Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board
Workforce Development and Infrastructure Workgroup
November 13, 2023
Virtual Meeting Held Via Zoom
Meeting Minutes
Workforce Development and Infrastructure Workgroup Members
Blanca Campos, Community Behavioral Healthcare Association (Chair)
Chelsea Laliberte Barnes, Live4Lali
Angie Hampton, Egyptian Health Department
Kristin Hanblock, Rosecrance
Theressa Perdieu, CEAD Council (DBA Hour House)
John Horsely, Kenneth Young Center
Mila Tsagalis, DuPage County Health Department
Lora Passetti, Chestnut Health Systems
Chris Schaffner, JOLT Harm Reduction
Dr. Trenton Fedrick, Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Michelle Saddler, Kittleman and Associates
Tom Wright, MD, Rosecrance
Angel Cruz, Peoria County Sheriff's Office
Jen Nagel-Fischer, The Porchlight Collective, SAP
Bessie Alcantara, Alternatives, Inc.
Welcome and Roll Call
* Sue Pickett, PhD of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., facilitator, welcomed the group and roll call was taken. All members were present except for Bessie Alcantara and Dr. Tom Wright. Quorum was established.
Review and Approval of October 12, 2023 Meeting Minutes
* Angie Hampton made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 12, 2023 meeting. Dr. Fredrick seconded the motion. All members present voted in favor of approving the minutes. The motion passed.
Office of Opioid Settlement Administration Updates
- Dr. Pickett reviewed the settlement overview document that IDHS/SUPR created. It includes the approved list of abatement strategies (Appendix B). Treatment and Recovery Strategies 8-12 align with workforce development. The document also includes Opioid Settlement Funding (OSF) Recommendation submission form, which the workgroup will need to complete for each recommendation submitted to the IORAB. As outlined in the document, recommendations cannot supplant existing efforts.
- A member pointed out that that telehealth services for substance use are now covered by Medicaid and stabilization & transition services are not covered by Medicaid. This will need to be corrected in the current list of abatement strategies implemented in Illinois. Dr. Pickett asked for members to email her any corrections or updates to the settlement overview document. It was also noted that harm reduction is absent from the current list of abatement strategies even though many groups receive grants through the state for these services.
Supporting Harm Reduction Organizations
Ms. Campos facilitated a discussion about how to support harm reduction agencies and the peer support workforce. Public participants from harm reduction and peer support organizations were invited to participate in the discussion.
- Participants spoke to the importance of harm reduction and how the field is largely undervalued and underfunded. Some harm reduction agencies have had to temporarily stop providing services due to long waits for reimbursement, which can have serious repercussions because these agencies are working with the people at highest risk of overdose and other drug-related harms, such as HIV. Harm reduction works with people along the spectrum of substance use, and because of the trusting relationship workers build with clients, clients often want to stay engaged with them, even after treatment. However, many agencies don't have the financial capacity or workforce to meet those needs.
- There needs to be funding available for harm reduction that is not tied to grants. In addition, staff need to be paid a salary that reflects the important work they are doing. It was noted that harm reduction methods are used to treat an array of health problems outside of substance use disorder (SUD) and these services are reimbursable and well-funded.
- Harm reduction agencies are a key referral source for traditional or abstinence-based treatment programs, yet rarely do abstinence-based programs refer to harm reduction even though people leaving treatment are most at-risk of a fatal overdose. There is a siloing of treatment and harm reduction approaches when they are part of the same continuum. Traditional treatment programs expect clients to fit their program rather than the program fitting the needs of the client which is another reason why harm reduction and treatment should be integrated.
- Ms. Campos asked the group to think about strategies for collaboration between harm reduction and traditional treatment providers, and ways to integrate the two fields.
- There is a concern that non-harm reduction organizations will respond to NOFOs that will fund harm reduction services, and that these organization may implement services in a way that does not honor the harm reduction framework. Harm reduction is more than Narcan and needle distribution. There is a social justice component that cannot be left behind. It was asked whether there will be oversight to prevent this from happening. Dr. Pickett responded that oversight will be outlined in the NOFOs.
- It was noted that state currently does not have the necessary infrastructure to support the harm reduction and peer support workforce. As the state begins to build this infrastructure, people with lived experience (PLE) must be at the center of the conversation about how to create a system where peers can flourish.
Ms. Campos facilitated a discussion focused on potential recommendations related to harm reduction and workforce development:
- Many people do not understand harm reduction, including treatment professionals and legislators. There needs to be education to dispel myths and teach providers about harm reduction and that it is not opposed to sobriety. Training is an allowable use of funds, and this could be a potential recommendation for this group to work on.
- There also needs to be a substantial investment in not just training but technical assistance (TA) that can be provided by harm reduction providers to help with the implementation of harm reduction practices in ways that help rather than harm people who use drugs. This will be vital to the growth of the field. A representative of the Illinois Harm Reduction Coalition submitted a proposal to the IORAB that included a plan to build a TA center that is operated by PLE who do harm reduction work. This member will consult with their team about whether they would like to collaborate with this group on a training and TA recommendation.
- A member proposed creating a statewide committee or council dedicated to harm reduction and peer support that is comprised of harm reduction providers who are doing the work, and not public health officials or treatment administrators who do not understand the philosophy behind harm reduction.
- There needs to be more funding to support family engagement. Family is an important gateway to helping people with SUD, but family focused services remain underfunded and undervalued.
Priority Recommendation for the IORAB
Due to time constraints, the workgroup did not have the opportunity to discuss and vote on the recommendation proposed at last month's meeting (Provide funding to support paid clinical internships and the expansion of dedicated supervision for entry-level clinicians). This will be on the agenda for next month's meeting in addition to the CRSS survey and how this will fit into a recommendation. Please review the CRSS survey and email Dr. Pickett with proposed changes by December 1st.
Public Participation
* Members of the public commented during the harm reduction discussion summarized above. There were no other comments from the public.
Adjourn
* Ms. Campos thanked participants and adjourned the meeting. The next meeting of the Workforce Development and Infrastructure Working Group is Monday, December 11, 2023 from 11 am-12 pm.
