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Task Force

Final Report
1.3 MB file - may take several minutes to open
Appendix A
Appendix B
(all in PDF format)

Members

Minutes
Aug 14-15,'02
Jul 17-18,'02
May 23, 2002
Apr 18, 2002
Mar 25, 2002
Mar 4, 2002
Feb 6, 2002

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Control Policy Task Force

Office of the Governor  -   Attorney General's Office

February 6, 2002

TASK FORCE MEMBERS PRESENT:

Jerry Archer, Chad Field, Duane Grimes, Mary Haydal, Joey Jayne, Cathy Kendall, Marko Lucich, Janet Meissner, Roland Mena, Robin Morris, Steve Morris, Bill Muhs, Karen Olson-Beenken, Rick Robinson, Peg Shea, Bill Snell, John Strandell.  Facilitated by Ginny Tribe.

AGENDA TOPICS:

  • Introduction to the session:
    • Welcome; introductions
    • Participant "warm-up"
  • Establishing a governance framework:
    • Task Force charter
    • Ground rules and process agreements
      Taking a first cut at issues:
    • Developing criteria for workgroup membership
    • Identifying issue categories and their parts
    • Drafting guiding principles
    • Clarifying workgroup and individual Task Force member responsibilities
  • Assignments
  • Where do we go from here?

PARTICIPANT "WARM-UP"

As a member of the Task Force, "I" will not feel we have achieved our goal if we don't:

  • Include prevention.
  • Focus on priorities.
  • Develop a management strategy that can lead to action planning and implementation.
  • Consider how we are going to educate the legal/court system (including the defendant) as it exists today and if we don't look at dual diagnosis (chemical and mental).
  • Get past denial of the issue and look at the complete picture in the state.  That means reducing demand as well as supply.
  • Come to the table with prayer and humility.
  • Make sure we have balance within the Task Force recommendations and get everything on the table.
  • Set aside our individual agendas, consider new ideas, and actively support legislative strategies.
  • Make sure something happens.
  • Objectively consider research and data in support of our recommendations.
  • Include the everyday people who work in these areas.
  • Recommend specific government policy and legislation that reflects our consensus.
  • Follow through on our recommendations and plans.
  • Look at proposals and recommendations with common sense and flexibility.
  • Convince the next legislature that our recommendations are in the best interest of all Montana.  Those recommendations should provide for restriction, restitution and recovery.
  • Address the unique issues of Tribes and if we don't address youth and adult issues separately.  We need long and short term strategies.
  • Consider children and families and a continuum of care.  We need to acknowledge the Tribal world and use existing data.
  • Define successful recommendations as implementable, durable, supportable (with beliefs and energy behind them), and resulting in stronger working relationships.

ESTABLISHING A GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK

A. Task Force Charter

Develop a statewide drug control strategy to address the drug and substance abuse and drug trafficking problems of Montana.  This drug control strategy should serve as a comprehensive plan for the coordination of all drug control efforts including enforcement, education, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

The Task Force is charged to examine and provide, at a minimum, the following:

  • Definition and analysis of the drug problem in Montana.
  • Assessment of current drug control efforts in the state, including review of the adequacy of State law related to drug control.
  • Identification of gaps and duplication of services.
  • Identification of federal, state and local funding sources and recommendations for streamlining and maximizing these resources.
  • Recommendations for developing and coordinating applications for federal funds at the state and local level.
  • Recommendations on program priorities and expenditure levels within State government agencies; discussion of how program accountability should be addressed by administering agencies.
  • Recommendations on any necessary legislation to address drug and substance abuse and drug trafficking in Montana.

