Agenda
February 25, 2021; 1:30 PM
WebEx Video Conference: https://illinois.webex.com/illinois/j.php?MTID=m37a06103627b6f2b740ff65d2f8e874b
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- Welcome & Introductions
- Public Participation *
- Approval of Meeting Minutes: November 19, 2020
- Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the Bylaws
- Committees of the SSAC - Charge & Membership
- IDHS DEI/RJ Plan & Update: SSAC Racial Equity & Racial Justice Committee
- Discussion - Priorities of the SSAC: IDHS "One-Stop Shop" & COVID-19 Response
- Questions & Answers
- Adjournment
* If you would like to submit a public comment, please email your comment to Katlyn.Halstead@illinois.gov by 8:00 AM on Thursday, February 25, 2021.
Minutes
Council Members in Attendance: Dayo Adenekan, CILA Corporation; Adam Ballard, AARP Illinois; Quiwana Bell, Chair, Westside Health Authority; Sherrie Crabb, Arrowleaf; Gillian Darlow, Polk Bros. Foundation; AJ French, Gift of Voice; Ireta Gasner, Start Early; Christa Hamilton, Centers for New Horizons; Angie Hampton, Vice Chair, Egyptian Health Department; Barbara Harris, Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships; Mike Inman, Mayor of Macomb; Taneka Jennings, HANA Center; Niya Kelly, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless; Dr. Dan Lustig, Haymarket Center; Jodi Martin, Boys & Girls Club of Livingston County/Prairie Central; Bela Motè, Carole Robertson Center for Learning; Sergio Obregón, Chicago Public Schools; 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; Gloria Yen, University YMCA
Council Members not in Attendance: Mary Camper, Habilitative Systems; Carlene Cardosi, Rosecrance; Maria Ferrera, DePaul University; Yesenia Lopez, Cook County Commissioner; Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum; Sandy Tiania, Health Care Service Corporation
IDHS Staff in Attendance: Director David Albert, DMH; Chief of Staff Ryan Croke; Director Caronina Grimble, OSET; Katlyn Halstead; Secretary Grace Hou; Director David Jones, SUPR; Director Andre Jordan, Legislation; Systems Transformation Administrator Dana Kelly, Director Marisa Kollias, Communications; Director Rahnee Patrick, DRS; Assistant Secretary Dulce Quintero, Director Allison Stark, DDD; Director Tim Verry, FCS
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Quiwana Bell at 1:32 PM.
Welcome & Introductions
Chair Quiwana Bell welcomed the attendees and introduced the five new members of the Council - AJ French, Christa Hamilton, Barbara Harris, Jodi Martin, and Sandy Tiania - before leading the full Council through brief introductions.
IDHS Secretary Grace B. Hou provided the SSAC with an update of work done by the Department since the last meeting. Secretary Hou discussed the COVID-19 vaccinations IDHS has been able to administer on-site, at the State Operated Facilities, stating that more than 9,300 vaccines had been delivered to members of the community, and to the residents, patients, and staff living and working in the State Operated Facilities. Secretary Hou also provided an update regarding the resources available through IDHS, including the IDHS Vaccine Webpage, the COVID-19 Texting Line (VACCINE/VACUNA - 552020**), and the dedicated email address for vaccine access issues (DHS.COVID19@Illinois.gov), that all providers, IDHS staff, and members of the community can use as a resource to receive COVID-19-related information. **(Message and data rates may apply. For privacy details, click here.)
Secretary Hou also provided an update on Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT), stating that Illinois is one of only 16 states that has been approved to provide additional federally-funded food benefits for the remainder of the 2021 school year. P-EBT benefits are valued at $110 million per month and will be distributed to all Illinois students who are eligible for P-EBT Support. These improved benefits - $6.82 for each day the child did not have access to school meals, represents a 19% increase over the 2019-2020 school year, where the daily benefit was $5.70.
Public Participation
None received.
Approval of Meeting Minutes: November 19, 2020
Motion to approve the November 19, 2020 Meeting Minutes, as amended to reflect that Dr. Lustig was in attendance, by Itedal Shalabi, seconded by Dr. Dan Lustig. The Council voted unanimously to approve.
Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the Bylaws
Motion to approve the Proposed Amendments to the bylaws by Mayor Mike Inman, seconded by Dr. Dan Lustig. The proposed amendments established the six committees of the Social Services Advisory Council, updated language regarding previously established committees, and established a procedure to elect the Vice Chair. The Council voted unanimously to approve.
Committees of the SSAC - Charge & Membership
Chair Bell introduced the Council to discussion regarding the structure of the committees of the SSAC. Each Council member is to join at least one committee and Council members are to make up a majority of the membership of each committee. Committee members may invite outside members (non-IDHS, non-Council) to join a committee, with the approval of the Chair (please reach out to Katlyn Halstead, if you have a recommendation). IDHS staff will attend committee meetings, as well, to support discussion.
Each committee is required to meet once quarterly, and all meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act. Each committee will have a chair, selected by the Secretary, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council.
After today's meeting, Katlyn will send a request to the members to choose their committee from the following options: Crisis Planning, Emergency Response, & Recovery Committee; Outreach & Community Engagement Committee; Service Coordination, Quality Improvement & Innovation Committee; Legislative & Budget Committee; Racial Equity & Racial Justice Committee; Health and Behavioral Health Committee.
The first step in establishing these committees is to create a committee charge to focus the scope of the work. The Racial Equity and Racial Justice Committee has already met once and discussed the following charge:
Identify shared priorities related to Equity, Racial Justice, Diversity, and Inclusion among members of the Social Services Advisory Council (SSAC), and work to advance equity and racial justice in Human Services. The committee will:
- Ensure the equity, racial justice, diversity, and inclusion work of IDHS is informed by grassroots and community voices
- Identify presentations and/or speakers to educate and/or inform the full SSAC on issues of equity and racial justice
- Use best practices from community organizations and other States
- Raise equity, racial justice, diversity, and inclusion issues of concern to the leadership team of IDHS
- Propose and collaborate on solutions for IDHS, SSAC colleagues, and policymakers
- Align the work of IDHS with the equity and racial justice efforts happening in other States and Local government agencies
- Conduct and analyze research for decision making and policy development
The members of the Council should review the charge of the Racial Equity and Racial Justice Committee and send ideas for the committee charges to Katlyn for inclusion and consideration during the first committee meetings.
IDHS DEI/RJ Plan / SSAC Racial Equity & Racial Justice Committee Update
Secretary Hou reiterated the importance of Racial Equity and Racial Justice at the Illinois Department of Human Services, before introducing Caronina Grimble, Director of Strategy, Equity, and Transformation at IDHS.
Director Grimble presented the IDHS Plan for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice to the SSAC. Director Grimble walked the Council through the guiding principles and beliefs of the plan and the four main goals: (1) build a persistent and pervasive culture that supports and advances equity and racial justice; (2) ensure equity and racial equity literacy and knowledge that leads to normalization of thought and action; (3) create institutional policy and practice changes to promote/achieve equity, racial justice, access, and inclusion; (4) advance systems policy and practice changes to promote/achieve equity, racial justice, access, and inclusion.
Director Grimble also discussed the cross-Agency collaboration that has been occurring to help address some of the collective issues across the State. She also focused on the need to establish a "community feedback loop" that IDHS can establish with the help of this Council, to be used to obtain feedback from members of the community about various issues. The goal of the plan is that IDHS will become an anti-racist organization that pursues equity and racial justice with intention, vigor, and tenacity.
Frances Reyes provided an update of the first meeting of the Racial Equity and Racial Justice Committee. The committee had significant discussion around disparities in service delivery throughout the State, especially in relation to Northern-based offices versus those in Southern and Central Illinois. The committee discussed the idea of visiting some of the offices to see these differences, further customer service training and re-training for those who are assisting clients and updating the atmosphere in the local offices to feel more welcoming and inviting. Finally, the committee reviewed the charge statement, provided feedback, and is working to create some measurable objectives from the charge.
Discussion - Priorities of the SSAC: IDHS "One-Stop Shop" & COVID-19 Response
Chair Bell introduced discussion surrounding the priorities of the SSAC for the upcoming year. The Council focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, stating it would be beneficial to have a central COVID hotline and to look at non-traditional sites as vaccination hubs. The Council discussed the possibility of assigning priorities to specific committees and including the priorities in the charges for the committees.
Adjournment
Motion by AJ French, seconded by Debbie Pavick to adjourn. The Council unanimously voted to adjourn at 3:26 PM.
