988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Workgroup
Meeting Minutes- September 14, 2023 - 2:00-4:00 pm via WebEx
Meeting Minutes - Approved by Members 10/12/23/2023
Workgroup members: Rep. Guzzardi/Rep LaPointe, Rep. Haas, Sen. Fine, Sen. Bryant, Stephanie Frank, Ashley Thoele, Kristine Herman/Kati Hinshaw, Shawn Cole, Matt Pickett, David T Jones, Dana Weiner, Dr. Adam Carter, Lori Carnahan, Megghun Redmon, Jen McGowan-Tomke, Allison Wollert, Kelsey DiPirro, Emily Legner, Hugh Brady, Dr. Mary Roberson, Chris Shaffner, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Hong Liu, Brenda Osuch, Gerald Lott, Pooja Nagpal, Brenda Bahena, Dr. Lorrie Jones, Amy Watson, Karen Leavitt-Stallman, Niya Mona, Jonna Cooley, Ulonga Gladney, David Albert, Lee Ann Reinert, Roberta Allen, Ryan Rollinson
Agenda
- Welcome and Call to Order
- Roll call and approval of minutes from previous meeting
- Recap of August meeting and actionable items
- Process for sharing of resources and communication between 988 Workgroup Members
- Technology for Handoffs/Expert Presentations
- Discussion - Action Plan Items
- Public Comment
- Adjournment
The meeting was called to order by Director Albert at 2:01 pm.
Lee Ann Reinert reviewed OMA official notices and regulations.
Roll Call and Approval of Minutes:
Present: Lindsey LaPointe, Jackie Hass (abstain), Laura Fine (abstain), Stephanie Frank, Kristine Herman, Matt Pickett, Dana Weiner, Lori Carnahan, Megghun Redmon, Jen McGowan-Tomke, Allison Wollert, Danielle McQuay (abstain), Emily Legner, Hugh Brady (abstain), Pooja Nagpal, Brenda Bahena, Michael Duffy, Lorrie Jones, Amy Watson, Valencia Williams (abstain), David Albert, Lee Ann Reinert,
Absent: Ashley Thoele, Shawn Cole, David T Jones, Adam Carter, Dr. Mary Roberson, Chris Shaffner, Hong Liu, Brenda Osuch, Niya Mona, Jonna Cooley, Ulonga Gladney, Roberta Allen, Ryan Rollinson
Questions:
- Lindsey LaPointe: How many people in Illinois work for the various 211 systems understanding that some are employed by PATH, some employed by the United Way of Greater Chicago. So how many people, I'm interested in the salary ranges as well. And the spirit of that question comes from recognizing that our human sector is so severely underpaid. I'm just wondering if there's a differential there between people that are providing referrals to the human service system. And then how much human power does that take? The spirit of my question is a big concern that the underlying system under 211 is really taxed. We have a workforce crisis. Lots of folks are grant funded. And so funding in January of one year might look different than November that year.
What issues regarding technology for dispatch and referral do we need to be included? (Slido Poll)
- Geolocation
- Bed Count
- Geomapping
- Identifying when and where systems need to be changed, APIs can be setup, eliminating the redundance and promoting collaboration and closing the loops
- Geolocation, closed-loop referrals, interoperability with existing systems
- Interoperability between systems, bed count for both hospitals and crisis stabilization programs
- Integration with 911
- Streamlining of calls between 911 dispatch and 988, how are they working together technology-wise, and not working together
- Geolocation, integration with other systems
- Referral database, follow-up post referral, geolocation, 911/CESSA protocol coordination
- Can the call receiver/MCR person make appointments for the person or only make referrals?
- Privacy, inclusion of perspectives of people to be served
- What happens if there are no resources available for the call center or MCR person to use?
- Geotracking, privacy
- If the call center person sends a MCR team, can the call go to the MCR persona while they're driving to the site
- Seamless connections between the caller and someone to come (Mobile Crisis if needed) and a place to go (not jail or regular hospital)
- Tracking the capacity/bed availability of the providers where people can go (aide from jail or a regular hospital)
- Fear by some people living with a mental illness that geolocation will make them liable to involuntary hospitalization, automatic system so that the MCR team member does the follow up contact
Public Comment
- Representative Jackie Haas: I just became aware that vibrant discontinued a contract with a crisis call center that was actually located in Iowa. I know they employ many crisis responders in Illinois and take many calls with Illinois residents. I'm wondering what the plan is with that. Is the plan for Vibrant to only contract with Illinois Providers?
- Lee Ann Reinert: I'm not completely sure about vibrant ending a contract with a call center in Iowa, but Vibrant has federal funding. They are the one and only operator at the national level. For the 988 system, anyone that calls 988 anywhere it gets routed to the Vibrant system and then the Vibrant system determines based on an algorithm related to the area code and then the next three numbers of the phone number which call center it goes to. We don't have the ability to impact where Vibrant sends the calls. With the exception of we contract with call centers, and then we work with them if we need to adjust routing based on volume to get as many calls as possible answered in Illinois.
- Kevin Richardson: If PATH is unable to answer a call, it gets routed to a national backup system. After a certain amount of time and so those calls will never go unanswered. It stresses the system a little bit in various ways. But those calls will get routed to someone. Will it be someone in Iowa? Not necessarily. But they designed it so those will get answered.
Proposed Meeting Dates:
- November 9, 2023 Oversight and Sustainability
- December 14, 2023 Wrap up Action Plan
Each meeting will be from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Adjournment:
Meeting adjourned by Director David Albert at 3:53 pm. No contest.
