Opioid Steering Committee Minutes 02.25.2025

Governor's Opioid Overdose Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee

Meeting Minutes

Juliana Stratton - Lt. Governor
Dr. Sameer Vohra - Director, Department of Public Health
Dulce Quintero - Secretary, Department of Human Services

1st Quarterly Meeting Pursuant to Executive Order 2023-08

Date and Time

February 25, 2025
10:00 - 11:30 AM Central Time

Meeting Location

In-Person Meeting
Chicago Meeting Location: 401 S. Clinton Street, 7th Floor Executive Conference Room
Springfield Meeting Location: 100 S. Grand Avenue East, 3rd Floor Executive Conference Room
While this meeting was in person, remote participation was available via Webex.

Governor's Opioid Overdose Prevention & Recovery Steering Committee 2 25 2025 Meeting Minutes 2

Roll Call

Voting Members

  Name   Organization  Present   Absent
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (chair) Lt. Governor   X
Secretary Dulce Quintero Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS)   X
Director Dr. Sameer Vohra (co-chair) Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)   X
Director Brendan Kelly Illinois State Police (ISP)   X
Dr. Arvind Goyal (representing Director Whitehorn) Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHFS)   X
Luke Tomsha Public Member, The Perfectly Flawed Foundation   X
Sherie Arriazola-Martinez Public Member, Illinois Opioid Crisis Response Advisory Council Member   X

Other State Agencies Represented

  Name   Organization  Present   Absent
Director Rafael Rivera IDHS/Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR)   X
Director Heidi Mueller Illinois Department of Children and Family Services  
Jessica Reichert Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA)  
Debi Joy (Representing Acting Director Vickery) Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice   X
Tiffany Clark (Representing Acting Director Latoya Hughes) Illinois Department of Corrections   X

  1. Call to Order and Welcome

    1. Lt Governor Stratton called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM.

  2. Roll call

    1. Dr. Sue Pickett of Advocates for Human Potential Inc. (AHP) conducted roll call.
    2. A quorum was established.
      1. Lt Governor Stratton discussed the open meetings act (OMA) which indicates that a majority of members of a public body must be physically present at the location of an open meeting. If a quorum of the members is physically present, the public body can allow a member of the body to attend the meeting by video or audio when the member cannot physically attend because of personal illness or disability, employment or the business of the public body, a family or other emergency, or unexpected childcare obligations. Lt Governor Stratton stated that she was unable to attend this meeting in person due to unexpected childcare obligations. She asked for a motion to allow her to attend this meeting virtually as the Chair.
        1. Dr. Goyal made a motion.
        2. Ms. Arriazola-Martinez seconded.
        3. Lt Governor Stratton, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, Ms. Arriazola Martinez, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor.
        4. No opposition
        5. No abstention

  3. Approval of the Agenda and November 7, 2024 Meeting Minutes

    1. Motioned by Mr. Tomsha
    2. Seconded by Dr. Goyal
    3. Lt Governor Stratton, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, Ms. Arriazola Martinez, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor.
    4. No opposition
    5. No abstention

  4. Chairs' Remarks

    1. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton

      1. The Lt Governor acknowledged that we are in an unpredictable moment in history. In the past few weeks, the White House administration has made changes to many aspects of government including cuts to health and human service agencies. These changes have made many people's jobs more difficult. Ms. Stratton thanked everyone for their continued work and dedication to serving communities. The Lt Governor stated that she and Governor Pritzker will not waiver in their advocacy for services for all Illinoisans.

    2. Director Dr. Sameer Vohra

      1. Dr. Vohra acknowledged that it is a tumultuous time for both the government and Illinois residents. IDPH remains committed to being an ally for the health and wellness of all Illinoisians. IDPH's statewide health improvement plan continues to prioritize health and wellness, including mental health and substance use. IDPH will continue to highlight health equity as integral to a healthy community. Director Vohra stated that he recently extended the opioid reversal agent standing order which allows pharmacists, pharmacies, overdose education and naloxone distribution programs, and schools to obtain and distribute opioid reversal agents.
      2. Dr. Vohra stated that IDPH has released the Statewide Semiannual Overdose Report: January 2025, which describes a downward trend in overdose fatalities in 2023. The decrease in overdose fatalities cannot be tied to one effort but may be associated with the joint effort of communities, families, and organizations across the state. The presentation at today's meeting and the recommendations that will be discussed highlight the importance of community efforts.

