IMHPAC: Development Subcommittee Approved Minutes: 09/24/2025

IMHPAC Development Committee Meeting Minutes

September 24, 2025, 4:00 p.m.

Minutes taken by Nanette Larson and approved by members 10/22/2025.

  1. Roll Call of Members
    1. Nanette Larson - present (remote)
    2. Ray Connor - present (remote)
    3. Fred Friedman - absent
    4. Ron Melka - present (remote)
    5. Sarah Scruggs - absent
  2. Other State Staff Present:
    1. Barbara Hobrock (remote), DHS Director of External Engagement (OMA / Advisory Councils, Task Forces, Boards & Commissions)
    2. Victoria Range-Carr (in person), DBHR Deputy Director Policy Planning & Innovation, Block Grant Planner
    3. Mary Torricelli (in person), Administrative Assistant
    4. Courtney Aidich (in person), Administrative Assistant
  3. Mary Torricelli is the new DBHR Administrative Assistant assigned to work with IMHPAC and its Subcommittees. Mary will be taking over duties previously assigned to Nic Plesche and Courtney Aidich, particularly those related to ensuring compliance with the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Mary will be handling postings to the Open Meetings Page and setting up and hosting Webex meetings for the Council and subcommittees. She will also be maintaining the Excel spreadsheet with the IMHPAC council members, sending reminder emails regarding mandatory trainings, and providing TA as needed when a member has trouble accessing their mandatory annual trainings. Mary can be reached at Mary.Torricelli2@Illinois.gov
  4. Approval of Minutes: No minutes were taken during the most recent meeting (4/9/25), and the meeting was not recorded, so there was no action to take on this item. The last 6 meetings of this committee had to be cancelled due to lack of quorum. During the last meeting of the full Council, the Council chairs appointed Ron Melka to this Subcommittee, so we could move forward with meeting.
  5. Nanette shared the membership changes she has received or been notified of:
    1. The following members have submitted written notice of resignation: Tracy Meinert, Shirley Davis, Mike Davis
    2. The following members are no longer with their respective agencies and can be removed from the membership roster: Jeff Aronowski, Jennifer McGowan-Tomke
    3. The following members provided updated information on their status: Amy Zabel is the new CEO at Iroquois MHC and will be replacing Dennis Hopkins; Sarah Scruggs is no longer with Arukah but would like to stay on the Council.
  6. Barbara Hobrock will be supporting IMHPAC with its membership. She conducted a review of the membership spreadsheet and compared it to Council meeting Minutes' attendance records. There are several members who have not attended any meetings in 2025. She will be reaching out to them individually.
  7. Appointment letters: All Council members should receive an official appointment letter that is filed with the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA). Barbara will be working on this.
  8. The committee reviewed the membership expectations as stated in the Council's Bylaws:
    1. Council members are expected to attend a minimum of 50% of scheduled Council meetings in any given year.
    2. If after at least 3 attempts to communicate with the member the committee determines that good cause does not exist for the failure of the member to attend Council meetings, the Committee shall move that the member be removed. 
    3.  Removal may occur only at a properly called meeting of the Council, after at least thirty days' written notice to the person proposed to be removed and to the Council. No member may be removed unless at least two thirds of the members present vote to remove a member.
  9. Membership nominees: the following individuals submitted resumes and/or personal statements regarding their interest in Council membership. All those listed have already attended/observed at least one Council meeting.
    1. Lora George (consumer, peer provider, Rosecrance in Rockford)
    2. Tony Ohlausen (NAMI-IL)
    3. Tracy Cooper (Emotional Intelligence, Inc.)
    4. Trenda Hedges (consumer, peer provider, Peer Power, LLC)
    5. Madelyn Bell (consumer, peer provider, retired)
  10. Action:
    1. Motion by Ron Melka for the committee to accept all five nominees.
    2. Second by Ray Connor.
    3. Discussion: Tony Ohlausen was present (remote) and shared a few words about his interest and experience
    4. Roll call vote:
      1. Nanette - yay
      2. Ray Connor - yay
      3. Ron Melka - yay
    5. Motion passed. All five nominees will be presented for vote to the full Council at its next meeting.
  11. New member recruitment
    1. The DRAFT Recruitment Flyer was discussed. Barbara indicated that all committees in the Council's by-laws should be listed on the flyer, even though they haven't been meeting. They should either be listed or the Development Committee should propose they be removed from the by-laws.
    2. Barbara also indicated that there needs to be an actual application and a link to that application included on the flyer. She has an online application we can use.
  12. New Business
    1. Barbara indicated that she discovered from a review of the Council minutes that there has not been a Council vote on the list of members whose terms expired 12/31/24. To be in compliance, this vote needs to occur. The Development Committee will need to develop the list (during our next meeting) and present a slate to the Council to vote for those terms to be renewed
    2. Nanette shared a link to a SAMHSA Webinar on Mental/Behavioral Health Planning Council (recording) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhmTRdDXBn8
  13. Next Meeting date/time: 10/22/25, 4:00pm
  14. Public Comment
  15. Adjournment (motion, second, roll call vote)
  16. Meeting adjourned 5:01pm