Meeting Minutes  
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Mental Health  
Services Act Advisory Council  
3:00 PM  
Thursday, August 1, 2024  
1340 Arnold Drive, Suite 126, Martinez |  
https://cchealth.zoom.us/j/7050090662 | Call-In:  
1-646-518-9805 Access Code 7050090662  
1
Welcome – Review Working Agreement, Introductions, Announcements, Review Approve  
Minutes  
Members Attending:  
Douglas Dunn, Jaime Yan Faurot, Brittany Lawrence,  
Beth Limberg, Melinda Oday, Marina Ramos, Roberto Roman,  
Amelia Wood  
Behavior Health Director:  
Staff Attending:  
Dr. Suzanne Tavano  
Alejandra Escobedo-Sochet, Bianca Connor, Liz Grove,  
April Loveland, Theresa Russell, Jonthan San Juan, Robin Wada,  
Genoveva Zesati  
Public Participants:  
Rebecca Bal, Jason Faurot, Nick G., M. McGee, Angela Pak,  
Kiran Sahota  
Facilitator:  
Jessica Hunt, Jennifer Bruggeman  
Audrey Montana  
Recorder:  
Staff Support:  
Excused from Meeting:  
Absent from Meeting:  
Jennifer Tuipulotu, Graham Wiseman  
Lucy Espinosa Nelson, Tom Gilbert, Mashal Kleven  
Information: MHSA Advisory Council Meeting Materials 8.1.2024  
24-2316  
MHSA AC Mtg Materials 08.01.2024  
Attachments:  
(Jessica Hunt - MHSA Program Supervisor)  
Welcome  
• Review Working Agreement  
• Introductions  
• Announcements  
o (Jaime Yan Faurot) Shared a flyer for the Strength & Sustainability Peer Statewide  
Conference 2024. Will be October 7th at Courtyard Marriott in Richmond. Email:  
StateConference2024@lavoywagner.com  
o (Melinda O’Day) Learned the construction at Willow Pass Road and E Street  
will be for low-income housing. May want to check online for information.  
• Review and Approve Meeting Minutes: Reviewed meeting Minutes (June 6, 2024).  
No revisions recommended.  
2
Updates:  
• Public Hearing for 24-25 AU on 8/7  
• Public Comments Received  
Presenter: Jennifer Bruggeman (MHSA Program Manager)  
• Public Hearing for the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) 24-25 Annual Update held on  
August 7, 2024  
o Public hearing will be next week August 7th  
o Opportunity to make public comments.  
o The Draft Plan has been posted on the MHSA website for a month. The link for the Plan:  
https://www.cchealth.org/home/showpublisheddocument/30315/638537079545370000  
• Public Comments Received  
o Majority involved concern and advocacy for PEI (Prevention, Early Intervention)  
programs  
• Welcome all to attend and provide comments  
3
Behavioral Health Director Report Out  
• Status of Peer Respite / Oak Grove Campus  
• Peer Certification Classification update  
• Other items  
Dr. Suzanne Tavano PhD (Director, Behavioral Health Services)  
• SPIRIT graduation  
o The graduation was wonderful. Students received their SPIRIT certificates.  
Beautiful event and thank everyone involved in preparing.  
• Ryse Center in Richmond discussions last week  
o Was a large, diverse gathering so there were a lot of different voices, perspectives  
o Morning-Discussed Prop One, SP 43 and Care Court  
o Afternoon- Transformation of the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral  
Health Services Act  
o Related to our work in reducing disparities, promoting equity, better serve diverse communities  
o This work continues under PEI and our community defined practices  
o Also present were state associations that are promoting equity. It was a good conversation.  
• Ribbon cutting of the La Concordia Program  
o A multicultural therapy counseling center  
o Another organization contributing to community defined practices. Community people  
working with affiliates coming together  
• Happy we can contribute to these different agencies that are lifting up programs like  
La Concordia, Ryse, etc.  
