Lake County Health and Community Service Committee Meeting - October 6, 2026

The Health and Community Service Committee of Lake County convened on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 8:43 AM. The meeting was held in a hybrid format with remote attendance via Zoom. A quorum was present with Vice Chair Altenberg, Member Kasman (participating electronically), Member Dan Ford, Member Ewing, and Chair Park. Members King Snick and Maine were absent. The meeting included multiple joint resolutions, appropriations, a presentation on video gaming revenue scoring criteria, an update on contingency fund usage, and approval of opioid settlement fund grants.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (September 1, 2026): Motion by Vice Chair Altenberg, second by Member Dan Ford. Unanimously approved.

Discussion Items

8.2 – Amendment to PY 2026 HUD Action Plan (Healthy Houses Program) County staff proposed expanding the scope of $200,000 in CDBG funds allocated to supplement the Healthy Houses program. The amendment allows funds, previously restricted to environmental mitigation (asbestos/lead-based paint), to also be used for HVAC improvements. No change in dollar amount. Unanimously approved.

8.3 – Presentation: Video Gaming Revenue Scoring Criteria Dominic (county staff) presented changes to the scoring criteria for video gaming grants, approved earlier by the HCDC committee. The changes move 20 points (out of 220 total) to better differentiate applications: 10 points from the “video gaming specific impact” category to “overall lake county impact,” and 10 points from “community impact” to “outcomes.” The goal is to improve prioritization among the many behavioral health service applications. No vote was taken.

8.4 & 8.5 – Intergovernmental Agreements for Environmental Reviews

• 8.4 (Waukegan Park District): Joint resolution approving an IGA for completion of an environmental review under 24 CFR Part 58 for a HUD-funded project. Similar agreements have been executed since 2022. Unanimously approved.
• 8.5 (Lake County Housing Authority): Joint resolution approving the fourth and final renewal of an IGA covering ongoing environmental reviews for Housing Authority projects through October 2027. Unanimously approved.

Health Department Emergency Appropriations (Items 8.6–8.10)

• 8.6 – Belvedere Clinic HVAC Digital Control System: Emergency appropriation of $560,462 from Fund 211 (Health Department Medicaid Match Fund) to complete a direct digital control automation system on the second floor. One-time capital project expected to finish by end of 2027. Unanimously approved.
• 8.7 – Zion Health Center Dental Equipment: Emergency appropriation of $17,590 from Fund 211 to replace a broken dental vacuum system, enabling resumption of dental services at the Zion clinic. Unanimously approved.
• 8.8 – SFBT Training Grant: Emergency appropriation of $9,516 accepting grant funds from the Illinois Department of Behavioral Health Workforce Center for Solution Focused Brief Therapy training for six therapists. Unanimously approved.
• 8.9 – CCSO Program Staffing: Emergency appropriation of $259,394 to fund three new staff positions for the Care Coordination and Support Organization (CCSO) program. The program serves high-risk youth with complex needs; currently 355 youth are on a waitlist, with a monthly capacity of 116. The three new staff will allow service to an additional 36 clients per month. The program is fee-for-service and stems from a consent decree, making it a state obligation. Unanimously approved after discussion about waitlist size and funding sustainability.
• 8.10 – Disease Intervention Specialist Grant: Emergency appropriation of $32,000 accepting additional IDPH grant funds to expand disease intervention specialist workforce for STI and infectious disease outreach. Unanimously approved.

Executive Director’s Update – Contingency Fund Requests Director Chris Hoff and Michelle provided an update on three requests to the county contingency fund for behavioral health grants disrupted by federal award delays:

1. Mental Health First Aid Training: Funded for eight years by SAMHSA; the latest competitive award was not renewed. Program ended in September 2026. The county trained hundreds of trainers who in turn trained thousands of individuals, helping over 15,000 people access services.
2. A Way Out Program: A DOJ-funded addiction treatment navigation program in partnership with 16 police departments. Award delayed; contingency funded through opioid settlement funds instead. Still awaiting federal decision.
3. 988 Suicide Prevention Call Center: SAMHSA grant delays led to contingency fund approval. The state recently indicated intent to fund, but no contract yet. The center answered 17,000 calls in 2025 and 12,000 so far in 2026. Hoff encouraged continuation of the contingency fund in the FY27 budget.

8.12 – Fall Opioid Settlement Fund Grants Ashley Watson, opioid coordinator, presented the fall grant cycle recommendations. The county received 15 applications requesting a total of $1,354,000. Available funds were $295,000 (carryover from spring + new budget). To fund the top five highest-scoring programs, an emergency appropriation of $205,000 was requested, bringing total to $500,000. Approved programs:

• Task – Pretrial support services for individuals in Lake County jail (connection to treatment, harm reduction).
• Nicasa – Expand overdose prevention to North Chicago, including Spanish-language harm reduction and case management.
• CYN Youth Counseling – Youth prevention curriculum in North Chicago middle school and Boys & Girls Club, plus substance use screening.
• Eddie Washington Center – Recovery housing support in Waukegan, including overdose prevention and peer support.
• Independence Center – Substance use support for clients with mental health and co-occurring disorders, peer specialists, and harm reduction.

Discussion noted that opioid overdose deaths in Lake County decreased 48% last year, but cocaine overdoses increased 300%, with 21 deaths from cocaine alone. The county has received over $5 million in opioid settlement funds to date. Unanimously approved.

Key Outcomes

• All seven joint resolutions and five emergency appropriations were approved unanimously.
• The committee received the video gaming scoring criteria update for information.
• The contingency fund update highlighted continued federal funding instability; the 988 call center remains critical.
• The opioid settlement grant portfolio expanded to $1.45 million across two years.
• Next meeting scheduled for October 20, 2026, with budget hearings beginning later that month.