Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board
Workforce Development & Infrastructure Workgroup
September 11, 2023
Virtual Meeting Held Via Zoom
Meeting Minutes
Workforce Development and Infrastructure Workgroup Members
Blanca Campos, Community Behavioral Healthcare Association (Chair)
Chelsea Laliberte Barnes, Live4Lali
Angie Hampton, Egyptian Health Department
Kristin Hanblock, Rosecrance
Theressa Perdieu, CEAD Council (DBA Hour House)
John Horsely, Kenneth Young Center
Mila Tsagalis, DuPage County Health Department
Lora Passetti, Chestnut Health Systems
Chris Schaffner, JOLT Harm Reduction
Dr. Trenton Fedrick, Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Michelle Saddler, Kittleman and Associates
Tom Wright, MD, Rosecrance
Angel Cruz, Peoria County Sheriff's Office
Jen Nagel-Fischer, The Porchlight Collective, SAP
Bessie Alcantara, Alternatives, Inc.
Welcome and Roll Call
* Sue Pickett, PhD of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., facilitator, welcomed the group and roll call was taken. All members were present except for Kristin Hanblock, John Horsely, Michelle Saddler, and Dr. Tom Wright. Quorum was established. Blanca Campos, Workforce Development & Infrastructure Working Group Chair, welcomed the group.
Review and Approval of August 31, 2023 Meeting Minutes
* Chelsea Laliberte Barnes made a motion to approve the minutes. Dr. Trenton Fedrick seconded the motion. All members present voted in favor of approving the minutes. The motion passed.
Priority Recommendations for the IORAB
- Dr. Pickett gave an update on the recommendations that were approved at the July 13, 2023 Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board (IORAB) meeting. These recommendations were put forward by the Access & Equity and Medical & Research working groups and individual organizations. Approved recommendations included: (1) additional funding for intramuscular (IM) naloxone (for individuals and harm reduction organizations); (2) support staffing and programs providing mobile treatment and harm reduction services; (3) provide comprehensive wrap-around services to pregnant and post-partum people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their families (including babies with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome or NOWS); (4) provide warm handoff programs and recovery services, including peer recovery centers, housing, and comprehensive wrap-around services for people with OUD and any co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD)/mental health conditions; (5) provide MAR for incarcerated populations; (6) additional funding for prevention programs, including evidence-based community and/or school-based, youth-focused programs and school-based community collaboration pilot program; (7) evidence-based data collection and research analyzing the effectiveness of abatement strategies within the state; (8) establishing an Opioid Remediation Services Capital Investment Grant Program (will be subject to appropriation); (9) expanding the Community Outreach and Recovery Supports (CORS) model.
- These recommendations will be reviewed at the end of the month by Governor's Opioid Overdose Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee; after Steering Committee approval, the recommendations go to the Attorney General's office for certification. Certified recommendations are sent to IDHS/SUPR and the Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA) for the procurement process. Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for approved recommendations will be tentatively released next two months. The RCAA will hold meetings about should be included in the NOFOs and will provide technical assistance to help organizations respond to NOFOs. The funding structure for settlement funds will not include fee-for-service contracts. Applications will be carefully reviewed to ensure equitable funding across the state.
- Dr. Pickett and Ms. Campos reviewed State Overdose Action Plan (SOAP) Priority #2, Promote equitable organizational practices by hiring and paying a living wage to PWUD, people in recovery, and people who have criminal justice record, and the three initiatives recommended under this priority: (1) offer training and technical assistance to employers to support recovery-friendly workplaces and cultures and ensure equitable work environments for people in recovery; (2) provide ongoing training on culturally-competent and trauma-informed care for staff delivering state-funded services; and (3) incorporate living wages, particularly for PWUD, people in recovery, and people who have criminal justice records, into the rate structure for state-funded services. Current activities that fall under these initiatives include the Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) Success Program, various recovery conferences (e.g., RecoverCon), and rate increases for non-Medicaid SUD services. The working group discussed potential recommendations related to this priority:
- The importance of employee retention in the behavioral health workforce was discussed, including wage and benefit enhancements for state-funded employees. It was noted that competitors in the private sector are poaching employees by offering better pay and benefits. Ms. Campos inquired about settlement fund stipulations related to wage increases. Dr. Pickett will reach out to Sherrine Peyton, State Opioid Settlement Advisor (SOSA), for clarification.
- A dilemma that larger organizations face is applying for projects that use different funding streams and having to dovetail new opportunities that selectively increase salaries for some staff, but not others. This often leads to competition between programs that are offered in a provider's continuum of care and can also leave existing employees feeling devalued. A potential recommendation would be to provide a capacity grant (that would not require legislation) that could increase or supplement existing fee-for-service contracts by providing additional funding to subsidize cost of living wages and rising expenses related to fringe benefits (e.g., health insurance) that have a positive impact on retention.
- It was noted that the workforce focused on abating opioid-related issues is very broad, vast, and has several different funding streams. There are smaller, grass roots organizations that are providing newer types of recognized services (e.g., harm reduction and recovery support services) that are not eligible for fee-for-service contracts. These organizations might be able to offer competitive wages, but they are not in the position to provide benefits (e.g., health insurance, 401K, etc.). Funding mechanisms should consider how these smaller agencies can compete with larger, more traditional treatment providers.
- Strategies for improving employee retention outside of wage and benefit enhancements were discussed (e.g., professional development opportunities). NOFOs could incorporate a comprehensive workplace package that includes a living/thriving/competitive wage (which still needs to be clearly defined), benefits, and other initiatives that contribute to employee retention.
- Recommendations concerning pay and benefits of CRSS workers were discussed:
- Setting a compensation standard for various positions, credentials, and (lived or work) experience.
- Funding to establish a statewide peer support wellness program or mutual aid network for CRSS.
- Revising drug testing requirements of CRSS. SAMHSA currently puts the decision whether to do CRSS drugs screens in the hands of the individual agency; however, there are numerous qualified CRSS that don't meet traditional abstinence requirements often implemented at larger treatment agencies.
Public Participation
* Stacy Seitz, Centerstone, shared that she appreciated hearing about the progress that is being made in workforce development and infrastructure.
OSF Core Abatement Strategy Recommendation Form
* Dr. Pickett reviewed the Opioid Settlement Funding (OSF) Core Abatement Strategy Recommendation form. It is the shared responsibility of the working group to complete this form for each recommendation put forward to the IORAB. The form is intended to facilitate requests and thorough information for the Office of Opioid Overdose Administration (OOSA) and consideration for the IORAB. A copy of the form will be distributed to working group members after the meeting.
Adjourn
Ms. Passetti made a motion to adjourn the meeting. All working group members in attendance voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed. Ms. Campos reminded members that recommendations put forward at the next IORAB meeting in January must be finalized in October. Ms. Campos thanked participants and adjourned the meeting.
The Workforce Development and Infrastructure Working Group meets the second Monday of every month. The second Monday of October is a federal holiday. The working group agreed to meet instead on Thursday, October 12, 2023 from 11 am-12 pm.