B. Ground Rules and Process Agreements

Task Force members established the following ground rules and process agreements to encourage "safe" but productive discussion throughout the process:

  • Stay focused on the greater good, particularly when attempting to come to agreement.
  • Communicate so that confidentiality is not a problem.
  • Demonstrate respect as follows:
    • No "hitting".
    • Monitor your own body language, tone of voice and communication behavior.
    • Allow the other speaker to finish and monitor your own time when speaking.
    • Listen actively and listen as an ally.
  • Avoid side or a back-of-the-room conversation while the group is in session.
  • Turn off your cell phones.
  • Avoid jargon or acronyms.
  • Attend all meetings.  When an emergency prevents your attendance, take responsibility for getting "up to speed" before the next meeting.
  • Aim for 100% agreement on items established as priorities.  When 100% cannot be reached, the Task Force declares majority at 17 of 20 members.  If the minority appears to be of one category (e.g., prevention workers, Tribal members, etc.) or one  "interest", the group will continue to work to try to honor those interests.  The facilitator will have responsibility for declaring a topic discussion final.  When the majority is less than 17 of 20, the topic will be presented as written analysis rather than a recommendation.

TAKING A FIRST CUT AT ISSUES

A. Identifying Issue Categories and Their Parts

  1. Issue categories
    1. Prevention
    2. Treatment
    3. Justice
  2. Issue category "parts"
    1. Youth
    2. Adult
    3. Family
    4. Policy
    5. Legislation
    6. Jurisdictions (Federal, state, Tribal, local, agency)

B. Drafting Guiding Principles

As members of the Task Force:

  • We believe that the safety and welfare of all Montanans' is paramount.
  • We believe that all individuals should be treated with respect and equality.
  • We promote a holistic, balanced, coordinated approach that includes education, prevention, treatment, and enforcement and we recognize the importance of establishing priorities in each of those areas.
  • We believe that financial ability or status should not be barriers to access to a continuum of services.
  • While encouraging new and creative strategies, we believe that decisions, policy making, and programs should be outcome based and supported by data and ongoing evaluation.
  • We solicit input and work to accommodate the views of fellow Montanans with regard to Task Force recommendations.
  • We recognize the importance of a statewide public education campaign to promote and implement policy, strategies and tools adopted from the recommendations of the Task Force.

C. Clarifying Workgroup and Individual Task Force Member Responsibilities

  1. Task Force member responsibilities
    • Define workgroup expectations, representation, and size.
    • Assist in facilitating the workgroup.
    • Act as a community conduit.
    • Meet timelines and attend meetings.
    • Self educate.
    • Honor the process and other Task Force members when in discussion with others, particularly the media.

  2. Workgroup responsibilities
    • Develop objective, research-based recommendations for the category or topic area assigned.
    • Share with the Task Force: Pertinent discussion; alternatives and their evaluation; potential barriers; recommendations.
    • Create minutes and make them accessible to the Task Force.

  3. Workgroup needs
    • Internal facilitation within the workgroup
    • Participation from members
    • Data
    • Some financial and administrative support

  4. Criteria for Workgroup Membership

    5. Each workgroup should be diverse in its makeup and reflect:

    • Geographic distribution
    • Interdisciplinary distribution
    • Experience/expertise in the workgroup's topic area
    • Tribal representation
    • Passion and interest in the topic area
    • Representation from people who are "younger" to the field and have not lost their idealism

  5. Expectations

    6. The Governor and the Attorney General should be able to expect the following from the Task Force:

    • Honest, thorough, and respectful review and recommendations.
    • Discussion in the Fall with members of the Task Force to clarify and review the recommendations.
    • Task Force support in the implementation process.
    • Diverse representation on the workgroups.
    • Respectful protocol related to the media.

WORKGROUP ASSIGNMENTS

A. Prevention

  • Robin Morris - Work Group Leader
  • Janet Meissner
  • Jerry Archer
  • Karen Olson-Beenken
  • Rick Robinson

B. Treatment

  • Cathy Kendall - Work Group Leader
  • Marko Lucich
  • Mary Haydal
  • Bill Snell
  • Peg Shea
  • Duane Grimes

C. Justice

  • Bill Muhs - Work Group Leader
  • Steve Morris
  • John Strandell
  • Joey Jayne
  • Chad Field
  • Roland Mena

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

A. Setting the Calendar

  • 2nd meeting - Monday, March 4 (Billings)
  • 3rd meeting - Monday, March 25 (Kalispell)
  • 4th meeting - Thursday, April 18 (Great Falls)

B.  Homework

Workgroups will complete the Task Sheet for their assigned area and be prepared to present it at the March 4 meeting.