February 19, 2021 Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board Meeting

Audience

Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board Members and Staff. The public is welcome to attend.

Date/Time

Friday, February 19, 2021

9:30pm to 11:30pm

Location

Agenda

  1. Call to order/Roll call
  2. Approval of Minutes - 12/18/20 RIOB Meeting
  3. DHS Updates
  4. RIOB Membership Update
  5. RIOB membership committee discussion/decision
    1. Board member Designee
  6. FY21 Program and Expenditures update
    1. Redeploy Program expenditures and commitments/number served
    2. ICOY Expenditures
  7. RIOB Planning Grants
    1. Sangamon County Implementation Application Discussion/Decision
    2. Lake County Planning Grant Update
  8. Redeploy Service Matrix Next Steps Discussion
    1. Funding notice
  9. Redeploy Illinois program intensive site visit update
  10. Legislative Updates
  11. Adjourn

Upcoming meetings/events:

  • Executive Board Meeting: Friday, March 19th, 2021
  • Full Board Meeting: Friday, April 16th, 2021

Meeting Minutes

  1. Call to Order/ Roll Call
    Secretary Grace Hou, chair of the Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board, called the meeting to order at 9:32am and invited Kristen Marshall to call the roll.
    Board Members in attendance: Delrice Adams, Janet Ahern, Honorable Walter Brandon, Betsy Clarke, Avik Das, Dan Hunt, Omar Jamil, Krish Mohip, Heidi Mueller, Peter Perry, Anne Studzinski, Honorable George Timberlake, Rick Velasquez, Paula Wolff
    DHS Staff: Erica Hughes, Kristen Marshall, Karrie Rueter ICOY Staff: Katy Culleeny, Leslie Ress, Anahi Chacon Staff: MaryAnn Dyar, Garien Gatewood
  2. Approval of Minutes
    Secretary Hou called for a motion to approve the meeting minutes from the December 18, 2020 Board meeting.
    Judge George Timberlake moved approval, Paula Wolff seconded the motion. No Opposition. No Abstentions. Motion Passed.
  3. DHS Updates
    Secretary Hou provided an update on the proposed state budget, explaining that while there would be no cuts to the Redeploy budget, a flat budget does not account for the increase in costs year to year. Board members Paula Wolff, Janet Ahern, and Heidi Mueller joined Secretary Hou in recognizing the commitment to Health and Human Services by the Governor and Lieutenant Governor and expressed their gratitude for the administration's commitment to prevention and equity, even while facing the crisis of the pandemic.
    Referencing recent testimony by Delrice Adams, RIOB member and Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, called on Cook County to join Redeploy, Betsy Clarke asked if there was sufficient funding at this time for additional planning grants. Karrie Rueter explained that the Board's discussions today about the current planning grants would shed some light on whether such funding would be available. Ms. Rueter further speculated that there may be sufficient funding for the first phase of a planning grant but not for implementation. Secretary Hou ensured the Board that she would do what was in her power to ensure that funding did not pose the sole barrier for potential new sites.
  4. RIOB Membership Updates
    Secretary Hou welcomed Delrice Adams as the Board's newest member and announced that their long-time judicial consultant, Judge Steven Sawyer, recently retired and thanked him for his time. Additionally, Board member Carla Barnes had resigned upon being appointed the Circuit Judge in McLean County.
  5. RIOB Membership Committee Discussion/Decision
    Secretary Hou called for board member recommendations and support in filling Ms. Barnes spot on the board, which requires a formal recommendation to the Chief Justice. Board members discussed potential recommendations, Peter Perry agreed to make some calls, Rick Velasquez suggested reaching out to Jackie Bullard, Director of the Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, for recommendations, and Ms. Clarke suggested a member of the Supreme Court Equity Workgroup. At recommendation from Ms. Wolff, Board members discussed prioritizing diversity both geographically and by race and ethnicity.
  6. FY21 Program Expenditures Update
    Secretary Hou invited Erica Hughes to provide an update. Ms. Hughes explained that overall referrals are down. This is a direct impact of court closures due to COVID-19.
  7. RIOB Planning Grants
    1. Sangamon County Planning Grant
      Secretary Hou invited DHS staff to present on current planning grants in Sangamon and Lake Counties.
      Ms. Rueter provided an overview for Sangamon County and explained the Board would need to decide if they approved the proposal to operate as a full site and the amount of money the site will be given. DHS asked Sangamon to provide a budget for April-June, the end of this fiscal year, as well as a rough outline of a full year's budget. Ms. Marshall provided the Board with more information regarding the content of the proposal, including their proposed budgets, service model, primary providers, and assessments. Sangamon is requesting
      $108,000 for the remaining months of FY21 and their proposed FY22 budget is $414,451.
