SILC of Illinois Logo.Statewide Independent Living
Council of Illinois

Minutes of November 6 & 7, 2003

Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois attending Members:

Executive Committee: 

Members: 

Excused: 

Guests: 

Staff: 

Thursday, November 6, 2003

Call to Order:

Following lunch, at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2003 Pam Heavens, SILC Chair called the quarterly meeting of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois to order and introductions were made.

DHS/Division of Rehabilitation Services Director Kilbury:

At this time, Chair Heavens gave the floor over to DHS, Division of Rehabilitation Services Director, Robert Kilbury. Director Kilbury reported that local Division of Rehabilitation Services offices are down approximately 50 vocational rehabilitation counselors due to early retirement option that State offered at the end of 2002. He noted that this reduction has significantly hindered services and noted that there is a possibility that early retirement will be offered again at the end of 2003. If this happens, the Division of Rehabilitation Services could lose 30% of its staff. Director Kilbury stated the early retirement option may save the State of Illinois money however it hurts people with disabilities seeking employment options.

Additionally, Director Kilbury discussed the collective bargaining agreement for DRS/Home Services Program Personal Care Assistant’s pay increase between the State and SEIU Local 880 which represents PAs. He noted that there will be several small raises for PAs that will continue through August 2007 bringing the wage to $9.35 per hour. This is a much needed increase for people who work as PAs. Kilbury stated that the Home Services Program received an average of 210 new customers per month and the program has more than doubled to a half a billion-dollar program annually. Noting that if there are ever additional funds available, Kilbury would like to see more grants for Community Reintegration which has proved to be a highly successful program. He noted that in some instances, the partnership between Centers for Independent Living and local DRS offices need to be improved in some areas and Kilbury and staff plan to visit all 50 local DRS offices within the next year. He has asked that a representative from the local CIL be at the table for these meetings.

Finally, Director Kilbury discussed the goals of DHS/DRS for the coming year and one of those goals is to have the average wage for people with disabilities increase from $8.03 to $9.65 per hour with 60% of people with disabilities in jobs with health care provided. Additionally, an attempt will be made to encourage continuing education for VR customers seeking advanced degrees. At this time, Chair Heavens thanked Director Kilbury for his insight.

Workforce Incentive Grant (WIG2) Update:

Director Eckert reported that Dan Dickerson the consultant and liaison for the WIG2 grant SILC has been project manager of has taken a new position and has been replaced by Roger McCarty. Eckert introduced McCarty who noted that he is an independent consultant and has been working with the Illinois Assistive Technology Project under the WIG1 grant so he is familiar with the goals and objectives of the grant.

Approval of August 2003 Minutes:

Minutes of the August 2003 SILC meeting were distributed for review.

MOTION: R. J. Robertson motioned to accept the minutes as presented. Tony Arellano seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Discussion on FY 05 Title VII, Part C Funding Recommendations:

Robertson began the discussion by referring to the memo dated September 19, 2003 to the SILC Executive Committee and distributed letters from LIFE-CIL and West Center Illinois CIL about their concerns with the

way funds were disbursed. Robertson stated that as a planning body SILC ought to identify specific disability groups rather than CILs for Title VII, Part C funding issues. He noted that the SILC had made a decision relative to the LIFE-CIL letter and we should not go back on that. Ken Williams noted that he felt that money should be divided between selected CILs. Robertson reminded the Council that we will soon be writing the next State Plan on Independent Living which will address funding priorities. A discussion followed with many SILC members noting that we should not get into the habit of designating funds to particular CILs. The discussion centered around the September memo to the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the options listed in it. Prior to a motion being made, Eckert noted that given conversations he has had with the CIL Directors who received VII-C funds in FY ‘03 to open Satellite offices, he would recommend that the SILC recommend to RSA additional funds to operate their offices.

MOTION:  Robertson motioned that the SILC’s first priority for recommendation to RSA for Title VII, Part C funds– should funds become available in February 2004– that the SILC should recommend that $45,000 to West Central IL CIL in Quincy for it to reach the $250,000 base funding level.

The SILC’s second priority (should there be more than $130,000 of funds remaining after we have met our first priority) there will be an open competition with all CILs that don’t get Part C money for meeting unmet populations (i.e.. ethnic minorities, disability groups such as TBI, MI).

The SILC’s third priority (should there be less then $130,000 after all priorities have been met) then the SILC will recommend that funds be divided between Quincy, Bloomington, and Belleville CILs.

Robertson noted that this three-part motion is for only FY ‘05 funding recommendations to RSA.

The motion was seconded by Gapsis and the motion carried with one abstention.

Illinois’ Center for Independent Living "Network":

The 2005-2007 State Plan on Independent Living is due to RSA by June 30, 2004 and becomes effective October 1, 2004. A draft will be presented at the May SILC meeting.

Liz Sherwin reported on the recent SPIL development meeting hosted by the SILC where nine CIL Directors were present. The CILs will be conducting focus groups to gather information for the next SPIL. INCIL has created a SPIL Development Ad-hoc Committee and this committee will be developing a "how to" packet with guidelines for CILs to hold these meetings.

Eckert asked the Council what is their vision of a network of Center for Independent Living. If funding was not an issue what would the network of Illinois CILs look like? Some responses follow:

There was discussion about how CILs serve the community and how the SPIL can be a more useful tool for them to do their job. The discussion moved to identifying unserved and underserved populations. A map of Illinois was distributed outlining the nine counties in Illinois who are not in a catchment area of a Center for Independent Living. Christie Gilson commended the staff for providing her with a tactile map. There was extensive discussion about research to best define unserved and underserved. It was suggested that staff contact other states to ask how they define unserved and underserved.

