Minnesota Agencies

The Chemical and Mental Health Services Transformation Advisory Task Force shall make recommendations to the commissioner and the legislature no later than December 15, 2010, on the following:
(1) transformation needed to improve service delivery and provide a continuum of care, such as transition of current facilities, closure of current facilities, or the development of new models of care, including the redesign of the Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center;
(2) gaps and barriers to accessing quality care, system inefficiencies, and cost pressures;
(3) services that are best provided by the state and those that are best provided in the community;
(4) an implementation plan to achieve integrated service delivery across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors;
(5) an implementation plan to ensure that individuals with complex chemical and mental health needs receive the appropriate level of care to achieve recovery and wellness; and
(6) financing mechanisms that include all possible revenue sources to maximize federal funding and promote cost efficiencies and sustainability.

As directed by the Laws of Minnesota 2010, First Special Session, Chapter 1, Article 19, Section 4, the Chemical and Mental Health Services (CMHS) Transformation Advisory Task Force was established to make recommendations to the commissioner of human services and the legislature on the continuum of services needed to provide individuals with complex conditions including mental illness, chemical dependency, traumatic brain injury, and developmental disabilities access to quality care and the appropriate level of care across the state to promote wellness, reduce cost, and improve efficiency.

The Task Force was convened in June 2010 and was made up of members representing consumers, family members, advocates, advocacy organizations; service providers and professional organizations; unions representing public employees; state and local government with administrative and policy responsibilities for these services; state legislators; and academic programs conducting research and preparing behavioral health professionals.

The Task Force met a total of ten times to hear presentations of recommendations from the following seven workgroups organized around key issues or service areas:
1) Levels of Care
2) Neurocognitive Services
3) Access of Care
4) Housing with Services
5) Getting there with Dignity (Transportation)
6) Dental Services
7) Children's Mental Health Intensive Services

The advisory task force shall be composed of the following, who will serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority:

• the commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designee, and two additional representatives from the department;
• two legislators appointed by the speaker of the house, one from the minority and one from the majority;
• two legislators appointed by the senate rules committee, one from the minority and one from the majority;
• one representative appointed by AFSCME Council 5;
• one representative appointed by the ombudsman for mental health and developmental disabilities;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Hospital Association;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Nurses Association;
• one representative appointed by NAMI-MN;
• one representative appointed by the Mental Health Association of Minnesota;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Dental Association;
• three clients or client family members representing different populations receiving services from state-operated services, who are appointed by the commissioner;
• one representative appointed by the chair of the state-operated services governing board;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Disability Law Center;
• one representative appointed by the Consumer Survivor Network;
• one representative appointed by the Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota;
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Council of Child Caring Agencies;
• one representative appointed by the Association of Minnesota Counties; and
• one representative appointed by the Minnesota Pharmacists Association.

The commissioner may appoint additional members to reflect stakeholders who are not represented above.