June 16, 2023 Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board Meeting

Audience

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

Date/Time

• Friday, June 16, 2023
• 8:30am to 10:00am - RIOB Planning Meeting
• 10:00am to 12:00pm - RIOB Boar Meeting

Location

• Chicago: 401 S. Clinton, 7th Floor Executive Video Conference Room
• Springfield: 100 South Grand Avenue East, 3rd Floor Executive Conference Room
• Call in number: (312) 626-6799
• Meeting ID: 810 1283 0597
• Meeting Link

Agenda

1. Call to order/Roll call/Approval of Minutes of April 21, 2023 Meeting
2. Update: Illinois Department of Human Services
3. Review: FY23 ICOY Expenditures, FY23 Redeploy Program Expenditures, Commitments, and Number Served by Site
4. Report: RIOB Planning Meeting
5. Final Resolution and Approval: FY24 Redeploy Illinois Program Plans and Budgets
6. Request for FY 23 Budget Increase: 2nd Circuit
7. Approval: ICOY FY24 Application
8. Champaign County Planning Grant Update
9. RIOB Workgroup Updates
   1. Evaluation Work Group
   2. RIOB Membership Work Group Update
   3. Call for volunteers
10. Redeploy FOCUS Update
11. Orbis Project Update
12. Adjourn

Upcoming meetings/events:

• Executive Committee Meeting (if necessary): Friday, July 21st, 2023
• Data Work Group Meeting: Tuesday, September 5th, 2023
• Full Board Meeting: Friday, August 18th, 2023

