Cook County Policy Roadmap

Five-Year Strategic Plan for Offices Under the President

Cook County

Policy Roadmap

HEALTHY

COMMUNITIES

OPEN

COMMUNITIES

SMART

COMMUNITIES

SUSTAINABLE

COMMUNITIES

SAFE AND

THRIVING

COMMUNITIES

VITAL

COMMUNITIES

Five-Year Strategic Plan for Offices Under the President

Cook County

Policy Roadmap

Released November 14, 2018

Printed by Cook County Printing and Graphics Services

Table of Contents

Letter from the President.......................................................................................................................2

Introduction.........................................................................................................................3

Cook County Past and Present........................................................................................................5

Cook County Government...............................................................................................................8

Ofces Under the President............................................................................................................12

Mission, Vision and Values....................................................................................................................13

Policy Priorities................................................................................................................................16

Healthy Communities (Health & Wellness)....................................................................................17

Vital Communities (Economic Development) ..............................................................................23

Safe and Thriving Communities (Criminal Justice) .......................................................................28

Sustainable Communities (Environmental Sustainability) .............................................................33

Smart Communities (Public Infrastructure) ...................................................................................37

Open Communities (Good Government)......................................................................................42

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................47

Appendix.......................................................................................................48

A. Consolidated Objectives and Strategies.................................................................................49

B. Acknowledgements................................................................................................55

C. Organizational Charts...............................................................................................................58

D. Endnotes..................................................................................................................60

E. References......................................................................................................................61

Letter from the President

To the Residents of Cook County:

Cook County is the heart of the nation’s third-largest metropolitan area. It is home to more than half of both

the region’s population and its economic activity. Cook County and the rest of the metropolitan region form

an integrated and interdependent community serving the needs of its residents and businesses.

Cook County government plays a pivotal role in serving and supporting the needs of those who live and

work here. We are responsible for promoting the health, welfare and safety of our 5.2 million residents. We

manage the nation’s largest consolidated court system and largest single-site jail campus. We inuence the

effectiveness of the region’s transportation system, provide recreational opportunities and promote economic

growth. We accomplish these objectives through the services of 11 separately-elected Cook County ofcials

and other appointed and independent agencies.

The Cook County Policy Roadmap: Five-year Strategic Plan for the Ofces Under the President has been

developed by the Ofce of the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. As President of

the Board of Commissioners, I am charged with leading the County’s policy, budget and scal activities. In

addition, I oversee the Ofces Under the President, which includes six bureaus and 34 departments.

This plan outlines my ofce’s priorities over the next ve years. It identies the principles that will guide our

activities, including a focus on racial equity to ensure that all Cook County residents have opportunities to

prosper, participate and reach their full potential no matter their race, gender, geography or socio-economic

status.

This plan establishes goals and strategies for our work on justice, health, economic development and the

environment. It denes our criteria for serving as responsible stewards of the County’s infrastructure, and

establishes the standards of efciency, transparency and good customer experience that will continue to

guide the operations of the County, while also ensuring we have a talented, diverse and productive workforce.

The Policy Roadmap lays out the strategies we will use to achieve our goals and the metrics by which we will

measure our success.

The Policy Roadmap is the result of an inclusive process in which employees and hundreds of volunteers

played an active role to help the County dene its future. It reects the views expressed at numerous

community meetings held throughout the County, as well as the input gathered from our opinion survey.

These engagement efforts allowed us to hear directly from residents about what they believe it will take to

make Cook County a leader in building vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities where people want

to live, learn, work and play. Further, it incorporates detailed suggestions from non-prot partners, small

businesses, residents and community groups that provided feedback during the public comment period.

I thank all who participated. I also extend my sincere gratitude to the Civic Consulting Alliance for their

invaluable, pro bono assistance throughout this process.

The Policy Roadmap is a beginning. It will guide our actions, and we will consistently monitor results against

our expectations to make sure we meet our goals. It is a dynamic document and will be updated periodically.

It will also be the basis for the launch of our public dashboard in early 2019, which will measure our progress

in meeting our objectives and provide a window into the work we are doing to realize the Policy Roadmap.

We are committed to an administration that is accountable and transparent. In that spirit, please continue to

give us your opinions and suggestions for ways we can improve.

Sincerely,

Toni Preckwinkle

President, Cook County Board of Commissioners

Introduction

he Policy Roadmap lays the foundation for the

next ve years of work by the Ofces Under

the President (OUP) of Cook County, under the

leadership of the President of the Cook County

Board of Commissioners. The 5.2 million residents

of Cook County are served by local governments

that include the City of Chicago, 135 suburban

towns and municipalities, hundreds of school

districts and special purpose governments, as well

as Cook County government itself.

OUP is only one part of the complex system

of government responsible for the welfare of

the residents of Cook County and the broader

northeastern Illinois region. The President is not

only responsible for the ofces that directly report

to her; she is also responsible for coordinating

stakeholders, identifying policies and solving

problems throughout County government. Since

taking ofce in 2010, Cook County Board President

Toni Preckwinkle has established a foundation for

long-lasting and systemic changes in government

policies and operations.

Under the leadership of President Preckwinkle,

OUP has crafted the Policy Roadmap, our rst

comprehensive, policy-driven strategic plan

since the administration’s 2011 transition plan,

to institutionalize existing reforms and provide

sustainable benets to Cook County residents.

