I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:25AM.
II. Roll Call
Chairman George Timberlake, Commissioners Lisa Jacobs, Pam Rodriguez, Esther Franco-Payne. Staff: Rob Vickery, Julie Stremlau, Lin Ferguson. Quorum not present.
III. Approval of Minutes
Minutes from June 20, 2012 will be tabled due to lack of quorum.
IV. Staffing
Chairman Timberlake informed the group of Candice Jones’ resignation last week. Chairman Timberlake has had conversations with Michael Holmes and Grace Hong-Duffin about hiring another Executive Director to replace Ms. Jones. There were three candidates interviewed and two turned down the offer. There are other candidates for the position the Chairman would like to interview. He asked for volunteers to sit in on the interviews. Commissioners Jacobs, Rodriguez and Franco-Payne will be involved in the process as much as their schedules allow.
V. Status Update
A. Title II and JABG Meeting with DHS and JABG staff:Michael Holmes asked Chairman Timberlake to attend the next meeting and to determine who else from the Commission should serve on the Committee. Chairman Timberlake asked for volunteers and to consider the terms of the transfer. Currently there is an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between DHS and JABG. Wayne Straza was suggested to serve on the committee and Lisa Jacobs volunteered to offer insight. Data – CPRD is going to work with ICJIA. DOC is going to combine their data with ICJIA.
VI. Annual Report
No update
VII. 3-Year Plan Adaptation
No update.
VIII. Commission Data Liaison
No update.
IX. Juvenile Sex Offender Study
No update.
X. Juvenile Reentry Study
Both agencies are doing well with the program and bringing staffing up. Children’s Home and Aid is serving 5-7 kids. Youth Outreach Services has the names of about a dozen kids, but there has been a breakdown in getting the names from the after care specialists. Rob Vickery is working to set up a system to get the referrals needed. It is up to parole agents to make the referrals. He isn’t familiar with the parole system to know where the gap is. Commissioner Franco-Payne added that the process for NRI is that the youth that are supervised by parole are subject to parole criteria. In order to get the kids we want and that fit our criteria, we need to have a conversation with Deputy Director of Aftercare. Commissioner Pam Rodriguez wants the referral process to start while the youth are still in the centers, and she recommends that we get referrals from Harrisburg. Chairman Timberlake said that these referrals have to come from the Director. Harrisburg is receiving transfers from the other two facilities which is putting stress on them. The DJJ Deputy Director has asked that the BARJ program at Harrisburg be delayed, Chairman Timberlake will follow up.DJJ doesn’t have a data base with youth assigned to after care specialists. The information has to be collected manually. Chairman Timberlake suggested the PRB may be a resource to get the names. We will ask DJJ to provide a report at the next small group meeting. Judge Timberlake further discussed with Justin plans for the Harrisburg site level supervisors. This will involve a future call and Rob Vickery was asked if he would be involved in that call.
DJJ is looking for funding for transportation of parents to Harrisburg for family meetings. If video is used for these meetings, AFSCME requires that a supervisor for each site be present to watch for gang signs being sent. This subject will also be brought up at the small group meeting.
XI. Raise the Age Report
No update.
XII. Committee Updates
No updates.
XIII. New Business
FACJJ Meeting: Chairman Timberlake attended the FACJJ Meeting. He asked the Commissioners present who should be invited to sit or make presentations to the Committee. Recommendations of who should sit on the Committee for Evidence Based Practices are welcome. These recommendations can be any qualified person, not only from the Commission. Meetings are via video. Chairman Timberlake is looking toward Bruce Perry’s work of what it takes to make a healthy kid rather than responding to aggression at school. Commissioner Eugene Griffin was suggested. Rob Vickery and Stu Vary were suggested by Lisa Jacobs.
Nels Nelson is moving to Illinois to set up the WAIT quality assurance program. He is not limited to WAIT. He will be named as a member of the group working on quality assurance.
Juvenile Justice Reform and Reinvestment Demonstration Grant: Commissioner Jacobs and Rob Vickery are working on this 2012 OJJDP grant. In the grant proposal we are describing how the Commission is using evidence based practices in Illinois. We have to evaluate our programs and describe the services offered and how we are providing those services to the youth. If funded we will work with Georgetown to offer the right services for kids. We have to match the risk assessment with data. You have to be an active participant because this grant provides technical assistance. The grant will fund three sites. Our strengths are Redeploy Illinois, Models for Change, restructuring the Commission, and RBA.
XIV. Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Commission Franco-Payne and seconded by Commissioner Pam Rodriguez. All in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 10:59AM.