ILLINOIS MENTAL HEALTH PLANNING AND ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES
Co-Chairs: Sue Schroeder
Ray Connor
September 4, 2025 - 12:30pm
(approved by Members 11/06/2025)
Council Member Attendees: Chris O'Hara, Jacob Meeks, Jessica Gimeno, Jim Wilkerson, Joan Lodge, Matt Fisback, Michelle Churchey-Mims, Nanette Larson, Ray Connor, Ron Melka, Sarah Robinson-Torres, Sue Schroeder, and Tiffany Burnett.
Other Attendees: Director Albert, Brock Dunlap, Nic Pleshe, Lisa Betz, Courtney Aldich, Barabara Hobrock, Allie Lichterman, Darius McKinney, Christina Smith, Ryan Rollinson, Victoria Gwiasda, Jeff Lata, Sai Kanu, Sarah Damhof-NAMI, Rafael Rivera, Tony Ohlhausen-NAMI, Carrie Wilcox, Robert Douglas, Madelyn Bell, Dr. Tracy Cooper, Cheron Massonburg
Call to Order/Introductions: 12:34 pm meeting called to order by Sue Schroeder
Approval of July 10th Meeting minutes; made by Michelle Churchey-Mims Seconded by Ron Melka, all aye Members approved Minutes July.
Approval of FY 26-27 MHBG Special Meeting Minutes-August 15, 2025; motion made by Ron Melka, seconded by Chris O'Hara, Jessica Gimeno abstained from vote. All members aye, the FY26-27 MHBG Special Meeting Minutes for August 15, 2025 approved.
Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) Reports: (Director Albert, Lisa Betz, Christina Smith, Allie Lichterman, Ryan Rollinson, Nic Pleshe, Nanette Larson)
Director Albert announced that the Division is now officially Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery as of July 1st. The division continues to work towards full integration. The goal is to make efficiencies for providers, for staff and most importantly for clients to ensure that they get access to valuable services. This collaboration has between departments has already proven to be more efficient to meet needs of the community in short period of time. The transition work will continue, and Director Albert will share updates as they become available.
Lisa Betz-Beacon provided an update BEACON which is part of the child and adol. BH transformation. BEACON is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. BEACON gives families, and the professionals who work with them, information about behavioral health services focused on youth needs and characteristics. BEACON is a toll that helps locate community-based resources and state-funded programs for Illinois youth. It offers front door access for individuals and families in need of resources. Since the porta went live to the public in 2025, the Beacon portal has had 25, 000 unique users, 800 families have been to obtain services! On average there are 5,000 visits to the Beason Portal each month.
Christina Smith: shared updates of new staff Mary Torricelli has joined DBHR as the new Admin assistant. Not new to the department has previous experience. Email address: mary.torricelli2@illinois.gov
Allie Lichterman-Crisis Community Administrator: continue to move forward with CESSA, July 1, 2027, we need to be compliant with the statute. There is a total of 175 PSAP's or 911 centers, pilots have been completed and in preparation to onboarding of additional PSAP's 911 centers to stay on track. Risk level matrix is in the process of being finalized. Working towards integration to create a unified system for crisis care. DBHR has noticed an uptick in calls to 988, SAMHSA has been involved in identifying trends to influence this increase. School back in session may lead to an increase.
Ryan Rollinson: Shared that the Federal Govt. has increased funding to eliminate crime and end chronic homelessness, this is a response after the Executive Order last month. released supplemental funding to support these efforts; training, TTA to support Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), address the intersection of AOT and homelessness with support and guidance from Criminal Justice system to implement to support access with those individuals. Projects Assistance and Transition from Homelessness (PATH) funding also received an increase at the federal level to support ind. Leaving or entering justice system. Funds available next Federal FY however the State must apply for funding this year by Oct. 2025.
Ryan Rollinson: Forensic Update on behalf of Dr. Sharon Coleman; expansion of community-based Lake Behavioral Health increased capacity 24 beds to 36 they are already Full. This facility is for individuals who have been remanded due to UST and need fitness restoration. McClean County Health Dept. began offering fitness restoration services in the community. Jail based program in McHenry, piloted first in Kankakee. Moving forward with a third location in Franklin County.
Nanette Larson-CRSS for Success program-certified recovery support specialist, CPRS has issued grants to post-secondary institutions, FY 25 data of the 12 program sites originally; total of 1,270 students have enrolled since began in Feb. 2022. Age 17-75 mean age of 41. 45% program completion rate, 29% discontinued, 28% continue to be enrolled overall, 75% remain in the program. 300% increase in workforce due to CRSS/CPRS, however they may not have gone through this specific program. 500 CRSS, 249 CPRS=749 Certified individuals!! There are 200 individuals who have completed all requirements and need to pass certification exam.
