CJC Seeks to Eliminate Employment Barrier Through Bill in IL General Assembly

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Over the last several years, Chicago Jobs Council’s (CJC’s) focus on eliminating barriers to employment has revealed that driver’s license suspensions lead to job loss and missed economic opportunities. In Illinois, a CJC survey found that 52% of respondents who had their driver’s licenses suspended for non-driving violations lost or missed out on a job opportunity because they didn’t have a license.

Through the License to Work and SAFE-T Acts, we have successfully eliminated driver’s license suspension for fines and fees in Illinois. We are building on these successes by working to end debt-driven suspensions for failure to appear. 

According to data received from the Secretary of State’s office, there are more than 100,000 people with driver’s license suspensions in Illinois for “failure to appear” in traffic court. These suspensions are often just an extension of the debt collection process for traffic tickets, and there are numerous reasons to eliminate the practice, including:

  • Like the other debt-driven suspensions, the real world impact of failure to appear suspensions is devastating to communities of color. A 2021 CJC report found a strong correlation between race and suspensions. The correlation is also consistent across all zip codes, whether or not they are majority Black or Latino. The trend is the same: more suspensions and holds the more people of color live in a zip code. The race of drivers was more influential than income level in determining the likelihood of suspension.
  • Taking away someone’s access to transportation by suspending their driver’s license makes them less able to appear in court at all.
  • In states that no longer suspend driver’s licenses for failure to appear, there is little to no evidence that suspending people’s driver’s licenses increases payment or the likelihood of them appearing in court.

CJC’s bill—HB277—is currently in the Illinois Senate and if passed, will ensure that people who receive minor traffic tickets such as speeding or not stopping at a stop sign, do not have their driver’s license suspended for failing to appear in traffic court.

To ensure maximum financial opportunity and safe transportation for our constituents and all of Illinois, we urge that the Illinois General Assembly pass legislation to end the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for failure to appear in court.

 

LEARN MORE

Peacekeepers Program (24-444-80-3013-02) Notice of Funding Opportunity

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Summary Information

Awarding Agency Name Illinois Department of Human Services
Awarding Division Name Office of Firearm Violence Prevention; FCS Bureau of Violence Prevention Services
Agency Contact LaTanya Law
DHS.FirearmViolencePrevention@illinois.gov
Announcement Type Initial Announcement
Funding Opportunity Title Peacekeepers Program
Funding Opportunity Number 24-444-80-3013-02
Application Posting Date April 11, 2023
Application Date Range Start Date: 4/11/2023
End Date: 5/15/2023
End Time: 12:00pm NOON
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Number 444-80-3013
Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA) Popular Name Peacekeepers Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s) 21.027
Award Funding Source These awards will be funded with Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSFRF). These awards may also be partially funded with General Revenue Funds.
Estimated Total Program Funding Approximately $30M will be made available for a 12-month project period (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024)
Anticipated Number of Awards 2
Award Range Average award amount: Up to $30,000,000 for 12-month project period (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024)
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement Cost sharing or matching is allowed but is not required.
Indirect Costs Allowed Indirect Costs are allowed
Restrictions on Indirect Costs Indirect Cost Rate must be approved.

See Section C. Eligibility and Grant Funding Requirements; 8. Grant Fund Use Requirements for any funding restrictions.
Technical Assistance Session Session Offered: Yes
Session Mandatory: No
Date/Time:  4/18/23 10:00am Central Time (us and Canada)
Registration Link: https://uic.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqfu-qqTMiHNd8XJK5NsA1kwQpYU57hcG7
NOFO / Application Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Submit questions to:
DHS.FirearmViolencePrevention@illinois.govDue date for submitting questions:
5/10/2023
FAQs will be updated frequently, and a final, complete list will be posted to the IDHS website on 5/12/2023.

