421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Human Services  
Final Summary  
Tuesday, March 21, 2023  
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  
In attendance at the meeting were Assistant State's Attorneys Paul Bruckner and Renee Zerante,  
County Board Members Yeena Yoo and Patty Gustin, Community Services Administrators  
Natasha Belli and Gina Strafford-Ahmed, Buyer Valerie Calvente, and Mary Keating, Director of  
Community Services.  
Childress, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
PRESENT  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
CHAIR REMARKS - CHAIR SCHWARZE  
Chair Schwarze welcomed County Board Members Patty Gustin and Yeena Yoo to the meeting.  
The Chair deferred to Member Galassi. Ms. Galassi presented five AP Government students  
from Hinsdale Central High School. A class requirement is to shadow an elected official for  
eight hours and they selected Member Galassi. Ms. Galassi met with the students Monday night  
in which she explained the process. She concluded by saying the students have been great to  
work with and she is honored to have them here.  
Chair Schwarze stated that he met with four of the larger food pantries in our area, along with  
Mary Keating and Vice Chair Garcia. As a background, Chair Schwarze explained the County  
Board earmarked $5M for food assistance last year. $2.75M was appropriated to food pantries in  
2022 with $2.25M in reserve. Mr. Schwarze, Ms. Garcia, and Ms. Keating met with Loaves and  
Fishes Community Services, People’s Resource Center, Neighborhood Food Pantries, and West  
Suburban Community Pantry seeking their input related to the allocation of the remaining  
$2.25M. They will meet with Northern Illinois Food Bank next week and then some of the  
smaller food pantries after that to share ideas relating to the allocation of the remaining $2.25M.  
Chair Schwarze announced the 19th Annual DuPage Care Center Foundation Golf Outing and  
Dinner will be held on June 16, in partnership with the Tony Reyes Family Foundation at Prairie  
Landing Golf Club in West Chicago. The event includes lunch, 18 holes of golf, a raffle and  
dinner, all for the benefit of the 300 plus individuals that call the Care Center home. This year is  
exceptionally exciting as we look forward to the Care Center renovations. Lunch begins at noon,  
with a shotgun golf start at 1:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:00 p.m., when they will announce  
the raffles. Early bird registration is now available through April 28. Golf and dinner are $225  
per person, dinner only is $50. Individuals can register at dpccfoundation.org. The handout flyer  
is attached hereto and made part of the minutes packet.  
19th Annual DuPage Care Center Foundation Golf Outing and Dinner  
5.  
APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
Member Childress stepped out of the meeting during the previous minutes vote.  
5.A.  
Human Services - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, March 7, 2023  
APPROVED  
Paula Garcia  
Lynn LaPlante  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES - MARY KEATING  
6.A.  
Acceptance and Appropriation of the Thirty-Fifth (35th) Year Emergency Solutions  
Grant FY23, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1470, $288,247. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
6.B.  
Acceptance and Appropriation of the Thirty-Second (32nd) Year Home Investment  
Partnerships Grant FY23, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1450, $2,095,389.  
(Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Michael Childress  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Paula Garcia  
SECONDER:  
6.C.  
Acceptance and Appropriation of the Forty-Ninth (49th) Year Community Development  
Block Grant FY23, Company 5000 - Accounting Unit 1440, $3,663,480. (Community  
Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
7.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER - JANELLE CHADWICK  
7.A.  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to Ecolab, Inc., for  
Laundry Chemicals, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period April 24, 2023 through  
April 23, 2024, for a total contract not to exceed $32,000; per bid #23-028-DCC.  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Michael Childress  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
7.B.  
HHS-P-0130A-22 Amendment to Resolution HHS-P-0130-22, issued to Brightstar Care  
of Central DuPage, for Supplemental Nursing Staffing, for the DuPage Care Center, for  
the period April 13, 2022 through April 12, 2023, to increase encumbrance in the amount  
of $44,760., a 11.36%. (5756-0001 SERV)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Michael Childress  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
7.C.  
