By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Grant County Community Health Council, after hearing from Health Council community partners on projects, they heard a report from Sen. Howie Morales on the recent legislative session, and also heard from Gila Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Brian Cunningham on recent hospital challenges.

In the community partners reports, on the topic of adult substance abuse, Ron Hall, representing the group working on a Substance Abuse Prevention Center, said the group has chosen a name for the facility

"We have hired consultants Dr. and Linda Homer, whom I talk to almost every day," Hall said. "In Phase II, we have secured funding for constructions, then we will need help with furnishings from the community."

He said the group continues to develop its sustainability analysis, which changes almost daily. "Presently, we are in negotiations for a site. The original site fell through. We have a rough draft of our vision, mission and core values. We will create an advisory council, and develop a request for proposal for leasing the facility to a provider. After the two years I've been working on this, it's exciting."

Mike Carillo, County Detention Center administrator, who also serves on the committee said: "We have involved the county and have received input and statistics from the community. Silver City is a major stakeholder and is committed to helping us see this through."

"We will have a center, so we need everyone on board," Hall said.

Health Council Co-Chairwoman, Priscilla Lucero, asked about the make up of the advisory council and about the timeline for the RFP.

Hall said the architect wanted a provider on board before final plans are completed to help develop the center.

"Is the RFP contingent on funding or are the dollars available?" Lucero asked.

Susie Trujillo of GRMC and the treatment center committee said the provider would have to prove how it would be sustainable, with contracts with managed-care organizations.

Hall said the advisory council would include representatives from the county, recovery, law enforcement, community liaison, and Western New Mexico University, among others.

Tony Trujillo, Health Council member, said: "You mentioned the need for the center. In every health council assessment we have done, substance abuse came out as a top concern."

Health Council member Marilyn Alcorn asked about when the advisory council would have representatives.

"Interested people will apply through the County Commission, which will approve the appointments," Hall said.

Susie Trujillo said County Manager Charlene Webb and County Attorney Abigail Robinson have done a lot of work on the RFP.

The next report was on the family resiliency early childhood priority, and the first to speak was Health Council Co-Chairwoman Terry Anderson of the Community Partnership for Children.

"The partnership got the Community Investment Fund grant for developing shared services," Anderson said. "The partnership is also participating in the Give Grandly fundraiser on May 5. We are one of many. You can donate online or at Gough Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day."

Connie Hostetler spoke for senior lifecycle. "Our group is growing. We are having to reprint for the third time our Community Resource Directory for Seniors. There is some interest in lost seniors' issues. We completed a seven-session caregiver class. I've been attending Senior Olympics events, and senior commodities distribution. I was at the Woman's Club Community Outreach on Saturday." She held up and passed around a flyer and brochure about the Senior Lifecycle that Kendra Milligan, Health Council assistant coordinator, had created.

Evangeline Zamora, health council member representing disabilities, said that afternoon immediately following the health council meeting, the new Disabilities Resource Center would hold a grand opening from 5-8 p.m. at 1016 N. Silver Street, next to the Recreation Center. "We will offer services to those with disabilities, as well as a lending library."

Susie Trujillo, member of the Disabilities Advisory Council, said the city said yes to Zamora's request and she created the center. "The key players are Town Manager Alex Brown, former Mayor James Marshall and Silver Schools Superintendent Lon Strieb. They traded stuff to get it to happen."

"What is exciting is the partnership throughout the community," Anderson said. "I was the director of the Early Childhood Center at Western when we developed the toy resource center. The center has donated the toy resources to a new home."

Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition Coordinator Razanna Thomas asked if the disabilities center was available for ordinary persons in the community. Zamora said the services are available if they are aiding a person with disabilities.

Under the health council interpersonal violence priority, Grant County CARES representative Damie Nelson said the group is tracking bullying and making efforts to make sure victims get help. "Too many kids are falling through the cracks," she said.

She introduced Jayne Ash, who will serve as the coordinator of the bullying issue, and Kelly Reynolds, who is the Sexual Assault Services of Silver director. Reynolds said April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. "We are collaborating with GRMC's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program and the district attorney. On April 22 at 6 p.m., along with El Refugio, we will hold a vigil at Gough Park. We are expanding services and trying to provide advocacy. We provide services to Cobre Schools and next year will work with Silver Schools."

Ash said several would be speaking on a local radio station about the issue.

Sen. Howie Morales said, during April and May, he was updating constituents on the 2015 legislative session. "It was a different session from the past 62 years. The House had a Republican majority and the Senate a Democratic majority. From the Senate side, it did not feel like a fight, as has been mentioned in news articles. I felt it was successful in regards to the community I serve."

"Grant County Day always brings me so much pride," Morales said. "It is one of the most, if not the most, well attended of the events in Santa Fe. But we do want the Silver Stompers back next year.

"We got the budget passed," he continued. "Before the session, we thought we would have $280 million for the budget, then it went down to $140 million, because of the price of oil dropping. It's now at $56 a barrel. As it went south, we ended up with $88 million in new dollars. The good news is that we didn't have to make cuts."

Morales said the bill to provide funding for health councils across the state requested $1 million, and got $200,000. "I thank Tony Trujillo for help with the language and for his testimony on the bill."

He cited other bills, which cleared up language for rural area practitioners, and another, which allocated $800,000 for disability programs, such as Silver City's LifeQuest. "The money had been going to the DD program, while forgetting about provider needs. This funding helps alleviate that."

Morales said, although $23,000 went to district courts, he felt like courts got hit again, and the funding was vetoed. The Department of Health received an increase for the Families, Infants and Toddlers program. Money was also allocated to help in grassroots food production.

