May 4, 2022 Executive Committee Meeting

Audience

Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Executive Committee Members and Staff. The public is welcome to attend.

Date/Time

May 4, 2022 10:30am - 12:00pm

Location

• Video Conference Information:
• Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85260673888?pwd=LzZ4ck1jbk5SaGxkdk8xaWpEUVNNQT09 

Agenda

1. Welcome & Roll Call
2. Approval of January 12, 2022 Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
3. FY23' Grantmaking Process Updates
4. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
   1. Planning & Grants
   2. Racial & Ethnic Disparities
   3. Youth Engagement
      1. Youth Engagement with IJJC Committees
   4. Compliance
   5. Other
5. Agenda Setting for IJJC Board Meeting on 5/18/2022
6. New Business
7. Public Comment
8. Adjourn

Minutes

1. Welcome & Roll Call
   Chairman Rick Velasquez called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. and invited Executive Director Andrea Hall to call roll.
   Roll Call: Julie Biehl, Sav Felix, Lisa Jacobs, Michelle Mbekiani, Tamela Meehan, Briana Payton, Rick Velasquez.
   Staff: Maribel Gonzalez, Andrea Hall, Peg Robertson.
2. Approval of January 12, 2022 Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
   Motion: Rick Velasquez called for a motion to approve the minutes from January 12, 2022. Julie Biehl moved approval. Tamela Meehan seconded the motion. No abstentions. No opposition. Motion carried.
3. Committee and Work Group Status Updates
   1. Planning & Grants
      Rick Velasquez invited Andrea Hall to share updates. Grantmaking season is currently underway at IDHS. Reports from site visits were distributed at the end of March and Commissioners who attended received drafts of the reports. Notice of Funding Opportunities have been announced for a non-competitive year process (non-NOFO). The application is due on May 16th. The Planning and Grants committee will use the application and site visit reports to make final decisions on continuation applications. Grantees will be awarded in June and FY23 begins on July 1st.
      Rick Velasquez suggested that the Commission grant authorization to the Planning and Grants committee to make final decisions on FY23 grantees. Vice-chair Lisa Jacobs agreed to propose this as a motion at the full Commission meeting on May 18th and will be in touch with committee members to schedule meetings to review continuation applications.
      Julie Biehl voiced concern about the lack of involvement of Commissioners in the grant renewal process. Committee members agreed that each Commissioner will be assigned one grant application to review. Lisa Jacobs clarified that applications will be shared with all Commissioners if they choose to review.
   2. Racial & Ethnic Disparities
      Rick Velasquez invited Andrea Hall to share updates. The full committee did not meet in April. The committee has compiled sixty-one counties' Racial and Ethnic Disparities data. Data briefs have been distributed back to participating counties and assistance is being offered in the form of technical assistance in addressing disparities and interpretation of data. Next, the committee will conduct an in-depth examination of the sixty-one counties' data in the areas of arrest, detention, and DJJ incarceration and five to ten counties with the highest disparity rates will be identified. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority will begin to collect 2020 and 2021 data and produce a ten-year analysis on Juvenile Justice in Illinois and a Racial and Ethnic Disparities report with a three-year breakdown. Andrea Hall, Tamela Meehan, and Era Laudermilk provided a Racial Equity and Impact Analysis (REIA) training to committee members at the March meeting. The REIA is a valuable resource that helps organizations examine the benefits and burdens of a policy or practice. In the future, members of the committee will record this training in order to share with the full Commission. Andrea Hall opened the space for questions and concerns.
      Peg Robertson noted that some of the areas where the highest disparities have been found have Juvenile Justice Councils that are funded by the Commission. The Juvenile Justice Councils will serve as a natural starting point in beginning to address disparities throughout Illinois. Moreover, Peg Robertson suggested sending all data briefs to the probation division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, which could serve as an incentive for them to discuss disparities. In response to a question from Rick Velasquez on the possibility of utilizing the REIA to improve the work of the Commission, Andrea Hall explained that there is a 2-3 day training with Chicago United for Equity on how to utilize the tool. The REIA could also serve as a framework for providing technical assistance to the Commission's grantees. Andrea Hall, Peg Robertson, and committee Co-chair Julia Schick will discuss what resources will be necessary in order to provide the Commission with training and access to the REIA.
