Paul Tarr

For the past 11 years, as President and Founder, Paul M.Tarr, Jr., owns and manages P.M. Tarr & Associates, a successful consulting firm in Lansing.

The firm is located 2 blocks from the Michigan Capitol building, and assists clients in Governmental Relations, Legislative Liaison, Certificate of Need requests, Policy Problem Solving, and Public Association Management, largely in the fields of Education and Human Services.

Consulting

In this capacity, we’ve worked with and represented a number of agencies that provide graduate medical education, case management, substance abuse, medical and mental health treatment services, and training for persons with physical health needs, or mental disabilities.

We have worked closely with two major University Schools of Medicine to train clinical staff in Mental Health Law and assist in promoting sufficient funding for Capitol Outlay, Graduate Medical Education, Perinatal Research, and Physician’s Clinical Training.

Mr. Tarr provides consultation on policies of the Department of Community Health and guides applications for Certificate of Need through to approval based on standards set by the Governor’s Commission on Certificate of Need.   Mr. Tarr has assisted Physicians Groups on Certificate of Need regarding the CON application process.

In this regard, Paul Tarr attends regular meetings of CON Commission, reports on progress of monthly meetings, drafts and files Letters of Intent, and routinely provides copies of Activity Reports relating to Certificate of Need Applications as part of the monitoring process for clients.  He is an expert on Mental Health Law. (Act 257 of the Public Acts of 1974 as Amended)

Legislative Liaison

Served from 1974 through 1995, as Liaison with the Governor’s office and the Michigan Legislature on matters pertaining to Mental Health Legislation and the annual departmental budget ($1.2 Billion).

During this period developed a system for reviewing all legislation introduced, (approximately 8,000 bills annually), established files for following pertinent legislation and tracking it through to final passage.

Tarr has drafted amendments to Bills, developed analyses, testified before Legislation Committees on behalf of the department, and worked closely with legislators from both sides of the aisle in a non-partisan manner, to address constituency concerns, promote passage of needed legislation and effectuate an Annual Departmental Appropriation.

In this capacity, Tarr worked closely with the Department of Management and Budget, Legislative staff, the Governor’s staff and House and Senate Fiscal Agencies.  This work required a keen understanding of the legislative process, knowledge of Mental Health Law, large Budget Development, and the ability to promptly address constituency concerns, which necessitated a tireless ability to network with legislators and staff on critical issues involving hundreds of millions of dollars, while at the same time meeting local CMH concerns and working closely with local probate court.

In 1995, Tarr began serving as the Legislative Liaison on Appropriations for the Michigan Department of Community Health, which as a combined department included Mental Health, Public Health, Services to the Aging, Substance Abuse, Medicaid, Office of Drug Control Policy and Crime Victims Compensation.

The department’s budget was $8.5 Billion (at that time). Serving in this capacity Tarr assisted in the passage of three complete, annual Departmental Budget cycles.  Tarr retired July 1st, 1998 from State service, and then formed “P.M. Tarr & Associates, Inc., Capitol Action Consulting”.   In this capacity, he represents a number of human services agencies.  These agencies work with case management and substance abuse, providing Mental Health treatment and training, for people with mental/developmental disabilities.

Management

Served as Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs for the Department of Community Health.  Worked with the entire Michigan Legislature on matters pertaining to the Department of Community Health Budget, which totaled $8.5 Billion Dollars.  Worked closely with House and Senate Appropriations members on Budgets, Medicaid dollars, and constituency problems of all kinds.  Worked closely with the Department of Management & Budget, Social Services (FIA), Consumer & Industry Services (Licensing), and the Office of the Governor on Human Service issues, and supervised Department Support Staff.

Served for 11 years as a Regional Office manager for the Crippled Children’s Commission in a multi-county area in Mid-Michigan.  Provided services to children with handicapping conditions under the Crippled Children’s Program within the Michigan Department of Public Health.  Managed a Regional Office for the State Public Health Department, supervised a staff of clerks, secretaries and field professionals to assure proper screening, evaluation and treatment of indigent minors in need of medical/surgical care.

