AGENDA
July 31, 2020; 2:30 PM
WebEx Video Conference: https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m603b0faf4b5f2724c388f4b2040d3a6c
Join by Phone: (312) 535-8110
Access Code: 133 877 5484
- Welcome & Introductions
- Public Participation *
- Approval of Meeting Minutes: May 1, 2020 Meeting
- Selection of a Vice Chair
- IDHS Programmatic/Personnel Updates
- Lightning Round - COVID-19 Service Delivery
- Priorities for the Social Services Advisory Council
- Questions + Answers (pre-solicited)
- Adjournment
* If you would like to submit a public comment, please email your comment to Katlyn.Halstead@illinois.gov by 8:00 AM on Friday, July 31, 2020.
Meeting Minutes
Council Members in Attendance: Dayo Adenekan, CILA Corporation; Adam Ballard, Access Living; Quiwana Bell, Chair, Westside Health Authority; Mary Camper, Habilitative Systems; Carlene Cardosi, Rosecrance; Sherrie Crabb, IL Partners for Human Service; Gillian Darlow, Polk Bros. Foundation; Maria Ferrera, DePaul University; Ireta Gasner, Ounce of Prevention Fund; Angie Hampton, Egyptian Health Department; Mike Inman, Mayor of Macomb; Taneka Jennings, HANA Center; Niya Kelly, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless; Yesenia Lopez, Cook County Commissioner; Bela Mote, Carole Robertson Center for Learning; Sergio Obregon, Chicago Public Schools Children and Benefits Management Unit Liaison; Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum; Michele Worobiec, TASC; Gloria Yen, University YMCA
Council Members Absent: Keri Clark, Union County; Dr. Dan Lustig, Haymarket Center; Dulce Ortiz, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center; Debbie Pavick, Thresholds; Frances Reyes, The Center for Prevention of Abuse; Jeremy Rosen, Shriver Center on Poverty Law; Itedal Shalabi, Arab American Family Services; Loren Simmons, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
IDHS Staff in Attendance: Director David Albert, Chief of Staff Ryan Croke, Director Caronina Grimble, Katlyn Halstead, Secretary Grace Hou, Director Andre Jordan, Director Rahnee Patrick, Assistant Secretary Dulce Quintero, General Counsel John Schomberg, Director Allison Stark, Director Tim Verry
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Quiwana Bell at 2:32 PM. Chair Bell welcomed all attendees and introduced Secretary Grace Hou.
Welcome & Introductions
Secretary Hou took a moment to recognize and share thoughts of former council member Maria Whelan who passed away June 10, 2020.
The members of the Social Services Advisory Council continue to be the trusted partners of IDHS, during the COVID-19 crisis and every day. Secretary Hou echoed sentiments from the previous meeting; IDHS has been working closely with the Health and Human Services agencies to make as many people in Illinois as safe as possible. Secretary Hou pointed to the redesigned IDHS Website. Secretary Hou reintroduced Chair Bell to continue the meeting.
Public Participation
None received.
Approval of 05/01/20 Meeting Minutes
Motion to approve by Bela Mote, seconded by Adam Ballard. The council voted unanimously voted to approve.
Selection of a Vice Chair
IDHS General Counsel John Schomberg outlined the process for selecting a vice chair. Chair Quiwana Bell nominated Angie Hampton, who accepted the nomination. A roll call vote was performed; the voting was as follows, with Angie Hampton being selected as Vice Chair:
Votes for Angie Hampton: Dayo Adenekan, Adam Ballard, Chair Quiwana Bell, Mary Camper, Carlene Cardosi, Sherrie Crabb, Gillian Darlow, Maria Ferrera, Ireta Gasner, Angie Hampton, Tankea Jennings, Niya Kelly, Yesenia Lopez, Bela Mote, Sergio Obregon, Sylvia Puente, Michele Worobiec, Gloria Yen
Abstentions: Mike Inman
IDHS Programmatic/Personnel Updates
IDHS Chief of Staff Ryan Croke introduced the Illinois Department of Human Services leadership that were present at the meeting, including new members of the leadership team. Croke introduced Caronina Grimble, returning to the IDHS team as Director of the Office of Strategy, Equity, and Transformation, from her previous role at Woods Fund Chicago. Croke also introduced Marisa Kollias, the new Director of Communications for IDHS.
Secretary Hou reviewed the COVID-19 Recap document shared with the SSAC, an historical reflection of the work IDHS has done in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the SSAC began a discussion of several topics including: adding a racial justice and racial equity agenda item to the next meeting; the importance of providing comprehensive IDHS services - speaking of a "one-stop-shop" for families to access benefits that they may be eligible for; food insecurity in communities and the work IDHS has been doing to support food banks and pantries throughout the State; a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus, IDHS preparations for PPE, increased investments, resources, etc. If members of the SSAC have additional questions, concerns, or ideas, please send them to Katlyn.Halstead@Illinois.gov.
Lightning Round - COVID-19 Service Delivery
Chair Bell introduced the group discussion surrounding service delivery in the wake of COVID-19. As providers with "feet on the ground" in communities, the members of the SSAC shared what they have seen in communities that still need to be addressed, how they have adjusted to providing services during the pandemic, and any innovative practices or lessons learned during the process. Topics included the continuing need for PPE, healthcare delivery for students in a remote environment, the increase in socioemotional/behavioral issues as a result of COVID-19, and the challenges for DD providers to separate and to admit residents in group home settings.
Priorities for the Social Services Advisory Council
Chair Bell introduced discussion regarding priorities for the SSAC. During COVID-19, the Council has a special task in considering how the pandemic has affected and will continue to affect the priorities of the SSAC. The Council agreed the priorities for the SSAC should be focused on COVID-19 and service delivery. There are going to be more people eligible in the coming months that haven't been connected to these service systems before. We need to think creatively in terms of the outreach necessary to reach each community in the State to ensure they know there are resources available. Areas to look at include marketing/communications, data, and enrollment/eligibility. If there are any other strategies or priority areas that come to mind, please reach out to Chair Bell at qbell@healthauthority.org or Katlyn Halstead at Katlyn.Halstead@Illinois.gov.
Questions & Answers
None received
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Dayo Adenekan, seconded by Yesenia Lopez. The council unanimously voted to adjourn at 3:59 PM.
