Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board
Access & Equity Working Group Meeting
December 12, 2023
Virtual Meeting Held Via Zoom
Meeting Minutes
Access and Equity Working Group Members
Joel K. Johnson, TASC, Inc. (Chair)
David Gomel, PhD, Rosecrance
Mike Tyson, Take Action Today
Shane Pettigrew, Illinois State Police
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
Charles Stratton, Department of Human Resources, Sangamon County
James L. Grafton, Administrator, Rock Island County
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. Jonnell Benson-Cobbs, Debbie Holsapple, Diana Bottari, Mark Mulroe, and Michael Wahl were not present. All other members were present. Quorum was established.
Review and Approval of November 14, 2023 Meeting Minutes
The November 14, 2023 meeting minutes were reviewed. There were no edits to the meeting minutes. Mr. Johnson called for a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Mr. Stratton made a motion to approve the meeting minutes. Dr. Gomel 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
Jim Wilkerson, MS, LCPC, Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR), introduced himself. He is temporarily filling the role of Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator (SOSA).
Ms. Campos provided an update on the Workforce Development & Infrastructure working group's recommendation regarding the need for support for training, dedicated supervision, and scholarships and stipends for entry-level and early career clinicians, peer support specialists, harm reduction providers and individuals working toward licensure or certification.
Another priority is to support smaller organizations, such as those conducting harm reduction work, in applying for settlement funds. The group discussed how to support smaller organizations in applying for settlement funds:
- Mr. Wilkerson and Dr. Rafael Rivera, IDHS/SUPR Chief of Staff, stated that all recommendations must abide by Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) rules and are subject to procurement.
- A fiscal agent agreement in which small organizations work through a larger organization may allow small organizations to receive settlement funds.
- Funding from a grantee to a subrecipient must follow the same state and federal rules.
- The group could consider drafting a recommendation related to fiscal agents supporting organizations that need additional infrastructure to meet GATA rules and procurement criteria.
- Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) should state that organizations may work with a subcontractor or partner so that organizations work together early in the process.
- The application should be easy to respond to so smaller organizations without a dedicated grant writer can apply.
- Funding should go to the organizations that have a history of conducting the work.
- Education should be provided so that small organizations know this funding exists. Well-established organizations may be able to indicate which organizations are missing from the table.
- People who have lived experience should be included in writing NOFOs and the decision-making process.
The working group will review the approved uses for settlement funds and develop a recommendation related to these issues at the next meeting.
The Workforce Development & Infrastructure working group's recommendation was discussed. The recommendation is: Provide funding to support paid training experiences such as field training, scholarships and the expansion of dedicated supervision including but not limited to entry-level and early career clinicians, peer support specialists, harm reduction providers, and individuals working toward licensure or certification. Provide this funding statewide but prioritize rural and underserved communities.
- Mr. Johnson said the recommendation is aligned with access and equity, and the working group could cosign this recommendation.
- Mr. Tyson made a motion to support the recommendation. Ms. Campos seconded the motion. All present voted in favor of the motion. The motion carried.
The group asked questions about opioid settlement funding (OSF), and NOFOs.
- A question was asked about the NOFOs already issued. Dr. Pickett and Dr. Rivera explained that no NOFOs have been issued. The Steering Committee approved recommendations in late 2022 and early 2023 to expand existing services. Grant agreements were awarded to organizations that provide those existing services (see Settlement Information - Illinois Department of Human Service for more information). No one missed any opportunities to apply for NOFOs.
- A question was asked about funding for Emergent Devices. Funding for Emergent Devices was for Access Narcan and approved before intramuscular naloxone was approved by the Steering Committee. If anyone has further questions about this, Dr. Rivera can be emailed at rafael.rivera@illinois.gov.
* An entity that had a grant agreement with SUPR received a smaller amount of funding than expected and received opioid settlement funding, and a working group member asked why this occurred. Dr. Rivera said this was their grant agreement was adjusted after some funding was not used. The adjustment was timed to reduce administrative burden, such that the OSF was provided at the same time the SUPR funding was right-sized. This was not a supplanting of dollars.
Public Participation
A member of the public asked which organizations are providing education about Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) through the state. Dr. Pickett said the West Side Heroin/Opioid Task Force is providing OPS education. A working group member said the education is mostly occurring on the west side of Chicago.
Adjourn
Mr. Johnson asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Ms. Campos made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Werning 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 January 9, 2023, from 10:30am-11:30am.
