August 20, 2021 Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board Meeting

Audience

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

Date/Time

Friday, August 20, 2021
9:30am to 11:30am

Location

Join Zoom Meeting
Call in number: (312) 626-6799
Meeting ID: 898 8412 7077
Meeting Passcode: 581187
Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89884127077?pwd=Y28xWHo0SlIzQ3hEY05wc1M0L1orZz09

Agenda

1. Call to order/Roll call
2. DHS/Board Member Updates
3. Approval of Minutes
   1. 06/11/21 RIOB Meeting
4. RIOB Membership
   1. Avik Das appointed to RIOB in new role
5. FY21 Program and Expenditures updates
   1. Redeploy Program expenditures and commitments/number served
   2. ICOY activity update and expenditures
6. Madison County Commitments for FY21 - Penalty Discussion/Decision
7. FY22 Redeploy Budget update
8. Redeploy Planning Grant Funding Notice update
9. ORBIS Contract Update
10. Lake County Planning Grant Discussion/Decision
11. Ad Hoc Data Workgroup Update
12. Ad Hoc Communications Workgroup Update
13. Adjourn

Upcoming meetings/events:

• Executive Committee Meeting: Friday, September 17th, 2021
• Full Board Meeting: Friday, October 15th, 2021

Minutes

1. Call to Order
   Secretary Hou called the meeting to order and invited Kirsten Marshall to call roll.
   Roll Call: Secretary Grace Hou, Delrice Adams, Janet Ahern, Betsy Clarke, Avik Das, Dan Hunt, Omar Jamil for Heidi Mueller, John Johnson, Peter Parry, John Rekowski, Tracy Senica, Anne Studzinski, Honorable George Timberlake, Rick Velasquez, Paula Wolff
   Staff: Katy Culleeny, MaryAnn Dyar, Garien Gatewood, Erica Hughes, Kristen Marshall, Leslie Ress
2. DHS/Board Member Updates
   Secretary Hou explained how DHS (Department of Human Services) had been charged with the Reimagine Public Safety Act and were currently working with private and academic partners to lay the foundation for the work.
3. Approval of Minutes
   1. 6/11/21 RIOB Meeting
      Secretary Hou called for a motion to approve the minutes of the June 11th Board meeting. John Rekowski noted a misspelling of his name. Janet Ahern moved approval of the minutes as amended, seconded by Delrice Adams. No Opposition. No abstentions. Motion Carried.
4. RIOB Membership
   1. Avik Das appointed to RIOB in new role
      Secretary Hou noted that Avik Das was appointed to the RIOB in his new role as the Executive Director of the Cook County Justice Advisory Council and will continue to serve on the Board. This leaves a vacancy for a representative from probation, appointed by the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. Staff have prepared a letter of recommendation but would also take recommendations from Board members.
      Secretary Hou called for volunteers for an ad hoc group to propose nominees for additional vacancies on the Board. Rick Velasquez, Betsy Clarke and Avik Das volunteered.
5. FY21 Program and Expenditure Updates
   1. Redeploy Program expenditures and commitments/number served
      Secretary Hou invited Erica Hughes to report. She said that 79.5% of money was spent by the sites, though it varied across sites how much was spent.
   2. ICOY Activity Update and expenditures
      Katy Culleeny offered to answer any questions regarding ICOY expenditures and activities explained in the materials, there were none.
6. Madison County Commitments for FY21 - Penalty Discussion/Decision
   As staff had not yet had the opportunity to reconcile the numbers with DJJ, Karrie Rueter proposed tabling this discussion until the next Board meeting. Ms. Clarke noted profound racial disparities in the data on DJJ commitments. Mr. Velasquez suggested collaborative efforts between the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission and the RIOB in places where funding overlapped, like Madison County. Additionally, both groups have a shared interest in what responses are being used across jurisdictions to address the rise in gun-related cases coming to IDJJ. 
7.  FY22 Redeploy Budget updates
   Ms. Hughes guided Board members through a handout that detailed FY22 expenditures and noted that staff would be watching grantee expenditures this year closer than ever before. Additional sections of the document included spending projections for Lake and Sangamon County. Lake is projected to receive $300,000, though that number may drop by $80,000 and Sangamon has been provided $415,000. Allocations for FY22 planning grants are set at $150,000, or $25,000 per county. Miscellaneous funding includes funding for ICOY, a Graduate Public Service Intern, and DHS Staff. There is currently $350,000 unallocated with $300,000 tentatively set aside for Orbis- although the final cost for that is not yet known. Mr. Velasquez inquired about the sustainability of large increases in funding requests from sites. DHS staff explained that it appears feasible for now but will need to be re-evaluated.
