Interagency Working Group on Poverty and Economic Security Agenda and Minutes - 09/17/20

Agenda

September 17, 2020; 2:00 PM

WebEx Video Conference

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Desired Outcomes:

• Update on the Commission
• Establish the mission and goals of the IWGP
• Identify the guiding principles
• Identify preliminary strategies and areas of focus

Agenda:

1. Introductions/Opening Discussion (30 mins)
   1. Name
   2. Department
   3. Reflections on Theories of Poverty Document (See attached)
      1. Question: The focus of this WG and the Commission is on intergenerational poverty which will require efforts to be focused on systems change. What systems in your agency have opportunities for reform or transformation?
2. Update on Poverty Commission and Other Commission Work (5 mins)
   1. Poverty Commission Update
   2. Hunger Commission Update
   3. Pending Deadlines
3. Mission, Goals, and Guiding Principles (Group Discussion - 20 minutes)
   1. Goals: Working with the Poverty Commission - Reduce deep poverty in this State by 50% by 2026; Eliminate child poverty in this State by 2031; Eliminate all poverty in this State by 2036
      1. Understand the root causes of intergenerational poverty and economic insecurity, including contributing social, economic, and cultural factors.
      2. Assist the Commission in the development of the strategic plan, including sharing data and information.
      3. Implement the strategic plan adopted by the Commission.
   2. Mission: The Mission of IWGP is to advance of the work of the Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security by studying systems that perpetuate poverty, improving interagency coordination, and implementing policies and programs that that break the cycle of poverty.
   3. Guiding Principles: engage and listen to those with lived experience, employ an equity lens (gender, race, geography, ability, etc.), focus on systemic change, ensure policies are data informed and evidence based, leverage innovation and social impact; and collaborative across agencies.
4. Inventory Review- UChicago Poverty Lab (See attached) (15 mins)
5. Strategy Ideas (40 mins)
   1. Early wins - Immediate Traction
      1. EITC Concept - Heartland Alliance
      2. Data Collection - UChicago 
      3.  Other ideas (Discussion)
   2. Longer Term Break Out Discussion
      1. Access to Capital - (Living Wage, Government Support, Wealth, Home Ownership)
      2. Eligibility and Enrollment Limitations for Existing Programs (Resources for those ineligible and challenges for those who are - knowledge, access, and funding cliffs)
      3. Access to Opportunity (Education, Training, Job Access, Community Investment)
6. Discussion of Staff Level Policy Work Group (5 mins)
7. Next Steps/Next Meeting (5 mins)

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Meeting Minutes

Members: Illinois Department of Human Services - Chairperson, Secretary Grace Hou; Illinois Department of Labor - Director, Michael D. Kleinik; Illinois State Board of Education - State Superintendent, Carmen Ayala; Illinois Department of Public Health - Assistant Director, Amaal V.E. Tokars; Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity - Deputy Director Office of Policy Development, Planning & Research, Jason Horwitz; Illinois Department of Aging - Director, Paula A. Basta, M.Div.; Illinois Department of Corrections - Chief of Women and Family Services, Tangenise Porter; Illinois Department of Agriculture - Deputy Director, Kristi Jones; Illinois Governor's Office of Management and Budget - Deputy Director, Marc Staley

Invited Members: Illinois Department of Employment Security - Labor Market Information Director, George W. Putnam; Illinois Housing Development Authority - Special Initiatives Manager, Megan Spitz

Guests: Illinois Governor's Office - Deputy Governor, Sol Flores; Heartland Alliance - Legislative Advocacy Director, Kimberley Drew; Greater Chicago Food Depository - State Engagement and Policy Innovation Lead, Colleen Burns; University of Chicago Poverty Lab - Executive Director, Carmelo Barbaro; University of Chicago Poverty Lab - Senior Portfolio Manager, Misuzu Schexnider

Introductions/Opening Discussion (30 mins)

IDHS Secretary and Chairperson of the Interagency Working Group on Poverty and Economic Insecurity Grace B. Hou started the meeting at 2:03 PM and opened with discussion of the desired outcomes of the working group meeting:

• Update on the Commission
• Establish the mission and goals of the IWGP
• Identify the guiding principles
• Identify preliminary strategies and areas of focus

The Interagency Working Group on Poverty and Economic Insecurity is charged by statute to work with and support the Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Insecurity (the Commission), however, it is understood this Working Group has ideas to implement in the short and long term that may or may not be on the agenda for the Commission. In this regard, the Working Group has the ability to work as a task force - jointly with the Commission.

Chairperson Hou reiterated the importance of getting to know the members of the Working Group; a brief introduction exercise was performed where members and guests shared their name, organization, and reflections of what systems in each members' organization have opportunity for reform or transformation.

Update on Poverty Commission and Other Commission Work (5 mins)

• The Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Insecurity Update
  • Dana Kelly provided an update on the status of the Commission; currently waiting on confirmed appointments from the Governor. After those appointments are confirmed, 22 of the 25 appointments will be made.
  • The first meeting of the Commission will be scheduled for late October or early November, once all appointments have been made.
  • Attachment: IWGP - Poverty Commission Charge; explains the difference between the charge of the Working Group and the charge of the Commission. The Working Group will support the Commission, aiming to assist with the strategic plan presented by the Commission in March 2021.
  • Dana Kelly will serve as the Staff Liaison for the Commission and will keep the Working Group apprised of the work being performed by the Commission. Kelly noted that much of the work being done currently by the Working Group will be useful for the Commission moving forward.
• The Commission to End Hunger Update
  • Colleen Burns provided an update on the status of the Commission to End Hunger. Burns shared the Commission is currently drafting the roadmap to end hunger. The Commission will begin working on action items to advance the recommendations laid out in the roadmap.
  • The Commission has also created focus groups to ensure client voices are centered in this work.
  • More information on the proposed roadmap will be coming in the next few weeks.
• Pending Deadlines
  • The Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Insecurity issued a report September 1, 2020 to the General Assembly to meet the deadline laid out in the statue. The report included some updates on what the Working Group has been doing, as well as, the data provided by UChicago Poverty Lab.
  • A more extensive report will be issued October 16, 2020.

