Agenda and Minutes - Interagency Working Group on Poverty and Economic Security, October 27, 2022

Thursday, October 27, 2022

10:30AM - 12:00PM

Recording

Members:

1. Illinois Department of Human Services- Chairperson, Secretary Grace Hou
2. Illinois Department of Labor - TBD
3. Illinois State Board of Education - Research and Evaluation Officer Dr. Brenda M. Dixon
4. Illinois Department of Public Health- Assistant Director Amaal V.E. Tokars
5. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity - Deputy Director Office of Policy Development, Planning & Research Jason Horwitz
6. Illinois Department of Aging - Director Paula A. Basta
7. Illinois Department of Corrections - TBD
8. Illinois Department of Agriculture - Deputy Director Kristi Jones
9. Illinois Governor's Office of Management and Budget - Deputy Director Marc Staley

Invited Members:

1. Illinois Department of Employment Security - Labor Market Information Director George W. Putnam Crrie Thomas
2. Illinois Housing Development Authority - Planning and Research Specialist Liz Kersjes
3. Department of Healthcare and Family Services - Administrator Strategic Vendor Relationships Jenny Aguirre

Agenda

1. Welcome Roll Call (15 mins)
2. Decline in Childhood Poverty
   • Discussion, what can be taken from these conclusions to drive where the poverty commission should be focusing its work?
3. Approval of March 25, 2022 Meeting Minutes (5 mins)
   • Roll Call Vote
4. Public Comment - Open (5 mins)
   • Subject to written comment in advance
5. Overview of Poverty Commission Workplan and Progress Updates (10 mins)
6. Discussion of State of Illinois Strategic Plan Response (40 mins)
7. Next Steps and Adjournment (5 mins)

Minutes

Interagency Working Group Members in Attendance:

1. Assistant Director Amaal V.E. Tokars, Illinois Department of Public Health;
2. Director Paula A. Basta, Illinois Department of Aging;
3. Deputy Director Marc Staley, Illinois Governor's Office of Management and Budget

Interagency Working Group Invited Members in Attendance:

1. Deputy Director for Policy Development Planning and Research Jason Horowitz, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;
2. Colleen Burns, Representative of Illinois Commission to End Hunger;
3. Jeremy Rosen, Representative of Shriver Center on Poverty Law;
4. Amy Lulich, Representative of Illinois Department of Aging;
5. Director Tim Verry, IDHS Division of Family & Community Services;
6. Special Assistant Glenda Corbett, Illinois Department of Aging in Community Engagement and Equity;
7. Legislative Director Anna Koeppel, Department of Labor;
8. Dorothy Ingebrigsten, Illinois Governor's Office of Management and Budget;
9. Director Caronina Grimble, IDHS Office of Strategy, Equity and Transformation;
10. Joe Kienzler, Representative of Department of Agriculture;
11. Legislative Advocacy Director Kim Drew, Heartland Alliance;
12. Liz Kersjes, Representative of Illinois Housing Development Authority;

Administrator in Attendance: Dana Kelly, Chief Policy Officer, Illinois Department of Human Services

