This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly News and Views e-newsletter includes an announcement that September is National Preparedness Month in Illinois, provides information about Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) guidance for election authorities, reports on new COVID-19 mitigation efforts for Region 4, conveys that Illinois received federal funding to address the opioid crisis, shares information about the National Association of Counties (NACo) High Performance Leadership Academy, references an upcoming NACo webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Christopher B. Burke Engineering and invites counties to join ISACo.
COUNTIES COUNT!
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September is National Preparedness Month in Illinois
National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning.
As we learned this spring with the COVID-19 pandemic, disasters don’t wait. They can strike at anytime and anywhere. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and local emergency managers are encouraging Illinoisans to take time to prepare for potential emergencies at homes, at work and in the community.
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IDPH Health and Safety Guidance for Election Authorities
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released guidance for local election authorities designed to protect the health and safety of voters on election day.
IDPH requires all local election authorities to develop written COVID-19 preparation plans for all polling sites within their jurisdiction. Plans must contain specific COVID-19 safety and training instructions along with the names of individuals responsible for the implementation of the plan. Election authorities are strongly encouraged to relocate polls previously housed in long-term care facilities and senior living residences in order to protect both voters and vulnerable residents.
All polling places must have signage to encourage voters to wear masks and maintain six feet of social distancing. If a voter does not have a mask, election authorizes are required to offer one outside the polling place. Plexi glass is recommended between polling booths and movement will be one-directional.
Additional recommended preventative actions include using Plexiglas barriers between election officials and voters, large print instructions to facilitate communication, routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and polling place personnel to remind voters to maintain physical distance. While election officials are prohibited from preventing a voter without a face covering from casting a ballot, the guidance requires they take every reasonable action to separate noncompliant voters, ensuring they are socially distanced from those voters who are compliant.
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State Public Health Officials Announce Additional COVID-19 Mitigation Measures for Region 4
Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced new COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Region 4 (the Metro East area). The additional measures took effect on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.
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Illinois Receives Federal Funding to Address Opioid Crisis
On Thursday, September 3, 2020, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced that Illinois received $36.7 million in federal funding to fight the opioid crisis. The funding will expand prevention, treatment, recovery and overdose response initiatives across the state.
Funds will be used to continue the following initiatives:
- Expanded access to Medication Assisted Recovery (MAR) services for persons with opioid use disorders, including those in the criminal justice system.
- Hospital screenings and linkage to community treatment programs for their patients; supportive housing and digital resources for persons in recovery from opioid use disorder.
- Access to medication-assisted recovery for patients at federally qualified health centers.
- Recovery support services for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorders; mentoring and coaching for medical professionals prescribing medications for opioid use disorders; and a toll-free Helpline for opioids and other substances.
- Expansion in 2020 for treatment of persons with stimulant use disorder in response to rising rates of methamphetamine and cocaine use.
ISACo's Summer 2020 County Quarterly Newsletter (available via this link) includes articles about efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
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NACo High Performance Leadership Academy
Join the 2,000 county leaders from across the United States already benefiting from the National Association of Counties (NACo) High Performance Leadership Academy (HPLA). This is a 12-week online leadership program led by General Colin Powell.
With a robust curriculum developed by the Professional Development Academy (PDA) in partnership with Fortune 1000 executives, public sector leaders, world-renowned academics and thought leaders, including General Colin Powell and Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, HPLA was designed specifically for the unique challenges and opportunities of serving in county government.
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Upcoming NACo Webinar
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has announced the following upcoming webinar:
NACo Town Hall: Practical County Approaches to Ensure a Census 2020 Complete Count
(Wednesday, September 9, 2020, from 1pm – 2pm CST)
Join NACo and the NACo Census Working Group for this interactive and strategy-sharing discussion on creative, practical county approaches to ensure a complete count for the 2020 Census.
An accurate census count impacts billions of dollars in federal funding for county programs and investments, in addition to political representation. This Town Hall will highlight county efforts over the past year to engage and inform their local communities of the Census importance, while facing challenges such as broadband connectivity and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Corporate Partner Spotlight
This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Christoper B. Burke Engineering.
Started in 1986, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LTD. is a full-service consulting engineering and surveying firm specializing in civil, transportation/highway, municipal, traffic, construction, water resources, environmental, structural and mechanical engineering. The company provides not only design services, but also planning, preliminary engineering, permitting, and construction observation. Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LTD. successfully completed the design, permitting and construction of numerous major transportation projects, flood control reservoirs, pump stations, embankments, water mains and water systems, storm sewers, and large open channels.
Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.
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The Key to ISACo's Success is YOU!
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Is your county a member of ISACo? If not, why not?
ISACo is a statewide association whose mission is to empower county officials to provide excellent service to their residents.
ISACo member counties are comprised of forward-thinking public servants who recognize that the challenges confronting county governments require new and innovative ideas, collaborative solutions and collective advocacy at the state and federal levels of government.
Members of the association will benefit from education and training opportunities, peer-to-peer networking, shared resources and robust representation before policymakers at various levels of government. ISACo creates and connects county officials to these opportunities and successfully equips them to make counties ideal places to live, work and play.
If your county is interested in discussing membership in ISACo, please contact Executive Director Joe McCoy at (217) 679-3368 or jmccoy@isacoil.org. Thank you for your consideration.
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News and Views is a service provided by ISACo for county officials and staff. Please feel welcome to share with interested parties. You can contact ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy at jmccoy@isacoil.org or (217) 679-3368 if we can be of service. Thank you for your support of ISACo.
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