2018: District 2 County Commissioner Debate with Blong Yang and Irene Fernando
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We invited candidates for Hennepin County Commissioner in District 2 to a forum on mental health on November 1, 2018.
Below is a transcript of questions with timestamps for easy navigation to candidates' answers. Thank you to Irene Fernando and Blong Yang for this engaging discussion, and to the Minneapolis Telecommunications Network for broadcasting. |
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Candidate introductions:
3:14 Yang
6:00 Fernando
Introduction of panelists: 9:00
John: A July 16, 2018 Star Tribune article highlighted the plight of Raymond Trailer Jr who was arrested in April but charges against him were dropped after it became clear that his behavior was related to his mental illness. Even so, Trailer remained in custody for more than three months, during which time Mr. Trailer's mental state deteriorated substantially. But Mr. Trailer is far from unique, and citizens with mental illnesses continue to languish in the county jail. My question is, as county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that people with mental illness in the Hennepin County jail receive the treatment they need and deserve?
10:39 Yang
12:45 Fernando
Bruce: People with mental illnesses in the Hennepin County jail are sometimes placed in solitary confinement even though such treatment is known to aggravate mental illness. As county commissioner, what would you do to limit the use of solitary confinement as an option in the Hennepin County jail for people with mental illnesses?
15:28 Fernando
17:04 Yang
Sally: Law enforcement officers receive mandatory training in firearms but the Hennepin County sheriff is much more likely to encounter an individual in a mental health crisis than to encounter an armed combatant...armed criminal. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that all first responders employed by Hennepin County sheriffs receive adequate training in handling mental health crises?
19:47 Yang
21:28 Fernando
John: The recent encampment along Hiawatha Avenue in South Minneapolis highlights our persistent difficulty in providing adequate housing to our citizens. And it is understood that perhaps as many as 50% of homeless adults in Hennepin County are so at least in part because of mental illness. As county commissioner, what would you do to address homelessness among people with mental illness?
23:47 Fernando
25:35 Yang
Sally: One major cause of homelessness among people with mental illness is extreme shortage of aftercare beds. It has been estimated that at least 25% of our psychiatric hospital beds are filled by patients who could be discharged except for the severe shortage of aftercare beds in Hennepin County which leads to a whole host of other problems. A county commissioner, what would you do to address the critical shortage of aftercare beds?
28:15 Yang
30:11 Fernando
Sally: Each of you have addressed our current shortage of affordable housing. This shortage traps people with mental illness in aftercare beds long after they could leave. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that Hennepin County’s efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing includes increasing the supply of supportive housing for individuals with mental illness?
32:47 Fernando
35:05 Yang
Bruce: It is estimated that only around 17% of individuals with mental illness who are willing and able to work have the opportunity to do so. As county commissioner, what would you do to increase employment opportunities for people with mental illnesses in Hennepin County?
37:54 Yang
40:06 Fernando
John: This past March, we at NAMI released a report on the use of peer support by providers of mental health services. In a time when provider agencies report difficulty filling open staff positions, we were surprised to learn that peer support is under utilized in hennepin County compared to other parts of the country. As county commissioner, what would you do to expand the use of peer support services in in Hennepin County?
42:20 Fernando
44:01 Yang
Bruce: Almost weekly, we read of tragic acts of violence committed by individuals with mental illness. More times than not, we read the individual or the individual’s family had tried to access mental health care but had been turned away. As county commissioner, what would you do to foster a more user friendly mental health system in Hennepin County so as to reduce the need for involuntary treatment and reduce the risk of such tragedies occurring here?
45:10 Yang
46:50 Fernando
Sally: Our own research has revealed appreciation for the mental health resources available in Hennepin County but also considerable frustration that the best services are either time limited, means tested, or have impossible wait lists. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure effective services are more easily accessed and remain in place until an individual is ready to become a productive member of society?
49:14 Fernando
50:52 Yang
John: Indigenous people and people of color are dramatically underserved by our current mental health system. Compared to the general population, African American adults are 20% more likely to experience untreated mental health issues. Native Americans have the highest rate of young adult suicide. One in every 10,000 Hispanic men will die by suicide. And Asian Americans are less than half as likely to seek mental health treatment. There’s also a noticeable shortage of services for our LGBT community. As county commissioner, what would you do to improve the delivery of services to indigenous people, people of color, and to the LGBT community in Hennepin County?
53:45 Yang
56:2 Fernando
Sally: There’s been significant criticism of the child protection system within Hennepin County, but little consensus in defining the real problem and even less agreement on planning a path to improvement. As county commissioner, what would you do to improve the performance of Hennepin County child protection?
59:03 Fernando
1:00:50 Yang
John: Even though the bulk of mental health services provided by Hennepin County are supported by state or federal funds, many of the solutions to the problems discussed this evening will require the commendment of at least some county tax dollars, putting them into competition with each other and also with a broad array of county services. As county commissioner, which of the issues discussed this evening will be a priority for you and what is the level of your commitment to improving the Hennepin County mental health system?
1:03:40 Yang
1:04:40 Fernando
Audience questions:
Do you support the rail proposed from Eden Prairie to Minneapolis and back?
1:06:32 Yang
1:06:59 Fernando
What part of your experience qualifies you to be the best advocate for mental health issues as a county commissioner?