HHS-P-0128A-22 Amendment to HHS-P-0128-22, contract purchase order 5758-0001  
SERV, issued to Novastaff Healthcare Services, for supplemental Nursing staffing, for  
the period April 13, 2022 through April 12, 2023, to increase encumbrance in the amount  
of $50,000, resulting in a new contract total of $964,000, a 5.47% increase. (ARPA  
ITEM)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Michael Childress  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Paula Garcia  
SECONDER:  
7.D.  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract purchase order to McKesson Medical  
Surgical Government Solutions, to furnish and deliver Connex Spot Vital Sign Monitors  
and Mobile Work Stands with Baskets, for the DuPage Care Center, for the period March  
22, 2023 through November 30, 2023, for a contract total not to exceed $24,706.71; per  
MMCAP Cooperative Purchasing Agreement. (ARPA ITEM)  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
AYES:  
Lynn LaPlante  
Kari Galassi  
Childress, DeSart, Galassi, Garcia, LaPlante, and Schwarze  
8.  
BUDGET TRANSFERS  
8.A.  
Budget Transfer to transfer funds to cover the cost for a case manager contract, mileage  
incurred for the Ombudsman program, and for printing of materials for the Seniors  
program, with newly approved Federal funding. Expenses were originally budgeted for in  
the state funding budget of 5000-1720 $20,000. (Community Services)  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Dawn DeSart  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
9.  
TRAVEL  
9.A.  
Community Services Administrator to attend the annual Illinois Association of  
Community Action Agencies (IACAA) Learning Conference in Springfield, Illinois from  
April 30, 2023 through May 2, 2023. Expenses to include registration, lodging,  
miscellaneous expenses (parking, mileage, etc.), and per diems for approximate total of  
$1,282. Note: Registration cost includes Family of Distinction event Administrator, Case  
Manager, Coordinator and FoD Family head of household. CSBG grant funded.  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
9.B.  
Family Self Sufficiency Case Manager to attend the annual Illinois Association of  
Community Action Agencies (IACAA) Family's of Distinction Award Ceremony in  
Springfield, Illinois from April 30, 2023 through May 1, 2023. Expenses to include  
lodging, miscellaneous expenses (parking, mileage, etc.), and per diems for approximate  
total of $441. Registration cost included in Administrator's total. CSBG grant funded.  
(Community Services)  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Kari Galassi  
SECONDER:  
9.C.  
Community Services Manager to attend the National Alliance of Information and  
Referral 2023 Training Conference in Orland. Florida from July 30, 2023 through August  
2, 2023. Expenses to include registration, transportation, lodging, miscellaneous expenses  
(parking, mileage, etc.), and per diems for approximate total of $1,986. CSBG grant  
funded.  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
9.D.  
Community Services Director to attend the NACo Board of Directors meeting in St.  
George County, Utah, from May 15, 2023 through May 19, 2023. Expenses to include  
registration, transportation, lodging, miscellaneous expenses (parking, mileage, etc.), and  
per diems for approximate total of $2,840.50.  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Michael Childress  
SECONDER:  
9.E.  
Case Manager Coordinator to attend the annual Illinois Association of Community  
Action Agencies (IACAA) Family's of Distinction Award Ceremony in Springfield,  
Illinois from April 30, 2023 through May 1, 2023. Expenses to include lodging,  
miscellaneous expenses (parking, mileage, etc.), and per diems for approximate total of  
$441.90. Registration cost included in Administrator's total. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Michael Childress  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Paula Garcia  
SECONDER:  
10.  
CONSENT ITEMS  
10.A.  
Decrease contract 5759-0001 SERV, issued to Maxim Healthcare Services, in the amount  
of $371,311.28. This decrease will offset the increases to two other supplemental staffing  
contracts. (5759-0001)  
APPROVED AT COMMITTEE  
Dawn DeSart  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Paula Garcia  
SECONDER:  
11.  
INFORMATIONAL  
11.A.  
GPN 016-23: Weatherization Department of Energy (DOE) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law  
(BIL) Grant FY23 - Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity - U.S.  
Department of Energy - $1,074,096. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
11.B.  