    3. Secretary Dulce Quintero

      1. Secretary Quintero thanked Director Vohra and Lt Governor Stratton for their work. Secretary Quintero announced that Dr. Rafael Rivera accepted the position of interim Director at Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR). The Secretary thanked Laura Garcia, the previous director, who will continue at IDHS/SUPR by leading work focused on Medicaid
      2. Secretary Quintero stated that Governor Pritzker recently signed an executive order that combines the IDHS Divisions of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery and Mental Health into one division which will be called the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. This change is subject to review by the General Assembly. If approved, the merging of these divisions will occur in July
      3. Secretary Quintero announced that Dr. Inger Burnett-Ziegler has been hired as chief behavioral health officer (CBHO) of the Office of the Illinois Governor
      4. Secretary Quintero expressed gratitude for the efforts of the Illinois government and community agencies which have contributed to reductions in drug overdose fatalities. Secretary Quintero encouraged people to read the Illinois Remediation Funds State Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report which provides an overview of the activities of the Illinois opioid remediation advisory board (IORAB) during state fiscal year 2024. The Secretary described the Illinois Opioid Response Advisory Council which includes representatives from the government and community and convenes quarterly to raise awareness about local and state opioid initiatives
      5. Secretary Quintero stated that during this meeting, the Steering Committee will review two recommendations to address disparities in access to services, including a recommendation to support housing for people struggling with substance use.

  5. New Business

    • Welcome Dr. Inger Burnett-Ziegler, Chief Behavioral Health Officer (CBHO), Office of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker

      1. The Lieutenant Governor introduced Dr. Burnett-Ziegler, who is the State's new CBHO. Dr. Burnett-Ziegler also will serve as the chair of the IORAB. Dr. Burnett-Ziegler thanked the Lt Governor, Director Vohra, and Secretary Quintero for their introductions and stated that she is pleased to be joining this team.

    • Healing-Centered Illinois: Task Force Recommendations and Next Steps: Karen Galbraith, Project Coordinator, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

      1. The Lt Governor discussed an article entitled Opioids have been Killing the Same Generation of Black men in Chicago for Decades that was published in the Chicago Sun Times. This article describes how Black men born between 1951 and 1970 are at the greatest risk of dying from overdoses and that limited resources have been provided to support this group in Illinois or across the United States. Ms. Stratton requested that a member of her team share this article with the group.
      2. The Lt Governor described her work chairing the Illinois Healing-Centered Task Force (Task Force) to create a blueprint for the state to become trauma-informed and healing-centered. Ms. Stratton emphasized the importance of not only acknowledging trauma but also healing in their work. The Lt Governor introduced Karen Galbraith from ICJIA, a member of Task Force, who provided a presentation about its work.
      3. Ms. Galbraith began her presentation by providing a link to the 2024 Healing Centered Illinois Task Force Final Report which describes the Task Force's activities and outlines its recommendations for a healing-centered Illinois.
      4. Ms. Galbraith shared that the Task Force was created by a bill passed in August 2023 by the Governor's Office's Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative. The goal of the Task Force was to build on ongoing work in Illinois to create trauma-informed and healing-centered systems. A primary goal of the Task Force was to promote alignment across efforts and identify areas of growth related to the impact of intergenerational trauma with a focus on applying trauma-informed and healing-centered principles to the policy-making process. The diverse membership of the Task Force included legislators, state agencies, community-based organizations, behavioral and mental health providers, educators, and people with lived expertise. The Task Force focused on trauma and its impact on people across the lifespan, rather than specifically on children and youth.
      5. The Task Force included five subcommittees: Community Engagement, Workforce Development& Training, Data & Evaluation, Implementation & Sustainability, and Policy & Systems Change. The subcommittees included people who were not Task Force members but could provide expertise. The Task Force met monthly, and the subcommittees met twice per month. The focus of this work was shared learning from people across sectors who were infusing trauma-informed and healing-centered practices into their work.
      6. The Task Force used strategies to ensure enhanced engagement and was trauma-informed and healing-centered. To do this, they emphasized transparency and accessibility through using strategies such as ensuring meetings were held at flexible times and allowing in-person and virtual meeting participation, maintaining consistent point people for the Task Force and subcommittees, and offering consistent drop-in hours for members to ask questions and offer ideas. Task Force leadership maintained a shared drive housing all relevant documents, conducted focus groups to get feedback from community members, and held circles outside of official meetings to provide opportunities for people to build relationships.
      7. Task Force recommendations include a focus on best practices, the importance of equity and inclusion and valuing community voice and lived experience. Recommendations were categorized into the following themes: (1) public awareness and education-- building knowledge of trauma-informed and healing-centered principles; (2) data and evaluation-- providing information about the current state of the work and what change is happening or needed; (3) workforce development and training-- expanding the pipeline for professionals, increasing access to professional development and training; (4) implementation and sustainability-- creating a coordinating body to continue this work by developing a timeline for implementation and leading collaboration and coordination to achieve goals; (5) funding-- developing strategies to secure funding to continue this work; and (6) policies and protocols-- methods to integrate trauma-informed and healing-centered principles into policies, protocols, and practices. Additional information about the recommendations is available in the final report.
      8. Ms. Galbraith stated that there is a need to continue engagement, collaboration, and coordination across the state to ensure that people have access to trauma-informed and healing-centered systems and services. The Task Force is strategizing next steps to build momentum to create a coalition and a coordinating body to continue this work. Ms. Galbraith encouraged listeners to access a survey via QR code that will allow them to provide their contact information to receive updates about statewide initiatives, events, and opportunities to collaborate.
      9. Lt Governor Stratton thanked Ms. Galbraith for her presentation and stated that people could contact her team for the Task Force's report.