The Policy Roadmap takes an expansive view of

the challenges and opportunities Cook County

faces, as well as the steps we must take as a region

to promote greater prosperity, equity and resident

wellbeing.

The Policy Roadmap incorporates key policy

priorities and strategic objectives and reects the

Preckwinkle administration’s core values and vision

for fostering safe, thriving and healthy communities.

While the majority of the Policy Roadmap focuses

on OUP’s specic roles and responsibilities, it

also includes objectives that look beyond our

statutory responsibilities and require us to continue

improving coordination and collaboration with

partners to achieve the best outcomes for residents.

The Policy Roadmap reects a shared vision for

Cook County. The drafting process was designed

to gather and incorporate input and feedback from

employees, residents, community groups, other

governmental agencies and partners in the non-

prot, civic and private sectors. We are grateful to

all who made their voices heard throughout the

planning process over the past year. (see g. 1)

As we implement the Policy Roadmap, Cook

County residents have the opportunity to remain

active and engaged to ensure Cook County

meets their needs. We are committed to having

a transparent and effective government that is

aligned with our residents’ priorities while providing

them with quality services.

From left: bike path at Miami Woods; Old Cook County Hospital, under renovation; bike racks at a multi-modal

transit center.

Development Timeline

Figure 1, a timeline of the planning process. For more detail on the feedback process, visit

www.cookcountyil.gov/service/policy-roadmap to read the Policy Roadmap Community Conversation Report.

253 EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

67 COUNTY EMPLOYEES

participated in

8 POLICY ROUNDTABLES

717

EMPLOYEES

completed surveys

278 RESIDENTS participated in

COMMUNITY

CONVERSATIONS

1,579

RESIDENTS

COMMUNITY SURVEYS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

provided FEEDBACK in

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

29 OBJECTIVES

131

STRATEGIES

POLICY PRIORITIES

and

PHILANTHROPIC and

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

attended

with TONI PRECKWINKLE

61 EXTERNAL PARTNERS

68 COUNTY EMPLOYEES

FOCUS TEAM

MEETINGS

developed

ideas in

submitted

Nov

2017

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

2018

Cook County Past and Present

ook County (see g. 2) is the heart of the

nation’s third largest metropolitan region and

second largest county, the center of the Midwest

and a major participant in the global economy.

The region’s economy is exceeded only by Los

Angeles and New York. Cook County’s assets have

an outsized inuence on the regional economy,

and that inuence is likely to grow as global

economic trends continue to favor investment in

dense, central areas of economic regions.

Approximately 8.5 million people live in the

Chicago metropolitan region, which encompasses

the City of Chicago and its suburbs. More than

60 percent of that population, or 5.2 million

people, live in Cook County, making it the second

largest county in the nation.

Our population is

exceptionally diverse (see g. 3). Historically and

in the present day, Cook County has been a major

destination for immigrants. According to the U.S.

Census Bureau, as of 2016 more than 1.1 million

Cook County residents are foreign born and nearly

35 percent of residents speak a language other

than English at home, including Spanish, Arabic

and Polish.

Figure 2, regional map of northeastern Illinois.

Figure 3, graph of race and ethnicity in Cook County by percentage of population. Source: Data USA and the

U.S. Census Bureau.

Race and Ethnicity in Cook County

Cook County Past and Present

ook County’s diverse economy, including its

status as a transportation hub for the region,

the Midwest and the nation, provides numerous

opportunities for residents and businesses to

prosper. Our region is home to two international

airports, a port that serves the Great Lakes and the

Mississippi River, a convergence of several interstate

highways, rail service from six of the nation’s seven

largest railroads and the nation’s second largest

transit system. Virtually all of these assets are

concentrated in Cook County, moving vital goods

through the region and increasing the ease and

ability of commuting for residents and visitors.

Almost one third of all freight tonnage in the U.S.

either originates in, terminates in or passes through

the Chicago region, with over half of that tonnage

crossing through Cook County.

Furthermore, the

region’s robust transit system serves more than 650

million passengers a year, with about 90 percent of

these trips beginning or ending in Cook County.

Cook County is also home to numerous universities

with national and international reputations that

draw people from all over the world to study

and work. Our cultural amenities include world-

class museums, theaters, opera companies and

music venues. These assets draw visitors from

around the world to the County and make it one

of the country’s major convention and conference

destinations.

In addition to its strengths, Cook County, like

many of its counterparts, faces a signicant

number of economic and social challenges. In

the past decade, the County has lost a small

percentage of its population and the region

as a whole is not keeping pace with national

growth trends. As these patterns highlight, Cook

County is a study in contrasts. Cook County’s

central area is growing and robust, with new

ofces, retail and housing. Residents in much

of the north and northwest areas of the County

enjoy relatively high levels of income and low

levels of unemployment. In contrast, residents

in the western and southern parts of the City of

Chicago and in the south suburbs struggle with

higher unemployment rates, lower incomes and

less access to quality jobs and education.

Cook County is highly racially and economically

segregated, resulting in economic and resource

disparities between communities and regions.

This segregation fosters inequity for residents

and adds to the economic disparities that exist

throughout the County. Overall, Cook County

has a poverty rate of 15.0 percent, which is

slightly higher than the national poverty rate of

12.3 percent.

When broken down by race, the

poverty rate is dramatically higher for black and

Latinx populations than for white populations

(see g. 4).

