IORAB Access & Equity Working Group March 14, 2023

Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board Access & Equity Working Group Meeting

March 14, 2023

Virtual Meeting Held Via Zoom

MEETING MINUTES

Access and Equity Working Group Members

Welcome and Roll Call

• Joel Johnson, Access & Equity Working Group Chair, welcomed the group and called the meeting to order. Sue Pickett, Ph.D. of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP), facilitator, conducted roll call. All members were present except for Ty Bechel, Allison Arwady, Karen Ayala, Jonnell Benson-Cobbs, Wyvetta Grainger, Debbie Holsapple, Michelle Kavouras, Jennifer Lehman, Don Otis, Shane Pettigrew, Stacey Stottler, Charles Stratton, and Melissa Hernandez. Quorum was not established. As result, no votes were taken during the meeting.

Review of February 14, 2023 Meeting Minutes

• The February 14, 2023 Access & Equity Working Group meeting minutes were reviewed. The minutes will be revised to update Rebecca Estrada's current affiliation. No other changes were suggested. The minutes will be voted on for approval at the April 11, 2023 meeting.

Collaboration and Coordination with Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council Committees

• Dr. Pickett gave an update on the work of each of the Council Committees. We may wish to explore the potential synergy between the Sate Overdose Action Plan (SOAP) initiatives Committees are working on and the Access & Equity Working Group's recommendations.
  • The Children and Families Committee focuses on issues related to children, youth, and families and the overdose crisis and is addressing SOAP Priorities 4,12 and 20 (access to MAR for pregnant and postpartum women, maternal morbidity and mortality).
  • The MAR Prescribing Practices Committee focuses on SOAP Priorities 5, 6, and 10 (Prescription Monitoring Programming peer educators, buprenorphine initiation in emergency departments).
  • The Criminal Justice Populations Committee focuses on justice-involved populations and is working on SOAP Priorities 22-25 (naloxone distribution and access to MAR in correctional facilities).
  • The Public Awareness and Education Committee focuses on stigma reduction and youth prevention and is working on Priority 8 (stigma reduction campaigns for people of color, rural communities and justice-involved individuals).
  • The Opioid Social Equity Committee focuses on strategies to address racial and ethnic disparities and is working on Priorities 1-4.
  • The Cross-Sector Data Committee examines and reviews data on the overdose crisis across state and local agencies and data repositories. It was suggested that this committee might help provide data for the working group's proposed recommendations.
• Dr. Pickett shared that the Council Committees are not subject to the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Anyone may attend Committee meetings at any time. If you would like to attend a meeting, please email Dr. Pickett (spickett@ahpnet.com ).

Priority Recommendations for the IORAB

• Mr. Johnson reviewed the recommendations that were presented at the January IORAB meeting and led a discussion to consider additional data and information to help support the recommendations.
• The status of the Workforce Development Working Group. Ms. Peyton stated that the recommendation was approved at the last IORAB meeting. According to Executive Order 2022-19, the working group must be chaired by a member of the IORAB; anyone who would like to join will need to submit their bio for consideration. The group must also have balanced regional representation.
• The group discussed the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) pilot.
  • Legislation to fund the OPS (HB0002) is pending and currently under review by the state legislature. For more information go to: Illinois General Assembly - HB0002. It was noted that the legislation calls for the OPS to be implemented in a community of 2 million people or more, and for IDHS/SUPR to provide oversight. Mr. Johnson state that the Working Group's recommendation addresses how settlement dollars could be used to support an OPS and is not related to the legislation.
• Ms. Peyton stated that the IORAB approved funding for a team approach to services (a $5M Community Outreach and Recovery Support (CORS) model pilot) at the September 2022 IORAB meeting. The working group should consider where there is an issue with access or equitable services within the state and determine where these services need to be prioritized.
• Mr. Johnson asked if policy recommendations were within the scope of Access & Equity Working Group. He noted that the 1115 Medicaid waiver is sunsetting in June and this will make it difficult to provide case management to people with OUD. Funding and reimbursement for targeted case management would help support a team-based, community engagement approach. Discussions with HFS are underway. Ms. Peyton will gather information on what is needed to make a change to the Medicaid State Plan Amendment that would be required to support targeted case management.
• It was noted that the working group had discussed housing as a recommended service. It was asked whether funding for housing is allowed; Ms. Peyton clarified that housing is an approved abatement strategy and the group could put forward housing recommendation. Resources on Housing First will be sent to working group members to review.
• Mr. Johnson requested that prior to the next meeting, working group members review literature, reports and studies to support recommendations.
  • Mr. Johnson asked the group to consider barriers to same day buprenorphine induction and treatment on demand, and potential recommendations the group might make to address these challenges. Dr. Pickett shared that the MAR Prescribing Practices Committee and several IDHS/SUPR-funded Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHOs) focus on increasing buprenorphine prescribing statewide. MAR Now provide access to same MAR initiation and been expanded statewide around education. Buprenorphine prescribing resources and access to MAR Now are available through the Helpline: Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances.

Public Participation

• Mary Pounder shared that the Rx Summit is in April.
• Sandra Harrison, West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force, shared that she appreciated the conversation about education.

Adjourn

• Ms. Saddler made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Dr. Bottari 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. The next Access & Equity Working Group meeting will be held via Zoom on April 11, 2023 from 10:30am-12:00pm.