CESSA - Region 8 Committee Meeting Approved Minutes 12/19/2024

Community Emergency Services and Support Act (CESSA) Region 8 Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes - December 19, 2024

Meeting Minutes - Approved by Members 01/16/2025

  • Welcome and Call to Order (Roll Call)
    • Lori Carnahan opens the meeting at 1:34pm.
  • Open Meetings Act
    • Lori Carnahan read the instructions regarding the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
    • The group was informed that the meeting was being recorded.
  • Approval of the Minutes from previous meeting
    • We have minutes to approve from October and November.
    • We did not have a quorum, so minutes will be approved at the next meeting.
  • State Updates
    • Reminder that RAC members need to complete the mandatory trainings by the end of the year: https://OneNet.Illinois.gov/MyTraining
      • Brenda shared how many trainings have been completed by all RAC members so far.
    • The PowerPhone pilot is scheduled to start at the end of January. The other two pilots will start early to mid-March. Pre-tests will be completed beforehand. All 3 pilots will be completed by the end of June.
    • Centerstone will remain the 988 center for the 911 transfers for all pilots under the state updates.
  • Pre-Test Learnings
    • Pre-Test
      • Completed mid-October
      • Finding presented to SAC, PSTSC and RACs
      • Recommendations to address findings presented to PSTSC 11/7 and 11/21
      • Some pre-test recommendations approved by PSTSC on 11/21/2024
      • Ad Hoc Workgroup to be convened 12/16 to discuss outstanding issues and provide recommendations to PSTSC
      • Added members to Ad Hoc PowerPhone Workgroup to assure representation of all viewpoints
    • Use of Protocols
      • EMD vs. Law Enforcement Protocols and Implications
      • Use of PowerPhone Protocols at Initiation of calls
      • Recording of call Information in CAD systems
      • "Third party" crisis calls to PSAPs
      • "Welfare Check" Protocol
    • PSAP Operations
      • PowerPhone protocols are not uniformly accessed by Telecommunicators answering calls.
      • ETSBs may opt not to participate in CESSA although required by statute.
      • Unions may impact changes in PSAP operations including the use of modified protocols.
      • PSAP administrators noted that the number and type of calls received varies based upon such factors as time of year, PSAP location (urban vs rural vs suburban and combinations thereof), and population served.
      • The extent to which protocol vendor software is activated at the start of a call varies.
    • Training
      • PSAP administrators convene periodic meetings with telecommunicators to update them on operational changes.
      • PSAP administrators prefer brief "to the point" training.
      • PSAP administrators reported augmenting PPT training with scenarios, highlighting types of callers appropriate for transfer to 988 for MCRT response.
      • It is unclear how effective the training provided by PSAP administrators was in conveying the intent of CESSA as well as the need to utilize the protocols updated by the P&S workgroup.
      • Although the pre-test PSAP administrators were part of the workgroup making modifications to the protocols, we did not realize until the Pre-tests were initiated that most of the modified protocols would not be used by telecommunicators.
    • Data Collection and Referral
      • During the pre-test period, there were fewer calls related to mental health issues than were anticipated based on national benchmarks/data.
      • Most calls identified as mental health related were ruled out as appropriate for transfer to 988 for MCRT response. Law enforcement was subsequently dispatched.
      • It is labor intensive for PSAP Administrators to review BH related calls to determine if calls could have been referred to 988 for MCRT response; The PowerPhone vendor has developed a report that has been deployed to the Pre-test PSAP Administrators which should help to address this issue.
    • Organizational Change/Cultural Change Issues
      • TC's have decades of experience in dispatching LE, EMS, fire so adding a 4th dispatch option is a technical and cultural change that will take time to implement.
      • 911 TCs, 988 crisis counselors and MCRT staff may not be aware of each entity's strengths and experiences in working with individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.
      • CESSA requires major system and organizational changes as well as a change in the "mindset" of line staff with "boots on the ground." This level of change does not occur in a brief period of time such as the 45-day pre-test period.
      • There is widespread lack of information regarding 988. It's difficult to change response to crisis callers if you have little information regarding other components of the crisis system.
    • Member comments
      • Jim Moldenhauer shared his concern on the difficulties of triaging calls with limited staff when they have other emergencies to deal with and there is a person in crisis now. He doesn't think Illinois model is comparable to other states that are making this work right now.
        • Brenda shared that other states are further along and have additional resources that we don't have right now.
  • Pilot Updates
    • PowerPhone/Total Response Pilot Update
      • Challenges Impacting Pilot Initiation
        • Outstanding findings from pre-tests must be addressed
          • Protocols/Incidents
          • Third Party Calls
          • PSAP Operations
        • Modification of 911 dispatch process
          • Update of guidance
          • Review of data collection
      • Pilots are expected to begin late January
        • Will run for three months
      • Pre-Test and Pilot Updates: Priority Dispatch and APCO
        • Priority Dispatch
          • Held follow-up meeting with Priority Dispatch to further clarify questions with their protocol framework
          • Will hold follow up meetings to finalize the Priority Dispatch protocol changes and IRLM mapping in December/January
          • Identification of Pre-test and Pilot Sites
          • Pre-tests expected to begin no later than January/February 2025
          • Pilots to begin shortly thereafter
        • APCO
          • Continued review and finalization of recommendations for modifying protocols
          • Pre-tests expected to begin in February followed by 3-month Pilots
  • Subregional Planning Committees (SRCs)
    • Lori reviewed definitions and responsibilities.
    • The 3 subregional committee recommendation lists have been updated, based on feedback from our last meeting. The updated list was shared with the group.
      • We will double check which group Thrive Counseling in Oak Park should be under.
    • Brenda confirmed that we need a quorum to vote on forming the committees.
    • Jilliane Chuffo confirmed that the independent vendors (subregional committee #3) have full control over changing their scripts.
    • Brenda will follow up on whether scripts can be shared with the other groups and if we could take a vote by quorum by email so that we do not have to delay forming the subregional committees until our January meeting.
    • We are missing representation from the following groups:
      • Representatives of the EMS Medical Directors Committee
      • Representatives of law enforcement officials with jurisdiction in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Regions
      • Advocates from the mental health, behavioral health, intellectual disability, and developmental disability communities
    • Next Steps
      • Finalize subregional committee representatives - consensus to reach out to shared lists
      • Reminder: Complete mandatory State of IL training by December 31, 2024
  • Summit Planning
    • January 2025 meeting - use as virtual summit and open up to stakeholders in the community?
      • Since we may need this meeting for a quorum, Lori and Dr. Graham will discuss an alternative. If we do move forward with this idea, we will reach out on next steps.
  • Next Meeting Date: Thursday, January 16
  • Public Comment
    • Matt Fishback asked about whether Jim Moldenhauer would be comfortable with dual dispatch for some of the examples he shared with the group.
      • Jim Moldenhauer said that the 911 center's responsibility is to send someone to respond and he in concerned that these changes could result in a delayed response to an emergency. He is also worried these extra steps will tie up his call center and delay other responses as well.
      • Brenda wanted to confirm that an elevator call would still go to 911 responders.
  • Adjournment
    • Motion to Adjourn: Jim Moldenhauer
    • Second Motion: Scott Spinazola
    • The meeting was adjourned by Lori Carnahan at 2:13pm.