CESSA Statewide Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes 11/13/23

Approved by Committee Members 12/11/2023

Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA) Statewide Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes - Monday, November 13, 2023 - 1:00 pm-3:00 pm via WebEx

Call to Order/Roll Call:   

  • Meeting called to order by IDHS/DMH Director David Albert at 1:01 pm. 
  • Approval of October Minutes:  Brent Reynolds presented a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Blanco Campos. All present members approved the October minutes.
  • Members Present: David Albert, Bobby Van Bebber (Designee for Ashley Thoele), Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Brent Reynolds, Shelley Dallas, Drew Hansen, Jim Kaitschuk, Blanca Campos, Emily Miller, Pooja Nagpal, Candace Coleman, Curtis Harris, Rick Manthy, Rachel Ahart
  • Members Absent: N/A
  • Lee Ann Reinert reviewed procedures of the Open Meetings Act and meeting logistics.   

Statewide Updates - Lee Ann Reinert:

A Public Comment was sent to the CESSA mailbox:

I want to express my support for the CESSA coalition's recommendations for improving the Risk Matrix for Multi-Systems Management of Behavioral Health Crisis. Our 911 & 988 operators need the best and clearest tools possible to help our community members experiencing mental/behavioral/developmental crisis. While the interim matrix created by the state was a good first step, there are many clarifications and additions needed to best serve our community. Please consider bringing the coalition recommendations to a vote.

Response: The best process is to review this recommendation in the SAC Standards & Protocols subcommittee. This will be placed on the agenda. It will be brought back to SAC for a vote. There are pros and cons in meeting the deadlines and moving this work forward with the PSAPs.

SAC Retreat Overview - Lorrie Jones:

  • A statewide communication plan is needed to keep stakeholders informed of ongoing work within a myriad of initiatives.
    • What are the different state initiatives underway in support of that vision?
    • How do these initiatives fit together? How are they sequenced? How does communication/coordination occur between and among them?
    • How is progress communicated regularly?
    • How will work be sustained once initial funding is exhausted?
    • A glossary for all acronyms!
  • Recommendations for RAC leadership to consider.
    • Deflect as many 911 calls to 988/Program 590 response as possible.
    • How do we apply Level 1 of Risk Matrix to 176 PSAP's (3 categories of PSAP systems/providers) across 11 regions?
    • Assess readiness of each "community" to deflect Level 1 calls made to 911 to 988.
    • What would a plan look like to operationalize this goal in "ready" communities?
    • What would be the corresponding changes in protocols?
  • Additional Issues:
    • Complexity of each region
    • Funding to change protocols (esp. in smaller PSAPs)
    • Increasing confidence among PSAP's/first responders in 988/590 program
    • Training
    • Data
    • Risk levels 2-3
    • Information sharing and systems to identify/support "familiar faces"
    • Implications for timelines set by CESSA
    • Potential modifications to CESSA
  • Aspects of CESSA law that may require further discussion and/or changes.

RAC Retreat Overview - Brenda Hampton:

An overview of the October retreat discussion with RAC co-chairs on the desired goal and recommendations from SAC. The tasks are as follows:

  • Identify 2 - 4 PSAPs in the Region which have PowerPhone Total Response Systems as a protocol vendor.
  • Focus on localities where there is a sense of engagement among other key stakeholders.
  • Develop a draft pilot Project Plan with timelines, which identifies:
    • Specific pilot sites.
    • Commitment of pilot sites.
    • Implementation plan to activate protocol changes,
    • Strategy for feedback loop.
  • Draft Plans submitted to the crisis Hub by October 30th.
  • Plans reviewed and three presented at the RAC co-chairs' monthly consultation meeting, November 1, 2023.
  • Template provided for RAC to enhance draft plans for a final submission by November 30, 2023.

RAC 7 Action Plan Presentation - Dr. Sharronne Ward, Dr. David Mikolajczak and Anthony Marzano, Chief Executive Director, Will County PSAP

  • Will County PSAP (an independent, standalone system) has an integrated relationship with Silver Cross Hospital and is in the process of changing its protocol - using PowerPhone's technology for better efficiency. They are not using PowerPhone's script products, but only their platform. They are using this unique opportunity to look at their existing protocol and apply the IRLM.
  • The hope is to start processing change by the 1st quarter in 2024.