Figure 4, graph of poverty by race and ethnicity in Cook County by percentage of population. Source: Data

USA and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity in Cook County

Barrington

Bloom

Bremen

Calumet

Chicago

Cicero

Elk Grove

Evanston

Hanover

Lemont

Leyden

Lyons

Maine

New Trier

Niles

Northﬁeld

Norwood Park

Orland

Palatine

Palos

Proviso

Rich

River Forest

Riverside

Schaumburg

Stickney

Thornton

Wheeling

Worth

2012−2016 Poverty

Rate Estimate (%)

Estimated Change in

Number of Residents in

Poverty Since 2000

5,000 10,000 15,000

Figure 5, map of change in residents living in

poverty. Source: 2000 U.S. Census and 2012-2016

American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Map

and Analysis: Andrew Miller.

Cook County Past and Present

Cook County is also experiencing the

suburbanization of poverty (see g. 5), where

concentrated poverty shifts from neighborhoods

in the city of Chicago to the surrounding suburbs.

According to the Social IMPACT Research Center,

the number of people experiencing poverty

in Chicago’s suburbs increased by 95 percent

from 1990 to 2011, though the total population

of suburban residents only grew 29 percent.

Since social service agencies and governments

have designed their programs to target poverty

concentrated in specic areas of larger cities, this

shift requires us to change the way we administer

social services.

“The changing landscape of

poverty and hardship is signicant

because safety net policies and

social service infrastructure

are built on the assumption

that poverty is concentrated in

central cities. As a result, the

suburbs—both across the nation

and in the Chicago region—are

characterized by a weak or lacking

infrastructure of social services,

and some suburban communities

are unprepared to adequately

serve individuals and families

experiencing economic hardship.

Such infrastructure is important

to both mitigate the worst

effects of poverty and help move

families from poverty to economic

security.”

Change in Residents Living in

Poverty 2000 ― 2016.

Averages for social and economic trends such as

employment, wealth, home ownership, income

and educational achievement mean little if huge

disparities exist between those who have and

those who have been left behind. Governments

have an essential obligation to use their resources

and leadership to address these disparities

and provide all residents — regardless of race,

ethnicity or neighborhood — opportunities and

outcomes that correct historic inequities and

address current challenges.

While all levels of government, including the

federal government and the State of Illinois, must

devote themselves to addressing these economic

and social challenges, local governments—Cook

County in particular—have an essential role to play

in nding solutions to these challenges.

Cook County Government

he services provided to the 5.2 million

residents of Cook County are the responsibility

of eleven separately-elected public ofcials,

including the President of the Board of

Commissioners. Those services fall under ve

broad mandates:

▶ Promoting healthy families

through access to community-

based healthcare and other public

health services;

▶ Promoting equitable economic

and community development;

▶ Supporting the criminal justice

system and the administration of

court services;

County-Wide

Organizational Chart

Residents of Cook County

Board of

Review

Office of

the Chief

Judge

Probation and Court

Services

Circuit Court Dispute

Resolution

Mental Health

Children’s Waiting

Room

Peer Court

Drug Court

Juvenile Temporary

Detention Center

Adult Probation

Judiciary

Forensic Clinical

Services

Social Service

Juvenile Probation

Public Guardian

Public

Admin.

Sheriff

Admin. & Human

Resources

Corrections

Police Dept.

Women’s Justice

Services

Court Services

Information

Technology

Merit Board

Vehicle Purchasing

Emergency

Telephone Systems

Board

Assessor

Clerk

Automation

Election

Division

Board of

Election

Comm.

County

Board

President

Technology

Administration

Economic

Development

Asset

Management

Finance

Human

Resources

Auditor

Administrative

Hearings

Justice Advisory

Council

Human Rights &

Ethics

Board of

Comm.

Recorder

of Deeds

Document

Storage

System

Geographic

Information

Services

Rental

Housing

Support

State’s

Attorney

Narcotics

Forfeiture

Treasurer

Clerk of

the Circuit

Court

Automation

Document

Storage

Election

Citation

Circuit

Court

Admin.

Health and

Hospitals

System

Public Defender

Inspector

General

Land Bank

Authority

Veterans

Assistance

Comm.

Housing

Authority of

Cook County

Forest Preserve

District of Cook

County

Chicago Cook

Workforce

Partnership

Appointed and Independent Agencies

Figure 6, organizational chart of Cook County Government. See Appendix C for full-page organizational charts.

▶ Building, managing and conserving

County assets through nance and

administrative services; and

▶ Collecting revenue to fund County

government through property

assessment and taxation services.

In addition to leading the legislative function

of the County, the President of the Board of

Commissioners is also responsible for executive

functions, including budgeting and administrative

services for all County agencies and separately-

elected ofcials. While Cook County government

has many responsibilities, criminal justice and

healthcare represent more than 88 percent of the

total budget.

(see g. 7)

Cook County Government

WHERE THE DOLLARS GO

TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT: $5.92 BILLION

Healthcare

$2.7 Billion

Capital Projects

$458.9 M

Public Safety

$1.27 Billion

Economic

Development

$96.8 M

Debt

Payment

$285.0 M

Finance and

Administration

$315.6 M

Annuity &

$559.3 M

Property

and Taxation

$98.2 M

Fixed

Charges

$126.5 M

C O OK C OUNT Y F I S C A L YE A R 2 0 1 9 • 4

Total: $5.92B

Finance and

Administration

$315.6M

Economic

Development

$96.8M

Debt

Payment

$96.8M

Healthcare

$2.7B

Criminal

Justice

$1.7B

Capital

Projects

$458.9M

Property

and Taxation

$98.2M

Annuity

and Benefits

$559.3M

Fixed

Charges

$126.5M

Figure 7, how taxpayer dollars are spent in the 2019 budget.

