Shasta HHSA Director calls for fewer meetings of a mental health board tasked with overseeing some of her work
The Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board is a state-mandated group that provides advisory oversight of county mental health programs. During an informal meeting yesterday, county staff strategized about how they feel the board should function.
During an executive meeting of Shasta’s Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board (MHADAB) yesterday, a phalanx of Health and Human Services Agency staffers “pre-gamed” — Supervisor Kevin Crye’s term — how the larger advisory board should operate in future.
They did so in the presence of only two MHADAB members, new board chair Erin Dooley — who herself is an HHSA staffer — and Crye.
The discussion was held during what was originally slated as an executive meeting of MHADAB, a smaller meeting held monthly that includes the leadership of the larger MHADAB group. When only one of the two current executive MHADAB members showed up to the meeting, it might have been cancelled and rescheduled. Instead, Dooley held the meeting informally with those present, a group made up almost solely of her peers and supervisors.
MHADAB is a state-mandated board that’s supposed to provide advisory oversight of county mental health services and work to ensure the voices of the public, especially those most impacted by mental health and substance use, are included in county decision-making.
Much of yesterday’s discussion was led by the county’s HHSA Director Christy Coleman, who sat between Dooley and Crye, frequently taking the lead during the meeting. At one point Supervisor Crye, who sat next to Coleman, asked how long presenters would be allowed for their presentations during future MHADAB meetings. When Coleman authoritatively answered, “10 minutes,” Crye asked if that decision had already been made.
“Well, we’re kind of making it now,” Coleman said, before being reminded by Dooley, who works under her, that such decisions would have to formally be made by a vote of MHADAB. Crye, who’s been unfailing in his praise of Coleman since before he voted to appoint her to HHSA’s top position said it was “stupid” that Coleman, who runs HHSA, doesn’t have a vote.
State law regarding community mental health boards lays out a number of parameters regarding the number and type of individuals who must be included on the board. Coleman cannot legally sit on MHADAB because she holds a role on the county’s mental health team, as the county’s Mental Health Director.
A recent clash between MHADAB and Coleman
HHSA is the county’s largest department, overseeing not only mental health but also public health, child and adult services, and a variety of other county community health functions. Coleman has led the agency for a little more than a year after being brought on as second-in-command a few years ago.
Over those years, HHSA has faced scrutiny for ongoing financial shortfalls and staff turnover even as the county continues to face a steep uphill battle when it comes to addressing pervasive community health needs, including suicide rates that are the highest in the state and double the state’s average.
Coleman has clashed with MHADAB in recent months, specifically when the advisory board voted to issue a letter of support for a proposed behavioral health facility known as True North. MHADAB’s support for True North was among a flood of other public support for the project which Coleman at first strongly rejected, asking supervisors to send a letter of opposition to the state instead. Coleman later reversed her stance on True North, asking supervisors to support the project, something four of the five supervisors — all but Crye — have now done.
This month Crye and three other county supervisors voted not to reappoint two key MHADAB members including fellow supervisor Matt Plummer, who helped lead support for the True North behavioral facility and community member Ron Henninger who’s been among the most outspoken MHADAB members when it comes to insisting on accountability for county mental health funding.
Some community members who regularly attend MHADAB meetings have described Plummer as an advocate for community mental health needs. And MHADAB members voiced their support for his work by electing him as vice chair of the group just last month. Nevertheless, supervisors voted to replace Plummer with Crye as the county’s MHADAB member last week. It’s not clear if such action was legal, given that state law mandates three-year terms for board members and Plummer took up his role on MHADAB only a year ago. Shasta Scout has reached out to the county attorney for comment.
Possible reductions to public participation
The agenda for the first meeting of the year for MHADAB’s executive board included a number of organizational items. While a number of informal decisions were made by a consensus of county staff yesterday, none are binding since they were not made by MHADAB itself.
Discussions on so-called “board decorum” and public comment recurred again yesterday after a similar discussion at MHADAB’s last full group meeting in December. County Counsel Joe Larmour and Shasta County CEO David Rickert both attended that meeting with Larmour opining on the need for the MHADAB chair to take more control over public comment periods.
Since MHADAB is a board designed to serve the needs of those with mental health and substance use challenges, it’s unsurprising that some, especially those coming from vulnerable communities, may have difficulty following established policies. Larmour recommended in December that when they fail to do so the meeting should be halted — much like board meetings have been in recent months — and law enforcement officers called in, with the probability of a subsequent arrest.
Yesterday, Crye probed board members on how many members of the public attend meetings and how they participate, questioning whether such participation has been productive. Board Chair Dooley said over the last six months more of the public have been attending meetings and sharing comments, achieving a MHADAB goal. She also noted that the board has also been unusually productive over the last year, with more collaboration between MHADAB and county staff — something she hopes to continue under her leadership.
Coleman suggested that presentation times should be reduced to 7-8 minutes, followed by a period for questions and answers of 7-8 minutes. During this time, the public could be allowed to ask questions to keep them happy, but the board wouldn’t necessarily have to provide any answers, Coleman suggested. She also advised that the board’s overall discussion time should be held to no more than 20 minutes on each topic a decision that would ultimately be made by MHADAB itself.
On the question of how many MHADAB meetings should be held this year, Crye said county staff should push for the number they feel is appropriate, saying he would “back” their suggestions during the upcoming full MHADAB meeting. Coleman proposed holding fewer MHADAB meetings saying they’re costly for the county because so many HHSA staff attend them. Asked by a reporter why so many HHSA staff are tasked to attend, Coleman said she feels it’s important for them to be there for administrative reasons.
