March 16, 2016 - EEOPD Approved Minutes

March 16, 2016
10:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.

3/16/2016 EEOPD Approved minutes (pdf)

CHICAGO

100 W Randolph
2nd Floor Conf. Room 2-025
Chicago, Illinois

SPRINGFIELD

No location

Meeting Minutes

Present in person: Niketa Brar (GO and Chair), Robin Jones (Co-Chair), Susan Fanfa (HFS

Representative), Katherine Burson (DASA Representative), Barry Taylor (Equip for Equality),

Matthew Hillen (DCEO Representative), Brittany Dowell (ABC Illinois), Maria Doughty (Allstate

Insurance), Darryl Jackson (DD Representative), Homer Bizzle (Community Representative),

Sharon Slover (MENTA), Benro Ogunyipe (Community Representative), Jae Jin Pak (Provider

Coalitions), Paul Baffico (Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation), Rene Luna

(Access Living), Doug Morton (DRS Representative), Kathy Carmody (Institute on Public Policy

for Individuals with Disabilities), Lore Baker (DHS Representative), Anna D'Ascenzo (DES

Representative), Phil Milsk (Disability Rights Attorney), Margie Harkness (Illinois Council of

Developmental Disabilities Representative), Teresa Garate (Anixter Center), Cheryl Jansen

(Equip for Equality), Mark Conier (Representative for David Andel), Dale Morrissey (DD

Provider) and Cyrus Winnet (IARF Representative).

Niketa welcomed everyone and spoke about ground rules for a productive meeting.

Introductions of all people present happened next. Thereafter Robin Jones (Jones) gave a

complete history of the taskforce to all.

Jones discussed how the taskforce came from State legislation and then came Employment

First legislation via the federal government. Jones discussed how there was an Employment

First Summit hosted in the Governor's mansion when the law first passed. Then the

Employment First taskforce was created. Jones spoke about how the DD and Intellectual

Disabilities were considered in Employment First but not Mental Health and the taskforce

wanted to cover all types of disabilities. Jones discussed how the Governor at the time issued

an Executive Order (EO) on Employment First and placed a key role of Employment First with

the taskforce. The EO mandates that State agencies have to be involved in it in the taskforce

and with Employment First. Jones states that each agency needs to set benchmarks. Jones

also discussed the transition after the current inauguration. Jones discussed how she sent a

letter to the GO after the inauguration asking for an extension to file the Taskforce's report with

the legislature. Jones discussed how the GO appointed several new members to the taskforce

saying that it had lost 85% of its leadership during the transition. Jones spoke about Niketa Brar

being appointed by the GO as the Chair of the taskforce. Jones went on to discuss how Equip

for Equality (E for E) was given in the past funding form Chicago Community Trust to draft and

prepare the Blueprint Report regarding implementing Employment First. Jones went on to

discuss how there were 5 workgroups that were developed within the taskforce to help certain

issues along. The 5 workgroups were identified. They are: (1) Workforce workgroup, (2)

Transition Services workgroup, (3) Provider workgroup, (4) Data workgroup and (5) Employer

workgroup. Folks heading up each workgroup were identified and a brief description of the

status of the groups. Jones then discussed the taskforce's next meeting which she said would

be on May 12, 2016, details would be forthcoming.

Next, the taskforce broke into Activity 1. Activity 1 was a Leadership Compass Self-Assessment

test which everyone took together and discussed the results.

Next, taskforce members broke into groups and discussed and performed a Stakeholder

Analysis. Each group had to consider what State agencies, service providers, advocates and

public and private employers represented and affected by the taskforces activities. The

workgroups also had to consider whether anyone else had a stake in the desired outcomes that

weren't represented but perhaps should be. After each workgroup came up with their list they

presented it to the others and a discussion followed.

Next, we had an Employment First National Overview Presentation by Lisa Mills (Mills). Mills

went over the attached presentation. (See attachment 1, Employment First: A National

Overview). After Mills' presentation there was a question/answer session.

Next there was a Goal-Setting / Planning session. During this session, participants broke into

workgroups to discuss and plan goals. Notes from those workgroups are seen below highlighted

in yellow:

Overall Goals for the Next Six Months

  • Getting state agencies to embrace employment 1st; implement our recommendations; develop their own strategies
  • "Powers that be" buy into employment as priority and make resources available to
  • implement new strategies and ideas
  • Determine how to engage managed care organizations and state Medicaid authority orrelationship between employment (and housing) and group physical and mental health
    • "Fiscally smart and ethically right"
  • Our work makes a real difference in lives of people with disabilities - does not go on a shelf

* Develop set of "sustainable prescriptions" to issues and barriers - strong set of implementation principles to use to move forward.

  • Strong connection to workforce development
    • "connect all of the pieces"
  • Results - very comprehensive and actionable plan with time frames for all actions items
  • Make draft strategic plan a reality
  • Ensure entrepreneurship fully addressed in our effort
  • Ensure we address essential changes in schools that we need. Seamless transition is critical
  • Strengthen recruitment of students with disabilities into state government agencies
  • As we develop/plan concrete steps, be intentional to include all communities (diverse cultural communities) in creating strategies

* Policy change around sheltered workshops and sub-minimum wage address poverty

  • Develop clear goals that have the power to motivate others
  • To better inform community service providers on Task Force roles and plans and the role community service providers can play in advancing those plans.
  • Realize greater integration of current services to use those most effectively to assist people.
  • To complete/publish E 1st plan
  • See Employment First statute fully implemented
  • More consistency in what we do statewide. Supported employment for people with ID/DD get addressed - too many people in sheltered workshops without access to support employment
  • Focus on Action - we know what needs to happen
  • Taskforce since 2009, E1st law for 3 years. Time to get to fully implementing statute
  • Recognize that people with all types of disabilities need to be addressed in the plan.

Next Steps - All of the groups - Advocacy towards implementation. Collaboration across

entities working on employment. Information sharing.

  • Business/Employer
    • Illinois Manufacturesers Association
    • Association of Builders and Contractors
    • Three Rivers Manufacturing
    • Vocational Training Institutions (CTE - careers in tech)
    • Chicagoland Chambers
    • United States Minority Contractors Association
    • Illinois Chamber
    • Black Chamber of Commerce
    • Illinois Retail Merchants Association
    • IDES (grants
    • Latino Policy Forum
  • Service Providers
    • MH providers (All in and to DD)
    • Job employment training providers
    • Healthcare providers
    • MCO/payers
    • ISC agencies
    • Youth support providers
      • Policy groups (HDA)
      • K-12
    • Corrections
    • Housing providers
    • Transportation
    • Technology/Communication Challenges
    • Families (connected and unconnected)

Anna D'Ascenzo gave administrative updates regarding folks who have not turned in their

Ethics certifications yet. Also discussed being subject to the Open Meetings Act and what that

means.

Motion to adjourn was called. A Member seconded that motion. Meeting was adjourned.

Next meeting is May 12, 2016.