Criminal Justice

Cook County maintains and operates the Circuit

Court of Cook County, the second largest unied

court system in the nation, in which all trial courts

are consolidated under the Ofce of the Chief

Judge. The Circuit Court handles all civil and

criminal justice matters under its jurisdiction.

Ofcials responsible for its operations include:

▶ The Chief Judge of the Circuit

Court of Cook County, who has

centralized authority to coordinate

and supervise the administrative

functions of the Court, including

managing the court assignments

of approximately 400 judges,

administering the Court’s

annual budget, supervising

approximately 2,750 non-judicial

employees and operating the

Juvenile Temporary Detention

Center; and

▶ The Clerk of the Circuit Court

of Cook County, who serves

as the ofcial record keeper for

all judicial matters, collects and

disburses all ling fees and nes

for the Court, services more

than 400 judges and manages

electronic tools to improve Court

services.

Cook County Government

The County is also responsible for many elements

of its broader criminal justice system. These

include the operation and maintenance of the

nation’s largest single-site jail and the provision

of public prosecution and defense. Ofcials

responsible for these duties include:

▶ The Cook County Public Defender,

who protects the fundamental rights,

liberties and dignity of thousands of

County residents by providing legal

representation at no cost to those

unable to afford an attorney;

▶ The Cook County Sheriff, who

provides policing services as the chief

law enforcement ofcer in the County,

ensures safe and secure County and

court facilities and administers the

Cook County Jail; and

▶ The Cook County State’s

Attorney, who prosecutes

crimes committed in the County,

provides services to victims and

witnesses and represents the

County in civil proceedings.

Healthcare

To meet residents’ healthcare needs and

coordinate overarching public health strategies,

Cook County operates and maintains Cook

County Health and the Cook County Department

of Public Health:

▶ Cook County Health (CCH)

delivers integrated health services

regardless of a patient’s ability to

pay, partners with other health

providers and communities

to enhance public health and

advocates for policies that promote

the physical, mental and social

wellbeing of the people of Cook

County. CCH cares for more than

300,000 patients each year.

▶ The Cook County Department of

Public Health (CCDPH) brings residents,

partners and resources together

to protect and promote health in

communities throughout Cook County.

CCDPH works to prevent the spread

of over 70 reportable communicable

diseases and enforce public health

laws, rules and regulations. CCDPH also

serves as a major source of information

about the priority health needs in each

community in suburban Cook County to

help County agencies, partners and the

public plan for and address emerging

health threats and promote healthy living

through awareness, education, programs

and community development.

Administrative and Operational Services

In addition to its criminal justice and healthcare

responsibilities, Cook County government

provides essential administrative services that

support residents, businesses, municipalities and

the County’s operations. Ofcials responsible for

these duties include:

▶ The Cook County Assessor, who

assesses the value of residential

and commercial property within the

County as a basis for levying taxes and

determining the distribution of property

tax levies among taxpayers;

▶ The Cook County Board of Review,

which reviews and corrects the

assessments of property within the

County;

▶ The Cook County Clerk, who oversees

elections, prints ballots and administers

voting locations during election years.

The Clerk also maintains and provides

vital records, aids in the real estate

tax process, and receives and makes

government employee statements

of economic interests and lobbyist

registration available to the public;

▶ The Cook County Recorder

of Deeds, who records, stores

and maintains land records

and other ofcial documents

required by County residents;

and

▶ The Cook County Treasurer,

who collects, safeguards, invests

and distributes property tax

funds paid by the residents and

businesses of the County.

Finally, policy and legislation in the County is

the responsibility of the Cook County Board

of Commissioners. The Board is composed of

17 elected ofcials representing 17 districts.

The Board of Commissioners is chaired by the

President.

The President of the Cook County Board of

Commissioners serves as the Chief Executive

Ofcer of Cook County and presents an

annual balanced budget to the Board of

Commissioners, provides leadership on key

policy issues facing the County and oversees the

Ofces Under the President (OUP).

Cook County Government

Ofces Under the President

Ofce of the President

manages the Bureaus and departments

under the President’s leadership to support

the administration’s agenda. The Ofce

collaborates with the separately elected

ofcials to support the administration of

County government.

Bureau of Administration

oversees a broad range of operational

functions from environmental protection

to transportation development, as well as

resident-facing functions including maintaining

a public County Law Library that ensures

access to justice for self-represented litigants

and providing discounted rabies vaccinations

for pets.

Bureau of Asset Management

manages, maintains and develops County-

owned land and buildings and manages work

environments for County employees.

Bureau of Economic Development

leads and coordinates economic and

community development initiatives and

administers federal funds to support low- and

moderate-income communities.

Bureau of Finance

oversees budgeting, payroll, procurement and

contract compliance for all County agencies

and elected ofcials.

Bureau of Human Resources

oversees employee training and support, labor

relations and negotiations and an employee

appeals board for all County agencies and

elected ofcials.

Bureau of Technology

oversees technology systems for all County

agencies and elected ofcials, maintains

Cook County’s website and provides resident-

focused technological interfaces.

