Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board
Access & Equity Working Group Meeting
September 12, 2023
Virtual Meeting Held Via Zoom
Meeting Minutes
Access and Equity Working Group Members
Joel K. Johnson, TASC, Inc. (Chair)
Ty Bechel, Bechel and Associates
David Gomel, PhD, Rosecrance
Mike Tyson, Take Action Today
Shane Pettigrew, Illinois State Police
Rebecca Estrada, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
Jonnell Benson-Cobbs, DPN, Serenity Treatment and Counseling Center
Tim Devitt, PsyD, Private Practice
Gail Richardson, West Side Opioid Task Force
Debbie Holsapple, Jefferson County Comprehensive Services
Michelle Saddler, Kittleman & Associates, LLC
Charles Stratton, Department of Human Resources, Sangamon County
James L. Grafton, Administrator, Rock Island County
Jennifer Lehman, Burlington Community School District
Diana Bottari, MD, Advocate Aurora Health
Blanca Campos, Community Behavioral Healthcare Association
John Werning, Chicago Recovery Alliance
Mark Mulroe, A Safe Haven Foundation
Christopher Hoff, DuPage County Health Department
Michael Wahl, MD, Illinois Poison Center, Illinois Health and Hospital Association
Welcome and Roll Call
Joel Johnson welcomed the group and called the meeting to order. Sue Pickett, PhD of Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. (AHP), facilitator, conducted roll call. Ty Bechel, Mike Tyson, Shane Pettigrew, Rebecca Estrada, Gail Richardson, Debbie Holsapple, Michelle Saddler, Charles Stratton, and Jennifer Lehman were not present. All other members were present. Quorum was established.
Review and Approval of August 8, 2023 Meeting Minutes
The August 8, 2023 meeting minutes were reviewed. There were no edits to the minutes. Mr. Johnson called for a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Ms. Campos made a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Dr. Bottari seconded the motion to approve the meeting minutes. All working group members in attendance voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed.
Priority Recommendations for the IORAB
Mr. Johnson facilitated a discussion around potential strategies to advance Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) in Illinois. Working group members discussed if the strategy required legislation, licensing, or if it could be implemented via pilot. It was suggested that New York's OPS program could serve as a possible example of a non-legislated strategy. Dr. Pickett indicated that educating the community about OPS is Priority #16 in the State Opioid Action Plan. Sherrine Peyton, Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator stated that if the July IORAB recommendations are approved for funding, communities could apply for anti-stigma and communication campaign funds to educate communities about the effectiveness of the OPS strategy. Administrator Peyton stated that if the Working Group wanted to submit a recommendation related to OPS, they need to make sure it aligns with the National Settlement Agreement. She stated that she could help the group with the recommendation.
* Dr. Devitt, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Werning, Mr. Hoff, and Ms. Campos volunteered to assist Ms. Peyton in developing the recommendation. The proposal is expected to be ready for the January IORAB meeting.
There was a discussion about funding accessibility for grassroots and small organizations. Administrator Peyton said that the RCCA is developing a separate online system for Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs).
Administrator Peyton facilitated a discussion about increasing access and equity in funding opportunities for organizations and communities that traditionally are not funded or find it challenging to maintain their funding or grant requirements. The working group made the following suggestions:
- Set aside smaller grants for newer, smaller, or grassroots providers who don't have grant experience; these applications should require less documentation.
- Provide technical assistance on how to respond to a NOFO.
- Consider lump payment upfront for expense-based reimbursement grants.
- Allow as much time as possible between the NOFO announcement and the application due date or provide a NOFO forecast.
- Without violating conflicts of interest, utilize current implementers of the strategy to be NOFO reviewers and subject-matter-experts for the NOFO creation
Announcements
The Governor's Opioid Overdose Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee will meet on September 27; meeting details should be on the website soon. If information is not available, contact Dr. Pickett (spickett@ahpnet.com) and she will forward the Zoom link.
Next Steps
- Administrator Peyton: Harm Reduction strategies should be stressed in the Prevention Program NOFOS (see Approved Use definitions)
- The Working Group will begin crafting a recommendation related to Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) Education (Dr. Devitt, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Werning, Mr. Hoff, and Ms. Campos with Administrator Peyton)
Public Participation
* A member of the public said that grassroots organizations are experts and credible in their communities. The use of grantee mentors or partnerships could be helpful to ensure that grassroot organizations receive funding. This may avoid issues with large organizations that enter a community where they had not previously served, which can circumvent grassroots harm reduction.
Adjourn
Mr. Johnson asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Campos made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Hoff seconded the motion. All working group members present voted in favor of the motion. The motion passed. The next Access & Equity Working Group meeting will be held via Zoom on October 10, 2023, from 10:30am-12:00pm.
