Sangamon Sun

Illinois Department of Human Services met Friday, April 15.

Illinois Department of Human Services helps Illinois residents achieve self-sufficiency, independence and health through a variety of social and community health programs.

Audience

Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board Members and Staff. The public is welcome to attend.

Date/Time

April 15, 2016

9:30am to 11:30am

Location

This meeting will be conducted via video conference with Chicago & Springfield Locations as follows:

Chicago: 401 Clinton Building, 7th Floor Executive video conference room

Springfield: Harris Building, 3rd Floor Executive video conference room

Agenda

Call to Order

Roll Call

Approval of Minutes

Full Board - December 8, 2015

Executive Committee - February 11, 2016

DHS Staff Update

Redeploy Focused Funding Decision & Update

County Review/Focus Committee minutes

FY16 Budget Update/Impact of State Budget Impasse

ICOY-Youth Network Council

Redeploy Sites

FY16 Site Monthly Expenditures/Commitments - Comparison

FY17 Grant Award Projections

DHS Internal Audit

Misdemeanor Analysis and Impact Discussion

2015 Annual Report - Content Discussion

Ethics Training

Next Meeting:

RIOB Full Board Meeting: May 20, 2016 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Adjourn

Minutes

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:35 A.M.

Roll Call

Sec. James Dimas, Karrie Rueter, George Timberlake, Tim Snowden, Shamsideen Balogun for John Maki, Scott Clark, Mary Reynolds, Janet Ahern, Betsy Clarke, Peter Parry, Paula Wolff (by phone) and Rick Velasquez (by phone). Quorum present. Staff and Guests: Steve Sawyer and Angie Jimenez.

Karrie Rueter welcomed DHS Secretary James Dimas to the meeting. Sec. Dimas expressed his support for Redeploy Illinois and addressed the impact of the current state budget impasse on human services. Sec. Dimas expressed the desire of the Health and Human Services Transformation efforts, to be announced in the near future, to make investments in community-based prevention and intervention services in an effort to decrease reliance on the State's deep end programs and services thereby freeing up the much needed resources to support that successful front end work being done in communities.

One Board member stressed the substantial value of Redeploy Illinois, the bipartisan support of the program, the successful outcomes for youth and significant savings to our state and further expressed dismay over the current state budget crisis and urged Sec. Dimas to do what the Department can to resolve the state budget crisis quickly. Several Board members shared their appreciation to the Redeploy staff and Redeploy sites who continue to support the program under these difficult circumstances.

Karrie Rueter also welcomed Tim Snowden, who was recently appointed to the Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board after the departure of Pat Griffith. Tim is the Executive Vice President over the Family-based Community Service Division at One Hope United. He previously spent 17 years at DCFS.

Approval of Minutes

The Board discussed the meeting minutes for December 8, 2015 and the minutes from the February 11, 2016 Executive Committee meeting.

Motion: Janet Ahern motioned to approve the minutes from the December 8, 2015 Board meeting. Betsy Clarke seconded the motion.

Decision: The Board approved the minutes from the December 8, 2015 RIOB meeting.

Motion: Mary Reynolds motioned to approve the minutes from the February 11, 2016 Executive Committee meeting. Janet Ahern seconded the motion.

Decision: The Board approved the minutes from the February 11, 2016 Executive Committee meeting.

DHS Staff Update

Karrie Rueter informed members that DHS posted the Executive II Redeploy Statewide Coordinator position, which is to be based in Springfield. Board members received a copy of the job description in their meeting packets. This is the third time DHS has posted the position. The position was not filled previously primarily due to the lack of qualified candidates. One member asked if the position location could be moved to Chicago. Karrie responded that it could; however, the position would have to be amended and re-posted before that could occur. Karrie explained the application, interview and selection process. She also detailed the union requirements for bidding on positions. Members asked whether the Board would be involved in recommending a person for the position. Karrie explained that the Board would not be able to provide input and recommendation but would be able to do so for the position to be posted by the Youth Network Council. Karrie reminded the Board that they were able to review the position description and provide input into that stage of the process.

