for development both this property and additional properties and that he would investigate or seek proposals for provisions of services and partnerships with RHA and Cone for whatever facility the county ended up going with so the proposal was for facilities and for services. Commissioner Thompson seconded the motion. The motion carried without opposition.
RESULT:
APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER:
Steve Carter, Vice Chairman
1/16/2018
sue/Action Requested
Approval to accept a $1,200,000 grant from Cardinal Innovations to be designated for the establishment of a diversion and restoration center facility to be located in Alamance County.
Background/Purpose of Request
Cardinal Innovations, Alamance County's mental health service provider, will make available to the Alamance County Board of Commissioners a grant of $1,200,000 to be used to establish a mental health diversion and restoration center in Alamance County. The center will be used to reduce the numbers of non-violent inmates with mental health and/or substance abuse issues in the Alamance County Jail. This diversion and restoration center will also provide an alternative destination for mental health patients that would ordinarily be delivered to the local emergency room. The creation of a new mental health diversion and restoration center in Alamance County is one of the major strategic goals of the Stepping Up Initiative.
Alamance County has identified the Elderly Services building as a possible location for the mental health diversion and restoration center. The County's upcoming facility plan process and continued dialogue with Stepping Up Initiative partners will help ensure the best location is selected for the expenditure of these funds from Cardinal Innovations to create the new diversion and restoration center.
2/21/2022
Dr. Jim Ryan, Psychiatrist, and Robin Huffman, Executive Director of the North Carolina Psychiatric Association will present information to the Board of Commissioners pertaining to the need for enhanced mental health crisis and diversion services in Alamance County. Dr. Ryan and Robin Huffman serve as members of the Alamance County Justice Advisory Council and have an awareness and understanding of the need for these mental health services in the community. Dr. Ryan and Robin Huffman were part of the original Leadership Steering Committee for the Stepping Up Initiative and have been strong advocates in Alamance County with regard to Mental Health and Substance Use.