Behavioral Health Planning Council

• Review plans provided to the council by the state (pursuant to 42 U.S.C., Chapter 6A, Part B, Subpart I, §300x–4.(a) Review of State Plan by Mental Health Planning Council) and submit to the State any recommendations of the council for modifications to the plans;
• Serve as an advocate for adults with serious mental illness, children with severe emotional disturbance, other individuals with mental illnesses, and people experiencing or at risk of experiencing substance use disorder;
• Monitor, review and evaluate not less than once each year, the allocation and adequacy of mental health and substance use disorder programs and services within the state.
• Establish council bylaws, including group norms/values, leadership and decision-making structures.
• Represent council activities under the direction of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division, as needed.

In addition, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Division looks to the Behavioral Health Planning Council to:

• Inform DHS about issues at the local level
• Point out structural gaps in the system and identify barriers in the delivery of services to communities
• Consult on policy development: DHS will share what they are planning and ask for the council’s feedback

Offer insights for consideration on effective measures and themes/issues DHS should consider in its work.

The Behavioral Health Planning Council is composed of residents of the State of Minnesota, including representatives of the principle State agencies with respect to: mental health, education, vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, housing, and social services. Minnesota seeks balanced representation for mental health and substance use/misuse experiences for each federally required seat in the council. Bylaws of the council (PDF).

A minimum of 50 percent of council members are people who are not State employees or providers of mental health services. Behavioral Health Planning Council members fill the following seats: Adults with lived Experience of Mental Health

• Representative of Adults with a Lived Experience of Mental Health (Two Seats)
• Representative of Adults in Recovery from or at Risk of Substance Use Disorder (Two Seats)
• Representative of Youth/Young Adults with Lived Experience of Mental Health 
• Representative of Youth/Young Adults in Recovery from or at Risk of Substance Use Disorder 
• Representative of Family Members of an Adult with Lived Experience of Mental Health (Two Seats)
• Representative of Family Members of an Adult in Recovery from or at Risk of Substance Use Disorder (Two Seats)
• Representative of Parents/Guardians of a Child/Youth/Young Adult with Lived Experience of Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED) (Two Seats)
• Parents/Guardians of a Child/Youth/Young Adult in Recovery from or at Risk of Substance Use Disorder (Two Seats)
• Representative of Mental Health Advocacy Organizations
• Representative of Substance Use Disorder Advocacy Organizations 
• Representative of Community Substance Use Disorder Prevention Coalition
• Representative of Mental Health Promotion Providers
• Representative of Peer-Led Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations 
• Representative of Peer-Led Substance Use Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs)
• Representative of Mental Health Providers
• Representative of Substance Use Disorder Providers
• Representative of Substance Use Prevention Providers
• Representative of Culturally Specific Mental Health Providers or Organizations
• Representative of Providers of Mental Health Services to the LGBTQ and/or Underserved Communities
• Representative of Culturally Specific Substance Use Treatment Providers or Organizations
• Representative of Providers of Substance Use Disorder Services to the LGBTQ and/or Underserved Communities
• Representative of Federally Recognized Tribes - Mental Health
• Representative of Federally Recognized Tribes - Substance Use Disorder
• Representative of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, State Economic Development Authority
• Representative of State Housing Authority
• Minnesota Department of Corrections, Representative of State Criminal Justice Authority
• Minnesota Department of Health, Representative of State Health Authority
• Minnesota Department of Education, Representative of State Education Authority
• Minnesota Department of Human Services, Representative of the State Mental Health Authority and State Substance Abuse Authority
• Minnesota Department of Human Services, Representative of State Child Welfare Authority

Current BHPC Members:

Name	Behavioral Health Planning Council Seat
Virgil Sohm	Representative of Adults with a lived Experience of Mental Health
Vacant	Representative of Adults with lived Experience of Mental Health
Eric Bacon	Representative of Adults in recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Regina Jackson	Representative of Adults in Recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Tammey Skinaway	Representative of Youth/Young Adults with lived Experience of Mental Health
Vacant	Representative Youth/Young Adults in recovery from or at Risk of Substance Use Disorder
Jessica Enneking	Representative of Family Members of an Adult with lived Experience of Mental Health
Vacant	Representative of Family Members of an Adult with Lived Experience of Mental Health
Danielle (Norby) Lien	Representative of Family Members of an Adult in Recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Vacant	Representative of Family Members of an Adult in Recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Vacant	Representative of Parents/Guardians of a child/youth/young adult with lived experience of Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED)
Anne Vande Berg	Representative of Parents/Guardians of a child/youth/young adult with lived experience of Serious Emotional Disturbances (SED)
Vacant	Representative of Parents/Guardians of a child/youth/young adult in recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Jasmyne Ramirez	Representative of Parents/Guardians of a child/youth/young adult in recovery from or at risk of Substance Use Disorder
Cynthia Fashaw (NAMI- MN)	Representative of Mental Health Advocacy Organizations
Vacant	Representative of Substance Use Disorder Advocacy Organizations
Laura Bennet (North East MN Region)	Representative of Community Prevention Coalitions or Advocacy Organizations
Crystal Weckert	Representative of Mental Health Providers
Mary Gales-Wenz	Representative of Mental Health Prevention Providers
Vacant	Representative of Substance Use Disorder Providers
Kelly Felton	Representative of Substance Use Prevention Providers
Amy RedCloud	Representative of Culturally Specific Mental Health Providers or Organizations
Vacant	Representative of Providers of Mental Health Services to the LGBTQ and/or Underserved Communities
Benjamin Feigal	Representative of Culturally Specific Substance Use Providers or Organizations
Vacant	Representative of Providers of Substance Use Disorder to the LGBTQ and/or Underserved Communities
Joni Brigan	Representative of Federally Recognized Tribal - Mental Health
Vacant	Representative of Federally Recognized Tribal - Substance Use Disorder
Claire Courtney	Representative of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Vacant	Representative of Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Jolene Rebertus	Representative of Minnesota Department of Corrections
Amy Lopez	Representative of Minnesota Department of Health
Sue Benolken	Representative of Minnesota Department of Education
Vacant	Representative of Minnesota Department of Human Services
Maisha Giles	Representative of Minnesota Department of Human Services

See the 2017 –2019 Behavioral Health Planning Council presentation for meeting times and locations.

Beginning November 2019, the Behavioral Health Planning Council will meet bi-monthly (every other month) from 10am-2pm.

Members of the Behavioral Health Planning Council meet in-person at the Department of Human Services Anderson Building, 540 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN, 55404. Members also have the option of participating via Webex when they are unable to travel to the meeting in person.

Vision

All Minnesotans, wherever they live, experience optimal health and well-being because of a fully integrated health care system that promotes:

• Full acceptance of what health and wellness mean to each resident, including physical condition, housing, food, security, social connections, community belonging, etc.;
• Full access in all locations, communities, tribal reservations, cultures, and languages;
• Full focus on prevention and continuum of care availability at the local level and inclusive of all generations;
• Full and informed choice for each person—i.e., the person chooses based on complete information about the range and implications of choices, not a social worker or case manager making choices for the person;
• Full collaboration of providers, programs, and organizations;
• Full integration into community, including community traditions and culture;
• Local staff will largely reflect the community and culture, and make use of common or traditional community resources.

Core Values

We value:

• A focus on the client and their community: We amplify client and community voices to transform mental health and substance use disorder programs, services, and processes and to create more responsive and effective care.
• Full and equitable opportunities for wellbeing: We apply an equity lens to support and maintain access, cultural relevancy, fairness, innovation, and systems accountability.
• Inquisitiveness and open-mindedness: We support each other’s curiosity, learn from and trust each other’s expertise, and are willing to be in ambiguity.
• Authentic relationships: We assume the best about each other; listen with humility and compassion; act with transparency; and recognize and build on each other’s strengths.
• Positive impacts: We are committed to ensuring positive impacts in the well-being of Minnesota residents, its communities, and the state as a whole.

BHPC 2019 Letter of Recommendations (PDF)
BHPC Fact Sheet (PDF)
Federal Block Grants: Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Community Mental Health Services (PDF)

More information on SAMHSA guidance to states

• Best Practices for State Behavioral Health Planning Councils: The Road to Planning Council Integration,” Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. for the Center for Mental Health Services (2014) (PDF)
• SAMHSA/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Center for Integrated Health Care Solutions

To view Minnesota’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant Assessment, Plan and Annual Report use the following information

• Link to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Grant: https://bgas.samhsa.gov/
• Username: citizenmn
• Password: citizen

To View Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant Application, Plans and Reports

• Click on "View an Existing Application“
• Click on the “Mental Health Block Grant or Substance Abuse Application”
• Click on the “Report,” or “Behavioral Assessment and Plan” that you want to view