1. Introductions
   • IDHS Chief Policy Officer Dana Kelly welcomed and thanked everyone for joining. Since it's been a while since the group met, Ms. Kelly suggested that everybody shares their insight, as she takes the roll call, with regards to what they have found in the last of couple years that has been particularly impactful in terms of what they have implemented towards reducing poverty. She also mentioned that they can reference the New York times article that she has previously shared regarding the analysis around a decline in childhood poverty that occurred over the last 20 years.
   • Administrator Kelly shared that the direct cash given to families especially during the pandemic has been very helpful and has shown a lot of promise in terms of reducing deep poverty.
   • Assistant Director Amaal Tokars shared that the County Public Health's programs energy assistance and scholarship programs and IDPH's collaboration with the Regional Office of Education on helping children who are experiencing homelessness and connecting families with jobs are the things that she found most impactful in terms of reducing poverty.
   • Deputy Director Jason Horowitz mentioned the steady increase in higher paying employment opportunities among a diverse group of people and people in diverse geographies over the years is at least one of the factors.
   • Amy Lulich mentioned the DoA's State plan on aging, older adults who are staying in the workforce and at the same time accessing DoA's services to be able to stay in their homes.
   • Anna Koeppel said she'll be interested to see if Illinois' periodic increase of minimum wage has an impact on poverty in the State.
   • Joe Kienzler highlighted Department of Agriculture's program with their farmers markets where they double the amount of government subsidy funds available for produce bought directly from the farmers. He mentioned that they've been actively identifying pockets of great need food deserts throughout the State and putting those communities in direct contact with farmers especially under serve farmers that are having a hard time finding the market and pairing them up. He shared about a press release where the Governor signed a 14.5 million dollars Local Food Purchasing Agreement toward identifying underserved farmers and communities.
   • Deputy Director Marc Staley mentioned changes in the minimum wage law, enhancements in several social service safety net programs, changing eligibility standards for childcare to allow more lower income families and let them stay longer in the program, reducing co-pays in childcare, and on early intervention, improving and investing in other income assistance programs as well as employment and training programs across the State.
   • Liz Kersjes mentioned IHDA's emergency rental and mortgage assistance that was offered in waves over the last few years and the permanent supportive housing program which is aimed at people making poverty wages or those who often have no income and people who are living with disabilities, and includes voluntary onsite services such as health services, support services, case management and others.
   • Collen Burns shared that they are looking at ways to maximize enrolment in the Federal Nutrition Programs including SNAP, WIC and school meals which she said are major factors that contributed to the stability of childhood food and security during the pandemic.
   • Glenda Corbett found that the creation of affordable senior housing has a positive impact on poverty. The hubs are focus on healthcare such as health education, access to food, nutrition, medication among others. She mentioned the Housing for the Elderly at Carol Avenue, Chicago as an example.
   • Dorothy Ingebrigsten seconded Deputy Director Marc Staley's answers and said that the article was very interesting especially recommendation number 4.
   • Kim Drew seconded Ms. Kelly's answer and said that the power of direct cash has a significant impact on reducing poverty over the years such as the guaranteed income pilots, child tax credit, stimulus check, emergency cash given during the pandemic among others. She said the key is making it unconditional and unrestricted which is radically different from a lot of anti-poverty programs and approaches that are often racialized.
   • Director Caronina Grimble also highlighted the idea of giving people cash and food and access to foods particularly for young people.
   • Jeremy Rosen supported Ms. Drew's answer as they have been working closely with Heartland Alliance and other organization in finding various ways to deliver direct cash assistance to people. He also mentioned their work on making sure that people have access to full range of employment benefits and protections that they ought to have and need to have in order to help their families thrive.
2. Roll Call - Administrator Kelly took roll call and declared quorum.
3. Approval of March 25, 2022 Meeting Minutes
4. Public Comment - Administrator Kelly opened the floor for public comment; none received. No written comment received in advance.
5. Overview of Poverty Commission Workplan and Progress Updates - Administrator Kelly presented progress updates under the Poverty Commission's Strategic Plan.
   1. Benefits accessibility - potential partnership with Code for America; discussions have been going on with Code for America on doing a human-centered redesign of the front door application components for SNAP, Medicaid and TANF. IDHS is hoping to be part of a partnership as a cohort of states that it will be working it. Code for America is starting the work next spring.
