Finance Committee approves ARPA boosts for three behavioral-health nonprofits

The Cook County Board's Finance Committee approved a resolution to increase ARPA subrecipient awards to three behavioral-health organizations, moving to reallocate underspent funds to providers with capacity to use them before federal deadlines.

Vice Chair Lowery moved to approve item 26-0552 and item 26-0828 as amended in the errata; the motion was seconded and the committee voted to approve the items. The chair recorded the approvals and closed debate.

The Justice Advisory Council presented the requests. Abhik Doss, executive director of the Justice Advisory Council, introduced Christina Culpa, JAC's director of policy, who said the program is a diversion initiative for emerging adults that pairs education and employment support with behavioral-health services. Culpa said the proposal would renew ARPA and local funding for another year to continue those services.

County grants staff and program representatives described the three subrecipient increases: a $112,000 increase for the Chinese American Service League to support autism screening and family navigation after delivering about 1,600 service sessions to more than 300 families; a $1,219,211.26 increase for Communities in Schools of Chicago to expand school-based services into 10 additional schools; and approximately $954,491 for the Juvenile Protective Association to fund staffing, expand services into 13 schools and create satellite locations in North Lawndale and Humboldt Park.

"This additional funding will support autism screening and family navigation services, leading to earlier identification, stronger care coordination, and improved access for children and families," the Chinese American Service League representative said.

Grant administrators told commissioners that the county awarded about $44 million in ARPA grants to more than 50 organizations in 2024. Because many awards were made with short contract windows and some grantees were slower to spend, staff prioritized increasing awards to organizations that could absorb funds before the federal spending deadline rather than onboarding new awardees with limited time to obligate and expend funds.

Commissioners asked for additional information and raised concerns. Commissioner Sean Morrison asked for clarification that the uses comply with ARPA guidance; grants staff said the awards fall within the established guidelines. Commissioner Degnan said she was disappointed funds had been redirected from environmental projects such as EV charging stations and brownfields redevelopment, arguing those priorities had been discussed previously and remain unmet. Several members, including Commissioner McCaskill and Commissioner Stamps, pressed for a district-level listing showing which schools and communities are served and asked how success will be measured beyond service counts.

County staff said metrics were part of the application and monitoring process and that staff meet with grantees monthly to track spending, compliance and program-specific outcome measures; they agreed to provide commissioners with the school lists and district breakdowns that were previously circulated.

Tanya Anthony, the county's chief financial officer, clarified that ARPA funds had to be obligated by December 2024 (contracts locked) and that obligated contracts restrict how funds can be reallocated, which limited the county's ability to add new awardees at this stage. Staff said the priority was to avoid leaving federal funds unspent by September 30 (the reported spending deadline).

The committee approved the resolution as amended. The clerk announced the vote totals on the record; the chair confirmed the items were approved.

What happens next: Staff will provide the requested lists of schools and district-level allocations to the chair and commissioners and continue monitoring grantee spend-down and outcome reporting prior to the federal deadline.