Adjourn for Committee Meetings:

The meeting of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois was adjourned at this time to for Committee Meetings to reconvene on Friday, November 7 at 8:30 a.m.

Friday, November 7, 2003

Chair Heavens reconvened the Council at 8:35 a.m. on Friday, November 7, 2003.

Homeownership Coalition for People with Disabilities Update:

Project Manager Robin Benson gave an update on her activities since the last SILC meeting. Benson has provided outreach and education to people with disabilities about the program. The program is currently serving six counties but she is working with several CILs to expand the program statewide. Benson reported on several grants that the Homeownership Coalition has been awarded including the Illinois Housing Development Authority for $92,000 and the Department of Labor for $100,000. To date she has assisted 15 families become home owners.

SILC August Retreat Follow-Up:

Mike Lawrence, Associate Director of the Public Policy Institute at SUI-Carbondale was asked to look at ways SILC can affect policies at the Capitol for the SILC retreat in August 2003. Eckert asked that members present review the follow-up letter from Mike Lawrence regarding the discussion.

MOTION: Gilson motioned that the Planning Committee develop a value statement that would help SILC with debates and discussions regarding the Olmstead issue when meeting with legislators. Sherwin seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Chair Report:

No report was given. However, Chair Heavens did encourage SILC members to attend the SPIL focus groups in their areas.

Outreach Committee Report:

Committee Chair Arellano gave an update on the recently completed Culture Brokering Outreach Training hosted by the SILC. Twenty-two of Illinois’ 24 CILs were present for this important training. The presenter was John Moffett from the New York RRCEP.

Programs Committee Report:

Committee Chair Gunther reported that the Programs Committee has met to review the goals and objectives in the current SPIL and discuss goals for the next SPIL. Gunther reported that the SILC has declined to serve as project manager of the recently funded Disability Navigator Program grant which was awarded to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This is another Workforce Incentive Grant. Eckert has discussed this with the Executive Committee who approved SILC withdrawing from this grant. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will take over as the project manager. The Systems Change Grant for FY ‘03 contract has finally been signed. This is a $55,000 grant for the Homeownership Coalition for People with Disabilities which should have begun on July 1, 2003. Now that all paper work has been approved the project manager Robin Benson can begin to work on homeownership issues in Southern Illinois. $20,000 of this grant with go to SAIL CIL in Decatur to start their Homeownership Coalition as well as $5,000 to IMPACT, Inc. in Alton for outreach and marketing.

Operations Committee Report:

Committee Chair Robertson distributed the SILC’s fiscal year 2003 audit that has recently been completed.

Robertson reported that the administrative assistant is learning and working on the new accounting software which explains the new look of the quarterly budget reports. Robertson stated that this Committee will be reviewing the fiscal policy, the travel policy as well as the Title VII, Part B policy.

MOTION: Sherwin motioned to approve the FY03 audit. Motion seconded by Arellano. Motion passed.

Planning Committee Report:

Committee Chair Roberts reported that he has resigned as chairperson of this Committee and Mark Karner has taken this position. Roberts reported that the Committee has met to discuss Olmstead, outcome measurements for CILs, and the DHS/DRS older blind grants.

Executive Director Report:

Eckert distributed a report of his activities since the last SILC meeting. Eckert also reported that DHS has begun to discuss implementing an outcome-based measurement system for all its grantees. Chair Heavens and Tony Arellano will be representing Illinois at the next SILC Congress in January where SILCs will begin developing standards and assurances for SILCs. He reported that Rehabilitation Act appropriations for FY’05 appear to be the same amount as last year. Older Blind funds also will remain the same. Members discussed a letter from the State Rehabilitation Council to DHS regarding the percentage of Rehabilitation dollars. The SILC will send a similar support letter to DHS. Eckert discussed the 4% COLA INCIL was successful in getting for the FY04 budget. He also reported that SILC will be looking for new office space as the lease expires at the end of December.

INCIL Report:

INCIL Representative Roberts reported that in September INCIL provided 16 disability awareness trainings to the eight Model One Stops under the WIG2 grant. Measurable outcomes continues to be explored and a training will be held for all program directors. Roberts reported that INCIL held a press conference on November 24 at the Capitol to express their concern over the lack of DRS counselors. He also reported that INCIL has a strategic planning retreat scheduled in Bloomington this month.

SPIL ‘05-07 Public Hearings/Focus Groups:

Eckert discussed his vision for conducting focus groups to gather feedback for the 2005-2007 SPIL. As was discussed at the SPIL development meeting held in October CILs will be holding focus groups in each of the counties they serve. INCIL’s Adhoc SPIL Committee will develop materials so that all focus groups are consistent in their presentation.

Discussion on SPIL ‘05-07 Priorities:

At this time Eckert asked that the members break up into small discussion groups and list their top five priorities. The priorities that groups recommended are as follows:

MOTION TO ADJOURN:

A motion to adjourn the meeting of the SILC was made by Sherwin and seconded by Gunther. Motion carried.

Next Meeting: 

The next meeting of the Council will be held on February 5 & 6, 2004 at the Springfield Renaissance Hotel.

Minutes prepared for J. Anel Gonzalez, Secretary by Tara Dunning and John Eckert

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