Meeting Minutes

1. Call to order/Rollcall/Approval of Minutes of April 21, 2023 Meeting
   Due to the absence of Secretary Grace Hou, Anne Studzinski, Vice-Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:35 am. Kristen Marshall called the roll.
   Staff: Kristen Marshall, Erica Hughes, Lauren Henderson, Susie Schoenrock
   Ms. Marshall announced a quorum was present.
   Motion: Ms. Studzinski asked for a motion to approve the February meeting minutes. Judge Walter Brandon moved approval of the minutes. John Rekowski seconded the motion. Ms. Studzinski asked Ms. Marshall to take the roll for a vote on the approval of the minutes. Motion carried unanimously.
2. Update: Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)
   Ms. Marshall provided an update that the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had been contacted regarding their open position on the board and County Review Committee. DCFS will provide information on those joining as their representatives. Ms. Marshall shared that Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) staff received an update on the use of recusals. While the board must follow the Roberts Rules of Orders to establish a meeting quorum, there does not need to be a quorum of members for specific votes.
   Mr. Velasquez asked if there had been any formal notice on returning to in-person meetings for board meetings. Ms. Marshall had not received any communication regarding this and will confirm if requirements for meetings have changed prior to the August board meeting.
   Ms. Studzinski announced that Garien Gatewood was appointed as Chicago's First Deputy Mayor for Community Safety by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Ms. Studzinski asked staff to add a section on general updates to future board agendas.
   Ms. Studzinski invited Miquel Lewis to share updates on the Cook County Redeploy program. Mr. Lewis introduced Donna Neal, the Deputy Director of Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services. Mr. Lewis announced that Mark Warner had been hired as the Director of the Redeploy Initiative. He has served in juvenile probation for 24 years and led efforts to bring the Redeploy program to Cook County. Cook County has enrolled their first participant, and additional youth were expected to begin the program in the following week.
   Secretary Grace Hou joined the meeting and provided an update on the 2024 fiscal year budget. The budget had been signed by the governor and included $14 billion to IDHS, which is a $2 billion increase from the past year. Secretary Hou provided the following summary of the budget.
   1. Substance Use Prevention and Recovery is investing tax revenue from cannabis sales and the Attorney General's settlements with manufactures of opioids in Illinois. There is a steering committee and advisory board to advise on the use of these funds.
   2. The Division of Developmental Disabilities is increasing investment in front line staff and working to implement a $2.50 wage increase for front line staff.
   3. The Division Rehabilitation Services is receiving $41 million and will continue to grow the home service program. The home service program provides services to people with disabilities to prevent institutionalization and allows them to receive services while remaining in their home.
   4. The Division of Family and Community Services received an increase in their budget by 5% from current levels and is increasing support provided by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
   5. Home Illinois is receiving $2.3 million and is led by a Chief Homelessness Officer, Christine Haley, to ensure that homelessness is brief and nonrecurring in Illinois.
   6. The Children's Behavior Health Transformation Initiative is expanding the Comprehensive Community Based Youth Services program with an additional $10 million to increase the number of days that youth can be served by the program.
   7. A new line item for transgender equity was created to address health disparities. This initiative received $3 million.
   8. Youth employment programs received a $26 million increase, in addition to the $60 million increase in youth employment funding from American Rescue Plan funds over the past few years.
   9. The Division of Early Childhood received $200 million and is investing in childcare assistance and subsidized childcare. This division has received a 10% increase for early intervention and home visiting programs.
   10. The Division of Mental Health is focusing efforts to assist individuals who wish to leave nursing homes to live at home and providing services for people at risk for over institutionalization who want to live in their communities. They are continuing investment in the statewide suicide prevention hotline.
       Secretary Hou informed the members she could not remain at the meeting and called on Ms. Studzinski to resume chairing the meeting.
3. Review: FY23 ICOY Expenditures, FY23 Redeploy Program Expenditures, Commitments, and Number Served by Site
   Ms. Studzinski called on Erica Hughes to provide an update on expenditure and commitment data. Ms. Hughes stated that sites are on track to spend all their program money by the end of the fiscal year.
   Budgets for fiscal year 2024 have been approved and the Notice of Funding Opportunities have been sent and accepted.
   Rick Velasquez noted that Macon County had a higher cost per youth than other programs and had reached their commitment baseline. He asked how IDHS staff approaches sites that might be underperforming to provide support. Ms. Hughes has spoken with staff from Macon County, and they are reducing their cost per youth in the new fiscal year. Ms. Hughes provided context that Macon County had a new judge that led to an increase in commitments. Additionally, Macon County will receive a site visit in the beginning of the fiscal year to learn more about their services and commitments.
   Judge Brandon stated that Lake Counties had spent 35% of the budget and asked for clarification on the low spending. Ms. Hughes responded that Lake County was a new site, and it often takes new sites time to fully implement their programs. Sites overall are spending a higher percentage of their budgets than in past years.
   The Board indicated general consensuses to gather information on use of detention in Redeploy sites. Ms. Hughes provided context that Redeploy contracts require that sites do not use detention as a replacement for commitments to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice and that sites are asked to examine program data to identify disparities around detention. Ms. Wolff asked IDHS staff to gather information on how sites interact with detention centers during their program site visits. Ms. Studzinski offered that the Data Work Group would survey sites to learn which detention centers youth are sent to and the number of Redeploy youth sent to detention.
4. Report: RIOB Planning Meeting
   Ms. Studzinski reported on the RIOB planning meeting that was held on June 16, 2023, before the board meeting. The planning meeting discussed commitment and reduction requirements by considering developing a standard similar to a de minimums rate with a maintenance of effort requirement that would move from an arbitrary number of commitments, but toward looking at population data end ensuring fairness from county to county. Maintenance of effort requirements would ensure program sites to monitor racial and ethnic disparities in the program and to evaluate the youth they are serving to ensure that the targeted population is being served. Ms. Wolf noted that a decision was not made on moving to this standard and Mr. Velazquez clarified that the planning meeting participants had discussed examining this as a possibility.