      Ms. Clarke and Garien Gatewood raised concerns about harmful language used in the proposal regarding race and what it would mean from a larger, historical perspective to approve a proposal with such outdated and harmful rhetoric. Ms. Wolff proposed meeting with Sangamon, one of their proposed providers, the Urban League, and a facilitator like the DHS Chief Equity Officer to engage in conversation about the language used. Judge Timberlake agreed conversations would be a good place to start, as opposed to trainings, as suggested by Ms. Clarke. Secretary Hou provided the perspective that these issues present an opportunity to bring them closer and improve the program. Ms. Adams volunteered her time and suggested using a Racial Impact Assessment, for all sites, to create actionable items that would lead to change. Ms. Studzinski suggested partnering with Adult Redeploy and the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission on these efforts.
      Janet Ahern noted that they are the only site who would be partnering with a School of Medicine (Southern Illinois University) and requested more information on this to ensure Sangamon is contracting proper providers. Avik Das noted that the proposal did not include any efforts to engage impacted communities and requested that they conduct those efforts and include it in their proposal. Ms. Rueter reminded the Board that Sangamon's FY22 full application would need to be submitted by the May due date.
      Motion: Secretary Hou called for a motion to approve the $108k funding for the remainder of the FY21 with the following conditions: The Board's concerns are documented, Sangamon is required to work with the Urban League to address the concerning race-based rhetoric and language, and Sangamon must engage in and document their efforts to include impacted communities in the building of their proposed annual plan.
      Ms. Wolff moved approval, Ms. Studzinski seconded the motion. One abstention. No opposition. Motion Passed.
    2. Lake County Planning Grant
      Secretary Hou invited Ms. Marshall to provide an update. She reported that Lake County is on track to submit the final report for the first phase of the planning grant by the end of March. Ms. Reuter anticipates their application will be ready and presented to the Board in the April Board meeting, if not April than May. Ms. Wolff asked DHS staff to continue to meet with Lake County stakeholders to ensure engagement and buy-in.
  8. Redeploy Service Matrix Discussion
    Secretary Hou invited Ms. Rueter to begin the discussion on the Redeploy Service Matrix. Ms. Rueter pointed out that the next step in implementing the matrix would involve identifying a screening instrument. She continued that Board approval was needed to draft and issue a competitive funding notice to identify an entity that could conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing instruments. She suggested that eligible entities would include institutions not in Illinois. In addition, it would not include entities that were affiliated with an existing instrument. She said that if no exiting instruments were found to be appropriate, a second funding notice would be needed to fund the creation of a new tool. If at this time the board does not think there is an adequate existing tool, they can skip to the second phase of funding as described above. Ms. Ahern identified Chapin Hall as a supporting partner and warned of issues with new instruments, including but not limited to, development time, maintenance cost, and integrity cost. Mr. Das added, that if a new tool was created, it should be complementary to what justice system partners are already using and centers on youth need and well-being, rather than risk. Director Mueller agreed, adding that a focus on wellbeing is not only more humane but more effective in helping kids grow and develop.
    During a discussion of next steps, Mr. Gatewood agreed that the Data Work Group could provide support going forward but that an additional partner and/or additional members with expertise on this topic would be needed.
    Motion: Secretary Hou called for a motion to approve the Data Work Group to meet with Chapin Hall on this decision point to get their input and then make a recommendation to the Board.
    Ms. Wolff moved approval. Ms. Ahern seconded the motion. No oppositions. No abstentions. Motion Passed.
  9. Redeploy Illinois Intensive Site Visit Update
    Secretary Hou invited DHS Staff to provide an update. Ms. Hughes explained that visits would be virtual and that each site would have two, two-hour meetings. One meeting would focus on updates and discussion from the site and another meeting would discuss the new matrix and possible changes to the program. Ms. Wolff and Director Mueller requested the visits include questions on how the sites are addressing issues related to equity.
  10. Legislative Updates
    Ms. Clarke informed the Board that the handouts included a document describing what bills have been and will be filed.
  11. Public Comment
    There was no public comment.
  12. Adjourn
    Meeting adjourned 11:27am.