   2. Guaranteed Income Pilot with Homeless Population - Ms. Kelly collaborated with Ms. Christine Haley of the Homelessness Task Force to get funds for a guaranteed income pilot with the homeless population in Illinois. The project is looking to be a one-time guaranteed income payment that can be given to eligible recipients who would qualify as homeless. They are hoping to roll it out after the first of the year and they will be working with Inclusive Economy Lab to provide research and impact analysis on the pilot.
   3. Emergency Assistance Funding for Immigrants - As part of the Covid relief in the end of FY 22, 20 million in emergency assistance funding was extended for immigrants regardless of documentation status.
   4. 988 Roll Out - increasing the State's crisis response tenfold
   5. ERA and Court-based Rental Assistance - A lot of work has continued with the emergency rental assistance across the State specifically with the court-based rental assistance that allows those who have reached the point of eviction to work with the court and judge to avoid eviction.
   6. Putting in ideas for legislative proposals such as on subminimum wage phase out for disabled workers, TANF cash increase, codifying the home visiting program into law, and increasing eligibility in Home Services Program for FY 24.
6. 2nd Quarter FY 23 activities - Administrator Kelly also presented the lineup of activities for the 2nd quarter of FY 2023.
   1. Subcommittee formulation and launch
      • The Commission agreed to create five subcommittees based on the pillars of the Strategic Plan with the goal of developing action steps and pursue progress under each pillar towards the 5-year goal which is reducing deep poverty in Illinois by half.
      • Commission members will be part of the five committees and each member is asked to join at least one committee. Each committee will be chaired by a Commission member. Interagency working group (IWGP) members are also asked to join the subcommittees or appoint somebody within their organization or agency to join the subcommittees. Key stakeholders will also be invited to join the subcommittees.
      • Every Commission member and IWGP member is expected to join at least one subcommittee and meetings will occur quarterly.
      • Administrator Kelly mentioned that she has solicited subcommittee preferences from the Commission, and she will be sending a survey to the IWGP to see what subcommittees they will be interested in and who from their agency should be representing on the subcommittees. She will be following this up in the next two weeks.
   2. Planning for regional convenings that will be held annually in parts of Illinois with deepest poverty
      • Replicate the listening that was done earlier on with the Commission in the six regions including Cook County, Alexander and surrounding counties, East St. Louis/St. Clair County, Peoria and surrounding counties, Rock Island/Moline and Champaign/Urbana/Danville; go back and let the people know what has been achieved in their behalf and ask for continued feedback so that any policy perspectives that will be put forward will reflect the diverse needs of the State.
      • The listening sessions will be called convenings as they won't be official committees, but the goal is to reconvene in each of the said regions on an annual basis.
   3. Develop 2023 Commission Action Plan - commitments towards achievement of the strategic planning goals
      • Work directly with the Commission to identify 1-3 actions that can be taken under each pillar that can contribute to the 5-year goal this year.
      • IWGP is asked to put in suggestions of what these actions could be
      • Once actions have been listed, the subcommittees will help determine the method for achieving them. Discussions for the Commission December meeting will center on the questions - who will lead a particular action project? What will the process be of getting there and the work plan for achieving each item? How will progress be measured and what is the timeline for achievement?
      • Administrator Kelly will follow up and may reach out to IWGP members individually to generate the list of actions.
   4. Issue Report to General Assembly on Progress on behalf of the Commission - will adapt the 40-page version of the Strategic Plan to be issued back to the General Assembly in January.
7. Discussion: Strategic Plan Response from State of Illinois Agencies
   • According to Administrator Kelly, the IWGP operates as a separate committee and is meant to guide the work of the Commission. The Commission Strategic Plan that was passed with the IWGP's inputs were originally designed as a document that lived outside of government and are recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly and the people of Illinois.
   • However, the Governor has asked the IWGP, since the group is a statutorily appointed body working for the State, to help formulate a response to the Strategic Plan in terms of what is the State doing towards the goals and what does the IWGP plan to do towards the goals. Administrator Kelly said this can benefit the IWGP because it can serve as an input to the IWGP's annual reporting requirement.
   • Administrator Kelly will walk the IWGP members through the exercise by looking at the FY 23 commitments that were made and what are being done against each strategy and understanding what the potential commitments for FY 24 may be keeping in mind the budget in the coming fiscal year. She shared that she has made initial discussions with some members and came with a list of things that have been done but there are gaps as will be seen through the pillars
   1. Pillar One - Ensure Illinois is Best in Nation for Raising Families