GPN 017-23: LIHEAP HHS Supplemental Grant PY2023 - Illinois Department of  
Commerce and Economic Opportunity - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  
- $1,118,000. (Community Services)  
APPROVED AND SENT TO FINANCE  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
Lynn LaPlante  
SECONDER:  
12.  
13.  
RESIDENCY WAIVERS - JANELLE CHADWICK  
No residency waivers were offered.  
DUPAGE CARE CENTER UPDATE - JANELLE CHADWICK  
Janelle Chadwick, Administrator of the DuPage Care Center, stated there are currently no covid  
cases at the Care Center. However, there are multiple cases of Human Metapneumonvirus  
(hMPV) on one unit. The virus is a respiratory virus that impacts the immunocompromised,  
similar to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Staff are in close communication with the  
Illinois Department of Public Health and the DuPage County Health Department. The Care  
Center infection control practice is on a high level, staff are wearing full PPE, and monitoring  
and isolating the infected individuals.  
Ms. Chadwick updated the committee on the Care Center renovation, stating they are nearing  
completion on the Certificate of Need. The Certificate should be complete this week, in plenty of  
time to submit the paperwork within the required 60 days prior to the Health Facilities Planning  
& Review Board’s quarterly meeting in June. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)  
oversees health facilities and other entities with projects related to renovation or new build. Due  
to the size of the Care Center, the IDPH determined the Care Center must complete the  
Certificate of Need. The architecture firm hired a consultant to assist that is very well versed in  
this submission.  
Member DeSart referred to an article in the Health in the Headlines publication from the DuPage  
County Health Department regarding proposed legislation in several states against staffing  
agencies price gouging during the pandemic, which was a declared emergency. A New York bill  
includes a cap on the amount staffing agencies can charge health agencies. Ms. DeSart expressed  
her concerns that the Care Center is not being price gouged by the supplemental staffing  
agencies. Ms. Chadwick responded, stating one of the big things coming through with legislation  
is that the Care Center can now hire individuals from that agency. There used to be a  
non-compete clause or they had to buy them out, which was tens of thousands of dollars. For  
instance, the CNA tenure payment hourly rate increase has enticed agency staff to want to work  
at the Care Center, and with new legislation they no longer are required to buy them out. The  
Care Center staff is working with Procurement to help drive down the rates as much as possible.  
14.  
COMMUNITY SERVICES UPDATE - MARY KEATING  
Mary Keating, Director of Community Services, explained the Department of Energy (DOE)  
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provided additional funding for the Weatherization program.  
Ms. Keating was pleased to see the federal government is continuing to support the programs we  
provide and continues to fund them.  
Gina Strafford Ahmed, Administrator for Intake and Referral, spoke regarding the travel requests  
to the Family of Distinction Award Ceremony. She stated that for the last fifteen years the  
Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies (IACAA) has held an awards ceremony that  
honors families that have graduated out of case management programs. Community Services has  
nominated individuals for the last ten years, winning a distinction every year. Thirty-six agencies  
have nominated fifteen families in categories that include success in health, employment, and  
income. The recipients will be selected by the community action agencies that serve on the  
IACAA Board. Ms. Strafford-Ahmed hopes to feature the recipient in the Community Services’  
Annual Report and the at CSBG Advisory Board. The ceremony will be held on April 30, 2023,  
at the Crown Plaza in Springfield. The cost of the family to attend is provided by the CSBG  
grant.  
Ms. Keating updated the committee on the small agency grant program, stating they will submit  
the appropriation resolution next week. The County Board will not be asked to approve the  
application in case there are edits needed along the way. The agency recipients will complete  
individual agreements, which will be consolidated to a single agreement with the names of the  
agencies and their list of projects to be submitted to the Committee and County Board.  
Ms. Keating expects the application period to open early to mid-April and close at the end of  
May. The intent will be for the board to have their recommendations by the July meeting or first  
meeting in August to avoid entering into the heavy budget preparation period.  
Ms. Keating added that funding would be split accordingly to any agencies that cross over  
County Board districts.  
15.  
16.  
17.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:57 AM.  
MOTION TO ADJOURN  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Lynn LaPlante  
Michael Childress  
MOVER:  
SECONDER: