Local Human Rights Committee Meeting

Thursday, January 21, 2016

1:00 PM

502 Old Lynchburg Rd

LHRC Board Members in attendance:

John Shepherd

Amy Hereford

Margaret Harvey

Advocates in attendance:

Cassie Purtlebaugh, Regional Human Rights Advocate

Artea Ambrose, Regional Human Rights Advocate

Affiliates in attendance:

Sheri Gauthier, Region Ten CSB

Joann Murphy, Region Ten CSB

Pam Fisher, Region Ten CSB

Rondalyn Palmer, Fair Winds

Erin McKowan, Family Preservation Services

Lindsay Jackson, Wall Residences

Leela Lipscombe, CAVA

Kelly Greer, National Counseling Group

Nikki Bowles, Elk Hill

Tess Shipe, Behavioral Health & Wellness

Michelle Bornhoft, Worksource Enterprises

Tosha Berry, Creative Family Solutions

Trepin Tate, Health Connect America

Vanessa Kilby, Family Preservation

Mark Seymour, VIA

Chuck Collins, ARC of the Piedmont

LaKeta Kelley, New Y-CAPP

Michael Crosby, Blue Ridge First Step

James Vann, REACH, Easter Seals UCP

Items covered during the meeting:

• Meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m.
• Everyone in the room introduced him/herself for the record.
• Minutes for the October, 2015 meeting were approved

• Human Rights Advocates Report-  Cassie Purtlebaugh

1. The DBHDS Office of Human Rights have proposed updated regulations. These regulations were approved by the governor. They were submitted to the Register in December, 2015, for a 60 day period which will end on February 14, 2016. Revisions will be brought to the State Board in April, 2016 for final adoption of the new regulations. We will keep you updated of the progress, but please feel free to review and provide public comment. Here is more information on the specific changes and how you can offer feedback:

On December 14, 2015, in the Virginia Register of Regulations (Volume 32, Issue 8), the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services published for public comment the proposed changes to sections of 12VAC35-115. Regulations to Assure the Rights of Individuals Receiving Services from Providers Licensed, Funded, or Operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, hereafter referred to as the “Human Rights Regulations” (amending 12VAC35-115-10, 12VAC35-115-30, 12VAC35-115-50, 12VAC35-115-60, 12VAC35-115-90, 12VAC35-115-100, 12VAC35-115-110, 12VAC35-115-130, 12VAC35-115-145, 12VAC35-115-150, 12VAC35-115-180, 12VAC35-115-190, 12VAC35-115-200, 12VAC35-115-210, 12VAC35-115-230; adding 12VAC35-115-105, 12VAC35-115-175, 12VAC35-115-260, 12VAC35-115-270; repealing 12VAC35-115-140, 12VAC35-115-170, 12VAC35-115-250).

Purpose:  This is a reminder that the proposed regulations are now in the 60 day public comment phase.  

• Public Comment Deadline: Tuesday, February 12, 2016.  
• All information about the proposed regulations is available on the Virginia Town Hall web site:

          http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewStage.cfm?stageid=6810. 

• Comments may be submitted by the deadline in writing online at that link, under the heading ‘Comment Period.’  Comments may also be submitted by the deadline in writing in hard copy or via email to the agency contact listed below.

Background:  The changes will improve the ability of the Human Rights Office to perform its mandated responsibilities and maximize resources, in a manner that promotes the vision of recovery, self-determination, empowerment and community integration for individual receiving services.  The intent of these proposed changes is to streamline the administrative process; improve program efficiencies and eliminate redundancies.  The standard regulatory action was started on April 17, 2014, and was approved in the proposed stage by the Governor on November 13, 2015.  A public hearing was held for the sole purpose of receiving public comment on the proposed regulation at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services at 9 a.m., Wednesday, December 16, 2015.  Minutes from the hearing are included in the information available at the link above.

Agency Contact: Deb Lochart, Director, Office of Human Rights, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Jefferson Building, 1220 Bank Street, 7th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219; telephone (804) 786-0032; FAX (804) 371-2308; email deb.lochart@dbhds.virginia.gov.

For Your Information: A detailed chart of the standard regulatory process is available here: http://townhall.virginia.gov/UM/chartstandardstate.pdf.  At this time, the regulatory action is in the second column, in the second box from the bottom of that column.

2. Mark Seymour, Senior Human Rights Advocate for Region 1, resigned from state service in mid-December. An advertisement for his position closed on January 8, 2016. This position covers Western State Hospital and the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents. Candidates are currently being ranked and will be interviewed in the next 2 weeks.

3. A position is available for an ID/DD advocate with the Office of Human Rights. The advertisement for this position also is now closed. Candidates are currently being ranked and will be interviewed in the next 2-3 weeks.

      Comments from Affiliates- None noted.

• Annual Reports from Affiliated Providers – Blue Ridge First Step, REACH, Family Preservation, Fair Winds and Wall Residences presented their annual report.   Not in attendance was Empowering Families Program (carry over from July/Oct mtg), ARS Pantops Clinic, Meridian House.  They will be carried over to the next meeting.
• Quarterly Reports – The following reports were not received, WorkSource Enterprises, ARS Pantops Clinic, Meridian House, Envision Solutions.

Business-   

• Health Connect America – Notification to add TDT services was presented.
• National Counseling Group – Notification to add Crisis Stabilization was presented.   
• Region Ten – Request for 2 (1 residential, 1 day support) medically necessary restraints were presented and approved, for one year. 
• Wall Residences – Request for affiliation of two new service locations (226 Louisa Aven, Mineral, VA & 1745 Finley Drive, Culpeper, VA) were presented and 1reneweal of protective restraints were presented for bedrails and approved.

The LHRC Meeting was adjourned.

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2016

We would like to thank everyone that attended this meeting and those who presented during the meeting. Please remember that everyone is invited to attend each LHRC Meeting held