Village of Homer Glen Behavioral Health and Addiction Recovery Committee met Feb. 27.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
City of Crest Hill City Council committee:
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by Ruben Pazmino.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call; Establish Quorum
Members present at 6:05 pm: Trustee Pazmino, Chief Building Official Baber, Homer Glen Resident Mark Raber, Village Manager Carmen Maurella.
Also Presents: EMA Coordinator Ron Kus, Events Coordinator Alana Charboneau, Kellie Calderon and Committee Secretary Gia Cassin.
4. Approval of Amendments to the Agenda
5. Approval of Minutes
a) February 27, 2023
Carmen Maurella made a motion to approve the minutes from the February 27, 2023 meeting with the discussed changes to the spelling of Kellie's name and which Committee Member would be talking with Father Tom from the Byzantine Church. The motion was seconded by Joe Baber. A voice vote was taken with all in favor, zero (0) opposed. The motion passed unanimously.
6. Public Comment
7. Reports and Communication
a. Report from Trustee Pazmino
Getting good feedback from people
b. Report from Village Manager Maurella
Website getting together - been working with Alana. More material will be coming out. Email will be set up on the website, we need to decide who will be the recipient of the emails.
c. Report from Chief Building Official Baber
Joe suggests looking at other sites for ideas for our website for the committee.
8. Old Business (none to date)
Carmen told everyone that Ruben donated $2000 to start out this committee out.
Ron - there will be 26 doses of NARCAN at the fest. Will County offered to come to the fest, Ron will get the dates to them so they can attend.
Joe thinks it is a good avenue, to educate people on NARCAN.
Mark said that he has a quick start kit that could get added to the site.
Carmen said that when we do outreach, we can create a sign up on line, and this way we capture email addresses so we build our contact base.
Mark suggests even maybe adding a link to a video for the start kit also, Alana said she would look into it.
Ron has a sufficient supply of Narcan in his vehicle, and with a day's notice, he can get more. Ron has the nasal spray kind.
9. New Business
a. Discussion about website ideas
(discussed under committee member reports)
b. Joe Baber to present Will County Sheriff Input
The Will County program is called Too Good for Drugs. They talk to kids, guidance counselors and teachers. This is what is currently being done annually at the schools. It is an ongoing process. It seems to be an established program. He said they have something similar to Hero's trailer - HIPS Trailer (Hidden in Plain Sight). They need thirty (30) days notice to get the trailer out to an event. He said that in looking at some of the 2023 events for the Village, maybe we can decide which event to bring it to.
Alana said they have plans to bring it to each of the (4) Markets In the Glen events. Joe said he will work with Alana to get this handled.
Mark asked what the schedule is like for the county program at the schools is, Joe said that they are at all of the schools.
Carmen asked if anything is available for older kids - high school, college. Joe said that Lockport has a community service officer that handles it for the high school.
Kellie Calderon asked if there is anything that they do with parents?
Joe thinks a void is a parental education. Joe said people are so busy and kids are not getting the focus they may need. Kelly said that there wasn't any social media. Officer told her kids can buy drugs in 10 minutes on Social Media.
Ruben said that he learned that there are key words that kids can type in as code.
Carmen suggested a round table event for parents, have the HIPS trailer there and a speaker to provide information.
Kellie suggested having a counselor at an event also, - maybe a 2-part event.
Joe asked how to get people to come to an event - Carmen said we have a good blast system and sign up and people will come. Carmen explained that we should look at what demographics we want to do: kids going into high school and kids going to college.
It is possible to record a forum and broadcast it on Channel 6. Ruben suggested doing it even live so people can ask questions on line.
Mark thinks having its own event rather than at a fest might be better since it's kind of a serious matter, not a festive.
Kellie said focus on coming at this from an educational angle, rather than dialing in on a particular mental health issue.
Mark asked for a Q&A section to be added to the Facebook page.
Ruben was not able to get the information from County, and he will have it ahead of the next meeting.
Ruben asked for Kellie to introduce herself. She founded her own company, and she is a licensed clinical and professional counselor. She founded her own company called ACE and she has 5 other staffers. She is from Homer and is currently living in Homer. She has experienced a lot with mental health, and is hoping to raise awareness and help any way she can.
Ruben asked Kellie what she sees our committee going after, focusing on. She thinks that the education and accessibility is key. People struggle with how to find a counselor, many people don't even know that their insurance covers counselor. De-stigmatizing is something she is always trying to do. She wants people to be aware that you can see a counselor for so many reasons, doesn't have to mean you are struggling with something. She said trying to education people would be her vision.
Ruben said it was nice to see Alana at the meeting. Alana said that social media is negative as to how kids gain access but said there are a lot of positives on there too - and said she has a lot of good resources she would like to add from Instagram and Social Media. People share their stories and they are pleasant and positive.
Ron asked if we want the health department there all nights (meaning the Homer Fest) and Carmen said Friday and Saturday night. He said they will bring a large supply of test strips were people can grab some to have.
Ron asked if we could do a QR code and with access to information.
Business Card with committee members names and QR code was discussed. Will need to hammer out the details if this is going forward.
Mark asked about creating cards with Homer logo, QR code and other information, 4x6 size. Kellie said you can add some of the main resources for substance abuse.
Mark provided speaker information: people from PATH out of Naperville, they have speakers and recovery coaches, they will provide speakers for an event. He has speakers from Al-ANON groups and Ala-Teen for families. Can do a recovery person, a teen person in addiction, and PATH said they have training for recovery coaches that is inexpensive. Pathway to Serenity. (17 recovery coaches)
He is hoping to get places to seek help: ACES, Gateway, etc. Places where people can go. Where can we direct them to after people call. Mark brought some Al-anon literature.
Ron will get a list of the hidden mobile communication apps that kids are using.
Carmen said we can set up a couple nice events
May - Mental Health Awareness Month
Sept Suicide Awareness Month.
Kellie still is in contact with Dr. Snow from Beyond Healing.
Ron asked about setting up outside a business, Joe said it was okay to solicit for our events. Joe said we could do that. Ron said that if Alana is putting all this time into the website, we need to get out there and direct people to it.
Alana will add the QR code to the Village News Letter that is going on in March.
Carmen would like to put an event together for May.
10. Next Meeting - March 20, 023
11. Adjournment
Village Manager Maurella made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Chief Building Official Joe Baber. A voice vote was taken, all were in favor, zero (0) opposed. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 7:01PM.
http://www.homerglenil.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02272023-2503
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