Will County Public Health & Safety Committee met June 7.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Mrs. Kraulidis led the Pledge of Allegiance.
III. ROLL CALL
Chair Rachel Ventura called the meeting to order at 1:19 PM
| Attendee Name | Title | Status | Arrived |
| Rachel Ventura | Chair | Present | |
| Meta Mueller | Vice Chair | Present | |
| Mica Freeman | Member | Present | |
| Debbie Kraulidis | Member | Present | |
| Raquel M. Mitchell | Member | Absent | |
| Annette Parker | Member | Absent | |
| Margaret Tyson | Member | Present |
Present from the State's Attorney's Office: M. Tatroe
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. WC Public Health & Safety Committee - Regular Meeting - Feb 1, 2022 1:00 PM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Meta Mueller, Vice Chair SECONDER: Margaret Tyson, Member AYES: Ventura, Mueller, Freeman, Kraulidis, Tyson ABSENT: Mitchell, Parker |
1. Sunny Hill Nursing Home Updates - April 2022
(Sunny Hill Nursing Home Updates - April 2022)
2. Approved BOH Minutes April 20,2022
(Susan Olenek)
VI. OLD BUSINESS
1. Monthly Update from Will County Health Dept.
(Sue Olenek)
Ms. Olenek gave an update for the Health Department. We have 7 people in admission for COVID, if that continues to stay under 10 the next determination will be on Thursday, we are transitioning our mass vaccine site at the Health Department. Throughout, COVID we had a mass vaccination program we’re going to be ending that on June 21 and then on June 28, it will roll into our regular immunization program. What that means is anyone that wants to come in for a COVID shot they will go to the immunization clinic. It will be by appointment only. The demand for shots has decreased. The black community we are at a 36% vaccination rate, Hispanic we were about the same. With the help of our community base organizations that we help fund we are now with the push of our organizations at a 54/55% in the black community and 55/56% for the Hispanic community and for white we’re at 60%. It much closer than what it was in the beginning. The 988 rollout the mental health transition. It’s going to be the National Suicide Prevention Hotline transition number and used as a crisis line; it is supposed to start July 1, but we received some information and it’s been put off until July 16. I don’t know if it’s going to be moved again and we are recruiting for those positions now. Our annual report will be out by the end of the month.
2. Opioid Update
(Dr. Kathleen Burke)
Ms. Burke gave an update on the opioid crisis. In the last 4 months in 2022, we’ve had 40 deaths. That’s an 8% increase in 2021 and it’s a 43% increase over 2020. 37% of deaths are from Joliet. In 2021 Joliet had 43% of the deaths. Joliet is an urban area and Crest Hill is picking up with overdoses. The Will County Project is still stalled because there is money there and I don’t want to lose that money. We got a US Small Business Administration Congressional Community Project for $300,000 from Senator Durbin’s office. The people that came with Dr. Sharma are the people who live in the community and need help within this community.
Ms. Ventura asked do you know where the new Stepping Stone’s Women’s facility is going to be located?
Ms. Burke answered it’s going to be on their property.
Ms. Ventura commented I want to encourage the County Board members here if anyone have connections with people in the Sheriff’s department to encourage them to do the MAT Program so people on drugs who need assistance can get the treatment they need immediately. This is a huge opportunity for our community to do this and help those in need.
3. Monthly Update from Sunny Hill Nursing Home
(Maggie McDowell)
Ms. McDowell gave an update overview regarding infection control and prevention COVID status at Sunny Hill. We’re still considered at outbreak status, and we only need 1 person to put us at outbreak status. We have currently 3 new residents that are positive in a systematic. We test twice a week residents and staff. While we’re in outbreak status we have to test twice a week. We’re still masking in the N95 masks. We also must wear goggles complying what the regulations are for long-term care. Sunny Hill is continuing working with The Fource Group working on the website. We have got clearance to resume our bird feeders. I want to acknowledge House Bill 246 this was signed by Governor Pritzker last week and this is resulting in some historic and equity focus nursing home rate reform. The reform principal’s tying the funding to key improvement quality measures and care deliveries services. Illinois will become the first state to implement this reform model and invest $700 million. We are looking at Medicaid residents and up to $8.00/per hour more for staff and this increase will be tied to their longevity.
Mrs. Mueller asked we were short staffed for a while. Has there been any relief in that for you with some of the bonuses that we implemented to try to help with that?
Ms. McDowell answered surprisingly we have not only hired CNAs but staff in general. We’ve hired probably 20 new employees.
Ms. Ventura commented I am very happy to hear that we are compensating our staff for the work that they do.