8. Redeploy Planning Grant Funding Notice update
   Ms. Hughes announced that the planning grant funding notice was released on August 10th. Peoria, Cook and Champaign counties have expressed interest. DHS staff have been working with stakeholders in Champaign and Peoria Counties and a letter of intent is expected. Peter Parry reported that Cook County had began working on its planning grant in late May. Four courtrooms that would benefit from, and embrace Redeploy have been identified and six sub-committees created. The relevant committees, with support from the University of Chicago Crime Lab, are reviewing commitment data for those court rooms from 2012 to 2020. When asked about potential reimbursements for work, Ms. Hughes explained that a letter of intent and budget application are required before any reimbursements could be made.
9. Orbis Contract Update
   Ms. Rueter reported that $300,000 has been set aside for this project in FY22. A proposal and budget are expected in September or October.
10. Lake County Planning Grant Discussion
    Ms. Rueter requested Board approval of the first part of the Lake County application process, specifically, approval of their final report. DHS Staff and the judicial consultant, Judge Sheehan, met with stakeholders in Lake County to restore interest in pursuing Redeploy funding after the application process came to a halt earlier in the summer. Ms. Wolff suggested the Board and staff consider strategies to mitigate any potential problems related to commitments from Chicago made by Lake County and how those youth would get services. She added that the Deferred Drug Distribution (D3) pilot in Cook may be of interest as a model or partner. Ms. Rueter explained that some of the questions could be addressed in the application. Mr. Velasquez requested this process of approval be tightened up going forward. Ms. Wolff also suggested connecting Lake with the MacArthur Foundation's Safety and Justice Challenge, as they have been working on reducing commitments for the adult population, including reducing racial & ethnic disparities.
    Secretary Hou called for a motion to approve the final report from Lake County and to create a more formalized process for accepting proposals in the planning stage. Ms. Studzinski moved approval, seconded by Ms. Wolff. No abstentions. No opposition. Motion Carried.
11. Ad Hoc Data Workgroup Update
    Secretary Hou invited Ms. Studzinski to provide an update. The work group has been looking at specific areas of the matrix and determining outcomes and therefore have recruited liaisons from RDI (Redeploy Illinois) sites and CCBYS (Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services) program sites to participate in this process. She announced that Dan Hunt from the Probation Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) will also be presenting on the JRA at the September 8th Data Workgroup meeting. She invited Board members who were not workgroup members to attend as well.
12. Ad Hoc Communications Workgroup Update
    Secretary Hou noted that Communications Workgroup was proposed in the June board meeting but there were no volunteers and that more guidance may be needed on expectations. Ms. Culleeny recapped the discussion from the June meeting and noted Judge Timberlake's request for strategic efforts related to marketing and promotional materials. Secretary Hou suggested DHS staff work with contract partners to produce recommendations. Ms. Hughes noted that there were only two remaining counties eligible for regular (not Focused) Redeploy funding. Ms. Rueter and Board members discussed the barriers for Redeploy Focused and options for outreach going forward, including participation in the judicial education conference, connecting with system partners like the AOIC and Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, and regular face-to-face meetings with stakeholders. In addition, Ms. Culleeny requested those Board members who have recommendations for a retired judge to work as a second Judicial consultant to please contact her.
13. Adjourn
    Secretary Hou called for a motion to adjourn. Judge Timberlake moved that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried.