July 16, 2014 Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission

Audience

Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission Members and Staff. The public is welcome to attend.

Date/Time

July 16, 2014, 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.

Location

Department of Human Services
401 S. Clinton, Chicago, IL 

Agenda

1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Committee & Project Updates
   1. DMC 
   2. JDAI
   3. Planning & Grants 
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Motions to Consider
   1. Center for Prevention Research and Development Scope of Work and Contract Amount
   2. Request to extend grant period for Reentry grantees to 6/30/15
   3. Requested increase to Children's Home and Aid Reentry Contract
   4. Endorsement of ACT4JJ Statement of Principles
6. Strategic Planning
7. DJJ Screening & Assessment and JABG Project Reports
8. Strategic Planning Wrap Up
9. New Business
10. Adjournment

Minutes

1. Call to Order
   Meeting was called to order at 9:10am.
2. Roll Call
   Commissioners: Rodney Ahitow, Julie Biehl, Jacqueline Bullard, Shelley Davis, Veronica Dixon, George Hill, Arnetra Jackson, Vice Chairman Lisa Jacobs, Brendan Kelley, Patrick Nelson, Esther Franco-Payne, Ben Roe, Chairman George Timberlake and Rick Velasquez. Quorum established at 9:37am. Staff: Robert Vickery, Karima Douglas, Julie Stremlau, Monica Kelley, Ron Smith. Guests: Heidi Mueller, Candice Jones, Donna Taylor, Kanako Ishida, Erica Hughes, Susan Witkin.
3. Approval of Minutes
   Motion to approve minutes made by Commissioner Davis, seconded by Commissioner Ahitow. All in favor, minutes approved.
4. Committee and Project Updates
   1. DMC
      Commissioner Franco-Payne explained there is a need for more outreach. She indicated there was more community input at the last DMC meeting where the top issues were Committee goals and where they see DMC as a whole. Karima Douglas, DMC Coordinator, added information about the DMC Committee restructuring. She explained the DMC CASP sites are Macon and Peoria. They had good feedback from the community and they are pleased with the response. The Juvenile Justice Councils have strong stakeholders. There is still a need for updated data. Commissioners discussed whether there are clear best practices for DMC reduction. Best practices seem to include using data where you have it and engage in reforms community by community, site by site. Karima Douglas added that we must not just focus on the data collection; we must look to where we can have the most impact. The DMC Committee continues to work through these issues.
   2. JDAI
      Commissioner Velasquez and JDAI Committee Chair updated the group on the pending Transportation Study. The resolution indicates that the report is due to the General Assembly in March 2015. It has been amended to include the Department of Juvenile Justice. The plan is to begin work on the report this fall, anticipating that the resolution will be adopted by the House during veto session.
   3. Planning & Grants
      Vice Chairman Jacobs and IJJC Executive Director Rob Vickery gave this update. It was noted the 3 Year Plan is due next Spring. We need to reprioritize and update our focus areas. Illinois' PREA noncompliance in 5% or $22,000 reduction in our 2014 Title II award. Fortunately, we are able to reapply for this money; it must be used to help achieve PREA compliance. Once our state juvenile facilities are compliant, Title II funds will no longer be penalized. There was a conference in DC in June to update the states.
      There has been a lot of discussion and concern with some of the new policy changes relating to the jail removal and separation core requirements. OJJDP continues to work with the states to address these issues. Illinois will speak with OJJDP Administrator Bob Listenbee in September.
      Rob Vickery explained the JABG 2010 grant will expire November 4, 2014. The Planning & Grants Committee will allot as much of that JABG money as possible with quickly executed contracts. Commissioner Hill motioned to approve. Commissioner Velasquez seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed.
5. Motions to Consider
   1. Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD) Scope of Work and Contract Amount
      The CPRD scope of work and contract was discussed. Chairman Timberlake talked about the process he has been involved with in recent months. Discussions of probation improvements, etc. Ogle, DuPage, and the Second Circuit are to participate. No funding is necessary to work with the Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps as McArthur will be funding. It was noted that Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, showed improvements due to this process. Chairman Timberlake has worked with CPRD, who is poised to hire a facilitator for this project and the IJJC is asked to fund this. The staff chosen to fill this position is retired from AOIC and has many years of experience. This position is to cost $90,000. $45,000 salary and $45,000 administrative costs. They will offer technical assistance as needed.
      Commissioner Ahitow asked how this is different from what DuPage currently does in terms of providing a high quality probation services. Vice Chairman Jacobs added that DuPage is doing a good job but we still need to examine what is working. Concern was noted in receiving the information necessary as AOIC is not at the table. Commissioner Ahitow motioned to approve the increase to $217,000. Vice Chairman Jacobs seconded. All in favor, Motion passed. Commissioner Roe abstained from the vote.
   2. Request to extend grant period for Reentry grantees to June 30, 2015
      The Planning and Grants Committee recommends the Reentry Grantees a time extension. Reentry programming ends January 1, 2015. Grantees need the end of the fiscal year to expend money already allocated. $290,000 to June 30, 2015. Vice Chairman Jacobs moved for this motion. A Planning and Grants Committee motion, no second needed. All in favor. Motion carried. Commissioner Velasquez recused himself from this discussion and vote.
   3. Requested increase to Children's Home and Aid Reentry Contract
      CHASI Reentry requested and increase to their current contract in the amount of $5,665. The Federal funds are expiring in November. Commissioner Biehl motioned to approve this motion. A Planning and Grants Committee motion. All in favor, motion approved.