The meeting yesterday also included discussion about who might take up the position of MHADAB vice chair. Crye said that the county’s Veteran Service Officer, Troy Payne, sounded like a good fit. Dooley noted that Payne had said previously he didn’t have time the role but Crye said he should be “voluntold” to take it anyway.
“I’ll call him later,” Crye said.
1.14.2025: We have updated the story to clarify a statement about Payne’s interest in the seat.
Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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My way or the highway cry and his obedient, with fear of retaliation if not, minions.
Mental Health services are best provided via Ninja Coalition and churches aligned with my personal beliefs than by clinics and services that exist for that sole purpose. I would assert that applies to oncology services also.
Annelise Pierce,
The Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board is an advisory board. It has no independent authority to direct HHSA or override the HHSA director’s decisions.
Right.
I personally think Crye and Coleman have been up to something (wink, wink, wink) for the last 3/4 years – but there is no proof. It would also be very interesting if someone was able to look at the HHSA programs that have been deleted or cut way back on in the last couple of years that were over 90% funded by the State but were not kept up because they had gotten rid of the personnel that knew how to work with the State on them These could include some mental health, new baby care, home health, etc.)
Oh how pesky it can be to have the public ask questions, share their needs as consumers, and even provide oversight of people paid with public funds! No wonder they want fewer meetings, shorter time to speak.
I feel that there was a lot of progress made in the last year and that has been hampered by the decisions of the Board of Supervisors to change the make up of the MHADAB. Some of our most dedicated members have not been reapproved for this year. This board was meant to represent a specific population which makes up a large percentage of Shasta County. We need dedicated volunteers to become members in order to have positive outcomes for Shasta County.
We do need dedicated volunteers. And staff. And elected officials. We get them. Then the reality of the current “system” that is controlled by people who literally stop you from being able to succeed, on purpose, hits hard. And people get disillusioned, disgruntled, and disenfranchised. And they give up. And the Kevin Crye crowd wins.
Tacking mental health and connected community issues takes people with heart and commitment. Those same people are deeply wounded when they get crushed by a system (person in charge) that just doesn’t care about anything other than themselves. And we lose them.
It is discouraging to feel so helpless as we sit and watch bullies like Crye get away with using their power to tear down people who are actually doing good.
Sometimes when one is faced with the possibility of one’s own mortality due to a medical condition, they reflect on their past life choices and vow to do better. That, or one may turn even more angry, more bitter and more intent on making other’s lives miserable as well. Just sayin’. It’s a choice.
Crye and Coleman are always up to something. Coleman doesn’t want oversight so HHSA can continue to shortchange the public and to avoid anyone requesting where all of the housing funds and social services funds went. Social services funds have always been huge and how HHSA broke that budget is beyond me.
Coleman and Crye are not in charge of this Board. Why are they making decisions of these things!
A side-bar, since in a previous Upcoming Events list on the Scout was posted:
Queer-o-ween. Good grief.
Thank you so much for this article. It is VERY informative.
A choice is coming up soon. Vote him out.
Of course, this well-done article makes sense. The concept is community. Understand that if secessionist Trumpian Crye had his way, MHADAB would be abolished, as it’s just another socialist state mandate that he and MAGA despise. MAGA, via Trump and Elon Musk, has stripped society of social supports that have been empirically proven to help reduce addiction, increase family cohesiveness, improve education, and improve mental health of citizens, while reducing recidivism and crime. Hey, it’s not personal, it’s business; the poor billionaires are hurting and need tax relief.
But if you can’t abolish, join them and, like Crye, take control, remove people who have demonstrated concern for all, and have a history of serving the concept of community, like Supervisor Plummer and a growing list of Crye’s enemies. Then, as Crye has done with the Shasat Co. BOS, make yourself the shadow director and try to force policy and directives through proxy directors, like Coalman and Kelstorm.
The cost of MAGA’s war on our community is empirically evidenced by the high addiction, mental health challenges, and suicide rates of Shasta County. But don’t worry, these are people MAGA really don’t care much for that until they themselves, or people in their family, lose health benefits, lose housing, lose food supplements, lose employment, get locked up, or people in their family overdose or commit suicide.
Whenever you vote, you will be given a choice: vote nonpartisan that serves the concept of community, or vote for an authoritarian croony-based autocracy that serves MAGA. Right now, local and national MAGA are whining. Vote extreme MAGA out, vote for nonpartisan and bipartisan governance that serves a community of diversity, equal access and representation, justice, and equality for all. That’s called community.
Stop with the MAGA. You can not like Keven Crye if you want but quit slamming other community members. I for one, think that mental health services in this county need attention. These meetings need to be better advertised for community members to be able to attend. Political affiliation has nothing to do with needed mental health services. Shasta County needs to do a better job meeting mental health needs here for the good of the whole community!
Classic Crye INvasive maneuvers. Groom and manipulate all your dingbat yes people who rely on you for their livelihood and twist them up into little malleable balls for your own ends and/or purposes. Of course Coleman is leading the meeting. She is a mouthpiece of Crye. This way Crye can pretend he doesn’t direct staff or the meetings (Like he accuses his colleague Matt, who is his superior in every way, of doing). Furthermore, if she were to disagree she’d be cut off instantly.
I hope district 1 will vote him out this year and we get rid of all the sycophantic dept heads in high places who have no issues subordinating their morals to the will of a petty dictator.
I agree!?! Crye was obviously running the meeting to accomplish his own goals of diminishing the role of this important group. I’d also like to see them audited. Is the money being applied correctly according to State requirements
Does anyone feel like Crye and Coleman are up to something here? Yeah me too!
💯 percent!