HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02052008 - C.25 s Contra
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Costa
p x. a„u� r
FROM: Supervisor Federal D. Glover
County
9 ;a- 40
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DATE: February 5, 2008 COU
SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF DIANE GREENWOOD SOTO AS THE DISTRICT V
AT LARGE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION,
DECLARE A VACANACY, AND DIRECT THE CLERK OF THE BOARD TO APPLY
THE BOARD'S POLICY FOR FILLING A VACANCY
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Per the attached letter, accept the resignation of Diane Greenwood Soto as District V At Large
Representative on the Mental Health Commission. Declare a vacancy on the Mental Health
Commission, and direct the Clerk of the Board to apply the Board's policy for filling this vacancy.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNAT RE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMM NDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ON 174,5107 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED: OT ER:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS:
J UNANIMOUS (ABSENT )
AYES: NOES:
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY
OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED )F 7h 5, v- 47
cc: Karen Shuler,Contra Costa Mental Health Commission JOHN CULLEN,6LERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY
DEPUTY
June 11, 2007
Dear Fellow Commissioners, Members of the Board of Supervisors,
and Mental Health Director Donna Wigand,
It has been an honor serving on the Mental Health Commission. I am resigning not only because
of personal challenges, but also for lack of time to volunteer effectively. The Mental Health
Commission's Mission Statement charges Commissioners to influence the County's Mental
Health System to ensure the delivery of quality services which are effective, efficient, culturally
relevant and responsive to the needs and desires of the clients it serves with dignity and respect,
and to be the advocate with the Board of Supervisors, the Mental Health Division, and the
community on behalf of all Contra Costa County residents who are in need of mental health
services. The responsibility can be daunting at times.
When appointed in 1999, I had grandiose ideas. The traumatic experiences of a loved one being
hospitalized literally changed my life. The human rights violations, incompetence, disrespect
and the inadequately trained staff, nurses and doctors we experienced appalled me. I was
shocked by the misuse of police versus training staff in discipline problems. I was unable to find
an appropriate program for stabilization after hospitalization for children or transitional age
youth, and information and resources were lacking as well. I finally found help through NAMI.
I took several courses on mental illness, including courses at Cal State. I felt a sense of urgency,
and I assumed that most everyone on the Commission had similar backgrounds. I found that
some Commissioners had experienced far worse, while some had not experienced the ordeal of a
5150, or the devastation of a loved one having to be hospitalized, or visited a psychiatric
hospital, or struggled to find proper treatment, especially during a crisis. These experiences are
difficult to convey, as is the importance and urgency of certain issues.
Some of the concerns I still have are: The lack of oversight and monitoring of programs; the
lack of accountability; unsatisfactory facilities/programs; not enough affordable housing and
services for the unserved and homeless. Also, the severely ill are being released prematurely or
not even hospitalized. There needs to be more training/education for the personnel, especially in
the area of dual diagnosis. There is no appropriate place for children or transitional age youth in
crisis. There is a great need for wrap-around and suicide prevention programs. The closing of
the geriatric psychiatric unit, the closing of the hospital wing and subsequent loss of beds is
incomprehensible. There are more suicides and youths murdering family members. Many times
the jail is used instead of hospitalization. There is no locked facility and we are sending folks
out-of-County to unacceptable facilities with no oversight. We need mobile crisis intervention
and better medical treatment in the psychiatric ward. I grieve for those I knew and those I did
not know who died without having the proper care they needed and deserved, and I pray for all
their families.
Thanks to all, and a special thanks to the folks working with our future generation of children
and transitional age youth,who are helping them to be productive citizens, regain self-esteem,
and work on stigma issues.
It is my hope that the Board of Supervisors will consider the Mental Health Commission
important enough to attend their meetings, or to at least send an assistant to keep informed.
Sincerely,
Diane Soto
Notice
The following vacancies to which the Board of Supervisors will make appointments now exist
and applications therefore may be made in writing to the Clerk, Board of Supervisors, County
Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553
Board, Commission Appointments can
Or Committee be made after
Mental Health February 19, 2008
Commission, Contra Costa
County
District V Member at Large
I, John Cullen, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator, hereby certify
that, in accordance with Section 54974 of the Government Code, the above notice of vacancy
(vacancies) will be posted on 2/5/2008.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
Attested: 2/5/2008
John Cullen, Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
Deputy Clerk
cc: Main Library
Document Clerk
Delta 2000
#301,W. 10th St.,
Antioch, Ca 94509
Concord Library
2900 Salvio Street
Concord, Ca 94519
Attachment to Board Order
Attachment to Maddy Book copy
Greenwood-Soto