Served as Director of the Office of Legal and Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Mental Health for 20 years.  Managed staff in the development and promulgation of Departmental Administrative Rules implementing the Michigan Mental Health Code, conducted Administrative Hearings on Prisoner Transfers, developed office budgets, hired and supervised office staff, while serving as Liaison with the Legislature and the Governor’s office.  Drafted and guided revisions to the Michigan Mental Health Code through the Legislature and Governor.

Systems Development

Mr. Tarr served as Special Projects Director for the Department of Public Health in the development of the statewide system of recording and reporting Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT).

Prior to that Mr. Tarr served as Liaison with the Medicaid Systems Development Project as the sole representative to the Department of Social Services from the Department of Public Health.  In that capacity I was assigned as the Director of the Crippled Children/Medical System Payment Project, which we subsequently developed and presently pays through a computerized claim payment system.

It processes all the claims submitted for qualified medical/surgical services rendered, for indigent children eligible for assistance under the Michigan Crippled Children’s Program. (Special Children’s Services)

In working with the Probate Court in Oakland County with the support of the Department of Mental Health, Mr. Tarr developed a special pilot program establishing a closed circuit cable television system connecting the Oakland State Psychiatric Hospital (Clinton Valley Center), with the Oakland County Probate Court.

The purpose of the pilot was to enable psychiatrists to remain at the hospital, yet allow them opportunity to visually appear in probate court, to clearly testify and respond to cross-examination in involuntary (commitment) patient hearings. This pilot proved successful and did save significant psychiatric staff time, however, the technology was not fully developed at the time, and the State closed the CVC facility couple of years later, thus ending the pilot project.

Training

Mr. Tarr has developed curriculum and conducted workshops for the Training of Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses, Psychiatrists, Judges, Probate Court Staff, and Law Enforcement Officers, in Mental Health Law and implementation of revisions to the Michigan Mental Health Code.

He co-authored and printed a Manual for Probate Judges on Mental Health law. He developed curriculum and taught classes in Mental Health Law to Psychiatric Residents at the University of Michigan, Medical School and Graduate Students at Wayne State University, School of Social Work.

Education

Middle Management Classes 1969/70
Michigan Department of Civil Services

Graduate Classes in Public Administration
Western Michigan University, 1976/78

Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Bachelor of Arts Degree, June- 1973

US Signal School
Fort Gordon, Georgia
Cryptographers School, Radio/ Teletype School

Service of Country

Served in United States Army, 1958-60
Served in 3rd Armored Division, United States 7th Army, Cold War Veteran, Europe
Communications Officer…. Secret Clearance…. Staff Sergeant, E-5

Awards

National Association of Mental Health Attorneys
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD

Michigan Judicial Institute
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION FOR CONTINUING JUDICIAL EDUCATION AWARD

Capital Area Chapter
National Foundation March of Dimes
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD

Michigan Children’s Charter of the Courts of Michigan, Inc.
RECOGNITION FOR THE PROMOTION OF IMPROVED JUSTICE AND SERVICES TO CHILDREN

Michigan Department of Mental Health, James Haveman, Director
RECOGNITION OF SERVICES/ LEGISLATION EXPERTISE

Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

National Association of State Mental Health Attorneys
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD

Wayne State University- School of Social Work
OUTSTANDING TEACHER/ LECTURE AWARD

Michigan Senate 1998
Senate Resolution No. 199
RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE

Michigan House of Representatives
House resolution No. 308
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF 35 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE

American Cancer Society
EXCALIBUR AWARD-OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD FOR THE
CAPITOL WOMEN’S CLASSIC-2001

Michigan Association of County Community Mental Health Boards
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Michigan Association of Professional Psychologists
HONORARY RECOGNITION FOR LEGISLATIVE EXPERTISE & COMITTMENT

Michigan Department of Community Health 1995
OUSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD

Michigan Department of Community Health 1998
CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR 35 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Vernice Davis Anthony Award
ELE’S PLACE-2001