The Promise of a future with new possibilities

It was a fascinating meeting.

Sitting in conference room 107 at the Georgia State Capitol, Georgia's Chief Operating Officer Jim Lientz had us all introduce ourselves. The Commissioner of the Department of Human Services, the Commissioner of the Department of Community Health, the Commissioner of Behavioral Health Services, and Director of the State Medicaid System, and the Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs along with the Director of the State's special housing programs.

With me were Lauren Milmine, Aretha Jones, Letitia Robinson and Terry Cassidy from Union Mission. Mike Pollack was there representing Memorial Health University Hospital. We were there to share with them the sad story of the Savannah Area Behavioral Health Collaborative or SABHC.

Union Mission and Memorial led an effort to change the way mental health services are provided in Georgia. It was the nation's most ambitious attempt to blend numerous funding streams into one seamless delivery system.

Two other partners, the Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless and Recovery Place of Savannah began with us but developed other agenda and contributed to SABHC crashing and burning.

But before it did, it accomplish fantastic success! Over a 15 month period, the number of people seeking help doubled to over 300! They came and were not only treated for mental health or addictive diseases, but also received primary care, dental care, nutritious meals and access to over 400 housing opportunities. Never has such an ambitious attempt occurred. And in Savannah, Georgia of all places!

But it failed because while Jim Lientz and Commissioner B. J. Walker supported it, all of the people who worked for them did not. In fact, many worked hard to un-do it. The Homeless Authority and Recovery Place jumped ship and joined these folks. And compassion on a grand scale crashed and burned publicly.

I will never forget on the last day walking through the cafeteria and a mentally ill woman bursting into tears and burying her head in my chest begging me to not take away their meals. The next day they would be gone and there was nothing that I could do. I can still feel the helplessness and the smell of her hair and being overwhelmed with agony.

But time passed and the emotion went away. And Union Mission and Memorial were left with all of this great capacity but no ability to use it for what it was designed for. So human need being what it is, we used it for other things.

Then back in January I was sleep walking through Savannah Day in Atlanta when I ran into Jim. "You never come see me any more," he said with a smile.

"Ah Jim," I answered shaking his hand, "that's cause I learned that it doesn't do any good to come see you."

"What?"

"You"re a great guy but all of those people who work for you...not so much."

"You need to come see me," he ordered.

"Sure. Why not?"

So two weeks ago Lauren and I did.

And we told him the story of SABHC. He listened and then asked if we would come back to Atlanta and tell the story again. So yesterday we did to the most impressive of audiences. For two hours we talked back and forth. We went into details and talked about who did what and who did not. And when the meeting ended we all stayed another half hour talking in small groups with one another.

So what was a sad past has now become a future with new possibilities. We'll see what happens.

But I promised that old lady who cried in my chest that I would get it all back for her. Because she deserves it. And God dammit one day, I swear she will have it again.