Opioid Steering Committee Minutes 08.14.2025

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

3rd Quarterly Meeting Pursuant to Executive Order 2023-08

Date and Time

August 14, 2025

9:30 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, Harris Building, 3rd Floor Executive Conference Room

While this meeting was in person, remote participation was available via Webex.

Roll Call

Voting Members

Name	Organization	Present	Absent
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (chair)	Lt. Governor	X
Secretary Dulce Quintero	Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)	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
Assistant Director Rafael Rivera	IDHS/Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery (DBHR)	X
Director Heidi Mueller	Illinois Department of Children and Family Services		X
Jessica Reichert	Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA)	X
Debi Joy (Representing Acting Director Vickery)	Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice		X
Jennifer Parrack (Representing Acting Director Latoya Hughes)	Illinois Department of Corrections	X

1. Call to Order and Welcome
   1. Secretary Quintero called the meeting to order at 9:32 AM.
2. Roll Call
   1. Dr. Sue Pickett of Advocates for Human Potential Inc. (AHP) conducted roll call.
   2. A quorum was established.
3. Approval of May 8, 2025 Meeting Minutes
   1. Motioned by Dr. Goyal
   2. Seconded by Luke Tomsha.
   3. Lt. Governor Stratton, Secretary Quintero, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor.
   4. No opposition.
   5. No abstention.
   6. The motion passed.
4. Chairs' Remarks
   1. Secretary Dulce M. Quinter: The Secretary welcomed everyone, thanked them for attending the meeting, and thanked them for their work to combat the opioid crisis in Illinois. The Secretary noted that there have been significant shifts at the federal level just as overdose deaths in Illinois began to decline. The Secretary stated that DHS remains committed to maintaining the integrity of their programs and is exploring ways to strengthen their services. In July, the DHS Divisions of Mental Health and Substance Use Prevention & Recovery integrated into a single entity, the Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery, or DBHR. DBHR aims to reduce burden, support better care, and improve outcomes for all Illinois residents by integrating treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. The Secretary added that DHS has developed resources for immigrant communities and has been working to enhance training for 988 operators to fill gaps following the discontinuation of the hotline for individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (LGBT). DHS is also exploring actions to support Illinois residents as supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) funds and other entitlements are decreased by the federal government. The Secretary stated that the recommendation to be reviewed today is aligned with their broader strategy to keep state-level responses timely and adaptive.
   2. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratto: The Lieutenant (Lt) Governor thanked Secretary Quintero for their leadership and thanked everyone for their work on the Steering Committee. The Lt Governor stated that since their last meeting, the Trump administration has implemented policies that will impact the Steering Committee's work. These policies include an executive order that attacks the unhoused population while stating that most people who are unhoused have substance use disorders. This order calls for civil commitment, abandons housing first policies, and decreases funds for harm reduction efforts. The Lt Governor stated that this order is a reminder of why the work of the Steering Committee and Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board (IORAB) is essential and why they must continue to support Illinois' most vulnerable residents.. The Lt Governor acknowledged the recent attacks on public health workers, the public health system, and research.
   3. Director Dr. Sameer Vohra: Director Vohra thanked the Secretary and the Lt Governor for their leadership. He acknowledged that it is a complicated and challenging time and that he is thankful to be in a state with leaders committed to public health. He acknowledged the attack at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the prior week and stated that they grieved the loss of the officer that was defending that community and acknowledged the grief of the public health community. Director Vohra stated that public health must commit to the importance of education and awareness and to remaining a trusted voice to inform individuals' decisions about wellness. IDPH continues to promote education and awareness about overdose risk in partnership with other agencies in Illinois, especially DBHR and the Illinois State Board of Education. Director Vohra highlighted a new overdose awareness campaign from the CDC that focuses on youth and adolescents. This campaign is titled Free Your Mind and includes both traditional and novel communication methods including role playing games and graphic novels. IDPH looks forward to promoting these materials in partnership with their communities. Director Vohra stated that IDPH is encouraged by the recommendation for the public awareness campaign that will be discussed today. Director Vohra stated that he looks forward to the development of an Illinois-based campaign if this recommendation is approved.
5. New Business
   1. Office of Opioid Settlement Administration Updates: Verella Olguin, Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator, Department of Human Services Department of Behavioral Health and Recover. Secretary Quintero introduced Ms. Olguin to review the recommendation the Steering Committee will vote on today. This recommendation was shared with the Steering Committee on July 31st after it was approved by the IORAB on July 24th.
      1. Ms. Olguin stated that Ms. Arriazola-Martinez had joined the meeting remotely. Dr. Pickett asked for a motion to let Ms. Arriazola-Martinez participate in this meeting remotely.
         1. Dr. Goyal made a motion.
         2. Mr. Tomsha seconded the motion.
         3. The Lieutenant Governor, Secretary Quintero, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor.
         4. No opposition.
         5. No abstention.
         6. The motion passed.
      2. Public Education and Awareness Campaign Recommendation Discussion: Ms. Olguin described the Public Education and Awareness Campaign recommendation which is a request for $9 Million (M) in funding over 3 years ($3M per year) to implement a comprehensive public education and awareness campaign to reduce stigma, encourage recovery, and increase engagement with local harm reduction and treatment resources. This campaign will be hyper-local and multi-channel and will feature stories from people with lived experience with a focus on communities most impacted by the overdose crisis. The Secretary opened the floor for discussion of the recommendation.
         • Discussion:
         • The Lt Governor asked what the implementation timeline for the campaign would be if this recommendation was approved. She noted that due to federal actions, there is urgency for implementation to begin. Ms. Olguin responded that the campaign would be implemented over three years. The Office of Opioid Settlement Administration will use the recommendation and feedback from the IORAB and Steering Committee to develop a scope of work (SOW) which will be submitted to the Illinois Regional Care Coordinating Agency (RCCA) to create a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). Ms. Olguin estimated that the process of creating the SOW and the NOFO would take 2-4 weeks. The Lt Governor asked what the timeframe would be for the application and award process and when the campaign would begin. Ms. Olguin responded that it was difficult to determine this timeframe as it would depend on the number of applicants and if the applicants represented all Illinois regions. The Lt Governor stated that they should quickly inform community-based organizations about the NOFO if this recommendation is approved so that these organizations have time to prepare applications.
         • A Steering Committee member emphasized the importance of this recommendation. He added that the campaign should be conducted in schools. He noted that research has shown that risk factors for opioid use disorder include genetics, psychiatric disorders, social determinants of health, adverse childhood experiences, and early start in using substances. As starting substance use at an early age is a preventable factor, it is important that age-appropriate prevention education is disseminated in schools.
         • A Steering Committee member stated that including stories from people with lived experience is an effective prevention strategy and reduces stigma.
         • Director Vohra stated that he agreed with the excitement related to this recommendation. He asked Ms. Olguin to summarize the IORAB's discussion related to this recommendation including any considerations that would be built into the NOFO. Ms. Olguin stated that the IORAB discussed whether funds would be used for campaign development or the purchase of media would be determined as the NOFO was developed. The IORAB also discussed that the number of awardees would depend on the number and location of applicants. The goal is for the campaign to reach all regions of Illinois; if this is not possible, they will focus on priority areas. The IORAB also discussed that the campaign would include harm reduction, treatment, prevention, and recovery components. The IORAB discussed that the goal of the campaign will be to connect individuals with local services. There was also discussion that people with lived experience will be recruited to participate in the campaign via community collaboration. The IORAB also discussed whether use of the term stigma perpetuated stigma and if the phrase "stigma-free education" should be revised to "education.
         • The Secretary called for additional discussion. There was none.
      3. Action on Public Education and Awareness Campaign Recommendation: The Secretary asked for a motion to approve the Public Education and Awareness Campaign Recommendation.
         1. Motioned by Lt Governor Stratton.
         2. Seconded by Dr. Goyal.
         3. Lt. Governor Stratton, Secretary Quintero, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, and Ms. Arriazola-Martinez voted in favor of the recommendation.
         4. No opposition
         5. Mr. Tomsha abstained
         6. The motion passed and the recommendation was approved.
6. Member Updates
   1. A Steering Committee member noted that August is overdose awareness month, and August 31st is overdose awareness day. Statewide awareness events are planned. The Steering Committee member suggested that people remind their communities to put purple lights or ribbons up in support of overdose awareness.
7. Public Comment
   1. No members of the public made any comment.
8. Adjournment
   1. Secretary Quintero called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
   2. Mr. Tomsha made a motion.
   3. Director Vohra seconded.
   4. Secretary Quintero, Director Vohra, Dr. Goyal, Ms. Arriazola-Martinez and Mr. Tomsha voted in favor of the motion.
   5. No opposition.
   6. No abstention.
   7. Secretary Quintero adjourned the meeting at 10:05 AM.
   8. The next Steering Committee meeting will be held November 20, 2025, from 10:00 - 11:30 AM.