The Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee
April 1, 2025
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Virtual WebEx - See below for meeting information and meeting agenda
Meeting Information:
This meeting wass virtual but per the Open Meeting Act, a physical space wa provided for the public to attend in person; the physical location was 555 W Monroe, Chicago, IL 60661, in the Lincoln room on the 4th floor, scheduled from 2:00 to 3:30.
Meeting Agenda:
I. Welcome and Roll Call of Appointees - require a quorum of 9 for voting purposes
II. Introductions of remaining attendees
III. Approval of minutes from October, December, and February (required motion, second, and vote to approve)
IV. Approval of Bylaws (required motion, second, and vote to approve)
V. Renewed Focus of Yearly Mandated Trainings
VI. Review of Subcommittee Legislative Goals and Updates
VII. Presentation on BEACON portal
VIII. Public Comment
IX. Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement Grant
A. Update
B. Roll of Subcommittee
X. Adjourn (required motion, second, and vote to approve)
Meeting Minutes:
Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee Minutes (approved by committee vote at June 3, 2025 meeting):
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
a. Present:
i. Tedd Peso (The Night Ministry)
ii. Sameer Vohra (DPH)
iii. Elizabeth Whitehorn (HFS)
iv. Latoya Hughes (DOC)
v. Robert Vickery (DJJ)
vi. Ann Baker (Midwest Youth Services)
vii. Sandy Godinez (The Harbour)
viii. Leonard Johnson (National Youth Advocate Program)
ix. Nya Kelly (Chicago Coalition for the Homeless)
b. Not present:
i. Dulce Quintero (DHS)
ii. Mary Milano (DGAC)
iii. Heidi Mueller (DCFS)
iv. Isabella Hurtado (Governor's Office)
v. Nicholas Johnson (Youth Representative)
vi. Kalynn Lane (Youth Representative)
vii. K'iani Macklin (Youth Representative)
viii. Valerie Tawrel (360 Youth Services),
c. Nine members present - quorum met
III. Approval of minutes from October, December, and February - motion made by Niya Kelly , seconded by Ann Baker, vote held (7 yes, 2 abstentions) - motion passed and minutes approved for October, December, and February
IV. Approval of Bylaws - bylaws introduced by Barbara Hobrock with some background information - motion made by Sameer Vohra, seconded by Latoya Hughes, some discussion was had by the committee. Motion passed unanimously and Bylaws adopted.
a. Bylaws include the ability of appointed agency directors to designate someone to attend in their place, a template letter to be created for directors to submit to Secretary via Barbara Hobrock to officially assign a delegate. Barbara to create a template letter for use.
V. Introductions of other attendees: Dana Weiner (BEACON Care Portal), Kate Ulmer (ISBE), Anna Spreitzer (OPEH), Amy Dworsky (Chapin Hall), Billy Lau, OPEH), Michael Mallory (HFS) Colleen Mahoney OPEH), Barbara Hobrock (Boards and Commissions), Teresa Parks (DGAC)
VI. Focus on annual mandatory trainings - yearly requirement. There are 6 mandated trainings in OneNet, required for state employees every year but for those that are not state employees they will need a OneNet account established. If you do not have an account yet or need assistance with an existing account please reach out to Anna Spreitzer or Barbara Hobrock. Statewide there was only about 30% completion rate for our committees last year. There is a renewed focus of the Governor's office to make sure that the we are compliant with these mandated trainings. In addition to the six OneNet trainings, there is an Open Meeting Act training on the Attorney General's website, this training we ask for completion once per term. If you have an existing completion certificate for the Open Meeting Act dated within your term please forward to Anna Spreitzer to keep on file.
a. Question - due to the new bylaws, would a designated delegate be required to complete these trainings as well? Barbara to follow up on this question for possible delegates.
VII. Subcommittee Goals
a. Created to review discharge planning, service plans, and discharge procedures for youth leaving the custody and guardianship of DCFS, the Department of Justice, the Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections. The goal is to collect data on the housing stability of youth for one year after they're released from these systems of care.
b. Based on the data collected, create a plan to improve discharge policies and procedures to ensure housing stability for youth who leave state systems of care, and then provide recommendations on community plans for sustainable housing, create education and employment plans for homeless youth, and create strategic collaborations between the systems of care with respect to youth leaving state systems of care.
VIII. Presentation on BEACON portal by Dana Weiner, Chief Officer for Children's Behavioral Health Transformation.
IX. Public Comment
a. Is there any public comment? No.
X. Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement Grant update
a. YHSI Illinois Prevention Pilot - a strategic partnership involving OPEH, the DHS Homeless Youth Bureau, DCFS, DJJ, and young people with lived experience
b. Moving forward with the work and looking forward to working with this subcommittee as the steering committee in connection with the soon to be recruited Youth Advisory Group.
XI. Motion to adjourn made by Sameer Vohra and seconded by Ann Baker, passed unanimously.
a. Adjournment
Meeting Materials:
Power Point to be provided by BEACON
Bylaws adopted by committee (pdf) effective 4/1/2025
Meeting Recording:
Recording