1:07:58 Fernando
1:09:22 Yang
What will you do to address the problem of Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs) in Hennepin County?
1:11:50 Yang
1:14:15 Fernando
Concluding statements:
16:33 Yang
19:18 Fernando
3:14 Yang
6:00 Fernando
Introduction of panelists: 9:00
John: A July 16, 2018 Star Tribune article highlighted the plight of Raymond Trailer Jr who was arrested in April but charges against him were dropped after it became clear that his behavior was related to his mental illness. Even so, Trailer remained in custody for more than three months, during which time Mr. Trailer's mental state deteriorated substantially. But Mr. Trailer is far from unique, and citizens with mental illnesses continue to languish in the county jail. My question is, as county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that people with mental illness in the Hennepin County jail receive the treatment they need and deserve?
10:39 Yang
12:45 Fernando
Bruce: People with mental illnesses in the Hennepin County jail are sometimes placed in solitary confinement even though such treatment is known to aggravate mental illness. As county commissioner, what would you do to limit the use of solitary confinement as an option in the Hennepin County jail for people with mental illnesses?
15:28 Fernando
17:04 Yang
Sally: Law enforcement officers receive mandatory training in firearms but the Hennepin County sheriff is much more likely to encounter an individual in a mental health crisis than to encounter an armed combatant...armed criminal. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that all first responders employed by Hennepin County sheriffs receive adequate training in handling mental health crises?
19:47 Yang
21:28 Fernando
John: The recent encampment along Hiawatha Avenue in South Minneapolis highlights our persistent difficulty in providing adequate housing to our citizens. And it is understood that perhaps as many as 50% of homeless adults in Hennepin County are so at least in part because of mental illness. As county commissioner, what would you do to address homelessness among people with mental illness?
23:47 Fernando
25:35 Yang
Sally: One major cause of homelessness among people with mental illness is extreme shortage of aftercare beds. It has been estimated that at least 25% of our psychiatric hospital beds are filled by patients who could be discharged except for the severe shortage of aftercare beds in Hennepin County which leads to a whole host of other problems. A county commissioner, what would you do to address the critical shortage of aftercare beds?
28:15 Yang
30:11 Fernando
Sally: Each of you have addressed our current shortage of affordable housing. This shortage traps people with mental illness in aftercare beds long after they could leave. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure that Hennepin County’s efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing includes increasing the supply of supportive housing for individuals with mental illness?
32:47 Fernando
35:05 Yang
Bruce: It is estimated that only around 17% of individuals with mental illness who are willing and able to work have the opportunity to do so. As county commissioner, what would you do to increase employment opportunities for people with mental illnesses in Hennepin County?
37:54 Yang
40:06 Fernando
John: This past March, we at NAMI released a report on the use of peer support by providers of mental health services. In a time when provider agencies report difficulty filling open staff positions, we were surprised to learn that peer support is under utilized in hennepin County compared to other parts of the country. As county commissioner, what would you do to expand the use of peer support services in in Hennepin County?
42:20 Fernando
44:01 Yang
Bruce: Almost weekly, we read of tragic acts of violence committed by individuals with mental illness. More times than not, we read the individual or the individual’s family had tried to access mental health care but had been turned away. As county commissioner, what would you do to foster a more user friendly mental health system in Hennepin County so as to reduce the need for involuntary treatment and reduce the risk of such tragedies occurring here?
45:10 Yang
46:50 Fernando
Sally: Our own research has revealed appreciation for the mental health resources available in Hennepin County but also considerable frustration that the best services are either time limited, means tested, or have impossible wait lists. As county commissioner, what would you do to ensure effective services are more easily accessed and remain in place until an individual is ready to become a productive member of society?
49:14 Fernando
50:52 Yang
John: Indigenous people and people of color are dramatically underserved by our current mental health system. Compared to the general population, African American adults are 20% more likely to experience untreated mental health issues. Native Americans have the highest rate of young adult suicide. One in every 10,000 Hispanic men will die by suicide. And Asian Americans are less than half as likely to seek mental health treatment. There’s also a noticeable shortage of services for our LGBT community. As county commissioner, what would you do to improve the delivery of services to indigenous people, people of color, and to the LGBT community in Hennepin County?
53:45 Yang
56:2 Fernando
Sally: There’s been significant criticism of the child protection system within Hennepin County, but little consensus in defining the real problem and even less agreement on planning a path to improvement. As county commissioner, what would you do to improve the performance of Hennepin County child protection?
59:03 Fernando
1:00:50 Yang
John: Even though the bulk of mental health services provided by Hennepin County are supported by state or federal funds, many of the solutions to the problems discussed this evening will require the commendment of at least some county tax dollars, putting them into competition with each other and also with a broad array of county services. As county commissioner, which of the issues discussed this evening will be a priority for you and what is the level of your commitment to improving the Hennepin County mental health system?
1:03:40 Yang
1:04:40 Fernando
Audience questions:
Do you support the rail proposed from Eden Prairie to Minneapolis and back?
1:06:32 Yang
1:06:59 Fernando
What part of your experience qualifies you to be the best advocate for mental health issues as a county commissioner?
1:07:58 Fernando
1:09:22 Yang
What will you do to address the problem of Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs) in Hennepin County?
1:11:50 Yang
1:14:15 Fernando
Concluding statements:
16:33 Yang
19:18 Fernando