Mission, Goals, and Guiding Principles (Group Discussion - 20 minutes)

Chairperson Hou began discussion of the mission, goals, and guiding principles of the Working Group. Most of what the Working Group will discuss is outlined in the statue that established the Commission. Attachment: IWGP - Poverty Commission Charge is an outline of what is described in the statute.

• Goals: Working with the Poverty Commission - Reduce deep poverty in this State by 50% by 2026; Eliminate child poverty in this State by 2031; Eliminate all poverty in this State by 2036
  • Understand the root causes of intergenerational poverty and economic insecurity, including contributing social, economic, and cultural factors.
  • Assist the Commission in the development of the strategic plan, including sharing data and information.
  • Implement the strategic plan adopted by the Commission.
• Mission: The Mission of IWGP is to advance of the work of the Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security by studying systems that perpetuate poverty, improving interagency coordination, and implementing policies and programs that that break the cycle of poverty.
• Guiding Principles: engage and listen to those with lived experience, employ an equity lens (gender, race, geography, ability, etc.), focus on systemic change, ensure policies are data informed and evidence based, leverage innovation and social impact; and collaborative across agencies.

Feedback Received on Outlined Goals, Mission, and Guiding Principles:

• Add to Guiding Principles: public/private partnerships - how can we work outside the State agencies and partner with local entities?
• Add to Guiding Principles: equity lens list to include age; … "employ an equity lens (gender, race, geography, ability, age, etc.)"
• Prevention strategies - the Working Group should research a preventative model, so persons do not find themselves in poverty.
• Add to Goals: incorporate evaluation tools into our goals - how are we going to evaluate the results and impact? How will we adjust over time?

Inventory Review- UChicago Poverty Lab (15 mins)

Misuzu Schexnider, Senior Portfolio Manager from University of Chicago Poverty Lab presented an inventory of antipoverty programs currently offered by agencies in State of Illinois.

Feedback Received on Inventory Presentation:

• Inventory should include data from State of Illinois Agencies: Children and Family Services, Juvenile Justice, the Board of Higher Education
• The Working Group will need to consider and review the amount of funding for each area, not only the number of programs in each area.
• The Working Group will consider the differences in eligibility requirements across multiple programs.
• The Working Group will perform a deeper dive into the areas where there are fewer established programs as a starting point.
• The Working Group discussed breaking down each of the program areas into Bradshaw's classification theories (Attachment: Theories of Poverty)

Strategy Ideas (40 mins)

The Working Group discussed antipoverty strategies that can be immediately addressed before breaking into smaller group discussions.

• Early wins - Immediate Traction
  • EITC Concept - Heartland Alliance
    • Kim Drew of the Heartland Alliance presented an earned income tax credit concept, stating that 22% of IL households were eligible for the Federal EITC, but did not claim it. The average Federal EITC in IL is $2500.
    • Hope to pilot strategies to help IL families access these unclaimed federal funds; other states have done this - the Working Group can look to them for guidance.

• Longer Term Break Out Discussion
  • Access to Capital - (Living Wage, Government Support, Wealth, Home Ownership)
    • This breakout discussion was focused on finances: a person's ability to borrow money, banking, and financial literacy. Many persons who don't have these things aren't able to access care, own a home through mortgage, etc. In addition, they discussed consumer protections for those who are able to access. Education is a main factor, people are not learning how to balance a check book, apply for a loan we need to increase education on the front end, helping people trust banks and the ability of banks to help them achieve their goals.
  • Eligibility and Enrollment Limitations for Existing Programs (Resources for those ineligible and challenges for those who are - knowledge, access, and funding cliffs)
    • This breakout group discussed the challenges associated with federal funding, and the limited flexibility in how the funds can be used. They discussed the importance of interagency collaboration in the optimization of programs, using clear and accessible messaging, and technical support (i.e. grants, support entities through the application process). They also discussed the importance of identifying partners within communities, collaborating with those partners, and lifting the voices of those who live in those communities.
  • Access to Opportunity (Education, Training, Job Access, Community Investment)
    • This breakout group discussed an auto-enrollment program at local universities and colleges, where if a student is qualified, they would get a letter. They also discussed, the lack of skilled labor coming through the pipeline, the need for financial education to be addressed in education - at a young age, the need to promote local investments, and building infrastructure within communities. They also discussed the importance of focusing on how police interact with communities and how that has an effect on how people feel about investing in those communities.

Discussion of Staff Level Policy Work Group (5min)

Dana Kelly discussed a Staff Level Policy Work Group that will work to advance the antipoverty initiatives offline from the larger Working Group. Those Working Group members who are interested should reach out to Dana Kelly at Dana.Kelly@Illinois.gov.

Next Steps/Next Meeting (5 mins)

Dana Kelly agreed to send the Working Group a follow up with the information discussed in today's meeting. Once the Commission has met, the Working Group continue to work in supporting the strategic plan put forth. The meeting was adjourned at 3:49 PM.