VII. OTHER OLD BUSINESS
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
1. Authorizing the County Executive to Execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Township of Joliet to Provide Animal Control Services for the County (Mitch Schaben)
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Meta Mueller, Vice Chair SECONDER: Mica Freeman, Member AYES: Ventura, Mueller, Freeman, Kraulidis, Tyson ABSENT: Mitchell, Parker |
(Rachel Ventura)
Mr. Melka stated I am Executive Director of the Lyons Mental Health Commission and the President of the Association of the Community Mental Health Authorities. A mental health board is formed by the residents in an area by a referendum according to the Public Act that controls that. It came out of the movement in the early and late 60’s to form Community Mental Health Services rather than institutional services. It’s responsible for the system of care for mental health, substance use disorders, and developmental disabilities in their jurisdiction. Seeking funds for these needs. Working with State and Federal funds and providers that are in their area. In many states the Social Service Network is organized by County rather than by State and it is part of the County Government. As I go to the various mental health boards throughout the State it works very closely with other organizations. It’s down the hall from the Health Department, works very closely with the Sheriff’s Department, Prevention Services the mental health board help coordinate and add those services. Illinois has terrible reputation for mental health, substance use and developmental disability services. A Mental Health Board can work with your local agencies, local task forces, opioid task force; with Dr. Burke it can organize the community. What your mental health services can do is fill in those gaps and help those individuals who may not be at the level of Medicaid eligibility. When you think of developmental disability issues, cerebral palsy, serious mental illness, autism those are very expensive services and they can bankrupt you. This can provide those services. These services can bankrupt even an upper middle-class family. This can provide those services and they don’t charge more than $10.00 an hour for their services regardless of your ability to pay. The levy according to the Public Act can be setup to 1.5%, however, the rate at Lyons Township Mental Health Commission is only set at .09% and the township has reduced that twice in the last 10 years just because they don’t want property taxes to go up and this is one on the township list that they can control. You can use it for prevention, you can use it for special programs for the police. It can fund private, private non-profit, or governmental units so, you can help with school districts, you can help with school social workers, and some of the other issues that are coming up with the 988 number and crisis mobile response and the other types of changes in those. It cannot be used to fund those services that are eligible for Medicaid; that’s supplementing and that would be like double billing Medicaid so, it’s not going to be a duplicate funding stream for what’s already out there. I brought around the annual report from Lyons Township Mental Health Commission so, you can get an idea. We can do a task force and meet within a day of two. We started in 1972 with our referendum. As you can see per the handout the numbers and what it is we offer. We fund screenings through their clinic for any child that’s goes there to be screened for autism. We fund communication programs for those with serious autism even into adulthood and it’s specific to Lyons Township only. You can see that this is all depending on what you can do for your community. Carbondale SIU is one of the friendly for developmental disabilities and cerebral palsy. Please take the time to look at the charts we provided to get an understanding of the funding, the different categories, and what is provided.
Ms. Ventura stated I am going to summarize this and what we are voting on today. What we are voting on today is the language here that is on your packet under referendum and it simply says, shall Will County Levy an annual tax not to exceed .15% for the purpose of providing community mental health facilities and services including facilities and services for the person with a mental developmental disability or substance use disorder which levy will have a single additional tax of a maximum of .15% of the equalize access value of the taxable property therein extended for such purposes. What it is saying is should we put this referendum on the November ballot this tax will specifically be used for Community Mental Health Board. Why is this being brought before us. Some of our townships here in Will County are already discussing doing this at the township level. Once one township has implemented this it is off the table for the County. Every township will have to do it on their own. Many of the townships must do it through a petition. They do not have the same ability the County has where we can vote by the Board and put it on the referendum for the entire County. Each township will then have to get several signatures needed to get it on the petition so, it’s a lot harder for the township to do it. Having this at the community level instead of institutional level or state level allows us the community to decide the best needs possible. Ultimately, it would be the Mental Health Board who can determine that can have all these presentations we’ve been getting and go before them, but they would have a dedicated funding platform. We need to provide the services that people need. There are a few things in your packet that I want to point to. The first is the chart that Mr. Melka passed out. On here you see this is what their budget is. By making this vote today you are putting it in the hands of the people to decide. We’re just allowing it to be a referendum on the ballot the people then must vote for it. There is another document I want to point out, Ms. Olenek brought us this document it’s a part of the League of Women Voters presentation that is attached to your document. This shows you where all of the community mental health authorities are, and it has a couple of other things. The counties in yellow have both mental health and developmentally disabled. Then we have counties that only have 377 boys with developmental disabilities. You have the counties that only have mental health boards. What we’re advocating for is the 708 board what most of the counties have already. Research shows that every dollar spent on substance abuse treatment saves $4.00 in health care costs and $7.00 in law enforcement and other criminal justice costs. When we invest in mental health care, we lower the cost for law enforcement. We make it safer for law enforcement. We make it better for our health care providers. This would be the opportunity for us to play catch up here, for us to get involved with investing in our mental health. A lot of our policies support the poorest of the poor or the richest of the rich but it’s that middle class that end up suffering the most. We need a government that works for everyone. I am going to encourage us to vote yes and give the power to the people.
