AGENDA and MINUTES - Pillar 1: Ensure Illinois is Best in Nation for Raising Families, February 28, 2024

Illinois Commission on Poverty Elimination and Economic Security

Subcommittee on Pillar 1: Ensure IL is Best in Nation for Raising Families

Meeting Agenda

Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 2:00-3:00 PM

Recording

Members:

Appointment Member Affiliation
Chair Sophie Milam VP of Policy and Advocacy, Greater Chicago Food Depository
Commission Member Representative Jeff Keicher Illinois State Representative
Commission Member Kate Maehr Greater Chicago Food Depository
Commission Member Senator Kimberly Lightford Illinois Senator
Commission Member Audra Wilson President and CEO Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Commission Member Annie Hewitt Office of Senator Neil Anderson
IWGP Member Tyler Bohannon Illinois Department of Agriculture
IWGP Member Krish Mohip Chief Education Officer - Operations, ISBE
IDHS SME Stephanie Bess Associate Director, Office of Family Wellness, FCS
IDHS SME Lisa Cohen Program Manager, SUPR
IDHS SME Patricia Rooney Associate Director of Child Care, DEC

Administrator: Priya Khatkhate, IDHS-Chief Policy Officer

Facilitators:

  1. Matthew Rodriguez - Institute of Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP)
  2. Nancy Toure - IRRPP

Agenda:

  1. I. Welcome/Roll Call
    • Introduction of new member
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: December 1, 2023
  4. Meeting Overview
  5. Recap/updates on FY24 actionable goals
    1. Goal 1
    2. Goal 2
  6. Closing
    1. Next Steps
    2. Adjournment

MINUTES

Subcommittee members in attendance:

  1. Sophie Milam - Chairperson
  2. Audra Wilson - Commission member
  3. Rep. Jeff Keicher - Commission member
  4. Kimberly Tate - representative of Senator Kimberly Lightford, Commission member
  5. Tyler Bohannon - IWGP member
  6. Stephanie Bess - IDHS-SME

Administrator: Priya Khatkhate, IDHS-Chief Policy Officer

Facilitators:

