Social Services Advisory Council Agenda and Minutes - 08/25/22

AGENDA

August 25, 2022; 1:30 PM

WebEx Video Conference

Join by Phone: (312) 535-8110 / Access Code: 2469 097 8828

  1. Welcome and IDHS Updates
  2. Public Participation*
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: May 18, 2022
  4. IDHS Legislative Update
  5. IDHS Budget Update
  6. Committee Updates
    1. Response, Recovery, and Innovation Committee
    2. Outreach, Engagement, Equity, and Policy Committee
    3. Health and Wellness Committee
  7. Housekeeping
  8. Discussion: One IDHS
  9. Adjournment

*If you would like to submit a public comment, please email your comment to Katlyn.Smith@Illinois.gov by 8:00 AM on Thursday, August 25, 2022.


MEETING MINUTES

Council Members in Attendance: Dayo Adenekan, CILA Corporation; Quiwana Bell, Chair, Westside Health Authority; Mary Camper, Habilitative Systems; Carlene Cardosi, Rosecrance; Sherrie Crabb, Arrowleaf; Maria Joy Ferrera, DePaul University School of Social Work; AJ French, Gift of Voice; Ireta Gasner, Start Early; Christa Hamilton, UCAN; Angie Hampton, Vice Chair, Egyptian Health Department; Niya Kelly, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless; Dan Lustig, Haymarket Center; Jodi Martin, Boys & Girls Club of Livingston County/Prairie Central; Bela Mote, Carole Robertson Center for Learning; Dulce Ortiz, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center; Debbie Pavick, Thresholds; Frances Reyes, The Center for Prevention of Abuse; Itedal Shalabi, Arab American Family Services; Loren Simmons, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago; Sandy Tiania, Health Care Service Corporation; Gloria Yen, University YMCA

Committee Members Not in Attendance: Barbara Harris, Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP); Mike Inman, Mayor of Macomb; Yesenia Lopez, Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya; Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum; Jeremy Rosen, Shriver Center on Poverty Law

IDHS Staff in Attendance: Director Dave Albert, Chief of Staff, Ryan Croke; Secretary, Grace B. Hou; Legislative Director, Emily Katalinich; Assistant Secretary, Christopher Patterson; Assistant Secretary, Dulce Quintero; Legislative Deputy Director Taneka Jennings; Director Tim Verry; Joseph Wellbaum; Budget Director Robert Brock; Senior Policy Advisor Priya Khatkhate; Hospital Administrator Lisa Robinson; DEC Chief of Staff Cory Gold; Chief Policy Officer Dana Kelly; Director Sarah Myerscough-Mueller; DRS Chief of Staff Louis Hamer; Senior Policy Advisor Amanda Lake; Katlyn Smith

Meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Hampton at 1:32 PM.

Welcome and IDHS Updates

Chair Quiwana Bell and Vice-Chair Angie Hampton welcomed the Council members, IDHS staff, ASL interpreters (Missy Kinsel and Laura Braucht), and guests to the meeting.

As today's meeting is being held virtually to comply with the OMA, any vote requires a roll call, and the meeting is being recorded.

