Health and Community Services Committee Meeting - July 7, 2026
Health and Community Services Committee Meeting - July 7, 2026
The Health and Community Services Committee met on July 7, 2026, at 8:33 a.m. The meeting began with a moment of silence and remarks honoring the late Vice Chair Dr. Mary Ross Cunningham. The committee then proceeded through a consent agenda, several emergency appropriations, and a comprehensive presentation on secure firearm storage initiatives. All votes were unanimous, and the meeting adjourned without executive session.
Consent Calendar
- Item 9.1: Motion approved the meeting minutes from June 2, 2026. Motion by Member Kasman, second by Member Holzenberg. Passed unanimously.
Discussion Items
- Item 9.2 - Director's Report (Workforce Development): Director Sereno presented on workforce development programs, highlighting a Relentless Hope Award from Legacy Reentry Foundation. The presentation detailed a strategic partnership from 2019 to 2026, including 210 individuals receiving job readiness preparation, 12 job fairs at Legacy Reentry Foundation, 12 "Job Center on the Move" events, and over 50 justice-impacted individuals served through the revived Lake County program. The chair noted that the late Vice Chair Dr. Mary Ross Cunningham sat on the workforce development board and would have been proud of the recognition. Committee members praised the team's outreach and collaboration with community partners.
- Item 9.3 - Emergency Appropriation for 988 Suicide Prevention Call Center Enhancement Grant: The committee discussed a $87,533 emergency appropriation to hire three full-time 988 call takers. The current call answer rate is 81-82%, with an average of 1,400 calls per month. Calls may be routed to other centers across the state or nationally if not answered in a timely manner. Members asked about the increase in call volume since COVID and the 988 launch. The health department noted that geo-location helps keep calls local, but overflow can go anywhere in the country. Motion by Member Kasman, second by Member Kenesnik. Passed unanimously.
- Item 9.4 - Emergency Appropriation for Tobacco-Free Communities Grant: A $20,000 appropriation for anti-vaping social media messaging and informational kits for teens (covering vaping, smoking, and alcohol) was discussed. Members noted that vaping has overtaken smoking, especially among youth. Concerns were raised about new nicotine pouch products like Zyn, which are popular but contain high levels of nicotine. The health department clarified that the kits focus on harm reduction. Motion by Member Kasmin, second by Member Enesnik. Passed unanimously.
- Item 9.5 - Emergency Appropriation for Psychiatric Medications Grant: A $12,880 emergency appropriation for psychiatric medications for uninsured mental health clients was approved. Members asked about the reduction in funding for this grant and alternatives for clients. The health department noted that this grant is a last resort and that clients also use GoodRx and pharmaceutical company assistance programs. Motion by Vice Chair Altenberg, second by Member Kniesnik. Passed unanimously.
- Item 9.6 - Emergency Appropriation for Substance Use Disorder and Gambling Disorder Grant: A $745,850 appropriation for substance use disorder treatment for uninsured clients was discussed. Members asked about coordination between this funding and the county's video gambling funds designated for gambling prevention. The health department clarified that this grant covers inpatient rehab and detox for uninsured individuals, while video gambling funds go to other agencies. Members requested a future discussion to understand the connectivity of funding streams. Motion by Member Hasbin, second by Member Maine. Passed unanimously.
- Item 9.7 - HOME Consortium Agreement: An agreement renewing the county's status as an entitlement community for HOME funds for federal fiscal years 2027-2029 was approved. Funds are distributed as follows: 8% to North Chicago, 26% to Waukegan, and 66% to Lake County. Members noted that the late Vice Chair Dr. Mary Ross Cunningham would have been proud of this continuation. Motion by Member Kasmin, second by Vice Chair Altenberg. Passed unanimously.
- Item 9.8 - Intergovernmental Agreement for North Chicago CDBG Funds: An agreement to continue administering Community Development Block Grant funds for North Chicago was approved. North Chicago is not part of the county's urban county program but contracts with the county for administration. Members asked about administrative fees, which are set by HUD. Motion by Member Kenniesnik, second by Member Kasmin. Passed unanimously.
- Item 10 - County Administrator's Report and Secure Firearm Storage Presentation: The committee received an update on the secure firearm storage program. Rachel Jacobi, Firearm Risk Reduction Coordinator from the State's Attorney's Office, presented on the "End Family Fire" campaign, which includes social media, billboards, video streaming ads (micro-targeted by likelihood of firearm ownership and veteran status), and a custom website. Over 7,000 gun locks have been distributed free of charge through partnerships with local organizations, including two federal firearm licensee (FFL) dealers. The program has distributed gun locks at an average of four events per month. Data showed a 73% decrease in firearm homicides from 2022 (38) to 2025 (11), and a 15% decrease in suicides since 2022. So far in 2026, there have been 3 firearm homicides (all officer-involved) and 13 firearm suicides. The team also won a grant through the Skip Burn program to provide approximately 2,500 biometric gun safes directly to residents in the first year. Members praised the presentation and the work of the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative (GVPI), noting that Illinois' safe storage law did not go as far as Ethan's Law. The state's attorney emphasized that the reduction in homicides is three and a half times the national average decline.
Key Outcomes
- All emergency appropriations (Items 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6) were approved unanimously.
- The HOME Consortium Agreement (Item 9.7) and the intergovernmental agreement for North Chicago CDBG funds (Item 9.8) were approved unanimously.
- The committee received the secure firearm storage presentation and expressed strong support for the program.
- The next meeting was scheduled for July 28, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everyone. Today is July 7th, 2026, and it is 8:33 a.m. And I call to order the health and community services meeting. In addition 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, which is the case today. Do we have anyone that is planning to attend remotely? Okay, we've not been notified by any members. Physical quorum is present. All right. I'd now like to ask members for a moment of silence for Vice Chair, Dr. Mary Russ Cunningham. Rise with me. Thank you. Member Casman, if you can join me in the Pledge Allegiance. Thank you. Can I have a roll call on members, please? Vice Chair Altenberg. Here. Member Kasman. Here. Member Danforth. Member Kinesitnik. Member Maine. Chair Parrick. Here. And Chair Hart. All right. Do we have any addenda to today's agenda? No addenda to the agenda. Do we have any public comments? No public comments. Or public comments. And chair's remarks. I mean, obviously, this is uh the first time we're holding this meeting since one of our members, Mary Ross Cunningham passed. So I'd like to reflect on a few comments uh regarding member Cunningham. Um, but I'll keep this brief, obviously. I think all of us want to speak further at um county board next meeting. Uh but I think it's important that we acknowledge her here in health and community service because this committee reflected the work that I believe, along with judiciary, which she chaired, was closest to her heart. Uh people will call Mary Ross Cunningham a legend. They'll say that she was one of the finest county board members we've ever had, and one of the most public effective public servants this county is known. All of that is true of Mary, but accolades and titles can sometimes obscure the simpler truth about Mary. She was relentless because she never lost sight of what was to serve here. Her focus was was always on the people who had the least and needed the most. Families facing homelessness, seniors trying to be housed, veterans needing support, people struggling to access health care, or residents who simply had nowhere else to turn. All of us care about our constituents, but few of us lived the commitment the way Mary did. She wasn't a county board member only when meetings were in session. She was one every hour of the day. If someone in Waukegan called, Mary answered. If there was a barrier, she pushed through it.
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