Attendance: Pamela Joshi (for Shannon Griffin) - Pacific AIDS Network

Mental Health & Substance Use and HIV/<strong>AIDS</strong>/HCV Provincial Working Group<br />

Meeting Minutes<br />

April 15, 2011<br />

<strong>Attendance</strong>: <strong>Pamela</strong> <strong>Joshi</strong> (<strong>for</strong> <strong>Shannon</strong> <strong>Griffin</strong>), Deb Schmitz, Susan Craigie, Jim Campbell, Susann<br />

Richter, Jamie Marshall, Jennifer Evin Jones, Gail Butt, Sue Melnychuk (<strong>for</strong> Lois Dixon), Tom Ehmann,<br />

Heidi Standeven<br />

1. Introductions<br />

o Heidi introduces herself as the new Program Coordinator <strong>for</strong> PAN and the facilitator of<br />

this working group as well as the Outcomes and Evaluation Provincial Working Group<br />

o Evin provides history of MHWG<br />

i. Documents released: Trap Doors, Revolving Doors, Mental Health and<br />

HIV/<strong>AIDS</strong>/HCV in BC: A Strategic Action Report<br />

ii. Have Public Health been involved? Health Promotion within Health Authorities?<br />

Esp. those that oversee Needle Exchanges. Susann, Evin, Heidi – we will invite<br />

the health promotion leads from each of the Has <strong>for</strong> future mtgs.<br />

o Sue Fraser Health – Agree that public health leads are key. See that David Portesi from<br />

Fraser was invited. Was he an original member? Evin – no. Sue – in future materials,<br />

please include the previous members of the MH WG and their titles – also all the<br />

current members.<br />

o Jim – change title to “Mental Health and Substance Use WG”? Everyone on call –<br />

agreed.<br />

2. Terms of Reference<br />

o Sue: Next documentation that goes out to have a list of previous members and their<br />

title within their jobs as well as other people on the new list<br />

o Add “Substance Use” in title<br />

o Tom: Vision – scope – living with and at risk; Reality is that these are 2 different<br />

paradigms – 1 is about treatment, “at risk” is more about health promotion Susann –<br />

this is a good distinction and we should be clear about it moving <strong>for</strong>ward<br />

o Deb: need to keep both; Gail: more than one condition (MH, SU, HIV, HCV) – all of those<br />

have onsets at different times, need to focus on prevention<br />

o Heidi Action: Send out link to PAN website on MHWG links:<br />

http://pacificaidsnetwork.org/provincial-working-groups-2/mental-health/<br />

o Gail: Time focussed or long term? There is a big agenda right now, too big. This was a<br />

challenge previously – the work the group set <strong>for</strong> itself was too ambitious and it didn’t<br />

get traction.<br />

o Heidi – will work on redrafting the TOR and send it out to the group. Anyone with any<br />

suggestions <strong>for</strong> the TOR please email to Heidi.<br />

o Susann, Evin – a present goal now is to simplify the process – that is why we are not<br />

going ahead with the sub-committee structure. Just have 1 basic committee. Also, do a<br />

realizable work plan, realistic objectives.

---

o Heidi – would like the group to meet monthly to build some momentum. Sound good to<br />

folks. Everyone on call – agreed.<br />

o Sue Fraser – can you please include a glossary in the TOR as well. I.e. “ASO” – what does<br />

this acronym mean? Heidi – agreed.<br />

o Commitment from PHSA & PAN is that it will not end at a set date<br />

o Susann: let’s focus on the terms of reference<br />

o Title, language of TOR will be changed to include “Substance Use” versus Addictions.<br />

o Vision – Gail – by “Access to mental health care” is this <strong>for</strong>malized access? Or are we<br />

looking at a continuum of support. All – continuum. Also, this idea that we will be able<br />

to reduce barriers to access – is this realistic? Our mandate?<br />

o Sue – good point! Not sure that this WG has the influence to ensure timely, app access<br />

to either mental health or substance use care – as this is about service provision.<br />

o <strong>Pamela</strong> – also “to establish and support programs” in the Mission – is this correct??<br />

o Susan - - I think it is okay to have this “big goals” in the vision – these are the things you<br />

keep your eyes on as you are doing the work<br />

o Susan – don’t want the mission to be limited to the Trap Doors document as it failed to<br />

mention prisoners as a key group. All – agreed. Evin – Trap doors is an “older” document<br />

now, 2008. The mission will be refreshed!<br />

o Tom- need to include the word “optimal” in the Vision.<br />

o Deb – suggested a simplification of the vision<br />

Vision: All people living with or at risk <strong>for</strong> HIV/<strong>AIDS</strong>/HCV in BC will have timely and appropriate<br />

access to optimal mental health care.<br />

o Jim, Sue, all – it is very hard <strong>for</strong> us to speak to vision and the mission when we don’t’<br />

know the goals, the work, the objectives<br />

o Susann – agreed. We will try to tease this out more in advance of the next meeting.<br />

o Heidi- Evin, Susann and I will come up with some tangible docs to present to the wg<br />

members at next meeting.<br />

o Evin – would it be helpful to establish a standing committee meeting date? All –agreed.<br />

That will be the 1 st Thursday of every month at 2 pm.<br />

o Draw distinction between the Living with and at risk<br />

o Access: is this possible? Reframe – capacity building<br />

o Programming – in scope of WG?<br />

o Focus on networking, collaborating, assisting HAs in building their capacity<br />

o Work more on goals, roles, responsibilities and go back to Vision and Mission<br />

o Evin, Heidi & Susann: Look at Goals and Roles and Responsibilities as well as Strategic<br />

Priorities<br />

o Video conference? Face to face? – Susann will look into<br />

3. Next Meeting Date: May 5 @ 2pm<br />

List of Previous members and affiliations:

---

- Carlene Dingwall (Consultant)<br />

- Bubli Chakraborty (PHSA)<br />

- Rolando Barrios (BCCfE)<br />

- Irene Day (BCCfE)<br />

- Ciro Panesaa (Ministry of Health)<br />

- Gail Butt (BCCDC)<br />

- Renee Hetu-Weselowki (IH)<br />

- Maxine Davis (Dr. Peter <strong>AIDS</strong> Foundation)<br />

- Rosalind Baltzer-Turje (Dr. Peter <strong>AIDS</strong> Foundation)<br />

- Cheryl Dowden (ANKORS)<br />

- Scott Harrison (Providence)<br />

- <strong>Pamela</strong> Miller (BCCfE)<br />

- Miranda Compton (VCH)<br />

- <strong>Shannon</strong> Griffon (BCMHAS)<br />

- Audrey Shaw (VIHA)<br />

- Clare Overton (Living Positive Resource Centre)<br />

- Bronwyn Barrett (Positive Women’s <strong>Network</strong>)<br />

- Murray Krause (Central Interior Native Health Society)<br />

- Leslie Varley (PHSA)<br />

- Michelle Ostan (?)<br />

- Heather Winnichuk (FA)<br />

- Kathy MacDonald (NH)<br />

- Alan Campbell (VIHA)<br />

- Glyn Townson (Positive Living BC)<br />

- Randy James (IH)<br />

- Lorna Howes (VCH)