"All universities across the state took a cut," Morales said. "Public and TV broadcasting took a hit. WNMU Students Association requested $500,000 for security needs. We got it into the appropriations bills, and Western has started the process."

He said he was open to a special session to make sure that money gets moved through the communities. "If there is a half-a million dollar cut to Western or a $2 million cut to Fort Bayard, I will not allow that to happen. I don't think we should fund new projects, when others are not funded. We need to go to a special session and get the capital outlay approved. "

He noted that funding went to First Born statewide. "That's a program that began in Grant County. Imagination Library, another program that began here, was allocated $100,000 to go statewide."

Morales said Cabinet Secretary Monique Jacobson is working now at the Children, Youth and Families Department and has committed to using unspent money for early childhood services.

Health Council member Francesca Estevez, 6th Judicial District attorney, complimented Morales by saying he is recognized as a "consistent voice for New Mexico and your community. Without you and John Arthur Smith, we wouldn't be where we are now."

To her question about how he felt about a special session, he said he would want the only item on the agenda of the special session to be capital outlay.

"We continue to have your projects updated," Morales said. "When we can justify the need, using the Prospectors' notebooks, it hard for it to go away."

Anderson asked if the effort to create an Early Learning Department had gone anywhere.

"It didn't happen," Morales said. "Only 2 percent of the education budget goes to early childhood. It should not be under CYFD, because it is enforcement and prevention, not education. We need to start with education for early childhood years. They are the most important."

Tony Trujillo asked about local efforts on economic development. "Do you have any recommendation to take care of LEDA (Local Economic Development Act) funding?"

"It should not be used just to build buildings, but to do something," Morales said. "The roads are in need across the state. We are connected to other parts of the state and country. It is an opportunity for the Health Council to access funds for southwest New Mexico."

Tony Trujillo asked if there were a way to tap into funds to employ people in the Disabilities Center and the Substance Abuse Treatment Center.

"They provide jobs and services," Morales said. "It would be cost savings to local governments if the money is put into already approved projects."

To a question in jest from Trujillo, Morales said the Senate won the House versus Senate basketball game again.

Zamora said the early intervention dollars for newborns to age three years are critical as the children go into public education.

Kathleen Hunt of Border Area Mental Health Services and health council member told Morales: "We appreciate your protecting us here."

Mike Trujillo of First American Bank and health council member asked Morales if Bridge Community had received any help from the state.

"Don Trammell was my high school counselor," Morales said. "We work closely together. That is another economic development issue. Some work needs to be done to make sure the plan is complete. Last I knew, they were looking at a specific property."

Armando Amador, health council member representing veterans, said he had been contacted by Tierra del Sol, which provides services for veterans' homes. "We ask for backing for that."

Morales said there was a need to learn more about the funding mechanism from the provider.

Cunnigham said he appreciates and applauds seeing Morales at the community level, as well as at the state, and the same level of care he gives to those duties, and to patients at GRMC and to his family.

"You as my employer, I appreciate you," Morales said. "The rest of the team helps out when I'm gone."

Lucero said she appreciated how Morales represents those he serves, especially among the underserved.

She also expressed her gratitude to Morales for his taking the lead in aiding the councils of government in a meeting, and "especially the Colonias Infrastructure Fund. It's virtually the north versus the south. On May 7, here in Silver City, Colonias will allocate $16 million in southern New Mexico."

Morales said he was able to protect entities this year, because of people helping each other. The tribal councils helped, too.

"Thank you for your appreciation," he concluded. "I have to be the voice of those overlooked or underserved."

Cunningham told the health council members the same thing he had previously told the Health Council Steering Committee.

"About two months ago, I brought an issue to the Steering Committee," Cunningham said. "Health care continues to be challenged as costs rise and reimbursements fall. I told them with the hospital being extremely challenged, we didn't know if we would be able to continue to support Health Council personnel. The following month, we took another hit. We are regrouping around the challenge. I told the committee, we might have to look at the worst-case scenario that the hospital might not be able to support Health Council personnel. I genuinely applaud the Steering Committee for understanding. They will move to options on how to recreate and reconfigure the Health Council."

"It was important for us to understand," Lucero said. "We were most fortunate to survive the loss of state funding. We are extremely grateful for what GRMC has done for the Health Council. It's time for a change, and we have a small group of the committee members working on the process and how we move forward. We have made a lot of progress, and we still have support from the community. Grant County is willing to be the fiscal agent. We have money from the GRMC Foundation to transfer. The changeover will be July 1. I want you members to know that things will be OK, and we will continue to do what we do for the communities."

Tony Trujillo, said, as a Health Council member, he wanted to seriously add his thanks to GRMC. "We're been spoiled, with you providing for us to be successful. Things change. I see it as a healthy change, so we can figure out who we are. We've been down this road before, and we will come out the other end and continue to work for the community."

Estevez pointed out that Milligan has never received the recognition she deserves for her work at shepherding the Council's finances.

Anderson said she is one of the core group of people working on the transition. "I was so proud to see we were financially OK. Kendra, we have you to thank for that. It's a comfort to know we have something to work forward with."

Hunt noted the Council is a resilient group.

"We're resilient, and determined," Lucero said. "It's the partnerships that will keep us going. It's important to note that we have a wonderful staff promoting us in the community. It is being noticed and acknowledged."

Tony Trujillo said the Grant County Community Health Council continues to be recognized as the best in the state. "It's not all about money. It's about our programs, our successes and the roots we have established."

The member sector reports and announcements will be covered in a subsequent article.

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