Good morning, everyone.

Today is April 7th, 2026.

I want to welcome everybody to the Health and Community Services Committee meeting.

In addition be to being able to attend in person, remote attendance has been made available to the public via Zoom at the link on the agenda.

This meeting is being recorded through Zoom.

Per county board rules and the open meetings act, attendance via remote means is permitted for qualifying reasons as long as the majority of the committee members are physically present.

We have been notified in advance by member Sarah Knijznick that she is requested to participate participate electronically due to uh work reasons.

Uh physical quorum is present, so she may be marked as present and eligible to vote on matters before the committee today.

As a reminder to members attending remotely, please ensure your camera is on at all times.

Okay.

So can Carissa Kasbin meet us in the pledge of allegiance?

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Can I get a roll call, please?

Yes.

Member Kasbin.

Here.

Member Cunningham is absent.

Member Dan Forth.

Member Kinesnik.

Here.

Chair is absent.

Ex official member Hart.

Here.

Okay.

Is there any addenda to the agenda?

No.

Any public comment?

No public comment.

Okay, no chair's remarks today.

Any unfinished business?

No unfinished business.

Okay.

Can I get a motion for a point one, our consent agenda?

Motion by Kasbin, second by Dan Forth.

All in favor.

Aye.

Motion passes.

Moving on to the regular agenda.

Community development 8.2.

We welcome Assistant County Administrator Ruth Ann Hall.

She's going to give us a presentation on joint resolution approving the program year 2026 Lake County Opioid Settlement Funds.

Funding recommendations of 405,000.

Can I get a motion?

Motion by Kasbin, second by Dan Forth.

Okay, take it away, Ruth Ann.

Good morning.

Ruth Ann Hall, Assistant County Administrator.

I'm here presenting for Ashley Watson, our opioid coordinator.

She is off-site at a training.

Um, and I'm really excited about this.

One of the things that um Ashley brought to the position was her experience in grants.

Last year was the first year of our opioid settlement fund grants, and we were awarding, we awarded seven grants for 500,000.

And one of the stipulations with the grants was that they were to be new programs.

So one of the things that Ashley did was monitor how they were able to get started, their KPIs, and early on, she noticed that they were really not going to be able to achieve everything that they were going to in that that one-year grant program that we were giving them.

So what we decided this year with the opioid working group is we would offer all of the grantees the opportunity to renew for a second year to make sure that they would securely get the um program off and running, be able to meet their um KPIs.

So six of the seven grantees agreed to move forward for a second year.

And Ashley reviewed all of their quarterly submittals, made recommendations to the opioid working group, and that opioid working group, which makes up members of the state's attorney's office, public defender, we've got the sheriff's office, courts, county administrator, community development, and the health department as part of that, agreed with her recommendation to move forward with granting um six of the seven, a total of 405,000.

So if you recall from the budget, we had um identified 700,000 in grant funds for this year.

Um so this will take up the first 405,000, and we're gonna have a second grant cycle in the fall.

One of the things that again, Ashley, having experience with grants understands that great ideas happen not just once a year, but maybe twice a year.

So we wanted to provide opportunities, a second opportunity for people to apply for grants.

So we did since we did not use the full $500,000 for this renewal.

Okay.

So in the fall, we're expecting people who did not receive grants in the past, could be completely new people who are applying.

Right.

Or even, you know, these programs, if they're they one of the one of the stipulations we actually took away from uh the grant program starting in the fall is it had to be a new program.

Um, because as we saw, um, especially one of our grantees, um, they really struggled with getting it up and running.

And um, we actually that is one of the grantees that we recommended just continuing on with its original funding through the original funding cycle.

Um, and they'll be able to an opportunity once they've really fully established the program to apply for additional funds in the fall.

I see.

Okay.

Makes sense.

Member Kasman.

Oh, that's okay.

Go ahead.

Yeah, thank you.

Um I know that it part of the the grant, the the things that qualify an organization for the grant is they have to work with a population that has seen addiction issues and is experiencing these recovery, uh the necessity for recover recovery from their addiction.

Um, does the program specifically have to serve this population or or for an organization to qualify for these funds?

Or would they just have to demonstrate that the funds that were coming from the opioid settlement fund were addressing the needs of this specific population?

So the fund uses are for opioid remediation, and that's for the care treatment prevention, harm reduction, and other programs.

So addressing the misuse of and abuse of opioid products, treat or mitigate opioid use or related disorders.

That could be substance use disorders, and um just mitigating alleged effects.

So a lot of it is um sometimes there is um case management and things like that.

For the opioid allocation, 70% of the funds have to be used directly for that.

We have a, you know, 30% can be used for other items.

But with this, we stuck strictly with harm reduction and case management.

That makes sense.

Thank you.

Okay.

Cheer her.

I'm good.

Thank you.

Okay.

Okay.

Anyone else?

I are you finished with your presentation.

Does anybody else have any questions?

All right.

I mean, I'm very proud that we're able to give these funds to organizations who truly, truly need the help and the support.

So we can reach out and help so many you know, clients who who are seeking this, and there's never enough funds.

So I mean, it's it's a really wonderful thing that we're doing.

Oh, member Caspan.

Sorry, I meant to say this before.

I just really appreciate um Ashley Watson's uh passion for this topic and her dedication to ensuring this this funding goes to the organizations that are truly trying to remediate this this issue.

Um I sat down with her recently, and uh just the level of enthusiasm that she showed for wanting to combat this this situation is really was remarkable to me.

She gave me a lot of information about my district um that really opened my eyes.

I just I can't say enough good things about Ashley.

Thanks.

Yeah, she's she's doing a great job.

I sit on the Lake County Opioid Initiative Board, and um there's a lot of wonderful people on there who really care about um helping this initiative.

Um we are also having for the Lake County Opioid Board is having their first 5K um coming up in is it August?

Yes.

August 30th.

August 30.

I should remember that.

Um I will make sure we'll get information out to everybody.

So yes, we're very excited about that, and there'll be more information to come.

Um so can I need a vote?

All in favor?

Hi.

Aye.

Okay.

Motion passes.

Thank you so much, Ruth Ann.

Okay.

Our next one, 8.3.

A joint resolution approving an allocation of Lake County Opioid Settlement Funds to the Lake County Health Department, Behavioral Health Services Division for Stabilizing and Sustaining Substance Use Disorder Services for Uninsured Residents and Authorizing an emergency appropriation in the amount of 292,672.

And ISO move.

And can I get a second?

Second by member Kasman.

Okay.

Do you have more to talk about?

We do, and I'm going to invite Michelle Esser to come and join me at the table.

Again, Ruth Ann Hall, Assistant County Administrator.

One of the things that Ashley has looked at is, you know, we need to expend these funds, and they do no good to those who need them if they stay unused.

So one of the things that we've done is Ashley has reviewed programs throughout the county where the opioid settlement funds might be able to be used to help with the program should there be a gap in funding.

One of the ones that she identified with the help of the health department was this program here for the behavior health services for stabilizing and sustaining the substance use disorder services.

The health department does receive reimbursement from the state of Illinois, but they often run out before they get their new allocation in July.

So what we're looking to do is provide that gap funding of 292,672.

While that seems like a very specific amount, it is a guesstimate.

And we've stated that any unused funds would be reprogrammed back into the opioid settlement funds.

And Michelle can maybe provide a little bit of more information about what these funds will be used for.

Sure.

So as Ruth Ann said, these funds will be used to supplement treatment for uninsured and unfunded individuals who want services at Lake County Health Department.

So that is for our outpatient substance abuse program, our child and adolescent outpatient program, our withdrawal management program, which is open in January.

So that's going to bring more clients in who are potentially unfunded.

And then we have two rehabilitation programs, addictions treatment program, and then women's residential services.

So it as Ruth Ann said, actually, this month we have run out of funding that the state has given us for this state fiscal year.

So last year we ran out of funding and had to put unfortunately unfunded individuals on the wait list.

So the use of these funds would allow these individuals to continue to receive treatment.

Terrific.

Okay.

Thank you.

Oh somebody.

Oh no, I see I see.

Okay.

All in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you guys.

Okay.

We want to welcome Vice Chair Cunningham.

I see she's online.

Okay.

Um we're on 8.4.

And we're going to welcome Dominic Strezzo, Community Development Administrator.

A joint resolution approving the Fourth Amendment to the program year 2025 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Annual Action Plan.

Good morning.

So one of the triggers for an action plan amendment is anytime we're moving money around between funding sources.

So this action plan amendment proposes one change having to do with funding and sources.

It's switching, not necessarily the funding source, but the year of the funding source.

Talking about our home funds supporting new construction projects.

We're really swapping no changes in the amounts, just the source between two uh proposed projects.

One project in Gurney is the North Point Development Project.

The other proposed project is the Midlothian Manor uh project out in Lake Zurich.

The North Point project is moving much faster, looking to break ground this spring.

So the motivation for this amendment is kind of twofold on our end.

We want to spend our oldest money first.

So we're putting the 2022 dollars into this project, because obviously the project's gonna start sooner.

On the developer's end, there is a motivation.

Uh the older money is not subject to some of the regulatory uh specifically the Build America preference, 2025 money is that it adds additional cost uh to the project, up to about 25%.

Um so it's amenable on both ends, and we looking for approval.

Okay.

Is this related to pads in any way?

No.

Okay.

All right, good.

Um, first of all, can I get a motion?

Motion by member Kasmin, second by member Danforth.

Um, and member Kasmin has a question.

Yes.

Um, this North Point development.

I think they did a lot of things uh in Gurney that um set them up, set themselves up on a path for success.

They engaged with neighbors early.

And I'm just wondering if we can sort of ask them to write down all the strategies that they took that they you know to to ensure that this proceeded smoothly, and if we can maybe make those offer those to future developers.

Because they were kind of the portrait of getting it done quickly.

Very smart.

Yeah.

So maybe make a template that we could give to others.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Um other questions.

Okay, all in favor.

Aye.

Okay, great.

Motion passes.

Moving on to 8.5 joint resolution approving the program year 2026 video gaming grant funding recommendations and the amount of $841,100 and an emergency appropriation of $16,100 from the video gaming revenue fund balance.

Thank you.

So this this item is an approval of our annual video gaming revenue uh application round.

The round started back in the fall when we put out applications.

They were then submitted right toward the end of the calendar year in 2025.

And then uh staff presented scores initially to the HCDC behavioral health advisory and recommendation committee or the ARC.

Those recommendations from the ARC then traveled to HCDC, where there was a public hearing held at the March meeting.

And those recommendations are what you have in front of you.

Uh, we had about 18 total applications, more than we've ever had in the past, a few new applicants.

Um scoring was applied in accordance with the VGR policy and the criteria that was approved ahead of the fall release of the applications.

And uh which includes the three set asides, the two on one set aside and the gambling specific set aside again in accordance with the policy.

Okay.

First of all, can I get a motion?

Motion by member Casbin, second by member.

Oh, okay.

You're not okay.

You're not video, you're not okay.

Second by Cunningham.

Okay.

Motion by Member Dan for the second by Chair Hart.

Okay.

Can I do it if they're not here?

Can I can they be part of the motion?

Okay.

Second by Vice Chair Cunningham.

Okay.

I wasn't sure about that.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

Got it.

Okay.

So do we have questions?

Yes, member Kasmin.

This isn't a question.

This is just notification that I have to recuse myself because of conflict of interest with Pads Lake County.

Thanks.

Okay.

Thank you.

Um, so I'm just curious.

The amount of money that we received for video gaming.

Is it like this current year?

Is it more money than in the past, less money than in the past?

I believe every year since it started, the amount we've received has gone up.

And I expect that trend will continue.

Okay.

Yeah, I was curious about that.

Uh Chair Hart.

Thank you.

You can absolutely expect that the money will go up.

All the studies show that the more video gambling that you have in your communities, they're essentially little neighborhood casinos.

Um, people will who have never gambled before will go there to gamble.

I can't remember what the percentage of them uh who will end up being problem gamblers.

Um, you know, that number, that percentage will maybe stay the same, but that number obviously will continue to grow.

Um, I haven't looked at it in a long time, but I would think for Lake County, the amount of money that has been lost in those machines uh are easily over half a billion dollars by now.

So our board made a vote uh to allow video gaming in uh the unincorporated area.

I thought that was an unfortunate uh thing that passed.

Um, and then when we had tried to sort of nip that in the butt, if you will, uh, the state legislature passed a law that we cannot, counties cannot um impact video gaming at all.

So if we wanted to kind of uh measure it like uh or put a moratorium on like like the city of North Chicago did, we do not have that authority.

So just want to throw that out there.

So thank you.

All right, thank you.

Um, but what we did do, because we had a lot of concerns for video gaming, is we made sure that we put a large portion of our money into places that help people who have uh gambling addiction.

So we are doing that.

And um and we use the funds for other things that will help our constituents in various ways.

Um any other questions on this?

Okay.

All in favor.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, Dominic.

Um, do we have a county administrator's report?

No report.

Okay.

Do we have executive session?

No executive session.

Okay.

Anyone have any remarks today?

Any member remarks?

Okay.

Well, our next meeting will be April 28th, 2026.

And I now adjourn our meeting.

Thank you.