Mrs. Tyson asked if we say yes to this today this puts it on a referendum to the communities to vote on whether they want their taxes increased?
Mr. Melka answered I believe it would go to the County Board.
Ms. Ventura responded that yes if we vote this forward it would go to the full County Board. The full County Board would have to vote on it. There is a timeline consideration here. Everything must be to the Clerk for the November ballot by August. This is one reason we’re doing this now so; we have a little bit of wiggle room if the board members have any questions.
Ms. Olenek explained we have a mental health program, behavioral health program, at the Health Department as well as at our Community Health Center. The Will County Health Department is the community mental health provider in Will County. We’ve been providing mental health services since the 1950’s so, we have a mental health community provider. We work with our specialty clerks already. We do have therapy for the chronically mentally ill, but there gaps, and we realize that there needs to be more mental health services. My concern is that the Health Department levy is not touched. We’ve been building up these programs. I understand that this is a whole separate levy but there might be questions regarding that. Right now, we don’t have enough residential sites for unfunded and Medicaid people. We need living room concept sites all over the county. These are areas where people in crisis can go and speak with someone and deescalate and calm down. Instead of going and doing something they shouldn’t be doing. We also need mental health therapists in our schools. We have a handful right now but at some point, we’re going to need a therapist in every middle school and high school. The Health Department doesn’t have programs for developmental disabilities. That is just another gap that I see. We’re doing our programs and something like this would compliment what we are doing but what I don’t want to see is a lot of duplication of services because then you get confusion and people not knowing where to go. If this is going to happen and we’re looking at a 708 board it would be great to fill in gaps and have programs that aren’t already provided or increase necessary programs.
Mr. Melka stated almost all those counties in blue have a Public Health Department that work with the Mental Health Board, and we cannot provide services according to state statues.
Ms. Ventura commented Ms. Olenek made a good point that this is meant to fill in the gaps to do the things our services currently cannot do.
Mrs. Kraulidis stated I am generally against raising taxes, but I know the need for mental health and I am concerned about the future especially with our kids. You would work very closely with Ms. Olenek’s division? I am concerned with duplication.
Mr. Melka answered correct.
Mrs. Kraulidis asked does this cost us as a County Board anything additional to get this put on a ballot?
Ms. Ventura replied anytime you do anything with a ballot there is a cost but because we are doing it at the same time as an election is happening, I can’t imagine it costing. Your vote today does not increase taxes. Your vote today gives the people the decision to vote whether they want this or not. The County will not be putting resources towards this. This is a bipartisan support this is a service that people need.
Mrs. Freeman asked what percentage of the funds that you have paid for the Board?
Mr. Melka answered 0. By state statue they aren’t allowed to provide any type of compensation to the Board members other than reimbursement for expenses.
Mrs. Mueller asked I was wondering what we had been doing to fill these gaps previously and it sounds like unfortunately we haven’t been able to. Since I’m in leadership I got to meet with our state and federal folks and they talked about helping the kids at the schools a great length. Our townships are so very different. Also, who decides who’s on this Board and who is in control of this money? Is it solely the 708 Board?
Mr. Melka answered your County Executive who appoints the other commissions; it goes through that procedure. It must be the top elected official. Then it is usually ratified by their counsel or trustees or whatever step it goes through. The Board then makes the decisions of the grants and where the funding might go based on a 3 year and 1 year plan. Many of these counties do it in conjunction with their Health Department. The 708 is just a part of it. Then you put together the entire budget. Then the combined budget is approved by the County. Then the County Assessor (at least in Cook County) makes direct deposits to our Mental Health Commission rather than going through the township.
Ms. Ventura stated right now there are grants at the federal and state level but any time those could go away. This allows us to have a dedicated funding source for these services and controlled the local level.
Ms. Burke commented recovery coaches are not billable services, but the mental health recovery coaches are but not my substance use folks, there’s a gap right there. I think that may change down the road but right now it’s not. The living room is such a huge gap. I totally support any funding stream. What I like to see us as a County collaborate among the current agencies, the Health Department, the MAP process and all the other agencies to work together and not cut someone else’s funding source to pull this over here. We want to see the agency grow. We don’t want to have the insecurity of grant funded in providing services.
| RESULT: MOVED FORWARD [UNANIMOUS]
TO: Will County Board MOVER: Meta Mueller, Vice Chair SECONDER: Mica Freeman, Member AYES: Ventura, Mueller, Freeman, Kraulidis, Tyson ABSENT: Mitchell, Parker |
X. PUBLIC COMMENT
XI. ANNOUNCEMENTS/REPORTS BY CHAIR
XII. EXECUTIVE SESSION
XIII. ADJOURNMENT
1. Motion to adjourn meeting @ 2:50 PM
| RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Meta Mueller, Vice Chair SECONDER: Margaret Tyson, Member AYES: Ventura, Mueller, Freeman, Kraulidis, Tyson ABSENT: Mitchell, Parker |
https://willcountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=4344&Inline=True
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