      • Strategy/tactics	State action
        Ensure access to high quality early childhood services including early intervention, home visiting and affordable childcare Find a method to replicate the Federal Child Tax Credit for Families Raising Children Expand access to free and reduced school meals Increase participation in WIC by improving accessibility for those who are eligible	CCAP reimbursement rate increases (DHS) Increasing the CCAP income eligibility limit to include families with incomes below 225% of the Federal Poverty Line (DHS) COLA for early intervention services (DHS) Eliminating copays for families experiencing homelessness (DHS) 2022 income tax rebate plus dependent tax rebate (Department of Revenue)

      • Director Tim Verry shared that DHS is still doing maximum allotments for SNAP but the P-EBT is very limited currently due to the federal government changing some of the rules such as a student has to be in 5 consecutive days in remote learning before they can be eligible; however, all eligible households are still receiving the maximum alignment which he said has been really helpful. Director Verry also mentioned that there is a robust communication plan prepared for when the emergency allotment ends but commented that there is no good solution, there will be a lot of families that will be impacted especially those who have only known the maximum amount.
      • On free and reduced meals, member Colleen Burns added expanding eligibility for the community eligibility provision which allows schools to provide free meals to all kids based on the percentage of kids in their district who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. A lot of the work on school meals tend to be federal but she said that the State can support schools who are trying to feed kids in their school buildings and help them implement their school breakfast programs. She also suggested to look at ways on how to support summer feeding programs since childhood food insecurity skyrockets during summer when schools are closed.
      • On tax changes, member Jeremy Rosen mentioned the expansion of the earned income credit which the General Assembly passed and signed by the Governor. Administrator Kelly said she will include it in Pillar 3.
   2. Pillar Two - Stabilize Homes and Communities

      • Strategy/tactics	State action
        Reduce homelessness by half and ensure housing affordability and accessibility Invest in high quality, specialized supports for persons experiencing mental health and substance use related crises Invest in intervention that address cycles of trauma and violence in communities	$15M in additional funding for homelessness prevention 988 implementation Beginning of influx of opioid settlement funding Behavioral health workforce investment (SB 3617) Increased funding for mobile crisis response Increased funding for domestic violence services $65M+ in community violence interventions and youth development services

      • Deputy Director Marc Staley added that there are ongoing investments for housing at IHDA. Liz Kersjes mentioned the Home Arc, a special home funding allocation from the ARPA plan approved recently by HUD. The approved allocation is a little bit over $62M, 15% of which is set aside to the administration of the fund and the remainder is going to be split between affordable rental housing projects and the development of non-congregate shelter. It is in the planning stage but applications and awards are anticipated to come out in 2023.
      • Director Staley mentioned that ICJIA received a lot of funding to address community violence prevention initiatives. Administrator Kelly said she will reach out to them.
   3. Pillar Three - ensure just and equitable access to economic security programs

      • Strategy/tactics	State action
        1. Create a single, accessible platform for individuals to enroll in all State benefits 2. Increase uptake, access and value of existing public benefits for those in extreme poverty 3. Develop direct cash assistance programs to lift families out of deep poverty	Code for America potential partnership Application mapping across programs - GCFD CTC/EITC outreach Guaranteed income pilot - homeless

      • Deputy Director Marc Staley added the changes in the eligibility factors for TANF as it gets rebased to 30% of the FPL, this is already in statute according to him.
      • Director Staley also mentioned the collaboration of multiple agencies with regards to a single platform for application.
      • Deputy Director Jason Horowitz mentioned that during Covid, their Office of Community Assistance which oversees LIHEAP funding and community service block grant funding created a new centralized website (for people applying for LIHEAP) to access network that vastly improved visibility and ability to navigate energy programs. He added that they also received a lot of CARES Act funding that was used in innovative ways to top off LIHEAP subsidies for energy as well as to create a new program that automatically provided funds to utilities for individuals that are at risk of having a shut off. Director Tokars added that even though it's not direct cash, it allows people to directly use their cash for other things rather than that energy pie.
   4. Pillar Four - Address barriers to paid work, education and advancement