    • Office of Attorney General Kwame Raoul, National Opioid Settlements Updates: Andrea Law, Deputy Bureau Chief, Health Care Bureau

      1. Ms. Law presented the list of finalized opioid settlements. She stated that the settlement with Kroger was finalized in January. This settlement will bring nearly $41 Million (M) to Illinois, and $22.5M to the IORAB, over an eleven-year period.
      2. Ms. Law described other ongoing developments. In June 2024, the Supreme Court dissolved the bankruptcy plan for Purdue Pharma and parties have been engaged in mediation to reach a new agreement. There is an agreement in principle, if finalized it will bring up to $154M to Illinois over a 15-year period. Additional updates about when it may be finalized should be available soon.
      3. To date more than $243M has been disbursed into the Illinois opioid remediation fund. Current projections show an estimate of $795M to be disbursed through 2038. These numbers include the Kroger settlement but not the Purdue Pharma settlement as it has not been finalized.

    • Office of Opioid Settlement Administration Updates: Verella Olguin, Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator, Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

      1. The Lt Governor reviewed the voting process. Ms. Verella Olguin will review the first recommendation. The Steering Committee should ask any questions they might have about this recommendation. Then Ms. Olguin will review the second recommendation, and the Steering Committee should ask any questions they might have about this recommendation. After these questions have concluded, the voting process will begin.
      2. Ms. Olguin introduced herself as the new statewide opioid settlement administrator (SOSA) and provided an update about recommendations for the use of the opioid settlement funding. Ms. Olguin reviewed the approved recommendations including Community Intervention Services, Access Narcan, the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (ILPMP), intra-muscular (IM) Naloxone, opioid abatement strategies effectiveness evaluator (OASEE), and community outreach and recovery supports (CORS). These recommendations have been awarded, and programs have started. The ILPMP has joined IDHS/SUPR and will no longer receive opioid settlement funding. A recommendation for Treatment for Incarcerated Populations has been awarded via an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Pregnant and Post-partum People and their Families, Warm Handoff programs and Recovery Services, BASE Prevention Programs, and Mobile Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR) have been awarded with programs to begin soon. A second notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for Mobile MAR was issued and funds will be awarded soon. A NOFO for the Opioid Training and Technical Assistance Center (OTTAC) has closed and applications are under review. The Harm Reduction NOFO known as SAFE is open and available on the Illinois Regional Care Coordination Agency (RCCA) website. NOFOs for recommendations for Tribal Community Services, Youth and Family Services, Contingency Management, and Telehealth Expansion are in development and will be published on the RCCA website.
      3. Ms. Olguin described the fiscal status of the remediation fund. The annual allocation amount which is the grand total of funding divided by eighteen fiscal years has increased to $44M per year due to the additional settlements in fiscal year 2024. The current expenditure is $34M. Any unspent money goes into the one-time investment fund which has a current balance of $56.4M excluding recommendations to be discussed today
      4. Ms. Olguin reminded the Steering Committee about the Illinois Remediation Funds State Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report.
      5. Ms. Olguin described Recommendation A: Capital Investment. This recommendation seeks to add a funding amount of $20M to a previously approved recommendation for capital investment. It should be noted that IDHS/SUPR must have a partner agency to implement housing recommendations. Due to restrictions on the partner State agency, only permanent supportive housing (PSH) is being requested currently. IDHS/SUPR will continue to build partnerships to fund other types of housing. This recommendation proposes that $20M of the one-time fund be used to create PSH for individuals with opioid and other substance use disorders that also experience homelessness. Housing is a critical factor for harm reduction and recovery from opioid use and other substance use disorders. PSH has been shown to reduce chronic homelessness. Lt Governor Stratton opened the floor for discussion of Recommendation A.
    • Discussion:
      1. Lt Governor Stratton asked if this recommendation was beyond the scope of the State Opioid Action Plan as the funded PSH could be used by individuals with substance use disorders other than opioid use disorder. Ms. Olguin responded that the recommendation remained within the scope
      2. Lt Governor Stratton asked how the amount of $20M was determined. Director Rivera responded that this amount was determined by looking at costs for similar existing projects, including those of a sister agency. He clarified that housing funded through this money did not need to be built from the ground up but could be created through rehabilitation of existing buildings
      3. A Steering Committee member expressed excitement about the recommendation and asked if there would be a requirement for people who use the housing to be in treatment. Lt Governor Stratton asked if this requirement would result in a change to the recommendation. The Steering Committee member clarified that his comment was a suggestion for the NOFO which would not change the recommendation
