IORAB Access & Equity Workgroup Minutes 12.7.22

MEETING MINUTES

Access and Equity Working Group Members

  • Joel K Johnson, TASC, Inc. (Chair)
  • Ty Bechel, Bechel and Associates
  • David Gomel, PhD, Rosecrance
  • Mike Tyson, Take Action Today
  • Shane Pettigrew, Illinois State Police
  • Wyvetta Grainger, Community Member
  • Rebecca Estrada, Deputy Commissioner of Youth Services, City of Chicago
  • Stacey Stottler, Illinois Community College Board
  • Don Otis, Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center of St. Clair County
  • Jonnell Benson-Cobbs, DPN, Serenity Treatment and Counseling Center
  • Tim Devitt, PsyD, Private Practice
  • Gail Richardson, West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force
  • Debbie Holsapple, Jefferson County Comprehensive Services
  • Michelle Saddler, Kittleman & Associates, LLC
  • Charles Stratton, Department of Human Resources, Sangamon County
  • James L. Grafton, Administrator, Rock Island County
  • Jennifer Lehman, Burlington Community School District
  • Diana Bottari, MD, Advocate Aurora Health

Welcome and Roll Call

  • Sue Pickett, PhD of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., facilitator, welcomed the group and roll call was taken. All members were present except for Wyvetta Grainger, Rebecca Estrada, Stacey Stottler, and Don Otis. Joel Johnson, Access & Equity Working Group Chair, welcomed the group.

Review of Illinois Open Meetings Act

  • John Schomberg, General Counsel, IDHS, provided an overview of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) which pertains to the working group meetings. OMA is a public statute that requires meetings to be open to the general public and has rules and regulations pertaining to agenda posting, quorum, potential conflicts of interest, and training.
  • All working group members must complete OMA training

Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board Overview

  • Sherrine Peyton, IDHS/SUPR Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator (SOSA), provided an overview of the Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board (IORAB) structure. The IORAB is a subcommittee of the Governor's Opioid Prevention Recovery Steering Committee, which oversees the funds of the overdose remediation settlement agreement. The IORAB has two working groups, Access & Equity and Medical & Research. The working groups provide recommendations to the Advisory Board as subject matter experts.

Access & Equity Working Mission Statement

  • Mr. Johnson read the working group's mission statement:
    • The Access & Equity Working Group's purpose is to provide recommendations to the Illinois Opioid Advisory Board regarding social and historical factors that impact access to affirming and culturally competent programs, practices, and policies intended to serve communities experiencing disparities in opioid use, overdoses, and other substance use disorders to make systemic changes for optimal health.
  • Mr. Johnson stated that the group's purpose is to discuss, assess, and make recommendations back to the Advisory Board on areas that could improve access and equity related to intervention, treatment, and opportunities that can improve health outcomes for people impacted by opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.
  • Sherrine Peyton stated that the working group will meet before each Advisory Board meeting. At each working group meeting, it is expected that the group will provide one or two recommendations to move forward.
  • Mr. Gomel made a motion to adopt the mission statement. Dr. Bottari seconded the motion. All working group members in attendance voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed.

State of Illinois Overdose Action Plan (SOAP) Implementation Report

  • Dr. Pickett provided an overview of the SOAP and the SOAP November 2022 Implementation Report (see handouts). The SOAP was released by Governor Pritzker in March 2022. It includes 25 priorities created by the Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council and state agencies to reduce overdose deaths statewide. Priorities are compiled into five categories: social equity, prevention, treatment and recovery, harm reduction, and justice-involved populations and public safety. The SOAP's social equity framework addresses racial disparities in overdose fatalities and access to treatment and recovery support services.
  • The November 2022 SOAP Implementation Report summarizes work on priorities as of September 2022 and includes overdose data analyzed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Work has begun on all 25 priorities. Notable achievements include increased distribution of naloxone statewide through the Access Narcan program, and implementation of mobile medication assisted recovery (MAR) in regions experiencing high rates of overdose fatalities. IDPH data show that racial disparities in overdose rates persist, and synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl) continue to be the main cause of overdose fatalities statewide.

Working Group Recommendations

Mr. Johnson led a discussion of the November 2022 SOAP Implementation Report and its implications for the group's work. Members suggested that the group consider future discussions regarding the following:

  • Making naloxone available in all schools and training school personnel on naloxone administration.
  • Increasing access to naloxone in public spaces, such as libraries.
  • Increased access to fentanyl test strips.
  • Workforce development initiatives to address behavioral health workforce shortages.
  • Stigma reduction, including stigma reduction campaigns aimed at school-aged youth.
  • Increased access to MAR in rural communities.
  • Addressing social determinants of health, including affordable housing, healthcare and employment, in communities experiencing high rates of fatal and non-fatal overdoses.
  • Racial disparities in Suboxone prescribing.

2023 Meeting Schedule

  • The meeting schedule was discussed. Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month from 10:30-12:00. The next meeting is January 10, 2023.

Public Participation

  • One member of the public attended the meetings. This individual stated that they had no comments or questions. No comments from the public were forwarded prior to the meeting. No comments from the public were entered into the meeting chat.

Adjourn

  • Ms. Saddler made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Bechel seconded the motion. All working group members in attendance voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed. Mr. Johnson thanked participants and adjourned the meeting.