Helen Farabee Centers Board of Trustees Minutes - 03/05/2026 HELEN FARABEE CENTERS
‘ Ckj
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
‘P\‘‘ March 5, 2026
11:00 AM
TELEVIDEO &
1000 Brook Ave., Sue Nunn Conference, Wichita Falls, TX
Board of Trustee J. Brian Eby, Chairman; David Cook, Cynthia Kessler, Jessica Traw;
Members Present: Jan Driver Ward
Board of Trustee Cindy Barksdale, Tom Johnson, Kathy Thorp, VACANT, Sheriff White,
Members Absent: Sheriff Babcock
Staff Present: Gianna Harris, Executive Director; Andy Martin, Associate Executive Director;
Linda Poenitzsch, Financial Operations Director; Sandra Rapson, Quality
Assurance Coordinator, Erin Perkins, IDD, Cara Mullenix-Artigue QM Director,
Amanda Cantu, CAS Director
Other Staff and Tom Taylor, City Councilman and Liaison
Guests Present: Judge Don Thompson, Knox County
Melissa Collins, Board of Trustee Liaison, Recorder
AGENDA TOPICS
030526-1 CALL TO ORDER
J. Brian Eby, Board Chair,called meeting to order at 11:00 A.M. with five (5) Board Members in
attendance.
030526-2 PRESENTATIONS
A. Open Citizen Comment to The Board
No comments were presented to the Board.
030526-3 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Recommended Action: That the Board of Trustees approves the minutes of the January 2026 Board of
Trustee meeting.
The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the minutes of the January 2026 Board of Trustee meeting.
Motion: Jessica Traw Affirmative: 5
Second: David Cook Negative: 0
Citizen Comment: None
030526-4 TRAINING
Andy Martin, Associate Executive Director provided training on the Behavioral Health Services.
Presentations were distributed to all members in the board packet, available for review upon request.
Amanda Cantu, CAS Director provided training on Child and Adolescent Services. Presentations were
distributed to all members in the board packet, available for review upon request.
030526- 5 RECOMMENDATIONS
A. BOARD OF TRUSTEES
1, Place 4 Vacancy
Recommended Action: Information Only Item.
Welcome to Cynthia Kesler to Place 4 on the board
Citizen Comment: None
2) Place 5 Vacancy
Recommended Action: Information Only Item.
Adhoc committee interviewed candidate Dana Tilton and recommend her to the appointing agencies. We will wait
to hear from the commissioners courts who have voted.
Citizen Comment: None
3) Veteran on the Board
Recommended Action: Information Only Item.
Senate Bill 1580 indicates we have to place a Veteran on the board. We have a candidate who is interested in
serving. We will extend the application for her to complete and return to us. An ad hoc committee will interview
her and make their recommendation to the board.
Citizen Comment: None
B. BUDGET AND FINANCE
I) Financial Statements
Recommended Action: That the Board of Trustees approves the financial statements for December 2025 and
January 2026
The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the financial statements for December 2025 and January 2026.
Motion: Cynthia Kesler Affirmative: 5
Second: Jan Driver Ward Negative: 0
Citizen Comment: None
2) Additional Fees for Vehicle Purchase
Recommended Action: That the Board of Trustees ratify the expenditure of additional$2,116.71 for vehicle purchase fees.
The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the additional fees.
Motion: David Cook Affirmative: 5
Second: Jessica Traw Negative: 0
Citizen Comment: None
3 Auditors Letter of Engagement
Recommended Action: That the Board of Trustees accept the Letter of Engagement(LOE) from Condley& Company,LLP
and authorize the chair to sign the letter.
The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved the Letter of Engagement(LOE)and authorized the chair to sign the letter.
Motion: Cynthia Kesler Affirmative: 5
Second: Jessica Traw Negative: 0
Citizen Comment: None
C. CONTRACTS AND PLANS
1) Quality Management Plan Review
Recommended Action: Information Only Item
Sandra Rapson presented QM Plan highlights.
Citizen Comment: None
D. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
No Agenda Items
E. POLICY AND PROCEDURE
1) Policy Statement Summary
Recommended Action: That the Board of Trustees review and approve these Policy Statements:
• 800.2 General Services for Individuals Policy Statement
The Board of Trustees reviewed and approved all Policy Statements as presented.
Motion: David Cook Affirmative: 5
Second: Jan Driver Ward Negative: 0
Citizen Comment: None
F. PROGRAM AND PERSONNEL
No Agenda Items
030526-6 QUARTERLY REPORTS
A. ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND CLINICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
No Agenda Items
B. PLANNING AND NETWORK ADVISORY COMMITTEE
No Agenda Items
C. EXTERNAL AUDITS
1) Superior MCO External Audit Report
Recommended Action: Information Only Item
Cara Mullenix-Artigue reported.
D. TEXAS COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
No Agenda items
E. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
No Agenda Items
030526-7 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
OIG Update
The purpose of the Office of Inspector General is to go into facilities and investigate for waste, fraud, and abuse.
However two legislative sessions ago, Senator Lois Kolhkorst authored a bill that mandated that the OIG go in to
all local MI-1 Authorities and audit us every 5 years for no cause. They've begun and have completed 20 centers so
far. Our ticket came up in February. Cara Mullenix-Artigue, Sandra Rapson,and Andy Martin are the main
contacts with the audit team.
Cara reports they have had multiple interviews with the auditors. They started with Kyle and Andy for crisis
services,then Mandy and Cara met for Intake Services, Lauren Hargrove met for adult mental health and Amanda
and Courtney met for children services,Tuesday was IT services, and then billing with Linda and Joni.
Yesterday Cara, Joni, Sandra, and Nick Mariotti of Med Records, met for follow up questions. They were asked to
submit policies and procedures. Cara and Sandra have submitted all dots into a web portal called Sharepoint. The
next round of interviews will be selected from the whole HFC employee list and they will select two Mgmt staff
and 2 direct staff for fraud interviews. Cara and Sandra will not be allowed to join in these meetings, even though
they've been keeping time and minutes from each meeting. They want to document how much time is being spent
on this venture. They were given a vague explanation of what the interviews will consist of.
Sandra reports they have submitted over 100 policy and procedures, and documents per request of the OIG
auditors.
030526-8 CLOSED SESSION
No Agenda Items
030526-9 OPEN SESSION
No Agenda Items
030526-10 ANNOUNCEMENTS
A. Next Meeting -The next meeting will be held at 11 A.M., Thursday,July 2, 2026 at the Sue Nunn
Conference Room,Administration Bldg, 1000 Brook Ave. Wichita Falls, TX.
030526-11 OTHER BUSINESS
No other business
030526-12 ADJOURN
The Board of Trustees meeting was adjourned by Board Chairman,J. Brian Eby at 11:56 am.
Approved as presented: Approved as corrected:
J ,A y aCC,
May 7, 2026 May 7, 2026