Dept. of Administrative Hearings

provides expedient, independent and

impartial hearings to residents who are alleged

to have violated a Cook County ordinance

Dept. of Human Rights and Ethics

supports the Commission on Human Rights and

the Board of Ethics to protect people who live

and work in Cook County from discrimination

and harassment, inadequate wages and unfair

work conditions. The Board of Ethics also

ensures that Cook County employees and

ofcials comply with the highest standards of

ethical conduct.

Justice Advisory Council

coordinates and implements the President’s

criminal and juvenile justice reform efforts and

public safety policy development.

Ofce of the County Auditor

conducts internal audits that bring a

systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate

and improve the effectiveness of countywide

risk management, control, and governance

processes.

Sec. to the Board of Commissioners

provides legislative support and information for

the Board of Commissioners, President, elected

ofcials, agencies, departments and members

of the public to make the legislative process

efcient, effective, open and transparent.

nder the guidance and oversight of the President, OUP serves all County residents and

supports the day-to-day functions and operations of County agencies. Additionally,

OUP advances the President’s agenda across the County’s ve broad mandates. This work

is coordinated through OUP’s bureaus and departments below. (See Appendix C for Ofces

Under the President Organizational Chart.)

Mission, Vision and Values

ased on public suggestions and

employee feedback, the Ofces Under

the President’s mission and vision statements

describe the responsibilities entrusted to

OUP and demonstrate its goals.

Mission

Vision

To serve as a good steward of public

resources by building equitable

and sustainable communities for all

residents.

To be a leader in building

vibrant, sustainable and inclusive

communities where people want to

live, learn, work and play.

Values

Throughout our planning process, various

themes emerged from employees, residents and

stakeholders about the work OUP has undertaken

and the kind of partner they want OUP to be.

From these insightful conversations, we identied

three values that center the Policy Roadmap:

Equity, Engagement and Excellence.

In addition to serving as the foundation for

the Policy Roadmap, these values serve as

broad guiding principles for our work and our

interactions with residents, community members

and partners.

Equity ExcellenceEngagement

Figure 7, word cloud depicting the most common

responses from residents when asked about Cook

County’s mission.

Figure 8, word cloud depicting the most common

responses from employees when asked about Cook

County’s mission.

Mission, Vision and Values

Equity

Promoting equity, specically racial equity,

has been a central principle of OUP under the

leadership of President Preckwinkle. Historically,

government has played a role in creating and

maintaining racial inequities. Despite progress,

racial inequities are still deep, structural and

pervasive and racial anxiety is on the rise in

our current political climate. At its core, our

focus on racial equity centers around ensuring

residents can enjoy the full array of recognized

civil and human rights, and includes work to

protect those rights regardless of immigration

or documentation status. While governmental

bodies need strong partnerships with non-

prot, public and private sector stakeholders

to address inequities, we have a unique

responsibility to reduce inequity by ensuring

policies and scal decisions consistently meet

the needs of all residents, especially residents

who are often marginalized and excluded from

decision-making.

We explored the importance of equity in

improving outcomes for all Cook County

residents by considering it in two central ways:

▶ As a foundational value, by pursuing

institutional change in part through

adopting a racial equity framework

and conducting implicit bias training

for our employees; and

▶ As a practice, by identifying strategies

across our six policy priorities that will

advance equity across our operations

and the services we provide in our

communities.

Approaching our work through a racial equity

lens will strengthen our institutional ability to

apply a structural approach to other forms

of marginalization. This framework will also

help us address compounding inequities,

such as the intersection of race and disability,

the intersection of race and gender and the

intersection of race and economic status.

As part of our commitment to advancing

racial equity, OUP will begin its work by:

▶ Becoming a member of the

Government Alliance on Race

and Equity (GARE) to help build

capacity, connect with peer

organizations and receive support in

advancing our equity work;

▶ Mandating implicit bias and

diversity and inclusion training for all

OUP employees to ensure shared

denitions and understanding;

▶ Establishing a Racial Equity

Leadership Council to plan and

advance equity work internally; and

▶ Formally adopting a racial equity

framework and a diversity and

inclusion statement to elevate our

commitment to and raise awareness

about the importance of racial

equity.

1.00

0.64

0.47

Median Household Income by Race

in Cook County

WHITELATINXBLACK

Figure 9, infographic of median household income

by Alexandra Ensign. Source: Statistical Atlas,

analysis of Census Bureau Data 2000―2010 and

American Community Survey Data 2012―2016.

Engagement

Engaging with residents, community groups and

partners ensures government understands the

challenges and concerns central to residents’ daily

lives and fosters a welcoming community for all

residents. While the electoral system is structured

to ensure voters are heard during election cycles, it

is the responsibility of government to consistently

engage with residents to better meet their needs.

By incorporating resident engagement as a central

value, we are recommitting to creating ways for

residents and partners to participate in planning

and decision-making and to ensuring we have a

process in place to translate that engagement into

tangible results for residents. The Policy Roadmap

reects our commitment to collaborating with

County residents who are marginalized in Cook

County to increase their power and draft policy

that works for them.

As a grounding principle of our work to

meaningfully engage residents, OUP will

honor the agency, ownership and capacity of

community stakeholders and promote a culture of

engagement and participation by:

▶ Ensuring our engagement with

residents is broad, inclusive, accessible

and culturally- and linguistically-

competent, particularly for marginalized

populations;

▶ Reviewing and revising County policies

and procedures to ensure OUP leads

Cook County government in operating

as a welcoming community;

▶ Institutionalizing community

engagement across our operations,

which enable us to recognize the assets,

needs and experiences of our residents

and engage them in our planning

processes, policy development and

decision-making; and

▶ Continuing to foster transparency and

public awareness about what we do and

how we do it.

