>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

Black voices.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> We all know.

The pressures of this moment.

>> State leaders prepare for President Trump's return to the White House.

>> A measure making it easier for kids in foster care to live with their relatives passes in Springfield.

And black.

morbidity is up in Illinois.

Cook County Health has a plan to help address it.

>> And now to some of today's top stories, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan took the witness stand for a second day in his corruption trial.

Madigan testified that he never engaged in any quid pro quo schemes with former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis Madigan told jurors he only sought to help Solis when he could.

But school did him for suggesting an introduction to a developer would result in exchange for personal gain.

He also testified that he and his former confidant Mike mclane who is also on trial are no longer close.

The judge sent jurors home this afternoon.

They are expected to hear cross-examination from prosecutors on Monday.

Campaign email sent by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot to hundreds of Chicago public schools, e-mail accounts raised significant constitutional issues.

That's according to a new report from the CPS Inspector general.

The report also shows that her re-election campaign had already been warned twice about sending electioneering emails to public employees.

Wife of drew criticism in January 2023.

For sending thousands of emails to 219 accounts, mostly soliciting volunteers.

Those emails were first reported by W T Tw News.

Interim Inspector General Amber Nesbitt says her office found no evidence of coordination between the campaign and the school district, but that the emails essentially asked employees to violate CPS policy.

A spokeswoman for the former mayor says she was never personally involved in those e-mails.

The city is continuing its plan to bring back previously closed mental health clinics with the reopening of the Roseland Mental Health Clinic in a building that supporters say was once a Chicago police station.

>> And now say that this is a health hub, that the city is right.

It's come full circle.

We want from criminal law criminalizing people who are in mental health.

We have mental health issues who in crisis to now offering full service support, total support Street in the >> The mayor and other officials cut the ribbon on the facility today, which will offer a range of mental and health services.

The Chicago Department of Public Health also announced the expansion of the Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement program or care, which involves behavioral health and emergency medical technicians responding to 9-1-1.

Calls that having mental health needs.

Up next, Springfield kicks off the spring session right after this.

>> Chicago tonight, what he's made possible in part by the support of these don't use.

>> It is a new day in the state Capitol where today the next group of state lawmakers were sworn into office and of he joins us now with more about the year ahead for yes, Brandis today's inauguration of the 100th General Assembly reminded me of that saying what's old is new again, the legislature does have new members and they will be starting from scratch when it comes to introducing and passing bills.

But on the other hand, a lot is staying the same.

The partisan makeup of the Legislature, change.

Democrats still dominate can pass measures without need for any Republican help.

And then there's the issue of the state's finances back in a rough spot, Illinois staring down heading to close a projected 3 billion dollar deficit.

>> We're all in this together.

And if you read media clips or financial reports, that might be a tough year ahead.

We will face stressful moments.

So I am challenging myself and everyone here.

To be the better leaders of our state, to treat everyone with decency and respect.

>> any insight as to what they're going to do about that.

Not a lot.

Reporters did ask Governor JB Pritzker about it and he promised to present a balanced budget next month with more details.

>> That's certainly not the first thing my list is the new man tax increases and think looking how we can manage balancing the budget within our means.

>> The speaker of the House gave a small hint about his priorities during his inauguration speech.

>> The people who sent you here.

gave us this moment, they expect us to move forward as one.

People from Chicago to Carbondale want Smart and sustainable investments in the resources that help people be their best.

Because they don't want to choose between a compassion is state and a responsible state.

>> In an apparent reference to Trump and Megan Line policies.

Speaker Welsh also said that school cruel and repressive policies that to humanize neighbors were strip away fundamental freedoms.

We'll have no home in Illinois otherwise.

Well, just speech focused a lot on unity.

The House minority leader says she was naive to believe Welch's promises of unity 2 years ago when she became leader and not anymore.

She says Democrats polled moves like passing a law that has since been found illegal to alter election rules in an attempt to stifle competition for the into the best the gimmicks of election interference by the majority party must be permanently ended in Illinois.

Illinois has always been a state of possibilities.

>> But one party control has stifled that success.

She says House Republicans will this year focus on growing the economy and no new taxes.

>> Things were a bit more diplomatic from a bipartisan point of view over in the Senate.

>> And I look forward to that continued inclusion in the upcoming session.

Represent.

The geographic majority of the state.

And we.

Have a lot to offer.

>> big unknown for state legislators is how Trump's return to the White House will impact Illinois and the state's budget.

There was talk about passing measures during this week's lame duck session in the final days for the former General Assembly to help to quote Trump proof Illinois.

Now that did not happen.

No measures passed during lame-duck.

Now Pritzker's office says that that is because Illinois already passed a lot of laws over the past couple of years after Trump's first term.

The governor does say, though, that his administration and majority Democrats are ready to react, should they need to as Trump returns for a second.

All right, Amanda, you.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

And you can read Amanda's full story on our website.

It is all at W T Tw Dot com slash news.

>> Nearly 10,000 children in the care of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services live with relatives.

But more than 60% of those families are not eligible for foster care, support resources.

new bill aims to address that issue and more the kinship in demand or kind act unanimously cleared the Illinois Senate and House this month.

Governor JB Pritzker voiced support for the legislation and is expected to sign it into law.

Here with more on the bill are nor Collins, Mandeville director of systems, reform policy at the ACLU of Illinois.

a deer vice president of chill child welfare children, welfare.

At bright point and we hope to be joined shortly shortly via zoom by state Senator Mike Simons, a Democrat whose district represents parts of Chicago's North side Noren.

Emily, thanks to the both of you for joining us.

Nor let's start with you.

Please tell us about this legislation and what it would do.

This legislation is really exciting.

This is an ACLU initiative.

>> That is focused in 3 main components.

One is making sure that relatives are informed when again, person comes into care and engaged throughout that whole process.

The second portion addresses, relatives who become caregivers for young people or wish to become caregivers for for their relatives on this is making sure that their support there's a navigator that can be provided for them and that the funds that are paid to the that relative are equal to what a foster parent with you paid.

And then lastly, this removes barriers to permanent guardianship.

This is a really important permanency glow when young people can't be returned to their home, why had relatives who are interested in caring for a relative child who is in foster care?

Why have they not previously been receiving?

>> Some of that support.

>> up last it's now it's 2 Octobers There was a federal rule on that was put in place that actually removes a barrier to receiving federal funds to subsidize those payments that are made relatives.

And so with that new rule, we now are going to be eligible.

And with this new statutory change will be eligible to draw down federal funds to help us to pay on that equivalent amount, which is what we do for foster parents.

We include state funds and federal funds and this will allow us to do that for relatives structure, nor was it important for children to be placed with relatives.

Not sorry, 9 family.

Was it important for children to be placed with relatives when when possible?

Yeah, absolutely.

We know.

And research shows us that children do best when they're placed with family.

>> It's already a traumatic event when children have to be removed from their families.

But if we can place him with someone they know with someone they trust usually in their home community them that lessens the trauma of the child having to be separated for their family.

So that's a great component.

>> It also children who are placed with can are also more likely to be stable in their placement, which produces better outcomes at school with their social and emotional adjustment and produces better outcomes overall for the child and their family.

What are some of the challenges that relatives might experience when attempting to become the foster parent for those kids are currently licensing regulations Pre Kind Act passing are really not built for kinship parents.

They are very stringent.

They're very bureaucratic.

Unfortunately, they're built for people who have spent a lot of time thinking about whether or not they want to become foster parents and the situation for a lot of our can foster parents is that they may get a call in the middle of the night saying can you step in?

Can you care for your loved one?

And so what this will do is it significantly reduce the burdens to helping kinship caregivers, get equitable access to resources, services and board payments.

So it reduces things like having a specific number of bedrooms that children have to have in the home or having a specific number of square feet per bed per child per bedroom.

So some really bureaucratic walls that we're now able to lessen and make sure that we create the easiest possible pathway to get equitable access to resources for those kinship caregivers, DCFS data currently shows there are more than 18,000 total children in the system and more than 8,000 of them are researchers at the University of Illinois found that black children are 250% to 5, 0%, more likely to be DCFS involved.

>> Norwood, what what's the cause for this disparity?

The disparity.

Well, at their peril, it's a very comfortable Yes, up.

>> Really, when you think about the different ways young people can become can be brought to attention of the system and the ways that the bias that can happen when we're making decisions about what we see is happening in a family.

There can be that there can be bias that comes into those decisions about when that when a young person is safe or not safe in their home and what type of services can to mention.

They're also going to sort of some some demographics and socioeconomic factors that go into that as well.

Yes, that's absolutely true.

The legislation, it also includes more oversight.

Nortel, we hope that will work for.

So this actually will require the court to monitor whether that relatives are being engaged throughout the process.

So the court will will hold the department accountable and that way, this is really important for making sure that young people have a permanent home if they can't home to their parents.

>> Emily, the norm mentions the kinship navigator earlier.

Tell us about that how this legislation applies that Kinship that navigator programs are great systems and I'm so excited.

We're gonna happen in Illinois.

Other states have implemented the most that well.

>> But they're really comprehensive support systems for kinship caregiver.

So that can be kinship, caregivers that are involved in the foster care system.

It can be can that are caring for their children or their family members that are never involved.

Child welfare, but it can provide things like support groups, access to local community resource legal support kinship caregivers need.

That's what really is a comprehensive system of supports to people who are caring for their can.

there was also the mention, I into this as earlier as well.

A permanent guardianship.

Yeah.

How does this legislation were trucks that absolutely so permanent guardian, permanent guardianship or kinship guardianship is a pathway that is really a much more family centered permanency pathway than what we have currently in our system.

It allows family members who want to provide a permanent loving home to the child that's in their care, a pathway to do so without having to terminate parental Currently a permit pathway and our system is adoption.

But order to get to adoption, you have to terminate the park parental rights of that parent.

So you may be looking at a situation where you have a grandmother who's taken and their grandchild, but in order to get to adoption, they have to ask their son or daughter to terminate their parental rights.

Are court to get to that pathway so it can ship guardianships allows us a permanent path way to provide that young person, a loving and permanent home without having to do that.

Tpr about the terminating parental rights route.

So it provides a great option for the family and it really is so much more family centered approach imagine like that termination parental rights might also be a barrier of parents like is fine with you raising the child because I'm in no condition to do it.

But I don't want to give him my parental rights.

jointly absolutely.

And it often takes a lot more time to 3rd quart.

So this could be a quicker permits.

The option as well, nor what kind of accountability measures are going to be in place for this This is really need.

So what we've done is we have a public reporting requirement so that we can actually monitor and look at what what what the statistics are telling us.

>> And then 3 years after implementation happens top the bill becomes effect when it when it has been in effect for 3 years.

up that the auditor general Illinois Auditor General will actually comment evaluate whether the department has performed, whether the department has followed what all of the provisions of this very large piece of legislation whether the department has met those obligations.

What more would you like to see done to support children who are in foster care?

And of course, you know, the adults who care for them.

>> I the biggest thing that we could do to change the system is really make it driven by a young person's voice and by their families and not just say we want to hear what a young person wants to have happen, but to actually have that young person's voice listen to and have that drive on the way that a case is going.

So I think anything we can do policy buys to ensure that that happens in a meaningful way is really important as well as ensuring that young people have a seat at the policymaking table.

So not just for their own case, but thinking about the whole system redesign advocating for themselves as well as others who are also in a foster care who have that experience.

That is where we'll have to leave.

It did not get to hear from the state senator, but next time nor Collins, Mandeville and Emily Mateer.

Thanks to both of Thank Thank you for having course.

>> Up next, a new effort to keep black mothers safe and healthy.

Stay with us.

Black women are disproportionately affected by prenatal and postpartum complications.

That's why Cook County Health says it's partnering with prison health care to provide pregnant patients with free doula care.

It's an effort to help bridge the maternal health gap between black and white mothers.

The pilot program is set to start later this year with 10 do list with plans to expand in the future.

Joining us now, our Kristina are women and children services, executive administrator for Cook County Health, Dr. Mary Tate attending physician of obstetrics and gynecology at Cook County Health and Donna Mueller, Cook County commissioner whose district includes parts of the south and southwest suburbs.

Ladies, thanks to all of you for joining us.

I'm Christine are let's start with you.

Please remind folks what a doula is and why they're beneficial to pregnant people who want salute.

Lee doulas basically you could think of them as a support person support an advocate and a person that is that can partner with them through prenatal care, labor delivery postpartum care.

>> It can really enhance the partnership, communication between patients and physicians and their experience throughout health care.

Dr Tate, from your perspective as as an OB how does having a how is having a doula helpful to someone?

>> Going the entire birth process?

It's absolutely invaluable.

It's so important that prior to becoming would myself.

I went through credit program to be doula and it's really important because of all the things that Christina has mentioned, they're really the experts in the emotional and physical support of a patient throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery and postpartum and uniquely qualified to really help patients advocate for themselves.

So it's absolutely vital.

Of course, this is a lot more going on besides just the delivery of the that women can you, they're pregnant.

People get You support with Commissioner Miller.

Why did you think it was important for Cook County health to step in and start this program this Well, it's really important for the health system to partner with our patients and really meet them where they are.

>> And this was great way to establish that Cook County Health can be a leader in reducing the maternal morbidity outcomes that we have here in the state of Illinois and to provide excellent service that we do from the hospital standpoint.

But to give patients an option that they haven't had in the past, we want to improve outcomes.

We want mothers to have the best chance at having a healthy baby and healthy survival for themselves.

And Cook County health will lead the way and making sure that happens.

And you have your own birth story that sort of informs your work in this room.

I'm sure, yes, well, I mean, I it's 21 years ago I had my first son and during that process, it was really something where you have a plan.

I had a birthing plan which I don't even know if we called it that at that time.

But now people are familiar with that concept of having a birthing plan, which include it, you know, not having residents fellows working and so when the fellow came in and asked me multiple questions and one of the questions was, you know, you have used drugs and I said no.

then said, well, are you sure you haven't used drugs?

I no.

>> And then I said White and then to my husband was luckily there with me who is a healthcare provider.

He's a dentist and my husband like, hold on a second that purity asked or that like 3 different times he said want to make sure she understood the question.

Of course, they understand the question.

But that just goes back to where if you headed to lure someone there supporting that could have been probably alleviate it from the very beginning.

But it's all so really misconception and discrimination that black women feel when they go to a health care provider that's not won in their race.

Let's say and asking questions that are derogatory towards you because a preconceived notions about what black women represent.

Of course, we'll get to some culturally the importance of culturally sensitive care as well.

But, you know, the last thing you want to have to do is defend yourself against a question like that when you're in labor.

>> northwestern Medicine study found that in a cohort of 988,480 almost 990,000 birds at 127 hospitals across the state between January 2016 to June 2023, the overall rate of severe maternal complications rose from 1.42% So it's gone up and of that non-Hispanic black patients had more than doubled the severe more maternal morbidity rate at 2.6% versus white patients.

At 1.1% Cristina are I'm gonna come to you with us first.

How can increase in the number of doulas help decrease that disparity?

Yeah.

I think increasing the number do is to really partner with the patient and help you understand what their plan is, what kind of care that they want to help them?

>> You know, feel empowered and help advocate for the care that they deserve.

All right.

been in partnership with their physicians and you Dr. Take night.

have talked about this at length that it's just.

It's a multi-pronged approach, right?

There's the emotional support it is you even though there's also the clinical support?

So I think you from my perspective, I just it's really important to have the advocate in the room for our pregnant patients to really help them get the care that they want and that they deserve.

And just like Commissioner Miller just described, you know, it's important to have that culturally sensitive care as well because I knew administrators are also requesting bilingual to list who talked to me about the importance of of of making sure you're doing probably understands what you're dealing with.

Absolutely any communication is key.

And we know that patients you >> understand in need to receive the care in the language that they understand say whether that be English, whether that be another language, it's that that's, you know, very important, Dr Tate to do a program set to hire 10 doulas to provide this service free of Knowing that there are about 1000 bringing people in Cook County Health System, 10 doulas probably not enough right away but what more can be done to ensure that people who want the service have access to it.

important thing to know about the services that it's really an opt-in service.

You want us to able to any patient who's interested.

So we have multiple touch points in our system.

It which patients are going to be introduced to the service is available.

So we have nurse education visit with patients first, learn that they're pregnant, where they learn all the things about the do's and don'ts in pregnancy.

In that visit, they'll learn about this program.

There's a new visit with the obstetrician.

Well, there again, learn about this program.

There's so many places that we have touch points with patients and to get to the point about 1000 deliveries, 10 doulas.

You know, that's not all happening.

At one time.

They move through the cycle of care at different times in patients.

Enter our care at different times.

So a patient could come in who have had people care and show up and are ready to deliver and we can be able to provide that service So not gonna use service as long if they're in train later you could come in and you know, with the positive pregnancy test very early on and be able to opt into that service.

And so we're just excited to get started.

I mean, to be able to expand the amount of services that we can provide in the wraparound support to breathing people.

We're over the What would you say are some of the biggest challenges that black women face in securing proper prenatal and postpartum care in about 30 seconds.

you know, there's so many things, a big part of it relates to insurance being a safety net hospital in the city.

Fortunately able to get patients and get them the integrity, insurance and care for them regardless of where they are.

At that point.

But then when we think about black women in particular, part of it is that a lot of patients don't up having insurance access before they get pregnant.

So patients come into pregnancy with different connick illnesses that we need to make sure that we're addressing in short order and that we make sure that after they deliver, they get linkage to services to make sure that they're taken well care of for hypertension or diabetes or the myriad of issues that might have uncovered during a pregnancy.

So Commissioner Miller, we've got about 25 seconds.

The budget is allocating million dollars for this pilot program.

What's next?

Well, what's next making sure that it's implemented and the do is get on board that.

I do have to say that I really think that this is how we get things done in Cook County.

We start off with getting it in the budget.

>> So that was the first step and then making sure that we have to pull through through the hospital system.

And I'm really proud of myself and my colleagues for making sure that we have this program in our educating so many more patients.

And we already had the team in place to do it right.

Best of luck looking forward to seeing how it does.

My thanks to the 3 of you, Christine, are Dr. Mary Tate and Commissioner Don Donna Mueller.

>> And that is our show for this Wednesday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 in effort intended to protect victims of domestic violence passes in Springfield.

But gun rights advocates are pushing back.

>> Now for all of us here in Chicago tonight, Black voices.

I'm Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert, a cliff and Clifford law Chicago, personal injury and wrongful