Chair Bell introduced IDHS Chief of Staff Ryan Croke

Welcome from IDHS Chief of Staff Ryan Croke

IDHS Personnel Updates

  • Kim Borowicz joined the IDHS team on July 11 as the Bureau Chief for the Bureau of Blind Services. She started her career at Progress Center for Independent Living in Forest Park, IL and then became a staff attorney at Access Living in Chicago. She has also worked at the National Council on Disability and at the U.S. Department of Labor. In her free time, she enjoys performing with her improv team and learning to play the violin.
  • Cory Gold joined the IDHS team as the Chief of Staff for the Division of Early Childhood on June 7th. Throughout his career, beginning with teaching French for Chicago Public Schools, he has been a champion for providing rigorous instruction in the classroom, leading teachers to develop a growth mindset, and generating after-school and extended school year programing in the area of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Cory earned a Master's in Administrative Leadership from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts in French from Morehouse College.
  • Taneka Hye Wol Jennings, our former SSAC colleague, joined the IDHS team, August 1 as the Deputy Director in the Office of Legislation. Most recently, Taneka was the Campaign Director for Adoptees for Justice (A4J), a project of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC). Previously, Taneka served as Deputy Director the HANA Center, Director of Government Affairs & Special Assistant to the President at Metropolitan Family Services, and President of KAtCH: Korean Adoptees of Chicago. Taneka earned a Master of Social Work in Community Health and Urban Development from UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Wheaton College.
  • Priya Khatkhate joined the IDHS team August 22, as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Operations. Priya most recently served as the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan Officer for Cook County Government. Prior to that role, she spent nearly a decade as a litigator and counselor, specializing in labor and employment law, working in both the public and private sectors. Before attending law school, Priya worked in journalism and communications in Chicago. She earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
  • Sarah Myerscough-Mueller was appointed Interim Director for the Division of Developmental Disabilities June 17. Sarah has been with IDHS since 2019, serving as Chief Staff for the Division of Developmental Disabilities and as Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of the Secretary. Prior to joining IDHS, Sarah was the Director of Policy for IARF. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. Sarah is a Springfield native who now lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, two daughters, and bulldog. Former DDD Director Allison Stark worked with Sarah to ensure a smooth transition for the division before accepting a new role as Chief Executive Officer of Albertina Kerr in Portland, Oregon.
  • Lisa Robinson began as the Hospital Administrator for the Joliet Inpatient Treatment Center (JITC) on July 18. The JITC is a new Inpatient Treatment Center in Joliet, serving individuals in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections who are experiencing severe mental illness and need acute inpatient psychiatric care. This first-of-its-kind partnership between the two agencies is designed to improve the quality of care for people with mental illnesses in IDOC custody and to provide the best outcomes for them, their families, and their communities. Lisa brings over 20 years of State government experience to this role. Her most recent position was Bureau Chief of Refugee and Immigrant Services at IDHS, serving as the Statewide Refugee Coordinator. Previously, Lisa served as the Facility Director of the Ludeman Developmental Center in Park Forest, and also served as the Assistant Facility Director of the Shapiro Center. Lisa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and earned a master's degree in Social Work from Aurora University and a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Eastern Illinois University.

IDHS Updates

  1. 988 - Dir. David Albert, IDHS Division of Mental Health

  • Katlyn shared a 988 toolkit, in English and Spanish, earlier this month which can be used to help spread the word about 988.
  • The transition to the three-digit dialing code (988) for the Lifeline occurred on July 16, 2022. The Lifeline changed its name from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
  • SAMSHA dictates a 5-year process to realize the full vision of 988 and what it means for our State, and for the country as a full continuum of crisis services.
  • There are 3 components in the ultimate 988 vision - someone to call, someone to respond and some place to go when you're experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
  • Illinois is up to a good start but like any other State, there are a lot of work to do. Unfortunately, on the first component, Illinois has been frequently named as the State with the lowest in-state call-answer rate in the country. This is the percentage of calls to lifeline that are answered by somebody in Illinois.
  • In June 2022, Illinois' in-state call answer rate was 19%. The goal that SAMHSA has put out there for all states is to have a 90% in-state call answer rates by next year.
  • Within the 1st month of 988 transitioning, Illinois is at 83% for in-state call answer rate and 93% at the largest call center which is in Bloomington. This achievement is important for the country because Illinois is always within the top 5 States that uses the lifeline. In July 2022, close to 13,000 Illinoisans used the lifeline and when the State don't answer, another State has to take the call and that puts a strain on the whole system.