      4. A Steering Committee member expressed gratitude for the prioritization of housing and asked for the identity of the partnering organization. Ms. Olguin responded that the organization was the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IDHA). The Steering Committee member stated that it is difficult for organizations that are not established PSH providers to move into work in this area. She referenced experience with an organization serving people involved in the justice system that had difficulty obtaining and implementing awards from IDHA. She expressed concern that smaller grassroots agencies will be unable to get these awards and that they will solely go to larger established PSH providers. She asked if there are other organizations such as the Capital Development board that could partner with IDHS/SUPR for housing projects and if the group could consider funding additional types of housing such as medical respite, transitional, and recovery housing. The Steering Committee member asked how they would ensure that people offered residences in the PSH would reflect the characteristics of the community they served. The Steering Committee member described that the Housing First model does not require people to be sober before obtaining housing. Ms. Olguin responded that the content of the recommendation was already approved and that there will be conversations about supporting other models of housing. Lt Governor Stratton acknowledged that due to the grant application process, larger organizations may be more likely to receive funding. She noted that in other work she had addressed this issue through providing more time for organizations to apply and offering training and technical assistance. She described that ICJIA has an effort to help grassroots organizations apply for funding that could provide support.
      5. Lt Governor Stratton asked for a motion to vote for approval of Recommendation A. Capital Investment.
      1. Motioned by Luke Tomsha
      2. Seconded by Secretary Dulce Quintero
      3. Lt Governor Stratton, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, Ms. Arriazola Martinez, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor of the recommendation
      4. No opposition
      5. No abstention
      6. The recommendation was approved.
    2. Recommendation B: Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS)
      1. Ms. Olguin described this recommendation, which will provide $18M over 3 years ($6M per year) to fund 1-3 OPS in Illinois, prioritizing placing OPS in areas with high rates of overdoses and in historically underserved communities. The IORAB voted to increase funding for this recommendation from the original amount of $1.5M or $500,000 per year. OPS provide individuals with a safe, hygienic space to consume pre-obtained drugs and access harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and other support services. No overdose deaths have been associated with OPS and research indicates they are associated with improved outcomes. Lieutenant Governor Stratton opened the floor for discussion.
  • Discussion:
    1. Lt Gov Stratton asked for more information about why the IORAB increased the amount of funding. Ms. Olguin explained that the initial recommendation proposed $1.5M for three years or $500,000 per year to support one pilot OPS. At their January 30th meeting, the IORAB increased funding to $18M for three years or $6M per year to support one to three pilot OPS. The amount of funding was increased in response to discussion that additional funds were needed to support an OPS based on estimated costs for OPS in other states. Secretary Quintero asked Dr. Burnett-Ziegler, who attended the meeting, if she could add additional details about this substantial funding increase. Dr Burnett-Ziegler explained that the motion to modify the recommendation was based on the belief that there was sufficient data to move past piloting an OPS to building fully operational OPS. Dr. Burnett-Ziegler stated that while there is substantial data to support the efficacy of OPS, she would request that the recommendation go back to the IORAB for additional discussion about the funding amount requested. She noted that the IORAB and its Working Groups had completed substantial research to determine the funding amount of $500,000 per year for 3 years and additional consideration was needed prior to increasing that amount.
    2. A Steering Committee member described two concerns related to the OPS recommendation. First, the need to ensure that people who use OPS are protected from criminalization and second, the need to consider values-based funding where a portion of grant funding is distributed only if projects reach their outcome goals.
    3. A Steering Committee member expressed support for OPS but noted that there was a 2020 report that some residents West Side of Chicago residents had concerns about OPS sites due to the potential that they would increase in drug sales. She asked about any updates related to community concerns. Dr. Burnett-Ziegler acknowledged this concern and stated that having consideration of community response to the OPS was part of reasoning behind funding a pilot OPS first to test community response before investing in a fully funded OPS.
    4. Lt Governor Stratton asked for a motion related Recommendation B to provide $18M over three years to fund 1-3 OPS pilot sites.
      1. Secretary Dulce Quintero made a motion that in light of the changes from the original proposal, both in the potential number of sites and the potential level of funding, the recommendation should be referred back in order for IDHS/SUPR and the CBHO, Dr. Inger Burnett-Ziegler, to provide further analysis of the site and funding scenarios for the Advisory Board's review and consideration.
      2. Dr. Goyal seconded the motion. 
        1. Discussion:
        2. A Steering Committee member noted that sending the recommendation back did not indicate a lack of support for an OPS but rather a need to ensure that OPS in Illinois are implemented correctly with legal protection for OPS staff and clients
      3. Lt Governor Stratton called for a vote on the motion to send Recommendation B back to IDHS/SUPR and Dr. Burnett-Ziegler for further analysis.
        1. Lt. Governor Stratton, Secretary Dulce Quintero, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, Ms. Arriazola Martinez, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor of the recommendation.
        2. No opposition
        3. No abstention
        4. The motion for Recommendation B to be returned for further analysis passed.

VI. Member Updates

  1. Lt Governor Stratton asked that the updates from Steering Committee members be submitted to Nikki Giancola Shanks or Dr. Sue Pickett.

VII. Public Comment

  1. A member of the public thanked the body for approving the $20M investment into PSH. He stated that Illinois lacks 11,000 units to meet the need for PSH and this investment will help to close that gap.
  2. A member of the public thanked the Lt Governor and the Steering Committee for their work. The member of the public stated that the House behavioral health committee held hearings that were connected to the discussion today. Specifically, they heard about how challenging it is for small harm reduction providers to remain financially viable and the difficulties they have in managing the administrative burden related to grant funding. The public member expressed gratitude for the approval of the housing recommendation and described that in Chicago people without children wait an average of 19 days to get housing and it is often far from their home. PSH that is Housing First and geared towards people who are struggling with opioid use is important. The member of the public stated that there is legislation in the 104th General Assembly that covers OPS operations. The member of the public expressed disappointment that the OPS recommendation would go back to IORAB but positive sentiment that there was support for this effort.
  3. A member of the public shared their opinion that having public comment after voting felt wrong.

VIII. Adjournment

  1. Lt Governor Stratton called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
  2. Motioned by Dr. Goyal.
  3. Seconded by Secretary Quintero.
  4. All in favor
  5. No opposition
  6. No abstention
  7. Lt Governor Stratton adjourned the meeting at 11:39 AM. The next meeting will be held May 8, 2025, from 10:00 - 11:30 AM