421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Human Services  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Final Summary  
Tuesday, January 6, 2026  
9:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
9:30 AM meeting was called to order by Chair Greg Schwarze at 9:30 AM.  
2.  
ROLL CALL  
Other Board members present: Member Yeena Yoo  
Staff in attendance: Joan Olson (Chief Communications Officer), Renee Zerante and Katherine  
Fahy ( State's Attorney Office), Valerie Calvente (Procurement), Natasha Belli, Julie Hamlin,  
and Gina Strafford-Ahmed (Community Services Administrators), Mary Keating (Director of  
Community Services), and Janelle Chadwick (Administrator of the DuPage Care Center).  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
PRESENT  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
CHAIR REMARKS - CHAIR SCHWARZE  
Chair Schwarze welcomed the committee to 2026. He stated we will have our work cut out for us  
this year with everything going on, certainly at the federal level. He confirmed with Mary  
Keating that no federal budgets have been approved.  
Member DeSart stated the current federal budget goes through January 30, 2026.  
5.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
5.A.  
26-0198  
Human Services Committee - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, December 2, 2025  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Paula Garcia  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES - MARY KEATING  
6.A.  
FI-R-0010-26  
Authorizing execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement between Pace Suburban Bus  
and DuPage County Community Services for the Senior Transportation Grant Program  
for PY26 in the amount of $172,450. (Community Services)  
Member DeSart asked what last year’s budget was, how much was used in 2025, and how  
is this promoted? Mary Keating did not have the budget numbers handy, but she replied  
that she would get the information to Member DeSart. Ms. Keating explained the  
breakdown on how the PACE programs operate.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
6.B.  
FI-R-0011-26  
Authorizing execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement between Pace Suburban Bus  
and DuPage County Community Services for the Paratransit Grant Program for PY26 in  
the amount of $690,000. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Dawn DeSart  
SECONDER:  
6.C.  
FI-R-0014-26  
Acceptance and appropriation of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program  
(LIHEAP) HHS Grant PY26 Inter-Governmental Agreement No. 26-224028, Company  
5000 - Accounting Unit 1420, in the amount of $3,657,594. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
6.D.  
FI-R-0017-26  
Acceptance and appropriation of the Income Eligible Retrofits Program Grant P26,  
Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1555, for the Weatherization Assistance Program from  
January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, in the amount of $350,000. (Community  
Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
SECONDER:  
6.E.  
HS-R-0001-26  
Recommendation for Approval of a of HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME)  
Funds Agreement with DuPage Pads, Project Number HM25-02b – Tenant Based Rental  
Assistance – in the amount of $139,000. (Community Development)  
Mary Keating stated this project is funded through HUD through our HOME funds. On  
November 28, 2025, HUD issued a guidance that there was a new interpretation of the  
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliations Act indicating anyone  
receiving any sort of benefit from federal funds needed to be vetted for immigration  
status. They further dictated that individuals’ information had to be entered into the  
Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. The only organizations  
that can actually access SAVE are government organizations but not at the county level.  
At the time HUD said they would be issuing further guidance as to how this should be  
operational at the county level, which has not been received.  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Dawn DeSart  
SECONDER:  
6.F.  
HS-R-0002-26  
Recommendation for Approval of a of HOME Investment Partnerships Act (HOME)  
Funds Agreement with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, Project Number HM25-02a  
– Tenant Based Rental Assistance – in the Amount of $204,000. (Community  
Development)  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.G.  
HS-P-0001-26  
Awarding resolution issued to Family Shelter Service, to provide advocacy services to  
victims of domestic violence, for Community Services, for the period of December 1,  
2025 through November 30, 2026, for a contract total amount not to exceed $85,000.  
(Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
6.H.  
HS-CO-0001-26  
Approval of an amendment to Purchase Order 7791-0001 SERV, issued to Healthy Air  
Heating & Air, Inc., to increase the Purchase Order by $180,000, due to DCEO providing  
more funding for the Weatherization Program. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
6.I.  
HS-CO-0002-26  
Approval of an amendment to Purchase Order 7792-0001 SERV, issued to My Green  
House HVAC, LLC, to increase the Purchase Order by $180,000, due to DCEO  
providing more funding for the Weatherization Program. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
7.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER - JANELLE CHADWICK  
7.A.  