      • Strategy/tactics

        State action

        1. Address barriers that prevent consistent work at a living wage by investing in transportation, childcare, paid leave, broadband, legal aid, reentry services, disability and rehabilitation supports, and immigrant and refugee services 2. Invest in apprenticeship, work-based learning and barrier reduction programs so individuals can learn and train while supporting their family 3. Expand access to legal counsel for Illinois and insure equitable access to court and legal processes

        Home service provider and childcare collective bargaining agreement Increase in access to justice funding Illinois broadband expansion

        Deputy Director Horowitz will provide information from their Broadband Office on the first strategy. He added that they also have job training programs that address childcare and workforce issue and programs around reentry. He will provide information on apprenticeship, work-based learning and barrier reduction programs. He also mentioned that they have been able to put more State funding on barrier reduction programs as Federal funding to support it is limited.
      • Anna Koepel suggested reaching out to Corrections with regards to strategy 1.
      • Kim Drew suggested to add as a potential strategy or tactic, reducing so called permanent punishments or collateral consequences in tandem to investments and reentry services or employment programs directed towards folks that are returning home after incarceration. She mentioned their campaign Live Free (or Fully Free?) that talks about statutory barriers for folks, that after being incarcerated restrict them from getting for example, licenses or prevent them from working in certain professions. Anna Koeppel agreed with Kim Drew mentioned as well that the Human Rights Act was recently amended but she is not sure how they are enforcing [laws on formerly incarcerated individuals]. She also mentioned one of the Black Caucus pillars was creating protections for employee ease around the issue of arrest and conviction records. Director Tokars also mentioned/suggested making higher ed more accessible for all including formerly incarcerated individuals will change society
   5. Pillar Five - Support trusted community-based providers to serve the needs of those in deep poverty

      • Strategy/tactics	State action
        1. Support our caregiving workforce by ensuring equitable wages and develop meaningful supports for unpaid caregivers 2. Provide community-based providers with consistent and equitable access to State funding that adequately keeps pace with rising costs	Provider COLAs Substance use and mental health services, Medicaid rate increases

        Administrator Kelly will follow up with IDD with regards to the information she heard about caregiving workforce increases in the disability space.
      • Deputy Director Staley suggested to add the continued minimum wage increases. * Amy Lulich mentioned that they have been doing a couple of different increases for in home caregivers over the past 2 years as a result of covid. Director Basta added that IDoA has consistently given rate increases up to the tune of over 40% since 2019 to provider agencies for specifically their CCP program. IDoA also has State-supported, given $4M to their area agencies on aging around the caregiver issue, and also expanding caregiving services throughout the State through their area agencies on aging (triple a's).
      • Deputy Director Staley added that the administration has made commitments to continue working on wages for those serving vulnerable citizens as well as on the general minimum wage.
      • Director Tokars added that when the first ARPA funds came to their agency, they pushed a lot of it to the local health departments, who are serving persons in great need in the community, to help with their infrastructure and workforce
8. Next Steps
   • Administrator Kelly will start writing the report and will follow up with each member for additional information.
   • Next steps for the IWGP - 
   1. Complete subcommittee interest survey - Administrator Kelly will send out in the next two weeks and members should send feedback by mid-November
   2. Submit 2023 Poverty Commission strategy action plan ideas - Administrator Kelly will prepare a template and collect ideas from members with regards to new areas that need focus for the 2023 Action Plan to be submitted in December
   3. Work to complete State Action Report - for review and passage at next meeting 4
   4. Next meeting - Wednesday, December 21, 2022 10:30am-12:00pm
9. Adjournment - Deputy Director Marc Staley moved to adjourn the meeting and Director Paula Basta seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 11:55 a.m.