Agenda and Minutes - Pillar 1: Ensure Illinois is Best in Nation for Raising Families, May 10, 2023

Subcommittee: Ensure Illinois is Best in Nation for Raising Families

Second Quarter Meeting

May 10, 2023

1:00 - 2:00 PM

Recording

Members:

Appointment Member Affiliation
Chair Audra Wilson President and CEO Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Commission Member Representative Jeff Keicher Illinois State Representative
Commission Member Kate Maehr Greater Chicago Food Depository
Commission Member Senator Kimberly Lightford Illinois Senator
IWGP Member Joe Kienzler Illinois Department of Agriculture
IWGP Member Jane Flanagan Illinois Department of Labor
Public Member Meredith Byers Illinois Education Association
Public Member Lisa Cohen Illinois Department of Human Services
Public Member Stephanie Hammer Illinois Education Association
Public Member Colleen Burns

Administrator: Kari Branham, IDHS Special Projects Administrator

IDHS SME: Stephanie Bess, Associate Director, Office of Family Wellness, IDHS-FCS AGENDA:

  1. Introductions/Welcome Roll Call
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: March 1, 2023
  4. Group Development of Specific Action Goals
  5. Next Steps and Adjournment

Meeting Minutes

Subcommittee members in attendance:

  1. Audra Wilson - Acting Subcommittee Chairperson; Poverty Commission member
  2. Annie Hewitt - Poverty Commission member
  3. Kim Tate - representative from the Office of Senator Kimberly Lightford, Poverty Commission member
  4. Colleen Burns - public member
  5. Lisa Cohen - public member

Administrator: Dana Kelly, IDHS Chief Policy Officer

Guests:

  1. Matthew Rodriguez - discussion facilitator, Equity Imperative
  2. Stephanie Bess - Associate Director, Office of Family Wellness, IDHS-FCS

Acting Chair Audra Wilson called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM.

  1. Introductions/Welcome/Roll Call - Chair Wilson gave a short welcome and everybody introduced themselves.
  2. Public Comment - Subject to written comment in advance, none received.
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: March 9, 2023 - approval of minutes is postponed for the next meeting due to lack of quorum.
  4. Group Development of Specific Action Goals - Mr. Rodriguez led and facilitated the development of action goals using the SMART goals framework
    • A working document was shared with everybody by Mr. Rodriguez and guided the members on filling it out in relation to the goals of Pillar 1
    • Chair Wilson asked about the number of people participating in the WIC program. Dir. Bess provided the data and suggested the goal to increase by 15,000 the number of 3-4-year-old children participating in the WIC program instead of putting in a percentage target increase. She also suggested to include retaining families who are already participating, doing outreach to families who are not aware of the program yet and reengagement with families who have fallen off from the program.
    • Dir. Bess will be sending some statistics and data to the group.
    • There should be a representative/expert from Early Childhood to provide inputs/action steps with regards to goal 1.
    • Member Colleen Burns shared that she has not been involved with the school meals initiative for quite a month, but she can provide the bill number for the Universal School Meals bill that is making through the General Assembly at the moment.
    • Member Lisa Cohen discussed the family-based programs under SUPR that she thinks is the bridge between SUPR and Pillar 1. The program is specifically around providing low threshold, low-barrier access to substance use prevention, treatment, recovery support services for pregnant and post-partum individuals in their families. SUPR has created a new role of a Doula Peer who are all females with lived experience on substance use or a close family member who are getting duly certified as post-partum doulas. Within that, these individuals are working with young children, doing developmental screening and home visits and working with the community in going to the delivery room.
    • Mr. Rodriguez asked if there are any members involved in any awareness campaign that is already going on or about to happen in relation to Pillar 1 goals. Colleen shared the focus group initiative by the Commission to End Hunger that is aimed to increase uptake from populations (older adults, families with children and families of mixed immigration status) with the lowest participation to WIC and SNAP. The Commission will be producing marketing materials that will look the same but with different messaging. Before she left the Commission, the project is on its track to see a final working product in June and might be disseminated in the fall. There is also a separate website that is being develop that interested people can visit to get more information.
    • Mr. Rodriguez raised that all that's been shared might be a tangible form of program cross-referral, for example, the doulas can disseminate information on the WIC and SNAP programs to the population of families with 3-4-year-old children who has low uptake of said programs. He asked if there are any members who are involved in any kind of program or initiative who can participate in that kind of program cross-referral. He believes it could potentially be an area around which to construct the goal, for example, x number of programs or organizations will disseminate the appropriate information.
    • Chair Wilson and Colleen stated that community-based organizations can spread such information.
    • Member Annie Hewitt asked if it is something that the legislative offices can help to spread eligibility awareness. Chair Wilson agreed and said that it is the place where many people have interaction with. Kim Tate shared that the Senator shares these kinds of information in her website, newsletter as well as in social media sites especially literature that's already been created. For literature that has not been created, their communication staff can create it if it needs to be disseminated.
    • Dir. Bess shared their conversations with the IL Chap of American Academy of Pediatrics about creating a "Menu" of food assistance programs so everyone can educate on what is required and what the program benefits are so families can understand and choose what works for them. Mr. Rodriguez put her comment on the working document.
  5. Next Steps and Adjournment
    • Chair Wilson, Kari and Mr. Rodriguez will have a post meeting to deliberate and distill the action items listed on the working document.
    • Another subcommittee meeting will be held to present the action items.
    • Previous minutes will be approved in the next meeting when quorum is met.
    • Colleen moved the meeting to be adjourned, seconded by Lisa. The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 PM.