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Post date: Aug 27, 2012 2:23:04 PM
The following is a brief summary of information from the Mental Health Commission meeting on August 22, 2012. The Commission is still gathering information to make an informed recommendation.
The lease at the current location, 670 Placerville Drive, is up for renegotiation in October 2012. Therefore, if a move is to be made, now is the time to look into the options available.
The Logan Building in Diamond Springs just recently became available for lease and is now an option being considered. The Public Guardian Dept has been located there in the past and it worked well for them. There is a bus stop right in front. The Parole Dept was the most recent tenant. Because this building just became available the Commission has not had time to gather information about its suitability as a site for Mental Health.
The Slate Creek Center at 4140 Mother Lode Drive in Shingle Springs is another site being considered. The Commission members brought up many concerns about this site.
Transportation - Public transit to this site is minimal and a lack of sidewalks and crosswalks is a safety concern. This is a high traffic area which is also a safety concern.
Parking - Less parking than current site, which could cause parking to spill onto busy Mother Lode Drive.
Accessibility for clients - Clients currently struggle to get all of their appointments and destinations in a single day, but the increased distance to Shingle Springs would only increase this hardship. Shingle Springs is not near other available services.
Medications - Some medications would be negatively affected by the longer transportation time as they are temperature sensitive. Local pharmacies are familiar with the needs of the clients and provide tamper-proof packaging.
The current location has had many improvements made to it to maximize services for clients. Clients and staff have been working over the past 5 years to streamline services and make clients comfortable at this location. The landlord is willing to work with the County to make additional improvement if needed. A suggestion was made that if the department outgrows the current location that satellite offices may be more efficient than moving the entire department.
The Commission is waiting for a detailed cost analysis of each site to compare the costs versus the benefits of moving. At this time there is no information to analyze and determine if moving is feasible.
Some very detailed information with the pros and cons of moving can be found in the attachments to the July 25, 2012 meeting minutes, which can be found here:http://www.edcgov.us/Government/MentalHealth/MH_Commission_Meetings/2012/MH_Commission_Minutes_7-25-2012_-Joint_Meeting.aspx
The Commission members appreciated the public input and concern regarding what is best for their clients.
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