Illinois Mental Health Planning and Advising Council Meeting Minutes
(approved by Members 03/06/2025)
Council Member Attendees: Amy Starin, Chris O'Hara, Jacob Meeks, Jennifer Mcgowan-Tomke, Jessica Gimeno, Jim Wilkerson, Joan Lodge, Laura Gilbert-Gerber, Lee Ann Reinert, Marianne Bithos, Michelle Churchey-Mims, Nanette Larson, Patty Johnstone, Ray Connor, Ron Melka, Sarah Scruggs, Sarah Robinson Torres, Scott Block, Shane Hasser, Shirley Davis, Sue Schroeder, Thane Dykstra and Tiffany Burnett.
Other Attendees DMH: Director Albert. Christina Smith, Brock Dunlap, Donelle Barnett, Nic Pleske, Lisa Betz, Nanette Larson, Ryan Rollinson, Megan Miller-Attang,
Guest: Veralla Olguin IDHS/SUPR, Dr. Sonja Leathers UIC Director of Behavioral Health Workforce
Call to Order/Introductions: 12:33 pm meeting called to order by Sue Schroeder
Approval of September 5, 2024 Minutes: (All) motion to approve: Ray Connor made a motion to approve (all say aye) minutes approved
Division of Mental Health Report: (Lee Ann Reinert, Christina Smith, Brock Dunlap, Ryan Rollinson, Lisa Betz)
- Director Albert 2025 working towards creating a New Division of Behavioral Health. DHS is working with stakeholders to obtain input and partnering with IHDD to assist with transition. This will be created over a period of years, there will be a new division effective July 1, 2025, but lots of planning will continue throughout the next three years.
- Ryan DMH tax credit when agencies hire individuals with Lived Experience. Tax credit of $1 credit per employee link for more information: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=164783 sent out to council members
- Lee Ann Reinert: 988 access to a dashboard from Vibrant, 92.7% rate in our answer rating. "flow out" calls that do not get answered in IL and have to go to other states to answer, total calls only 98 previously had been in the thousands. This is a huge improvement.
CESSA pilots for the first vendor are set to launch later this month. DMH will begin to start to get data on process and improve where needed. Then the second vendor will pilot after that.
Lee Ann announced her retirement at the end of January 2025. Moving forward Christina Smith will be participating from a block grant perspective. The goal would be to include the information that the sub-committees must include in the block grant application. Metrics for biannual plans are reported by providers who provide care through grant monitoring. Goal not to be an administrative burden to agencies but provide value.
Input from block grant dollars is spent reminder that dollars and block grant plan are not connected. The funds are used to support services and residential services in our state. It ensures individuals with SMI are guaranteed access to this service. Amy asked about metrics and how do providers know that this aligns with the metrics. Lee Ann reported that providers often are not aware of the correlation between DMH metrics and grant reporting. It is collected behind the scenes by individual grant program managers.
- Brock Dunlap-Fiscal Report FY 24 about grant funding and ties into block grant funds. Funding is broken up into 7 different groups.
- Consent Decree $127,655,478 Williams and Colbert
- Crisis Services-$117,733,027
- First Episode Psychosis $5,152,184
- Forensic Community Programs $9,007,999
- General programs-smaller grant $30.4 M
- Residential programs supervised (CILA) and supported $67M
- Special project legislative add-ons $18M.
FY 24 Total Budget=$375.3M.
Amy Starin asked about discretionary lines-cannabis dollars and how are they being spent and if there are other discretionary lines. Brock responded that those funds are General Revenue Fund earmarked a certain amount of $ or portion that DMH receives. That is the bulk of our funding. FY 24 $273.6M were GRF which is the
bulk of those funds.
Michelle Churchey-Mimms inquired about funds or increased investment with the youth population, will this look differently in FY 25? Brock reported that there is not a large fiscal change from FY 24 to FY 25.
DHS/SUPR-Report
- Jim Wilkerson shared information on the Opioid Settlement Funds. Executive order 2-22-19 remediation funding. 9 core abatement strategies that funding will target. State 205, 55% for remediation in grant funding dollars specific for abatement services and local government for 25% (33% including Chicago).
- RCCA 12% (20% Chicago) to administer the grant process and funding. (IORAB) do not supplant funds in IL, are the recommendations filling in gaps, expanding, innovative idea. Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA).
- Donnell Barnett Cannabis Revenue overview "social equity and remedying some effects on the war on drugs are core aspects of the legislation. $114 M reinvestment, $114M state wide budget support, $23M admin, $28M other.
- 20% allocated or 5.5 M directly to drug treatment and 50.7 M in services.
- CRSS for Success program-350 students have completed and 850 are currently enrolled.
Committee Reports:
- C&A (Chair- Michelle Churchey-Mims): Amy Starin reported that the committee did not meet in December due to not meeting OMA. The committee will meet in February.
- Guest-Dr. Sonja Leathers social worker UIC Director of Behavioral Health Workforce Center presented an overview to council members.
- Development Committee: (Chair- Nanette Larson)
- Adult Inpatient (Chair-Shirley Davis): Has not been meeting, next meeting scheduled for Feb. 6 at 10:00am.
- Justice Committee Report: (Chair- Scott Block): Post poned meetings until an overview of the intent of the committee as it pertains to the block grant. Future meetings to be scheduled.
IHFS Report
- Kristine Herman, Bureau Chief IHFS-no report
- Old Business: Several council members report that their stipends are not being processed in a timely manner due to the lag time for verification of meeting attendance and approval of meetings. Joan to receive, approve and submit to DHS stipend requests for the Full Council meetings. Several members continue to express frustration with not receiving the reimbursement forms. The council agreed with DMH input that "Approved" minutes are not required to approve the stipend requests. Melissa Guy to send Joan secretary verification of attendance for Subcommittee meetings for approval and submission to DHS. At the request of council members Joan will forward a copy of the reimbursement forms to the council members.
New Business: none
Public Comment: None
Motion to adjourn: made by Ron Melka Meeting adjourned at 2:45 pm, all aye, motion carried.
Next Council meeting: March 6, 2025
Respectfully submitted,
Joan Lodge, IMHPAC Secretary