Excellence

Residents trust Cook County government and its

elected ofcials to be good stewards of County

resources. We aim to be an excellent administrator

of the vital services residents rely on by being

transparent, accountable and effective. Over the

past eight years, we have made great progress

by producing balanced budgets, restructuring

our ofce to better achieve our goals and

laying the foundation for a government that is

responsive and forward-thinking. To build from

these accomplishments, OUP will be a responsible

steward of public trust and Cook County’s

resources by:

▶ Maintaining good nancial health by

continuing to live within our means;

▶ Enhancing language accessibility by

translating and interpreting public-

facing OUP materials and events;

Mission, Vision and Values

▶ Increasing transparency in the

collection, use and public sharing of

data through legislative and policy

changes;

▶ Providing in-house employee

training and support to improve

customer experience and operational

performance;

▶ Redesigning our performance

management system to maximize

efciency; and

▶ Implementing effective measures

to benchmark ourselves against

peer counties across the country

and increase accountability to our

residents.

Policy Priorities

ith our mission, vision and values in mind, we identied six policy priorities for OUP to

concentrate its efforts on over the next ve years. A central theme throughout our policy

priorities is the commitment to ensuring Cook County is a welcoming community and can reach all of

its residents, including those who are often marginalized. We will foster communities that are healthy,

vital, safe and thriving, sustainable, smart and open.

Given OUP’s role in supporting individuals and communities throughout Cook County, the rst ve

policy priorities relate directly to the services we provide to residents. To achieve a high standard of

efciency and excellence, our sixth policy priority describes how we will deliver services to residents.

Together, these policy priorities create the comprehensive agenda OUP will implement to provide

innovative and essential services for residents in an effective, efcient manner and ensure Cook County

is an exceptional place to live, work, play and visit.

Healthy Communities

Health and Wellness

Integrating health and social services,

addressing the social determinants of health and

improving the health and wellness of County

employees.

Vital Communities

Economic Development

Creating and retaining jobs, developing

industry-sector strategies, supporting workforce

training and development, quality housing,

safety net services and community and

municipal infrastructure investments.

Safe and Thriving Communities

Criminal Justice

Implementing violence reduction strategies

proven to increase community safety, advocating

for sustainable reforms within the criminal justice

system and investing in community-based

services for communities and residents.

Sustainable Communities

Environmental Sustainability

Prioritizing environmental justice, addressing

climate change, investing in clean energy and

green jobs and creating equitable access to

open spaces.

Smart Communities

Public Infrastructure

Maximizing the benets of County buildings,

improving transportation systems and managing

enterprise technology services.

Open Communities

Good Government

Achieving operational excellence by being

accountable to residents, investing in our

workforce and continuously improving the

effectiveness of County services.

person’s health is a product of their

environment and impacts all segments of their

life. The World Health Organization denes health

as a state of complete physical, mental and social

wellbeing.

According to the Center for Disease

Control, a healthy community “is continuously

creating and improving [its] physical and social

environments and expanding [its] community

resources that enable people to mutually support

each other in performing all the functions of life and

in developing to their maximum potential.”

Healthy Communities

OUP is taking an expansive view of healthy

communities by working to address the social

determinants of health, including access to

adequate and safe housing; equitable education;

quality employment opportunities; public

transportation; healthy physical environments;

recreational spaces and activities and nutrition for

our residents. Food access is a critical issue in Cook

County (see g. 10), where an estimated 600,000

residents live in food deserts—many of them in the

south and west suburbs.

Addressing the social determinants of health

also means ensuring access to affordable, quality

healthcare that is culturally and linguistically

responsive. While these conditions are not always

Food insecurity rate

by community area

10 Miles0

Cook County Forest Preserve

Chicago Boundary

1.5% - 5%

5.1% - 12%

12.1% - 20%

20.1% - 35%

35.1% - 57.8%

Figure 10, map of food insecurity rates by

community area in Cook County. Prepared on

9/16/2016 by Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Food Insecurity in Cook County, 2014

Alonzo is a CountyCare member

who receives primary care and

care management at Alivio Medical

Center. As a patient with many

chronic illnesses, Alonzo struggled

for a long time to stay healthy and

to manage making appointments

with multiple doctors. Through

Alivio’s participation in the Medical

Home Network ACO, Alivio is able

to offer CountyCare beneciaries

like Alonzo a dedicated, practice

level care manager—part of an

integrated care team that works

with Alonzo’s primary doctor to

coordinate Alonzo’s care both

at Alivio and across all settings.

Alonzo’s Alivio care team ensures

his care is streamlined, effective,

and holistic, treating not only

his physical wellness, but also

addressing the social challenges

that impact his health as well, such

as transportation and housing.

Healthy Communities

Life Expectancy at Birth

82.5 - 90

75 - 82.4

67.5 - 74.9

59.9 - 67.4

Not Calculated

0 3 61.5

Miles

Figure 11, life expectancy by census tract, 2010 – 2015.

Map created by Cook County Dept. of Geographic

Information ystems. Source: NCHS, National Vital

Statistic Systems, Morality.

discussed as health challenges, they make up the

cornerstones of residents’ lives and therefore their

health.

