CESSA - Training and Education Subcommittee Meeting - Approved Minutes 07/22/2025

CESSA - Training and Education Subcommittee Meeting - Approved Minutes 07/22/2025

Time: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Opening

  • Cindy reviewed the OMA procedures, meeting logistics, and agenda.

Roll Call

  • Present:
    • Cindy Barbera-Brelle
    • Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman)
    • Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos)
    • Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
  • Absent:
    • Rachael Ahart
    • Danielle Albinger (Designee for Robert "Bobby" Van Bebber)
    • Emily Miller
  • Meeting quorum established. The meeting was led by Chair Cindy Barbara-Brelle and began at 11:03 am.

Approval of Minutes from April 22, 2025, and June 24, 2025:

  • Motion for April 22, 2025, minutes
    • Michelle Churchy-Mims motioned to approve the minutes from April 22, 2025. Tanya Thorne seconded the motion.
    • Members voted to approve: Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman), Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos), Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
    • Motion carried.
  • Motion for June 24, 2025, minutes
    • Michelle Churchy-Mims motioned to approve the minutes from June 24, 2025. Cindy Barbera-Brelle seconded the motion.
    • Members voted to approve: Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman), Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos), Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
    • Motion carried.

Old Business (Dr. Terry Solomon)

Pilot Core Training Updates

  • Review of the current requirements under CESSA:
    • Our training plan area will expand from seven core training areas to eight, once the Governor signs the pending legislation, because we will need to add training about involuntary commitment.
    • The new neurodivergent requirement can be added to the existing Developmental Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders training.
  • As of July 18, 2025,
    • 1654 unduplicated individuals have completed the pilot training,
    • 6,238 people have taken pilot training courses, and
    • 27 individuals have requested exemptions, and 22 have received exemptions.
  • Cindy Barbere-Brelle: Do we have a way of knowing if all the PSAPs or MCRTs completed the training?
    • Dr. Terry Solomon: We will have that information. Cindy gave us a list of telecommunicators; we also have that for MCRT and 988.
  • The next slide is for the number of participants who completed the core courses for the pilots. The total is 6,238, the cumulative number of courses completed. This is approximately 1,300 increases from our last reported number on June 5, 2025.
  • This will be updated to include APCO because some of their PSAPs have also taken the trainings.

Proposed Revisions to the Core Training Plan Policies (Cindy Barbera-Brelle)

  • We will review the pilots in the first quarter of FY26. Priority Dispatch continues, and APCO will kick off on August 1, 2025. These training plans will be in effect after the pilots are evaluated and CESSA implementation is expanded.
  • These policies were proposed in June 2025 and reviewed at the last meeting. We now have approval from state partners, so we are bringing this back for your official approval.
  • Proposed Training Plan policies for 911
    • Per the CESSA statute, the Statewide 911 Administrator's office requires telecommunicators and supervisors to complete the CESSA Core Training.
    • 911 Telecommunicators' CESSA Core Training will ultimately be embedded in the Telecommunicator/Telecommunicator Supervisor training curriculum.
    • Telecommunicators currently employed will have 60 days to complete CESSA Core training after being notified by the 911 State Administrator and the Behavioral Health Crisis Hub to initiate training to prepare for CESSA implementation. These staff members may continue to take calls according to existing agency policies and procedures while completing CESSA Core training.
      • For example, if existing telecommunicators at a PSAP are instructed to take the CESSA Core training on September 1, 2025, then the CESSA Core training courses must be completed by existing telecommunicators by October 31, 2025.
    • New telecommunicators and supervisors onboarding after the CESSA protocols are in effect must complete the CESSA Core Training Courses before answering calls independently. New staff are not eligible to take calls independently for transfer to 988 until they complete the CESSA Core Training Courses. However, new staff may answer calls under their Communications Training Officer (CTO) or Supervisor's direct, real-time, in-person supervision before completing the CESSA Core Training Courses.
    • PSAPs cannot participate in CESSA implementation (i.e., transferring behavioral health crisis calls from 911 to 988 for crisis counseling or referral for a mobile crisis response) until all telecommunicators and supervisors complete CESSA Core Training Courses.
  • Proposed Training Plan policies for 988
    • Per the CESSA statute, the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health requires CESSA Core training for 988 staff.
    • Staff currently employed by 988 LCCs will have 60 days to complete CESSA Core training after being notified by the Behavioral Health Crisis Hub to initiate Core training in preparation for CESSA implementation. These staff members may continue responding to calls according to agency policy and procedures. If current staff are reassigned to work on CESSA implementation, CESSA Core training must be completed before they can receive CESSA-related calls from 911.
    • For example, if staff at a 988 LCC are instructed to take the CESSA Core training on September 1, 2025, then CESSA Core training courses must be completed by October 31, 2025.
    • New 988 staff onboarding after the CESSA training plan is in effect are required to complete the CESSA Core Training Courses before independently responding to crisis calls, texts, or chats from 911. CESSA Core Training Courses must be completed within 60 days of the start date of employment.
    • All crisis counselors and supervisors at 988 LCCs are required to complete CESSA Core Training Courses.
  • Proposed Training Plan policies for MCRT
    • Per the CESSA statute, the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health requires CESSA Core training for mobile crisis response team (MCRT) staff.
    • Existing staff currently part of the agency's MCRT will have 60 days to complete CESSA Core training after being notified by the Behavioral Health Crisis Hub to initiate Core training for CESSA implementation. While completing the Core training, these staff members may continue to respond to calls according to existing agency policies and procedures.
    • For example, if staff at an MCRT are instructed to take the CESSA Core training on September 1, 2025, then CESSA Core training courses must be completed by October 31, 2025.
    • New MCRT staff onboarding after the CESSA training plan is in effect are required to complete CESSA Core Training Courses before responding to crisis calls (both on the phone and in the field). CESSA Core Training Courses must be completed within 60 days of the start date of employment.
    • MCRTs cannot participate in CESSA implementation (i.e., responding to 911 calls referred by 988) until all members of the MCRT complete CESSA Core Training Courses.
  • Discussion: Subcommittee members had no comments.
  • Motion
    • Michelle Churchy-Mims motioned to approve all three training plans. Jessica Gimeno seconded the motion.
    • Members voted to approve: Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman), Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos), Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
    • Motion carried.

Meeting Calendar (Cindy Barbera-Brelle)

  • Proposal by Chair Cindy Barbera-Brelle to continue the same meeting cadence to meet once a month on the fourth Tuesday unless otherwise noted. The meeting for December is proposed for the third Tuesday.
  • Discussion: Subcommittee members had no comments.
  • Motion
    • Michelle Churchy-Mims motioned to approve the FY26 meeting calendar for every fourth Tuesday of the month, except for December, which will be the third Tuesday. Jessica Gimeno seconded the motion.
    • Members voted to approve: Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman), Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos), Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
  • Motion carried.

Public Comment

* No members of the public were in attendance.

Adjournment

  • Motion
    • Cindy Barbera-Brelle motioned to adjourn the meeting. Michelle Churchey-Mims seconded the motion.
    • Members voted to approve: Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Jessica Gimeno (Designee for Candace Coleman), Michelle Churchey-Mims (Designee for Blanca Campos), Tanya Thorne (Designee for David Albert)
  • Motion carried.
  • Meeting adjourned at 11:32 am.