HS-P-0002-26  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to CDW Government, to  
provide computer hardware, peripherals, software and licensing as needed, for the  
DuPage Care Center, for the period of January 14, 2026 through January 13, 2027, for a  
contract total amount not to exceed $55,000. Contract pursuant to the Intergovernmental  
Cooperation Act (City of Mesa #2024056-1).  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
7.B.  
HS-P-0003-26  
Recommendation for the approval of a contact purchase order to Medline Industries, Inc.,  
to furnish and deliver chaise mobile recliners, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period  
of January 14, 2026 through January 13, 2027, for a contract total not to exceed  
$36,579.85. Contract pursuant to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act (OMNIA  
Contract #2021003157).  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
SECONDER:  
8.  
TRAVEL  
8.A.  
26-0199  
Community Services Director to attend the NACo Board of Directors meeting in Maui  
County, Hawaii, from May 4, 2026 through May 8, 2026. Expenses to include  
registration, transportation, lodging, and per diems, for a total not to exceed $3554.  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Paula Garcia  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
8.B.  
26-0200  
Community Services Administrator to attend the Inform USA Annual Conference and  
Board Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 16, 2026 through May 22, 2026.  
Expenses to include registration, transportation, lodging, and per diems, for approximate  
total of $2820. Grant funded.  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
Lynn LaPlante  
Cronin Cahill, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
9.  
RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK  
No residency waivers were offered.  
10.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER UPDATE - JANELLE CHADWICK  
Janelle Chadwick, Administrator for the DuPage Care Center, stated the Care Center participated  
in the Post Acute Care Provider Network with Northwestern/CDH Hospital. That was a huge  
application process. It is important to participate as this really drives the referrals and only  
certain agencies are selected to be part of the Post Acute Network. As part of the renewal or  
review the Provider Network has asked people to resubmit again this year. Ms. Chadwick’s team  
put together a PowerPoint to share with the committee. The PowerPoint contains a great story  
and description of the Care Center and is a great tool for people to understand the Care Center  
capabilities and their models of care.  
The Care Center had an outbreak of the rhinovirus and the Human Metapneumorvirus (HMPV).  
They are out of the outbreak for the rhinovirus and have a few more days to close out with the  
health department for the HMPV. The HMPV is like a cold but much riskier for people greater  
than 65 or those with comorbidity.  
The Care Center East building project will go before the Health Facilities Services Review Board  
on January 13. It is a Springfield review but being held in Bolingbrook. The review board has  
accepted all the paperwork submitted by the Care Center.  
Member DeSart noted that Ms. Chadwick did not mention RSV, the flu, and covid, stating a  
person in another facility stated it is rampant in their building. Ms. Chadwick replied that the  
staff at the Care Center masks all the time through the flu season, thus reducing the amount of  
exposure to illnesses.  
Chair Schwarze asked what is currently under construction. Ms. Chadwick replied that currently  
2South, 2Center, and 2North are still under construction. They are waiting for the results of a  
recent flow test and for the clinical survey. Staff are not sure if the state will waive the  
architectural survey which they have been doing. The projected occupancy is four weeks.  
11.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE - MARY KEATING  
Mary Keating, Director of Community Services, referred to the federal funding cuts to the  
Continuum of Care (CoC), stating there were a couple of court hearings in Rhode Island in  
December. HUD was ordered to renew the existing grants and drop their plans. HUD announced  
they would be issuing a new notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) today. They are not sure why  
a new funding notice is being issued and why HUD is not just being renewed. The federal judge  
focused on the process, noting HUD has the right to change priorities for funding but she was  
extremely critical of the process they used, and the lack of notice and opportunity for the  
agencies to respond to the notice.  
Community Services has some great outreach numbers for 2025. Brett Kuras, the outreach staff  
person, will present the numbers at the next Human Services meeting. Member Galassi said she  
appreciates the updates Brett sends to the County Board members.  
12.  
13.  
OLD BUSINESS  
Chair Schwarze stated he is grateful to the committee for supporting the business trip to Hawaii.  
He added the committee is so grateful to the staff for their expertise, which saves the County  
money.  
NEW BUSINESS  
Member DeSart stated she has already had two small nonprofits reach out to her since the start of  
the year regarding the small nonprofit grant and asked if we will be offering this in 2026. Chair  
Schwarze replied that there was a committee consensus to move the next two years of the funds  
to another fund so the small nonprofit grant will not be offered this year.  
14.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 AM.