Creating healthy communities requires addressing

health inequities; partnering with communities

to better meet their needs; extending the public

health system’s partnerships with key stakeholders,

including the criminal justice system; and

addressing the health and wellbeing of our greatest

talent, our employees.

Health is the foundation for building safe, vibrant,

thriving communities throughout Cook County.

Through the work of Cook County Health (CCH)

more than 300,000 residents annually have access

to vital, high quality, affordable health services

and a welcoming, accessible healthcare system,

regardless of their nancial circumstances. Despite

operating only two of the 72 hospitals in Cook

Life Expectancy by Census Tract

County, CCH continues to serve as a safety net for

many residents and provides nearly 50 percent of

all charity care in the County.

In 2011, Cook County changed the landscape of

our public health scope by creating CountyCare, a

Medicaid managed care health plan that supports

access to preventative care, behavioral healthcare

and community-based health centers throughout

the County. Made possible by the Affordable

Care Act, CountyCare is now the largest Medicaid

managed care organization in Cook County.

In addition to quality healthcare, we must focus on

the relationship between health and wellness, and

the key components of the environments in which

residents live and work. Taking this comprehensive

view also requires us to address health disparities

to ensure all residents — regardless of race, socio-

economic status or geography — live in equitable,

healthy communities. With this equitable framework

in mind, we are committed to addressing the

barriers to accessing healthcare many residents

experience throughout Cook County, particularly

residents in minority and immigrant communities.

To do so, we will continue to improve the language

accessibility of government and healthcare

providers and support community-based healthcare

solutions.

Despite signicant advancements in healthcare

and insurance coverage, health inequities persist.

Societal inequities lead to disparate health

outcomes including higher levels of chronic disease

among low-income and minority populations. For

example, infant mortality rates differ widely by race.

We have seen a 12.4 percent decline in the infant

mortality rate overall in the United States from

2005 to 2014.

However, an analysis published

by JAMA Pediatrics found that mortality rates for

white infants are at least 50 percent lower than for

black infants.

Those disparities can also be seen

when broken down by zip code (see g. 11).

recognition of our County’s demographic shifts,

we must respond to residents’ needs by devoting

proportional resources to medically underserved

communities outside of the City of Chicago.

Healthy Communities

Health inequities are inextricably linked with

inequities mirrored in our criminal justice system,

which has required us to better integrate

behavioral health services into our criminal

justice system. Since 2014, CCH has enrolled

over 16,000 justice-involved individuals into

Medicaid, allowing them to access healthcare

services in the community when they are released

from jail and reducing recidivism by providing

vital services, such as behavioral healthcare. The

public health system and criminal justice system

also increased their collaboration by participating

in a MacArthur Foundation public safety grant to

reduce the jail population and address the racial

and ethnic disparities reected in our detainee

population. These partnerships aim to meet

residents’ healthcare needs as a way to treat

potential underlying causes that lead them to be

involved in the criminal justice system.

As OUP continues to promote health and

wellness, it will continue to address health

inequities and social determinants of health in

part through partnerships and policy leadership.

This includes increasing access to healthy food

and affordable housing and using the Cook

County Forest Preserves and other public green

spaces for exercise and recreation. Addressing

the social determinants of health also requires

us to prioritize health-related public awareness

campaigns to ensure residents have accessible,

accurate information related to their health and

wellness.

We will work to promote health and wellness for

our employees and lead by example in creating a

supportive and productive work environment. As

the people who implement our policies, support

our residents on a day-to-day basis and keep

Cook County government running, the health

and wellbeing of our employees plays a key role

in advancing healthy communities and serving

residents.

The objectives and strategies that follow will

ensure we address the social determinants

of health, operate a respectful and efcient

healthcare system and support our residents’

and employee’s overall wellbeing to foster

healthy communities.

Cook County Health CEO Dr. Shannon, President Preckwinkle, Executive Director and CEO Kate Maehr of

the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Commissioner Arroyo commemorate partnership between Greater

Chicago Food Depository and CCH to bring fresh food to CountyCare members.

Healthy Communities

Goal

Improve the physical,

mental and social

wellbeing of Cook

County residents and

communities.

Objective

Reduce health

inequities for all

residents by addressing

the racial disparities and

the social, physical and

economic conditions

that impact health.

1.1 Ensure all policies and practices address the root

causes of health inequities.

1.2 Reduce barriers to accessing health services for all

residents in order to improve their quality of life.

1.3 Support inter-agency coordination to maximize the

impact of Cook County investments to address the

root causes of health inequities.

1.4 Use data and public information to educate

communities and raise awareness about health

inequities negatively impacting vulnerable

communities.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ Life expectancy

▶ Infant and maternal mortality

▶ Percent of eligible residents with

health insurance

▶ Rate of gun related homicides per

1,000 residents

▶ Rate of opioid related deaths

What is a key performance indicator?

A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a measurable

value that demonstrates how effectively an

organization is achieving key objectives. It is

supported by performance metrics measuring the

organization’s progress toward that objective.

Healthy Communities

Improve access to and

integration of high-quality

responsive healthcare

and information.

2.1 Enhance access to high-quality behavioral healthcare,

trauma-informed services and mental healthcare.

2.2 Ensure a continuum of health-related services exists

within Cook County to meet residents’ needs,

particularly those who are vulnerable or marginalized.

2.3 Explore new or developing models of care that

increase access and expand ability to serve

marginalized residents.