   3. Youth Engagement
      Rick Velasquez invited Tamela Meehan and Briana Payton to share updates. Tamela Meehan shared that Youth Advisory Board (YAB) meetings are occurring regularly. The cohort will meet this Friday to discuss options for their final project, including the option of attending the Illinois Juvenile Officers Association (IJOA) conference in Peoria, IL in June. Meeting topics have included restorative justice, social justice, public policy and administration, organizing and civic engagement, the history of the Juvenile Justice system, and root causes of youth intersecting with the Juvenile Justice system. Guest speakers have included representatives from the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) and Restorative Justice Hubs. Briana Payton added that the cohort has created a relational space where youth feel comfortable being vulnerable. Joshua Brooks and members of the YAB will be given the opportunity to introduce themselves to the Commission at the meeting on May 18th.
      1. Youth Engagement with IJJC Committees
         Tamela Meehan shared that collaboration within the Commission has been extremely helpful, including Sav Felix's presentation of an opportunity with the National League of Cities and their youth and adult community of practice event. Tamela Meehan opened up the space for additional suggestions for youth engagement.
         In response to a question from Rick Velasquez about ways for youth on the YAB to voice opinions on current events, Andrea Hall shared an article about students being fined in schools. Andrea Hall identified the article as a potential opportunity for the YAB to release a statement on the Commission's website. Julie Biehl identified Illinois Blueprint for Peace as another engagement opportunity for youth, which includes a platform with an abundance of information around sentencing, community involvement, public health approaches to gun violence, and criminal processing of youth. Options for involvement include youth attendance at the May 10th meeting or signing onto recommendations that are made in the blueprint. Julie Biehl mentioned that youth advocacy in relation to the Juvenile Sex Offender Registry could also be a potential area for engagement. Michelle Mbekiani noted the value in hearing directly from youth who are currently experiencing or have experienced incarceration and suggested asking for youth for input on what the most pressing issues are for each committee.
   4. Compliance
      Rick Velasquez invited Lisa Jacobs to share updates on the Compliance Committee. OJJDP has changed aspects of the compliance monitoring process and the committee will have an updated compliance manual by June 15th. The Commission is out of compliance on jail removal due to youth being held for extended periods of time, particularly in Cook County and within Chicago Police Department facilities. An updated manual will allow the committee to begin brainstorming outreach techniques and site visit strategies in partnership with the Department of Corrections. The committee is also working to improve how data is tracked for sight and sound and jail removal violations which will ensure meaningful monitoring of the conditions of care for youth in custody. Lisa Jacobs opened the space for questions and concerns.
      Rick Velasquez suggested that the full Commission authorize the committee to review and approve the manual for submission. After submitting the manual, the Compliance committee will organize a meeting within the first two weeks of June to review the manual with Commissioners. Lisa Jacobs agreed to present this as a motion at the full Commission meeting on May 18th.
4. Agenda Setting for IJJC Board Meeting on 5/18/2022
   Committee members finalized the agenda for the IJJC Board Meeting on May 18th. Two motion/actions steps will be made within the Compliance and Planning & Grants committee share outs. Time will be allotted for members of the YAB to introduce themselves. Time will also be allotted for Dana Weiner to highlight the work she is doing through the governor's office related to behavioral healthcare access for justice involved youth.
5. New Business
   Rick Velasquez invited committee members to share any new business. Michelle Mbekiani announced that she will be returning to school for a Master's in Business Administration at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business through the Civics Scholars Program. She will be focusing on the implementation of legislation prior to the passing of legislation.
6. Public Comment
   There were no public comments. 
7. Adjourn
   Motion: Rick Velasquez called for a motion to adjourn at 11:54 a.m. Briana Payton moved approval. Tamela Meehan seconded the motion. No abstentions. No opposition. Motion carried.