Brandon Folks

The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) is dedicated to providing holistic, person-centered mental health care to maximize wellness and promote independent living. Key strategic focuses include optimizing funding for sustainable provider models, streamlining access to services, bolstering the workforce through career advancement and training programs, and fostering collaborative efforts to share resources. The organization aims to evolve its services to meet diverse needs, provide integrated and responsive care as a single point of entry, and uphold transparency and trust to deliver high-quality education, training, and compassionate services for all Alabamians.

The Office of CCBHC's mission is to transform behavioral and physical health across the State of Alabama, ensuring every person has access to compassionate, comprehensive, and high-quality care. It focuses on empowering providers through guidance, technical assistance, and partnerships. The organization strives to elevate the standard of care for all Alabamians through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence, aiming for transformative services that offer hope, healing, and opportunity.

The meeting commenced with the adoption of the agenda. Key discussion items centered on updates from the Office of Prevention, including participation in the CADCA Over The Counter Safety meeting, hosting a vendor booth at the National Liquor Law Conference, and updates on the Governors and Mayors Challenges to Prevention Suicide among Veterans and Families. Other topics included the submission for the Community Engagement Committee's formal report to the Opioid Council, the announcement of an ADMH grant position for Promoting Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care (PIPBHC), confirmation that current Prevention Rates will remain in place, and the postponement of State Prevention Awards due to the cancellation of in-person NPN for 2022. Provider updates covered upcoming events such as a Behavior Health Training on social media's impact on Generation Z, an End-Addiction Walk, a Drive Thru Take Back event, and the hiring of a Vaping Specialist. Announcements also included a press conference for mobile incinerators and drop boxes, a Prescription Drop Box ribbon cutting, a Kicking out Binge and Underage Drinking event, a Child Safety Conference, an Opioid Summit, and the receipt of a Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts grant for Faith Based Support Specialist Training, which includes encouraging Narcan training for local school nurses.

Discussions during the meeting included updates from the Office of Prevention regarding an upcoming Epidemiologist position announcement and future assistance needed for the NPN conference in August, which will be held virtually. Updates were provided on recent substance misuse and overdose prevention events that took place between May 9th and May 13th, including a proclamation signing, a youth webinar, a suicide awareness presentation, and an intoxication simulation event. The Chair reported that current officers would remain in place until an in-person meeting allowed for elections. Furthermore, the Statewide Student Survey was confirmed to be resuming, with materials available online. The ASAP reported receiving a Ford Foundation grant for the Faith Based Support Initiative program aimed at training faith-based leaders as Peer Support Specialists, with upcoming training dates scheduled for June, September, and December across different regions. Updates were also shared regarding a local Mental Health Walk, the presentation at the Alabama Coroners Association Conference, and the success of the National 'Take Back Day' event.

The meeting commenced with the adoption of the amended agenda, which included adding an update item for the AEOW Chair. Discussion items focused on updates from the Office of Prevention (OOP), including preparations for submitting a SAMSHA grant application and scheduling future meetings. Updates were provided on suicide prevention efforts and the status of the zero suicide grant. The revamp and mission of the AEOW were also discussed. Old business included reviewing comments compiled for the prevention standards update. New business centered on a significant discussion regarding a proposed increase to the billing rate for prevention services, ultimately leading to a motion to increase the rate by 50% for six CSAP strategies, which carried. Provider updates covered upcoming conferences and trainings, including a faith-based conference, an Opioid Roundtable, the YAS roll out, and safe council meetings.