   4. Endorsement of ACT4JJ Statement of Principles
      Rob Vickery presented the ACT 4JJ Principles. CJJ asks that we agree to this statement. Vice Chairman Jacobs motioned to approve. Commissioner Biel seconded the motion. All in favor, motion passed.
6. Strategic Planning
   Each Committee discussed their designated sections:
   Commissioner Velasquez talked about JDAI Crisis Response and the three years of adolescent and domestic battery work. They are on track. Developing a tool that resulted from this work that will be validated across the country. Crisis Intervention has been around a while but the promotion of CCBYS has resulted in a 50% increase of funding. This has had a huge impact on local agencies responding to what youth need. Add this with the Domestic Battery programming and we have increased knowledge and effective use of CCBYS. The Domestic Battery screening tool is complete and being used and validated in multiple sites across the country. Jeff Bradly, JDAI Coordinator, added that we have partnerships across the state that are doing well and further developing. There is still an issue with law enforcement not knowing that CCBYS is an option for crisis intervention.
   The Detention Screening Instrument is hitting obstacles but not spending all our time on this as other partners need to be involved. The big question is do we continue or abandon this due to the use of our resources and time. We need to not overcommit ourselves.
   JMIS and JDAI data use and projects another issue. We need analysis of the data we have and what will we do with this information. This is affected by the detention practices in the state of IL and the standards are being updated.
   We need to communicate the accomplishments we have made and explain that our data from CRPD is up to date. The information should be shared statewide. The IJJC is the reason we have this great data from CPRD. Detention and Probation will work with DJJ to make this move forward.
   The group discussed the Detention Standards. DJJ will now have the authority to focus on this and this is a good direction for JDAI. The Federal changes and how those changes will affect Illinois compliance was discussed. OJJDP will engage with the states to establish guidelines for the new regulations, etc. The IJJC involvement allows us the ability to ask questions.
   Vice Chairman Jacobs explained we need to determine if these are appropriate funding and focus. We need to add a column to our spreadsheet that covers the areas the IJJC is still funding. Commissioner Biehl believes we need a cost allocation analysis. Basically, Compliance is a must and other areas are a bonus.
   Commissioner Franco-Payne, DMC Chairman, went over the DMC areas. She discussed the DMC CASP sites, the goals and focus of the newly re-created DMC Committee and the three areas of focus: School-to-Prison Pipeline, Mental Health, and Public Awareness. DMC Coordinator, Karima Douglas stated that DMC needs its own publicity due to the need to get information and the word out there. It helps develop relationships, etc. Karima added their initial communication strategies have had a good response thus far. Commissioner Biehl added that as we issue more RFP's the IJJC needs to be more explicit in what we want from our agencies that achieve what desire from the funding we supply.
   Vice Chairman and Planning and Grants Chair Jacobs went through the funding and overall focus of the IJJC.
7. DJJ Screening & Assessment Project Wrap Up Report
   Representatives from DJJ presented their update to the group. We need to know what we learned from Reentry programs and how do we apply it to what we are doing now. At the current time, no further funding is recommended for DJJ. They plan to continue funding for Aftercare. Candice Jones, Acting Director for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice explained their current work. She explained the assessments DJJ is currently doing. They are reviewing the clinical information to present a simple and reasonable way to review the data they have. They found inconsistencies in Aftercare. It is difficult to implement in its current design. Heidi Mueller, Deputy Director of Programs, added that this analysis was in the original plan. VDISC was also in the plan. It has been determined that YASI is the better choice. They will continue to use MASYI and then determine if other assessments are necessary. DJJ is coming up with new implementation goals overall. CANS was not used as it should have been, except at Warrenville, and will be phased out very soon. DJJ will continue to update the IJJC as necessary in the work it is doing.
8. Strategic Planning
   The group continued its discussion of goals and focus for the IJJC overall. Commissioner Biehl asked if we go need to go back to the table regarding continued plans for the parole study and JSO recommendations. The legislature is not done with this. They discussed Detention and Cook County Judges requesting call backs or 30 day evaluations. Commissioner Ahitow asked if there is data on the call-backs. In reference to the parole study, does staff have the ability to send a youth back to jail without a revocation hearing? Commissioner Biehl added you cannot revoke without due process. Reentry and the consent decree is something the IJJC needs to hear about.
   Automatic transfer is another issue. Raise the Age also noted. The money appears to be at the institutional level and not the community level. School based arrests should be addressed. Karima Douglas added that we are more aware of gender identity and sexual orientation. She noted there is still no legislative model for DMC. Ron Smith stated there are non-offenders in detention and we must get the Detention Standards updated.
   Commissioner Velasquez noted the issue of some Commissioners working very hard to achieve what we have accomplished and the lack of participation of others.
9. New Business
   Chairman Timberlake wants to commend Danielle Hamilton for her service as Director of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Leadership Council. Commissioner Biehl seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion passed.
10. Adjournment
    Commissioner Hill motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Biehl seconded the motion. Meeting adjourned at 3:07pm.