• The new comprehensive, integrated planning process will be very different from the last 20 years  
• Consolidation/integration of the Mental Health Commission with the AOD (Alcohol and  
Other Drugs)  
Advisory Board  
o Proposition One and SB 326 - brings together both advisory boards opens the conversation  
o Will work with the two co-chairs of each advisory board  
• Prop One Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP)  
o Looking new rules for submitting proposals  
o Looking to identify projects in the community  
• SB 43 (criteria for involuntary holds)  
o Expanded to include people with severe substance abuse disorder and to those with  
untreated mental health conditions  
o Broadens who can be placed on involuntary hold  
o State has not been clear as to the provisions and how to operationalize the provisions  
o The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) represents counties and responded  
not ready to implement yet but working in good faith  
o Counties and others going through and working on understanding the provisions of SP 43.  
o A lot needs to be worked out as to how to operationalize and serve for the good of the people  
o Of 58 counties in the state, only two have moved forward on Proposition 43  
• CARE Court  
o Must implement by December  
o Legal process occurs in civil court with a judge  
o Will keep all updated on the progress  
• Peer Classifications  
o In the nineties, our Counties first started hiring staff with lived experience and created  
classifications.  
o Working actively with Administration, Personnel and Human Resources developing this  
new classification  
• Oak Grove  
o Have been delays with the building. Now moving into construction phase considering bids.  
o If on track, building completed July 1, 2025  
o Will be the home of the Miles Hall Crisis Call Center and Peer Respite House and a care on  
demand, outpatient clinic for youth and adults  
Comments and Response to Questions:  
• (Marina Ramos) Re Prop One and Early Intervention, changes will begin starting in January?  
Response: In January, expecting direction from the State re changes in the planning process.  
Clarify how much of Early Intervention service will be a medical service rather than a Behavioral  
Health Services Act funded activity.  
• (Jonathan San Juan) Re Peer Respite Center, have there been talks how Peers would be involved in  
determining services? By certified Peers? Response: it will be Peer operated. Jennifer Tuipulotu has  
been involved since day one in the planning process. Will be in a free-standing building. Planning  
process very Peer oriented. Will be redesigning the space to be supportive of a peer respite.  
• (Douglas Dunn) Will you be covering these points at the Mental Health Commission next week?  
Response: Appears looking at the Agenda with the MHSA public hearing, there will not be time  
to present.  
4
Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PADs) – Next Phase  
Presenter: Kiran Sahota (CEO Concepts Forward Consulting, PADs Project Manager)  
Presentation – “Multi-County Digital Psychiatric Advance Directive (PAD) Project”  
• Phase One  
o Standardized Digital Template  
• Contra Costa County is one of seven counties participating in Phase One  
• Many hospitals and police departments unaware of PADs  
• Looking to form a standardized digital template. Worked with six templates and with  
multiple Peer workgroups over an eighteen-month period  
• Created a standard digital PAD  
• PADs now a 30-page document on PDF with access on phone or thru printed copy.  
o Created PADs Facilitator Training  
o Created a PAD Digital Web-Based Platform  
• Have logo (“My Plan My Voice”) to be recognized by law enforcement, hospital staff, etc.  
• Displayed a sample PAD with tailored provisions(i.e. pets, children, directives if  
hospitalized, treatment preferences, consent, medical conditions, preferred contacts, etc.)  
• Fear of law enforcement having access – can provide consent only if related to mental health  
concerns or deny all access  
o Outcomes-Driven and Evaluation  
• If there is a call for service with possibility of jail, hospitalization or voluntary hospitalization,  
this document can travel across all these layers of engagement  
• Phase Two – What’s Next?  
o Technology that is guided, humanizing, recovery based and transformative  
o Training that is boots on the ground engagement, provides information, public service  
announcements, social media and hands on approach  
o Legislative efforts that uplift the use, access and importance of Directives  
o Test the Digital PAD in Use and Access  
• Alignment with MHSOAC (Mental Health Services Oversight Advisory Council) and Prop 1  
o PADs aligns with the current MHSOAC Strategic planning  
• Advocacy for system improvement  
• Supports universal access to mental health services  
• Participate for change in statutes  
• Promotes access to care across the continuum  
o Proposition 1 Framework  
• The unhoused, housing and supportive services  
• Full-Service Partnerships,  
• SB 43  
• Early Psychosis and  
• Mobile Crisis  
• PADS a Perfect Fit Across the Continuum of Care  
o Justice-involved  
o Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT)  
o Full-Service Partnership (FSP)  
o Housing insecure  
o Individuals who visit Wellness Centers  
o Crisis Residential Programs  
o Follow-up after hospitalizations  
o Non-minor dependents  
o CARE Court  
• Sustainability  
o Reduced recidivism in jails and hospitals = increase funding  
o Peer facilitators can bill Medi-Cal = increased fundings  
o Partnerships and collaborations to identify appropriate resources=road to recovery  
o Additional legislation = sustainability  
o Future of Behavioral Health, health care, and policing by utilizing Directives – sustainability  
• For more information, visit website at www.padsCA.org  
Comments and Response to Questions:  
• (Jonathan San Juan) I have worked with Wellness, Recovery, Action Plans (WRAP).  