  1. Matthew Rodriguez - Institute of Research on Race and Public Policy (IRRPP)
  2. Nancy Toure - IRRPP
Minutes
  1. Welcome/Roll Call
    • Members put their name on the chat as form of roll call.
    • Six members were present out of 10. Quorum was attained.
  2. Public Comment - subject to written comment in advance, none received.
  3. Approval of Meeting Minutes: December 1, 2023 - Chair Milam moved to approve the December 1, 2023 meeting minutes, Tyler Bohannon seconded. The group unanimously approved the December 1, 2023 meeting minutes.
  4. Meeting Overview - Chair Milam discussed how the meeting will be done.
  5. Recap/updates on FY24 actionable goals
    1. Focus 1 - Ensure access to high-quality early childhood services
      • it was agreed during the last meeting that the group will get update on what Pillar 4 has been doing in relation to Pillar 1's focus 1.
      • Matthew gave a brief update on what Pillar 4 is doing which is identifying a currently existing map of childcare availability in comparison to demand. Pillar 4's second goal is analysis of that map, identification of demand and designing an advocacy strategy to support the filling of whatever gaps that may exist.
      • Chair Milam suggested to talk about in the meeting possible specific actions that Pillar 1 can take to support Pillar 4 goals that Matthew mentioned.
    2. Focus 2 - Find a method to replicate the federal child tax credit (CTC) for families raising children
      • Shriver Center and about 40 other advocates are working to introduce a bill related to CTC
      • Chair Milam shared that the temporary expansion to the federal CTC during the covid pandemic has gotten renewed interest due to the data showing positive impacts particularly on child poverty rates. There might be another temporary expansion though not as robust as during the covid era.
      • Audra Wilson added that the proposed $300 million-CTC bill does not have the same protections originally granted to the expansion during covid but it has a good bipartisan support and they believe it will pass through without significant opposition. The bill targets the lowest earners and cover kids from 0-17 y/o regardless the status of the parents.
      • Chair Milam mentioned that the GCFD signed in on the support to the bill and other interested organizations can sign in as well and encourage others to support the bill; added that this can be an actionable step that the group can take.
      • Interested organizations can send their organization's name and contact person to Audra. Audra will pass along the info to her team who manages the member list of the Illinois Cost of Living Refund Coalition. Audra will send the fact sheet on the proposed bill which also contains the list of organizations currently supporting the bill.
      • Chair Milam and Ms. Wilson suggested drafting a letter endorsing the importance of CTC which could either be addressed to federal or state legislators or both and signed by the Commission. Rep. Keicher supports the suggestion.
    3. Focus 3 - Expand access to free and reduced school meals
      • The group has no specific goal for this focus area
      • Chair Milam suggested to craft a goal that would revolve on Illinois' participation in the School Breakfast Program where the state is in the bottom 10.
      • The goal could focus on improving the state's participation particularly for low-income children or prioritizing low-income schools or low-income children in all schools and/or adopting best practices to increase participation rates.
      • Chair Milam shared that GCFD actually introduced a legislation last year to help schools adopt best practices thru a very small start-up grant program. It passed the House but not the Senate. GCFD is thinking of slightly expanding it and amend the proposed legislation to get it going this spring. Chair Milam can provide more info to the group thru email.
      • Chair Milam also shared information on another bill that would create universal free meals in the state. There was a temporary federal policy during COVID where meals were provided to children and states have started thinking of a permanent action to make the program long lasting.
      • However, even though Illinois is good at federal and local funds to provide meals for free, participation rate is still low. GCFD is looking to conduct insights research with parents and students to determine the reason why families aren't eating meals at schools even though they are free.
      • Chair Milam will draft a goal under this focus area and present in the next subcommittee meeting for comments.
      • Tyler Bohannon shared about the work of the Department of Agriculture on Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. Aside from which, the Governor is making a $28 million grant announcement at Midwest Food Bank in Peoria. The program will be called Illinois Eats and will be executed in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, DHS and Illinois Extension. Tyler will be sharing the press release once done.
      • Stephanie Bess added that DHS is in partnership with DA through an interagency agreement. DHS will be awarding 20 grants across the state of which 11 are new providers who have never had a grant agreement with the state of Illinois.
      • Stephanie also mentioned similar grants coming from the USDA to the school lunch program and ISBE will hopefully also use the funds to increase the amount of locally grown foods thru schools as well as into communities.
    4. Focus 4 - Increase participation in WIC by improving accessibility for those who are eligible.
      1. Goal 1 - Design an advocacy strategy toward the continuation of funding for the WIC food package prescription
        • A joint letter by the Poverty Commission and Commission to End Hunger was sent to legislators calling for full funding of WIC.
        • Stephanie shared an update as well as her interview on WIC last February 26, 2024.
        • Federal Food Assistance Program for Mothers, Children Faces $1B Shortfall. Here's How That Could Impact Services in Illinois | Chicago News | WTTW
        • Illinois would need about $24 million in additional funding for the 2024 fiscal year to serve its eligible population; not getting increased funding from Congress would effectively be a budget cut due to increases in caseload, food costs and staff costs.
        • Congress has until March to find the funding needed.
        • If the budget cut happens, an estimated 49,000 could potentially be turned away which will include postpartum women with the lowest risk without a lot of health issues and low risk children.
        • On one hand, Stephanie shared that DHS has a few different projects going on such as improving language for WIC shopping, texting and document sharing which would enable people to send required documents via secured text to DHS, engaging at the local level thru an interagency agreement between Headstart and WIC to increase uptake among older children, and a new Communications Coordinator will be starting Friday, March 1st which will hopefully increase WIC's social media presence and help people understand the program. The critical piece is on staffing which Stephanie will think about whether there's something the subcommittee can support on.
  6. Closing
    1. Next Steps
      • Matthew to recommend process for getting Commission approval to send a CTC letter to federal and state legislators; if approved, Sophie can work with Erion or Jeremy Rosen to draft the letter
      • Sophie to draft potential Breakfast goal and report back to group about any legislation that moves forward in the upcoming session
      • Sophie and Stephanie to discuss about adding a WIC goal that is actionable at the state level
      • Sophie to report back to subcommittee about the WIC funding decision to happen at the March 1 Congressional budget deadline
      • Tyler to share press release on IL EATS to the group.
    2. Adjournment - Chair Milam moved to adjourn, seconded by Audra Wilson. The group unanimously agreed to adjourn at 2:55 PM.