CCIP Agenda and Minutes - 06/24/2024

AGENDA

June 24, 2024; 9:00 AM

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Meeting Password: i7gPqeVXT32

  1. Welcome
  2. Approving Minutes
  3. Reminder on Mandatory Trainings
  4. Introduction of New Members
  5. Update on Appointments
  6. Reviewing Draft Implementation Plans
  7. Discussing Outstanding Implementation Plan Sections
  8. Next Working Group Session
  9. Public Comment*
  10. Adjourn

* If you would like to submit a public comment, please email your comment to James.H.Pagano@illinois.gov by 8:00 AM on Friday, June 21, 2024.

MINUTES

  • Welcome
    • Roll Call
    • Reminder for Commission members to complete their trainings.
    • Introduce Michael Harrell from Precious Blood Ministry, a non-profit in Back of the Yards which works with justice-impacted individuals
    • Introduce Alexis Mansfield, a senior advisor in Children and Family Issues from the Women's Justice Institute and a senior attorney for the Incarcerated Survivors Project at Ascend Justice
  • Update on Commission Vacancies
    • James Pagano noted that there are four slots remaining on the commission and asked that the commission members make suggestions for filling those slots.
  • Review of Commission Mission and Timeline
    • James Pagano re-iterated the mission of CCIP: responsible for creating a strategic roadmap to realize the recommendations of the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents. The Commission does not have to implement those recommendations and will write strategic plans based on the established recommendations, regardless of personal opinions about the recommendations. This distinction is important, so we wanted to make it clear.
    • Three strategic plans were submitted for review at today's meeting. The rest will be moved to smaller working group meetings.
  • Discussion on Strategic Plan for Child-Friendly Visitation Rooms from the Visitation Working Group (Michael Grey)
    • Matthew Grey provided an overview of his strategic plan, which had been shared with the Commission prior to this meeting. The plan provides a definition for aspects of visitation which relate to child comfort and noted that some areas of the state will require significant funding in order to meet his recommendations.
    • Sophia Manuel passed along the recommendations to her colleagues at IDOC who have prior experience designing child-friendly facilities. She noted that they felt positively about the strategic plan, and made some recommendations to add additional staff and reduce the projected budget for some areas.
    • Jim Kaitschuk: there is a big disparity between facilities in the state, especially between prisons and jails. Jails already face challenges in workforce and facilities which would make these recommendations difficult to implement.
    • Jenny Vollen-Katz responded to Jim Kaitschuk, noting that while visitation might look different in jails, there are improvements which can be made.
    • Jenny Vollen Katz recommended that the strategic plan involve consulting with experts in child development generally or child development in carceral spaces. She also suggested that the Commission implement a period of public comment before moving forward with the strategic plan.
    • She also noted that child-friendly spaces often focus primarily on young children and urged the Commission to also consider how to engage older children and teenagers through bonding activities such as video games.
    • Rachel Koch: formerly incarcerated parents looking to reunite with their children face difficulties in getting visits to "count" as progress in the parent-child relationship. According to the court system, visits don't "count" unless there is someone there to make official observations and document the visit. She also noted that while parent coaching is recommended for reunification, incarcerated parents often do not have access to these resources.
    • Matthew Grey responded to Rachel Koch, noting that DCFS policy requires documentation of the visit but acknowledged that documentation often does not occur. He mentioned the Incarcerated Parent Advocacy Program at DCFS as a potential resource.
    • Alexis Mansfield is testifying in Washington, D.C. on foster youth visiting incarcerated parents. She also responded to Jim Kaitschuk, noting that the initial period of separation is a critical time for parent-child relationships.
    • Michelle Grove: DCFS is partnering with IDOC to provide education to counselors and will hold educational webinars related to CPS and foster care.
  • Discussion on Strategic Plan for Data-Sharing Models to Keep Families Together from the Policy and Communications Working Group (Sophia Manuel and Jenny Vollen-Katz)
    • Sophia Manuel provided an overview of the strategic plan, which involves a centralized database for multiple facilities/agencies in order to add the proximity of children as a factor when determining where to place a parent. The plan also recommends a process for verifying relationships between family members.
    • Sophia Manuel: What would be an external agency which would have information about where children and families reside?
    • Rachel Koch: in order to ensure that visits can be used as evidence of relationship progress for a court-involved family, the State's Attorney, Cook County Public Guardian, and public defenders would all need access.
    • Michael Harrell: DOC is currently reluctant to accommodate incarcerated parents' desires to be close to children. He also noted that verification may be especially difficult for families facing housing insecurity and that any policy should allow for frequent changes in residency.
    • Sophia Manuel: this is an opportunity to make a direct recommendation to the Transfer Coordinator's Office related to the priority of children's proximity.
    • Jenny Vollen-Katz: strategic plan must consider which information is critical and provide context upfront, as some will be reluctant to share family information.
  • Discussion on Strategic Plan from the Government Policy and Communications Working Group (Mary Morrissey and Rachel Koch)
    • No Comments.
  • Discussion on Next Steps for the Commission
    • James Pagano noted that out of the 21 task force recommendations, only 8 strategic plans have been drafted. He acknowledged that some strategic plans are more difficult to develop than others and asked the Commission to review their outstanding implementation plans.
    • James will send out a poll this week to set up working group meetings to occur in late July or early August. Drafts for the outstanding strategic plans will be discussed in these meetings.
  • Public Comment
    • Xochitl Guerrero, a member of the public, asked if the Commission group could recommend that the rebuild of Logan and Stateville occur closer to Chicago.
    • Alexis Mansfield believes that the Commission could make that recommendation, but noted that they are already recommending that smaller, local facilities be built.
  • Adjourn