Dependencies - Lorrie Jones:

To move the system, forward to full implementation, all dependencies must be in place:

  • Completed PSAP Landscape Survey/Analysis for the Region
  • Completed Interim Risk Level Matrix recommendations for each PSAP in the Region
  • Agreements with EMD vendors to work with IL to update their EMD protocols to comport with the IRLM
  • Final protocol approvals from the Region's EMS Medical Director, local law enforcement Chiefs, then the Department of Public Health
  • CAD vendors to update their systems
  • Identify and secure funding to make these changes to EMD protocols and CAD
  • Completed data exchange / communication protocols between 911 and 988 including necessary technology enhancements

While RAC #7 is moving forward with Super Ambassadors, many RACs are struggling, with high turnover of chairs and co-chairs:

No Co-Chair New Co-Chair
Region 6 - BH Region 1 - BH
Region 3 - EMD Region 3 - BH
Region 9 - BH
Region 11- BH

There is variability with RACs' performance, across the state, with concerns that this RAC structure may not be the right structure or most optimal structure to move this work forward.

Discussion on the viability of the regional structure named in statue - poll:

  1. Is this the right structure to move forward?
  • Richard Manthy: It is important to have a RAC structure involved in the planning process.
  • Blanco Campos: The questions should be posed to the RACs.
  • Candance Coleman: Have there been any recommendations from other states?
  • Lee Ann Reinert: Virginia has taken their Regions and divided them into subsets that were more manageable.

2. Is there any other structure(s) that should be considered?

  • Brent Reynolds: Suggested that the Regions may not be the best way to approach this work. Recommended that the EMS system may be a more logical focus.
  • Candance Coleman: Is the challenge from the Unions?
  • Brent Reynolds: This has nothing to do with Unions. There would be 66 resource hospitals responsible for approving the protocol changes. The resource hospitals would then work directly with their PSAPs.

3. How can we best support the Regions, now?

  • Lorrie Jones: Have the regions identified who are ready to move forward and channel these energies through production.
  • Lee Ann Reinert: Reminder, that there was not a regional structure identified in statue. DMH identified behavioral health CEOs to be co-chairs.
  • The challenge is that the scope of involved communities is larger than the areas served by the Behavioral Health co-chairs.
  • Brent Reynolds: Agreed

PowerPhone discussion update - Cindy Barbera-Brelle:

An overview of the discussion with PowerPhone was presented, with several steps agreed:

  • A process will occur to allow State Partners to draft questions for possible inclusion in the incident protocols.
  • PowerPhone will work to incorporate changes, hopefully by January 2024.
  • With the resources/funding needed to make changes, PowerPhone estimates 4 - 5 months to make changes with the 40 PSAPs.
  • Timeline for fully funded Total Response PowerPhone Vendors' executed changes anticipated by August 2024.

Training and Education Subcommittee Update 911 Training Plan - Cindy Barbera-Brelle:

  • The 911 Training Plan was approved, October 10, 2023.
  • PSAPs will incorporate the content into the modules for PSAP training.
  • The 988 modules will include the role of 988.
  • Videos will be created to incorporate in the learning modules.
  • Training will be a collaborative effort between the UIC crisis hub and the ISP.

Discussion:

Curtis Harris: I have a concern that 911 is going to interfere with 988.

Cindy BB: This work is important so that the right information is available which will then lead to the right dispatch decisions.

Lorrie Jones: We are excited about the work with PowerPhone (to start) and expanding this to other vendors.

Next Meeting Dates:

December 11, 2023 

January 8, 2024

February 13, 2024 (Brent Reynolds indicated that ILAPCO will host this in-person meeting)

March 11, 2024

April 8, 2024

May 13, 2024

June 10, 2024

Note: DMH is losing its WebEx Account. A new link will be posted on the CESSA page for the January meeting.

Public Comment:

  • Zachary Gittrich: Re: Interim Risk Level Matrix - thanks for putting this on the S & P subcommittee's agenda. I do not understand concerns about the 590 response time. The capacity issue is mute. DMH gave away the power. The best way to support the Regions is by giving them the power to do the work.
  • Jim Moldenhauer (Region 8 RAC): What can be done? Come back and meet on a Regional level. This is critical to have discussions at this level.Reported on an interaction with a 988 LCC call from PATH. The only information that PATH had available to share was a phone number, not the county or area. 988 is a good feature, but it must have more robust information to past on.
  • Alyssa Marrero: What is centralized dispatch for 590? It will be valuable to break down Regions by local 590 agencies. These agencies are not involved as they should be in coordinating who is responsible for what. There are conflicting roles, and contradictory laws.
  • Zachary Gittrich - Anchoring 590s will allow for more control.
  • Sandra Heidt: As an outsider looking in, training is critical. Marketing, training, and education are important.

Motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion was moved by Brent Reynolds and seconded by Richard Manthy.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.