Redeploy Focused Funding Decision and Update

Angie Jimenez provided the update on the Redeploy Focused program. In early February, Logan County submitted an application to cover the costs of a recommended treatment plan based on the completed assessment that included individual and group counseling as well as psychoeducational classes for the minor's parent. The County Review Committee and Redeploy Focused Subcommittee both met on February 9 to review the application and treatment plan. The County Review Committee found the treatment plan to be sound and the costs reasonable. The Redeploy Focused Subcommittee approved the plan but noted that the recommending counseling sessions would extend into the next fiscal year. The board will have a fiscal review at the end of FY16. A member inquired into the circumstances surrounding the minor's involvement with the juvenile justice system and needs, and Angie provided a summary and disposition of the case. Angie shared that there was a delay in payment to Logan County due to the lack of funds from the state to Youth Network Council, but Youth Network Council was able to send payment in time for the minor to start counseling sessions.

FY16 Budget Update/Impact of State Budget Impasse:

ICOY-Youth Network Council

Redeploy Sites

Karrie Rueter provided an update on how the ongoing state budget impasse is affecting Youth Network Council's ability to make payments and support the Redeploy program. The two Redeploy Coordinators/Consultants have reduced their hours significantly starting January 1, 2016. Currently, they are working approximately 20 hours per month on average on the Redeploy program. Angie Jimenez is continuing to execute the deliverables to support the Redeploy program but has been given responsibilities to work on other projects which are paid by other funding streams.

Karrie provided a document to the Board summarizing the impacts on all the Redeploy sites. Of note, Karrie pointed out that Lee County recently suspended services. Unlike the other program sites, Lee County has asked to terminate its contract with DHS for various reasons. The director of Lee County Probation and Court Services is retiring and has been a strong champion for Redeploy. Karrie Rueter explained the significance of ending its contract with DHS with the Director of Lee County Probation.

FY16 Site Monthly Expenditures/Commitments - Comparison

Karrie reviewed a report that outlines the number of commitments and number of youth served for the time period from July 2015 through February 2016. March expenditure reports are due on April 15, 2016, and Board members were furnished with a copy of the expenditure reports prior to the April 15 meeting date. This year 143 youth were committed compared to last year when 95 youth were committed. Twenty-two of the FY16 commitments occurred in Sangamon County, which did not enter into a contract until April 2015. The total amount each site has expended has been submitted to DHS, but none of the sites have been paid. The expenditure chart illustrates the decrease in spending as sites began reducing services or suspended their program entirely. Macon County continues to charge a reduced amount based upon an agreement to continue to serve the youth enrolled in the program and also receive services through the county's mental health department.

FY17 Grant Award Projections

Karrie said that DHS plans to move forward and issue contracts by July 1. She said she is tentatively preparing those contracts at the amount they received the previous year, indicating that adjustments can always be made once there is a budget in place. The FY17 projected budget is $4,885,000. Last year, sites were funded based upon the House's proposed budget, a 12% cut but were able to make modifications to minimize fiscal hardship on the sites. Karrie made cuts in other areas so that only a 2.75% cut was imposed on sites. It is more challenging to plan and prepare budgets considering programs have reduced services. Karrie explained that the FY17 contract amounts would include the full year of funding for Sangamon County.

George Timberlake shared that the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission denied Sangamon County's request for funding to utilize their detention center for essentially the same purpose they had initially requested of the Redeploy program but were denied.

DHS Internal Audit

Karrie Rueter provided a summary on the DHS audit conducted in early April. The review consisted of all program and fiscal-related documents for FY15. There was one program-related finding and it had to do with membership requirements. In the statute, several membership positions are defined. At the time of the Audit, three of these positions were vacant. One, ISBE has been since filled. The other two identified vacancies continue to remain unfilled. In January, letters went out to the individuals named to request appointments be made. Staff and members are following up to get those positions filled. Since the audit, additional vacancies have arisen and requests have been made for those to be filled as well.