In the event of a crisis, can put preferences and own language into a PAD. Have  
budgetary concerns due to the new BHSA. Response: Phase Two has been approved. Our  
Team will train law enforcement/hospitals so will take burden off counties.  
• (Douglas Dunn) How can family members help put together a PAD for a loved on who is  
currently not in crisis? Response: When the PAD is live, the individual can opt to have family  
members (even a clinician) help fill out the PAD. There will be a training guide.  
• (Dr. Suzanne Tavano) Initially the State mentioned in the Quality initiative PADs. Not sure if  
still included. Response: We have not heard anything. (Dr. Suzanne Tavano) May be good to  
speak with Katy White who is working on the coordinated care plan for those exiting involuntary  
holds and conservatorship to connect to PADs  
• (Jason Faurot): Will PADs be updatable online? Response: Yes. Will be easily updatable online.  
• (Jaime Yan Faurot): Will there be support for those who may have difficulty completing forms in  
English? Response: Our platform will be built around all the threshold languages.  
5
SPIRIT Applications Class of 2025  
Presenter: Bianca Conner (Peer Support Specialist, SPIRIT Peer Co-Instructor) -  
Office for Peer and Family Empowerment (OPFE)  
PowerPoint Presentation –  
“Behavioral Health Service Provider Individualized Recovery Intensive Training”  
• What is SPIRIT  
o SPIRIT 2025 is a 9-unit college course taught in collaboration with Contra Costa Behavioral  
Health’s Office for Peer and Family Empowerment and Contra Costa Community College  
o Welcomes peers, family members, parents, caregivers and young adults within the behavioral  
health system  
• Who is SPIRIT Intended for?  
o A person having lived experience of recovery from a mental health condition, substance use  
disorder or both  
o As such persons who are transition age youth or young adults from 18-26 years old  
o A person with lived experience as a family member of an adult experiencing a mental health  
condition, substance use disorder or both  
• A person who is parenting or has parented a child or adult with such lived experience.  
• What is the Goal of SPIRIT?  
o To understand the importance of peer and family support as a part of recovery and resililiency  
as well as to the overall behavioral health system of care.  
o To gain a working understanding of Contra Costa’s Behavioral Health’ system of care  
o Be aware of community resources which aid peers and their families including young  
adults/children  
o To explore career options, learn skills and participate in internship training the behavioral  
health field  
o Encourage hope, resiliency and empowerment  
o Help identify, develop and sustain personal support systems, develop and use a personal  
wellness plan and help others  
• Scheduling of SPIRIT  
o SPIRIT 2025 is a 6-month course – January to July. Is 9 units totally 111 hours of class time  
plus 60 hours of internship.  
o SPIRIT I and II are in the Spring semester with two classes per week (Monday and  
Wednesday) at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.  
• SPIRIT III - Internships  
o During the Summer semester - classes on Mondays  
o Tuesday thru Friday is the six-week Internship with a local behavioral health agency –  
60 hours minimum.  
o Internships assigned through Work Study Fair  
• SPIRIT Presenters  
o Topics – Peer Support, Group Facilitation, Ethics, Cultural Responsiveness, Patient Rights,  
Resume Writing and Interviewing Skills  
o Subject Matter Experts from CCBHS and community organizations present, College  
professors also provide guidance and instruction.  
• Graduation  
o Receive a Certificate of Completion for SPIRIT and Certificate of Achievement for their  
Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)  
• Career Goals/Continuing Education  
o Many graduates enter paid employment or volunteer positions within the behavioral health  
system of care  
o Some continue with college education  
o Graduates have access to SPIRIT Vocational Services to assist with Peer employment  
or volunteer opportunities within the Behavioral Health Field  
• 2025 SPIRIT Applications due October 4, 2024. The link for the application form:  
https://www.cchealth.org/home/showpublisheddocument/30568/638581123084663383  
• SPIRIT just celebrated its 30th anniversary.  
Comments and Response to Questions:  
•
(Melinda O’Day) Would like to see more slides of past SPIRIT graduations.  
6
Public Comment / Plus Delta  
(Jennifer Bruggeman - MHSA Program Manager)  
None  
7
Adjournment  
(Jennifer Bruggeman - MHSA Program Manager)  
• The next MSHA AC Steering Committee meeting will be September 19, 2024  
from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.  
• The next MHSA AC meeting will be October 3, 2024 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.