Program Description

  1. Program Summary
    Firearm violence has deeply harmed neighborhoods, communities, and the entire State of Illinois, both through the immediate loss of life and the long-term, harmful effects of trauma experienced by victims, witnesses, and others. To reduce firearm violence, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69). The RPSA calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services and economic opportunities. It also created the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) in the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS or the Department), which has authority over this effort.
    Per RPSA, the OFVP’s Firearm Violence Research Group identified 26 Chicago community areas as locations and 16 Greater Illinois Municipal service areas with the most concentrated firearm violence, as defined by the number of and per capita of fatal/non-fatal firearm-shot victims, excluding self-inflicted incidents, from 2016 through 2020. Four (4) additional Chicago community areas and additional Greater Illinois Municipal service areas were selected by the OFVP, using further data-driven analysis. A complete list of Chicago and Greater Illinois communities and a full description of the process for identifying these communities with the highest concentration of firearm violence is available here: IDHS: Report of the IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention, June – December 2021 (state.il.us). 
    Across these communities, families are facing a staggering array of economic demands and social challenges that have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic: devastating health concerns, lack of employment, education loss, mental health issues, social support disruption, and increased family and community violence. In Chicago, during the early months of COVID, firearm violence increased by over 50% from pre-pandemic levels. Since then, discrete neighborhoods in Chicago and Greater Illinois have been experiencing concentrated and perpetual firearm violence that has contributed to increased firearm homicide rates. Within these neighborhoods, firearm violence is highly concentrated among teens and young adults who have chronic exposure to violence, criminal legal system involvement, and related trauma.
    To reduce firearm violence, the OFVP has initiated the Peacemakers Program based on the FLIP (Flat Lining Violence Inspires Peace) model. The Peacekeepers Program uses a proven strategy to create a safe presence and has been implemented in Chicago’s most highly impacted blocks during afternoon to late-night hours, mid-week, and through the weekend. The model advances street outreach work and develops a diverse and sustainable workforce by engaging young people who live in neighborhoods that are at a high risk for violence to serve as “Peacekeepers.” These individuals are given a daily stipend and training to mediate and de-escalate conflict in their own communities. Peacekeepers leverage their relationships and training to intervene before violence erupts. By being physically present around hotspots 1 and through their own personal networks, Peacekeepers can reach people and conflicts that street outreach teams might not otherwise be able to due to capacity constraints. 2
    While serving as Peacekeepers, individuals are also provided with the supports and resources for professional growth. Peacekeeper supports will include job readiness training, GED support, other trainings such as financial literacy, expungement, domestic violence education, etc., as well as emergency supports.
    The IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) seeks to fund one or two applicants to reach each of the RPSA eligible communities in Chicago and Suburban Cook County to engage subrecipient organizations to implement and maintain the Peacekeepers program model year-round.

Chicago Communities:

  1. Ashburn
  2. Auburn Gresham
  3. Austin
  4. Burnside
  5. Chatham
  6. Chicago Lawn
  7. East Garfield Park

8. Englewood

9. Fuller Park

10. Greater Grand Crossing

11. Humboldt Park

12. New City

13. North Lawndale

14. Northside Cluster: (Belmont, Cragin, Hermosa, Logan Square, Avondale, Irving Park, Albany Park)

15. Riverdale

16. Roseland

17. South Chicago

18. South Deering

19. South Lawndale

20. South Shore

21. Southwest Cluster: (Lower West Side, Brighton Park, Gage Park, McKinley Park)

22. Washington Park

23. West Englewood

24. West Garfield Park

25. West Pullman

26. Woodlawn

Suburban Cook County Communities:

  1. Berwyn-Cicero Cluster
  2. Calumet City Cluster (Calumet City, Harvey, Dolton, Riverdale, South Holland, Markham, Lansing
  3. Chicago Heights Cluster (Chicago Heights, Park Forest, Sauk Village)
  4. Maywood-Bellwood

In line with the White House’s commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for people of color and communities across the country, IDHS and the OFVP share the goals of addressing systemic racism, which includes advancing equity and racial justice.

 

MORE INFO CAN BE FOUND HERE: DHS.STATE.IL.US

Spotlights on family Engamement Resources

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The School Community Network (SCN) provides resources such as these spotlights, trainings, and tools to build strong school communities focused on student learning.  SCN is sponsored by the Academic Development Institute (ADI), a nonprofit organization in Lincoln, Illinois. SCN’s work draws from ADI’s nearly 40 years of experience and extensive research in family and community engagement.

lan ahead to support family engagement in summer learning by visiting our spotlights page for links to the resources below (and find even more in our searchable databases), or plan your summer reading with the help of recent book reviews from the School Community Journal.