Karrie asked if any of the Board members had any recommendations for the state's attorney vacancy and to send her the names of any prosecutors.

Ethics

Karrie reminded members to complete and submit a statement of completion of their ethics training. The verification should be sent to Karrie.

Misdemeanor Analysis

As a result of newly enacted legislation, youth who are charged with a misdemeanor are no longer eligible to be committed to the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. Therefore, those youth would also not be eligible for Redeploy.

Karrie prepared a chart outlining the number of youth each Redeploy site served that were charged with misdemeanor offenses. Members said that there are now unspent funds because there is a population who are no longer eligible. Another member referred to the Redeploy statute and the term "at risk of incarceration" and asked whether these youth continue to be served if sentenced to detention. Karrie said she believes that it may be possible because the statute does address detention, but that we would want to have our current & former attorneys, judges etc. to review and help to establish the position of the Board as well as ask DHS legal staff to provide an opinion once the Board has a position. The Board could go from there and may want to consider having an interpretation from the Attorney General.

Members discussed the possibility that if a county sufficiently reduced their commitment numbers and demonstrated that over time, the Board may be able to consider something that targets the detention population. All of the youth tracked could potentially qualify. The Board will have to reevaluate the baseline concept if this were to be considered, but the baseline needs to be reconsidered anyway in light of the recent law changes.

The formula is intended to reduce incarceration and not simply move youth from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to detention. Karrie said this is the reason why we are required to put a detention section in the annual report. Betsy suggested inviting representatives from Kansas or Kentucky who have experience in this area. Karrie said she wants to devote time to discuss this subject at a separate retreat and then invite someone from Kansas or Kentucky to attend one of the standing RIOB meetings prior to that discussion. George Timberlake suggested also inviting representatives from Ohio. Members were reminded that detention costs don't cost the state a significant amount of money.

Karrie told Board members that some of the counties who have served a large number of youth charged with misdemeanor offenses have suspended services before the date this new law became effective. Karrie will ask the sites the number of misdemeanant youth they continue to serve and are currently enrolling. There is some data she is trying to gather that include the YASI scores for youth charged with misdemeanor offenses. Members are leery of asking providers to do much of anything in light of the current budget crisis.

Karrie provided Board members with a copy of an Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice initiative. SB2777 would prohibit the commitment of youth for Class 4 felony. If the bill is passed and becomes law, it would also have a direct impact on Redeploy sites.

2015 Annual Content Report

Karrie said she is on the list to receive data from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, which she expects to receive in approximately one month. She will keep members informed. Karrie said she plans to prepare a more comprehensive 10-year report and try to identify a few successful program participants. She would like to be able to tell their stories and see if they are willing to talk to the public and media regarding the impact of the program on their life.

Karrie asked Board members about the annual All Sites Meeting, which has historically been a two to three-day event for sites. Youth Network Council organizes training workshops based on the sites' needs and covers most expenses per its training budgets. Because of the current fiscal situation, that is not feasible this year. Karrie still supported the idea of convening the sites if they so choose, to discuss concerns, review data, collaborate etc. Karrie noted that the staff from the sites are extremely committed to Redeploy and have been actively involved in all Redeploy-related events and meetings. The Board agreed that the All Sites Meeting could be shorted to a single day and invite managers to a meeting in Bloomington and give the sites the option to attend. Members suggested that the commitment level of the sites and dedication to the program be included in the annual report.

Next Meeting:

The next RIOB Full Board Meeting is scheduled: May 20, 2016 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Karrie shared the board schedule for FY17 and confirmed those times. Karrie also distributed a directory of the Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board and Redeploy staff. Members reviewed the document and made updates to their contact information.

Adjourn

George Timberlake made a motion to adjourn. Mary Reynolds seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m.