DBHR competency training: total 2, 621 individual CEU's issued. (6 separate sessions)
Publication on the CRSS Success Program findings to be published in a journal and sharing this information at the NAMI conference in Oct.
Chris O'Hara inquired about the mechanism of figuring out who goes through the program and who completes it on their own. Nanette replied that those that finish the program through college, that college sends the application to Il. Certification Board (ICB), ICB advises when a person has met requirement and can test. The application is valid for 12 months, however DBHR requires our best practice of only 6 months to complete the certification exam within 6 months.
Committee Reports:
- C&A (Chair- Michelle Churchey-Mims): committee met prior to MHBG Special Meeting in prep for MHBG review. The committee is looking at recommendations and revising them as needed moving forward. This committee lost two committee members, and they welcome interested members to join. The C 7 A committee meets on the 3rd Thursday of the even months, Oct. 9th is the next meeting.
- Development Committee: (Chair- Nanette Larson): Goal to develop membership of the council. Need members to be invested and committed to making connections to others to join. Two potential members are joining meeting today. Annual Training requirements need to happen are many members are not in compliance, and this will be added to the Development committee to remind and review the importance. Ron Melka has agreed to participate in the Development Committee. If the committee adds Ron, the committee can review interest of others to move us along. Chris O'Hara asked about frequency of meetings. Nannette responded that the committee typically meets monthly recently for approval of the bylaws. Due to lack of participation the development committee has not been meeting. IMHPAC needs to increase council membership the plan will be for the committee to meet monthly until council membership is up and running. Reminder of training to be sent out by Nic or secretary on those requirements and how to access the training platform.
- Adult Inpatient (Chair-Open): no report
- Justice Committee Report: (Chair- Scott Block): no report, minutes from last meeting included in meeting packet.
- HFS Kristine Herman, Bureau Chief IHFS-not available to provide update/report
- Old Business: Review of IMPHAC Reimbursement for council participation
- Joan Lodge-secretary added this to the agenda due to recent communication from C & A committee members on the on-going challenges of reimbursement for council participation. Joan shared council decision made in January on reimbursement due to open Treasurer position. In January the council approved reimbursement requests to be sent to the secretary in lieu of open/vacant treasurer position. Secretary to send via email to council members the reimbursement form and encouraged members to reach out for assistance as the council values the contribution that members make.
- Nanette shared in the chat the directions from the bylaws that were recently passed.
- The steps by which an individual shall be reimbursed are as follows:
- Individual attends Council or Committee Meeting
- Host of meeting sends attendance list to Council Treasurer within 5 business days after the meeting occurs ("Host" refers to the person who set up the WebEx or Zoom meeting)
- Individual submits Reimbursement Request form to Council Treasurer
- Council Treasurer compares Reimbursement Request to attendance list to verify attendance and attest the individual is eligible for reimbursement.
- Treasurer signs Reimbursement Form after verifying the individual's attendance and sends to DMH
- DMH Fiscal signs Reimbursement Form and approves payment
- DMH Fiscal Vouchering Unit submits for payment
- State of Illinois issues check
- New Business: None
- Public Comment: Nanette Larsen offered to have individuals who are interested in joining the council introduce themselves. Madelyn Bell, LCSW retired and CRSS. "I still want to be able to give. When I heard from Nanette about the role of lived experience and advocacy, IMHPAC is a good fit for me". Madelyn shared with another person who is interested in becoming a member Cheron Massonburg who is a nurse and is observing the council meeting today. Dr. Tracy Cooper-LCSW, Dr. in Social work with a focus on trauma related clinical problems and establishing policies on trauma. Dr. Cooper worked in Early Intervention for past 24 years, lots of changes that families and parents must navigate. There are 7 trainers for National parenting program, she has a desire to extend policies to children and families. Attending C & A Committee for the past two years, volunteering "my time as this is my passion". Tony Ohlhausen-NAMI has also expressed interest in being an IMHPAC council member to partner with DBHR to ensure NAMI is implementing policies and procedures that align with DBHR. As a reminder all interested members need to submit a letter of interest to Nanette. The next Development Committee Meeting is scheduled for 9.24.25 4-5pm.
- Other Discussion: none
- Motion to adjourn by Sue Schroeder at 1:35pm
- Next Council meeting: November 6, 2025
Respectfully submitted,
Joan Lodge, IMHPAC Secretary