   Ms. Studzinski proposed next steps involved staff looking further into commitment numbers and discussing with Orbis to learn how their new data system would allow for collecting more accurate data. She proposed that this be added to the August board meeting agenda to determine what resources would be needed to continue this work.
5. Final Resolution and Approval: FY24 Redeploy Illinois Program Plans and Budgets
   Ms. Studzinski reminded the members that as of the April RIOB meeting, Redeploy programs had requested funding in excess of the Redeploy appropriation. Board members directed IDHS staff to work with programs to amend program requests in line with the appropriation. Ms. Studzinski referenced the handouts the members received on Redeploy program budget, which demonstrate the program budget changes made by staff and program sites that now reflect a budget within the appropriation. Ms. Studzinski reported that all program plans and budgets for FY24 Redeploy Illinois had been approved by IDHS staff, who were finalizing contracts.
6. Request for FY 23 Budget Increase: 2nd Circuit
   Mr. Velasquez asked for clarification on the 2nd Judicial circuit additional funding request. Ms. Hughes explained that the 2nd Judicial Circuit asked for an additional $45,000 for the current fiscal year because the program has served more youth than previously anticipated and has served youth for a longer amount of time than planned. They are asking for an increase so they can continue to provide services though the end of the fiscal year. The 2nd Judicial Circuit experienced challenges with receiving contractor billing on time and are working with contractors to receive invoicing in a timely manner for the next fiscal year. They have also implemented new services in line with the Redeploy Service Matrix over the course of the year that have added additional costs. Ms. Wolff requested that any future requests for additional funding due to increased participation include more information on participation rates and when individual youth joined the program.
   Mary Ann Dyar questioned if staff had any concerns with the performance or compliance of the site to warrant rejecting the funding request. Ms. Marshall and Ms. Hughes responded that they did not have any concerns.
   Motion: Ms. Studzinski asked for a motion for additional funding for the 2nd Judicial Circuit. Ms. Wolff made the motion and John Johnson seconded. Ms. Marshall called the vote. Motion carried unanimously.
7. Approval: ICOY FY24 Application
   Ms. Studzinski referred members to the FY24 Illinois Collaboration on Youth application and budget handout. ICOY requested $310,798.36 with $25,000 set aside for the Redeploy Focused program. Ms. Studzinski opened the floor to questions. Ms. Dyar noted that the personal line item has decreased from the past year. Susie Schoenrock responded that ICOY had received a new grant, Greater Illinois Training and Technical Assistance (Greater Illinois) funding, and that her role has expanded to include supporting Redeploy and Greater Illinois programs. Part of the personnel salary is covered between Redeploy and Greater Illinois, therefore reducing the personal line item from Redeploy. Mr.
   Velasquez asked if there were any concerns about capacity due to the staffing change. Ms. Schoenrock informed members that ICOY would hire an administrative assistant to work with the Redeploy program to assist with administrative tasks. Ms. Studzinski stated that IDHS staff would monitor the products and deliverables provided by ICOY to ensure expectations were met.
   Mr. Velasquez moved to approve the ICOY FY24 application. Judge Brandon seconded the motion. Ms. Marshall called the vote. Motion carried unanimously.
8. Champaign County Planning Grant Update
   Ms. Studzinski asked Ms. Hughes for an update on Champaign County. Ms. Hughes reported that Champaign County has subcontracted their data analysis and are waiting to receive the report. Ms. Hughes expects to receive their program application in August 2023. Ms. Dyar thanked Ms. Hughes for her work with Champaign County and announced that Champaign County had joined the Adult Redeploy Illinois network.
9. RIOB Workgroup Updates
   1. Evaluation Work Group
      Ms. Studzinski asked Tracy Senica for an update on the evaluation work group. Ms. Senica informed members that the work group met in May and came up with questions for the evaluation. IDHS staff met with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to discuss the evaluation and estimates that work will begin in November or December 2023.
      Ms. Clarke requested that the evaluation include learning what other state systems youth are involved in post Redeploy.
   2. RIOB Membership Work Group Update
      Mr. Velasquez referred the board members to the membership handouts, which outline the responsibilities of the board members and the application process to become a board member. These handouts will be used to conduct outreach to recruit new board members. There are four openings for board members. Mr. Velasquez reminded the board members that there are mandatory trainings that all members must complete before August and that IDHS staff had provided this information via email.
   3. Call for Volunteers
      Ms. Studzinski informed the members of board committees and work groups that are seeking new members. The Redeploy Focus program requires three board members to serve on the Focus committee. This committee reviews and approves applications from counties seeking Focus funding. The Data Work Group is seeking additional members. The membership work group is looking for seasoned board members to serve as mentors for new board members. Individuals interested in joining a work group or committee should contact Ms. Hughes or Ms. Marshall.
10. Redeploy FOCUS Update
    Ms. Studzinski called on Ms. Schoenrock to report on Redeploy FOCUS program. Ms. Schoenrock informed members that she has been in contact with three counties to provide information on the program, including counties that were formally part of the 20th Judicial Circuit Redeploy program. IDHS staff are working with DCFS to identify the final member of the County Review Committee, who reviews FOCUS funding requests. An orientation meeting will be held for committee members once the membership is confirmed. Staff are developing outreach strategies, and Judge Colleen Sheehan is developing a judicial bench card on the FOCUS program to be shared with eligible counties.
11. Orbis Project Update
    Ms. Studzinski asked Ms. Marshall for an update on the Orbis project. Ms. Marshall reported that Orbis was developing the case work software and expected a full draft of the 13 domains to be completed by the end of June, with the system to be finalized by August 2023. Ms. Marshall stated that this system will be tested by four or five Redeploy program sites beginning in September. Ms. Wolff questioned if there was a deadline for the Obis project in the contract. Ms. Marshal responded that the Orbis system is anticipated to be fully implemented by mid-to-late FY24. Ms. Wolff requested that a deadline for project implementation be shared at the next board meeting.
12. Adjourn
    Ms. Wolff made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Lewis seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at 12:00pm.