Summer Stride  

Learning Heroes

This website can help parents and families: “Before school lets out, ask the teacher where your child is doing well, where more support may be needed, and what you can do over the summer to set them up for success in the next grade.” It provides tools, tips, and resources to do just that, and it is also available in Spanish:

Avance en el Verano (Summer Stride)

Antes de que terminen las clases, pregúntale al maestro en qué área le va bien a tu hijo, donde necesita más apoyo y qué puedes hacer en el hogar para prepararlo para el siguiente grado. Obtén el Chequeo Académico una nueva herramienta de aprendizaje (gratuita) para el verano.

 

Discover Summer (website)

National Summer Learning Association & InPlay

“With our new summer search feature, your family can discover summer programs, both in-person and virtual, right in your community. You also have easy access to resources from leading youth organizations to keep the learning going. When we nurture and cultivate a young person’s natural brilliance and curiosity, there are positive ripple effects that last a lifetime.” Infographics and many other resources are linked.

 

Summer Learning Toolkit

Wallace Foundation

“With more than 50 evidence-based tools and resources—drawn from the work of five urban school districts and their partners, and aligned with research from RAND—the Summer Learning Toolkit helps educators deliver programs that make a real difference.” Tools include videos, tip sheets, samples, and guidance; the Summer Planning Calendar and Sustainability Tools also include detailed companion and facilitation guides.

Smarter Summers. Brighter Futures. A Summer Playbook for PTA and School Leaders

National Summer Learning Association

With this Playbook, PTAs, along with teachers and principals, will have a robust and research-based toolkit to keep youth safe, healthy, and engaged in learning during the critical summer months through a schoolwide commitment to summer fun and learning, collaboration around access to resources, and connections with families to celebrate summer learning fun.

Collaborative Bridges is a partnership of historic West Side Chicago

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Collaborative Bridges is a partnership of historic West Side Chicago safety net hospitals and community mental health agencies designed to ensure that the care needs of people experiencing mental health and substance abuse are supported in their community, especially after a hospital admission. We are here to improve the health equity of West Side communities. To do this, we are creating a continuity of care between hospitals and communities to put resources closer to those who need it, when they need it.

This quarterly newsletter is being sent to you because you were identified as a friend and associate of Collaborative Bridges and/or one of its many collaborating partners on the West Side of Chicago.

We hope you will stay subscribed to this quarterly publication, but please know that you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this email at any time.

Collaborative Bridges is a partnership of historic West Side Chicago safety net hospitals and community mental health agencies designed to ensure that the care needs of people experiencing mental health and substance abuse are supported in their community, especially after hospital admission. We are here to improve the health equity of West Side communities. To do this, we are creating a continuity of care between hospitals and communities to put resources closer to those who need it, when they need it.

This quarterly newsletter is being sent to you because you were identified as a friend and associate of Collaborative Bridges and/or one of its many collaborating partners on the West Side of Chicago.

We hope you will stay subscribed to this quarterly publication, but please know that you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this email at any time.

Founding Partners

Bobby E. Wright, CBHC
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago
Habilitative Systems, Inc.
Hartgrove Behavioral Health Systems
Humboldt Park Health
The Loretto Hospital

 

The Need We are Addressing

Collaborative Bridges recognizes that the current healthcare delivery system is failing the city’s most vulnerable residents. What we aim to do is address some of the structural deficiencies in the healthcare system that have led to worse health outcomes for residents of the West Side of Chicago. These include:

Lack of access to care
Lack of stability in the healthcare delivery system
Lack of coordinated, cross-agency focus on the social determinants of health
The transition from acute mental health inpatient to community care is one of the most critical periods for addressing patients’ care needs.

Patients discharged from psychiatric hospital-based care often find this period to be chaotic, stressful and emotionally charged.

Our model embeds mental healthcare professionals with a variety of credentials in the community.

The suicide rate for the first week after discharge is 300 times higher than the general population’s and is most significant in the first few days after discharge.

These innovative care teams incorporate both master-level therapists and community-based care coordinators and are integrated with the hospital and other critical access points.

Collaborative Bridges meets people in their communities and connects them to care needs that improve their well-being to ensure successful stabilization of substance abuse and mental health treatment needs.