2. Firearm Violence - Asst. Secretary Christopher Patters, IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP)

  • Assistant Secretary gave a brief history of the creation of OFVP, its goals and target areas.
  • There were initially 17 communities identified in Chicago that have the highest firearm victim counts and rates but new communities have been added over time such as the North Side cluster, the Southwest Side cluster, South Deering and Ashburn.
  • On the other hand, there are 16 municipalities identified outside of Chicago and each has a Local Advisory Councils who provided recommendations to OFVP on how to best support their communities.
  • Assistant Secretary also discussed the funding allocation for different RPSA components for FY22, FY23 and FY24 and gave a status of fund distribution. He also mentioned the NOFOs that have been released and its statuses. He added that IDHS will be distributing up to $200 million additional RPSA funding in FY22 and FY23 thru open NOFO opportunities.
  • Chair Bell asked how the approaches are different from the previous approaches - how are the strategies being broadened to include local strategies and how is the office coordinating with the City and County efforts.
  • Assistant Secretary Patterson said they made a Youth Development Program different from Teen Reach in the sense that the new program asks for proposals that provide their own programs that are applicable in their communities. With regards to street outreach, case management and victim services in Chicago, the office acknowledges that this model is effective and so the different thing under the new NOFOs is that the scale has been expanded, the captured audience has been expanded and smaller organizations that are not typically funded by the State have been brought in and given technical assistance. Assistant Secretary also mentioned the funding recommendations that came from all the Local Advisory Councils outside Chicago that focus mainly on funding for street outreach, youth intervention, mental health trauma and capacity building. He added that they also created an Intergovernmental Working Group that includes the City and County and IDHS that is making sure that there are no overlaps or duplication in the services that are being provided in the areas. The Group is also thinking about the reporting and evaluation period and creating a uniform reporting structure that takes some of the tax burden off the providers.
  • Ireta Gasner asked for the list of the identified communities and Dana Kelly shared the link to the list IDHS: RPSA Eligible Community Areas/Municipalities and Associated Programming (illinois.gov). Gasner also asked in the chat whether the funds are federal or State fund and Kelly said ARPA funds are federal.
  • Christa Hamilton asked how can funded organizations learn the best practices in terms of approaches from organizations that have been receiving State funds for quite some time and have been working in different areas. Assistant Secretary said that the office provides technical assistance in training for LACs outside of Chicago who in turn will provide support to organizations that are newer to the structures. Another is the creation of the Convener position that is focused on working and connecting to the OFVP.

II. Public Participation

  •  No public comment received in advance.

III. Approval of Meeting Minutes: May 18, 2022 - Chair Angie Hampton

  • Member Dayo Adenekan made a motion to approve the minutes. Dr. Lustig seconded. The Council voted unanimously to approve.
  • Roll call vote:
    1. Dayo Adenekan - yes
    2. Quiwana Bell - yes
    3. Mary Camper - yes
    4. Carlene Cardosi -
    5. Sherrie Crabb - yes
    6. Maria Joy Ferrera - yes
    7. AJ French - abstain because absent during the last meeting
    8. Ireta Gasner - yes
    9. Christa Hamilton - yes
    10. Angie Hampton - yes
    11. Barbara Harris-Woodward - absent
    12. Mike Inman - absent
    13. Niya Kelly - yes
    14. Cindy Lopez - absent
    15. Dr. Lustig - yes
    16. Jodi Martin - yes
    17. Bela Mote - yes
    18. Debbie Pavick - yes
    19. Sylvia Puente - absent
    20. Jeremy Rosen - absent
    21. Itedal Shalabi - absent
    22. Loren Simmons - yes
    23. Sandy Tiania - yes
    24. Gloria Yen - yes
    25. Dulce Ortiz - yes
    26. Frances Reyes - absent

IV. IDHS Legislative Update - Legislative Director Emily Katalinich

  • The Illinois General Assembly recently convened a couple of new working groups and one of which focuses on mental health and is chaired by Representative Conroy. They met August 10th where IDHS and HFS were present and discussed comprehensive behavioral health clinics. IDHS will continue to attend and collaborate depending on the topic that working group is looking at.
  • Following the conclusion of the spring session, Legislation has been analyzing and beginning implementation on the new public acts that the Governor signed into law recently.

V. IDHS Budget Update - Joe Wellbaum and Bob Brock

  • For Fiscal Year 2022, IDHS is actively paying out the remainder of FY22 payments. The last period was moved back to August 31st instead of September 30th and so the office has been aggressively and expeditiously trying to get payments through.
  • For FY23, the Contract Office is aggressively working with the Comptroller's Office to get contracts on the street so that FY23 payments can begin.
  • For FY24, the office expects to begin budget development in the next month.
  • Budget Director Robert Brock mentioned the GATA webpage that houses all the statewide GATA and NOFO information. It also has a list serve where people can sign up to get informed of NOFOs that have been issued. The report is updated weekly but will only contain the issuances for the week. NOFOs issued in the previous weeks will not be in the report once updated.
  • Member Ireta Gasner asked if there will be a chance to have a further conversation on budget as priorities are emerging for the department. Chief Croke said yes.

VI. Committee Updates - Chair Bell

We have done the work to revive the committees of the SSAC, moving from six committees to three. As a reminder, during the last meeting, we voted to amend the bylaws to reflect the change in committees, now working to advance the:

  •  Response, Recovery, and Innovation Committee - chaired by Mary Camper and Jodi Martin
  •  Outreach, Engagement, Equity, and Policy Committee - chaired by Niya Kelly and Gloria Yen
  •  Health and Wellness Committee - chaired by Maria Ferrera and Dr. Lustig

Committee reports:

A. Response, Recovery, and Innovation Committee

  • Discussed programs and personal program agencies involved
  • The group was trying to identify challenges so they could develop solutions and minimize such challenges that agencies were facing since the pandemic such as staff retention, having enough clients into the program, areas with high violence, and others as well as situations that developed due to the pandemic.
  • The group put up a strategic plan and brought up concerns and needs to get feedback and see what strategies need to be in placed to help agencies in delivering their services and strengthen the foundation of their support.
  • Chair Bell reminded everyone of the survey that went out and that they need to respond to get everyone's voices on the committees.

B. Outreach, Engagement, Equity, and Policy Committee: Niya Kelly and Gloria Yen

  • The group went through the things that the committee is responsible for.
  • Discussing policies that IDHS is putting forward and making sure that the group is moving the work on it, providing space for the work to be shared.
  • One of the big things that the group talked about is providing feedback as well as how to reach communities that are oftentimes ignored or forgotten.
  • The group's call to action is to think through some of the policies that are being moved forward by the department and finding ways to make sure that there is engagement from the communities that are usually not present during such conversations.
  • Chair Bell mentioned that Katlyn put the questionnaire/survey in the chat and reminded members that their feedback is needed.

C. Health and Wellness Committee: Maria Ferrera and Dr. Dan Lustig

  • The group is looking at innovative ways in which organizations have worked with marginalized communities, how behavioral and physical supports are integrated and the greatest needs for organizations working with these populations.
  • Also, looking at gaps and services and trying to better understand them.
  • The group is still regrouping but thanked Katlyn for setting their structure and focus.

VII. Housekeeping - Katlyn

  • Announced for the record that Itedal Shalabi and Maria Joy Ferrera have joined the meeting.
  • Reminded members of the required trainings that due end of the year. Trainings that need to be completed:
    1. Ethics Training Program for State Employees and Appointees 2022
    2. Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Training 2022
    3. HIPAA and Privacy Training 2022
    4. Security Awareness 2022
    5. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Training 2022
  • Reminded members that if they have any items they want to be included in the agenda, send to Katlyn.
  • Katlyn also announced that she is leaving her position and will no longer be the shepherd for the Council. Taneka Jennings will be taking over.

VIII. Message - Secretary Grace Hou

  • One of the main concerns of IDHS is the hiring crisis which is felt not only within the agency but also among the community providers. IDHS is continuing to invest in community-based organizations and provide services to the communities.
  • The Governor signed an Executive Order establishing the Office of Opioid Settlement Funds which will be housed within the Division of Substance Use, Prevention and Recovery (SUPR). IDHS is actively recruiting for an administrator who will work in tandem with SUPR Director, Laura Garcia as well as with Secretary herself and others and the Attorney General's Office to deploy very critical resources to communities across the State to really fight the opioid epidemic. A little over $100 million dollars is appropriated in the FY23 budget to engage in these abatement strategies that will complement the work that the division has engaged in as it relates to the statewide overdose action plan. IDHS will work with the Attorney General's office to make appointments to an advisory board that will represent all parts of the State as well as including experts and people with lived expertise to guide a lot of the investments. The Board will be trained and be set to the Steering Committee which is chaired by Secretary, the lieutenant governor and IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra to be certified by the Attorney General.

IX. Presentation: One IDHS, Dana Kelly, Chief Policy Officer

  • Secretary provided the historical background of the creation of IDHS.
  • The vision of One IDHS is to ensure that all Illinoisans can seamlessly access an array of services offered by DHS, either directly or through our partners which includes seamless communication and collaboration between divisions.
  • Ms. Kelly discussed the salient concepts of OneDHS that have emerged including development of DHS Navigator Infrastructure, documentation of user experience, open door enrollment experience and elimination of administrative burden. She also discussed action items under each concept and the work that are already being done for each item.
  • Ms. Kelly shared some questions for discussion:
    • Being mindful of survey fatigue, what is the best way to understand the way that clients access our services and what their needs are and barriers are?
      • Member Loren Simmons shared from a provider's experience that sometimes translates into a client experience are the multiple data platforms that clients have access and providers have to maintain in order for them to receive any DHS resources. They are constantly giving their demographic information that goes into a DHS system but every department has its own system and there is no connection.
      • Member Niya Kelly shared that people do not want to participate because they don't know if it's going to impact them or they have been rejected previously or they know people who have been previously rejected.
      • Member Mary Camper shared that there is a distrust in the system and on the side of new organizations or new business owners coming to a community, there is little to none sustainable resources for them to keep running without using their own personal finances.
      • Member AJ French said that users actually understand the differences between multiple systems better, people often know which programs they will and won't be eligible for and they share that with one another. She shared that trauma informed care continues to be part of their conversation. She agreed that building trust is important but trust is built over time. She shared that one thing that she sees reoccurring is fear in the side of clients, for example, a woman declined a housing opportunity because she feared that it will be taken away if she gets caught smoking pot while housing. Another example is fear from people with pending legal charges because anything they say or do can be held against them in a court of law. She added that she would like to see mental health peer operated organizations be considered for funding in a similar manner to the way recovery community organizations are funded.
      • Member Itedal Shalabi mentioned demystifying the power that comes with the job and even for the caseworkers; interacting with DHS workers to ask better clarity because people don't understand why rules are made this way or that; collaborative training with community-based organizations and DHS staff and educating the communities; and looking at policies and see if they need to be changed or if they still meet the needs of the community.
      • Dr. Lustig mentioned the stigma that the communities face at so many levels and there hasn't been a kind of comprehensive approach to address this. He said it should part of a campaign that should go deeper to address things and educate people so that they can access services.
    • Understanding that navigator-type positions exist both internally and externally in multiple service areas across the state, what is the best way to ensure that we leverage existing navigation resources. How do we ensure they are armed with holistic information about the services provided at IDHS?
      • Member Ireta Gasner said a platform that can help people manage a knowledge base on all services will be critical. She also mentioned building and strengthening the local connections, embedding navigators at the more local level.
      • Ms. Kelly shared her concept of building a learning community of navigators across the State where DHS can hold forums to provide information.
      • Secretary asked everybody to think of starting with a smaller set of basic services, program supports that can lead to other services, for example, if one is eligible for Medicaid, he or she is technically eligible for a great deal of other services as well.
    •  Are there additional actions you feel that IDHS should take to realize our OneDHS vision and goals? Ms. Kelly put her email address in the chat and told members that they can reach to her offline to give more ideas with regards to the questions. Chair Bell said that the committees will be discussing these as well.

X. Adjournment

  • Member AJ French shared that Gift a Voice has a mental health disclosure scholarship and asked everybody to share it to anyone who might be interested to apply. Deadline is August 31st at noon Central Time. They also have a Prevention, Wellness and Recovery Book Fair and shared the information in the chat.
  • Member AJ French moved to adjourn seconded by member Jodi Martin. The council unanimously voted to adjourn at 3:25pm.