2.4 Enhance the language accessibility and cultural

appropriateness of public health messaging so that

all residents receive pertinent health information that

they can understand.

2.5 Make quality health-related data widely accessible to

promote a better understanding of residents’ health

and drive decision-making.

2.6 Provide accessible health consumer education

to increase residents’ ability to access health and

wellness services.

Support an active and

healthy lifestyle and

healthy communities.

3.1 Advocate for recreational opportunities and wellness

programs that promote physical activity and improved

health outcomes for all residents.

3.2 Improve access to healthy and affordable food options

to reduce hunger and enable healthy living, especially

within marginalized communities.

3.3 Promote accessible multi-modal transportation options,

including walking and biking, that connect people to

family, work and play.

3.4 Encourage a cleaner and more resilient environment

to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution and climate

change.

Objective Strategy

Healthy Communities

Objective Strategy

Advocate for increased

community safety

through a public health

approach to violence

reduction.

4.1 Address the root causes of violence through increased

trauma awareness and trauma-informed care.

4.2 Encourage hospitals and healthcare providers to

develop intervention models to reduce individual and

community violence in areas of the highest need.

4.3 Support the implementation of the Chicago-Cook

Task Force on Heroin recommendations regarding the

heroin/opioid epidemic.

4.4 Promote the increased use of alternatives to detention

in the criminal justice system, particularly for people

struggling with mental health and substance abuse

issues.

4.5 Partner with health stakeholders to improve access to

employment in the health sector for individuals facing

existing barriers, including young adults and people

with criminal backgrounds.

Improve the health and

wellbeing of the Ofces

Under the President’s

workforce by fostering a

supportive, healthy work

culture.

5.1 Augment Cook County’s existing wellness program to

support employees’ adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

5.2 Align OUP’s personnel and operational policies with

health-related and supportive best practices.

5.3 Increase the awareness and capacity of the Employee

Assistance Program and other supportive programs for

OUP employees.

5.4 Expand access to healthy, resource-efcient amenities

in Cook County facilities to improve employees’

workplace experience.

5.5 Prioritize employee wellbeing in workplace design.

Vital Communities

ook County represents the core of the

region’s population, jobs, businesses and

productivity. The economic footprint of the

Chicago region is larger than that of most

nations in the world. One of the great strengths

of Cook County, and the larger region, is the

diversity of our economy. Supporting a wide

variety of industries in the region encourages

economic development and job growth for

Cook County residents.

In recent years, many areas of Cook County,

including the central downtown district within

the City of Chicago, have experienced robust

economic growth, increased property values

and quality of life improvements. However, a

substantial portion of the County, particularly

in the southern and western regions, struggles

“For my family-owned small

manufacturing companies,

Chicago Regional Growth

Corporation (CRGC) has been a

valuable resource. Not only do

they help to shine a spotlight on

a tremendously important job-

creating sector of our regional

economy, but they have helped

our companies grow sales through

leveraged programs that expand

our exports. We are moving from

what I would call a reactionary

exporter to a proactive exporter

with the help of CRGC’s

programs.”

– Zach Mottl,Chief Alignment

Ofcer, Atlas Tool Works, Lyons

with high levels of unemployment, declining

property values and limited access to essential

services that help to improve their quality of

life. These disparities are, in part, the result of

high levels of segregation. According to the

Metropolitan Planning Council, the Chicago

region is the fth most racially and economically

segregated region out of the top 100 regions

nationwide.

Despite overall unemployment

rates at record lows in Cook County, certain

communities and segments of the population

experience unemployment rates as high as

40 percent. While wages increased by 2.3

percent between 2010 and 2015 for white

people, wages for people of color declined

by 2 percent. If the region’s economic and

racial segregation were reduced to the

national median, the region would generate an

estimated $4.4 billion in income.

Top Five Job Sectors

in Cook County

Figure 12, top job sectors in Cook County. Source:

2012 - 2016 American Community Survey ve-year

estimates.

Vital Communities

In addition to addressing the region’s

segregation, equitable regional prosperity

requires improved quality of life and increased

economic opportunity for all residents. OUP

enacts policies that improve workplace

conditions, such as a minimum wage increase

and paid sick time, and works with local

municipalities to ensure these initiatives benet

all County residents. We also invest in affordable

housing; support neighborhood infrastructure

including water, sewer, sidewalks and roads;

and fund social service agencies that serve

low- and moderate-income communities.

Recognizing and addressing the complex

relationship between housing, employment and

transportation, and the disparate access to each

for marginalized residents, is key to creating an

equitable and vibrant community.

An important driver of economic prosperity

in the County is to promote a more

regionally equitable distribution of economic

development. This requires strategic

investments designed to maximize impact,

such as prioritizing employment services

in communities with high availability of

affordable housing but low availability of jobs.

Additionally, this requires focused investments

in specic communities facing the biggest

challenges. For example, while Cook County’s

south suburbs are asset-rich with people,

businesses, land and infrastructure critical

to our regional economy, population loss,

foreclosures and government and private

sector disinvestment have led to the region

becoming increasingly disconnected from the

regional economy. To address the population

loss, high unemployment and high levels of

poverty, we launched the South Suburban

Economic Growth Initiative (SSEGI) to increase

connections to regional resources and

institutional capacity to manage large scale,

comprehensive growth in the south suburbs.

To achieve similar impact throughout the

County, we will proactively partner with

communities to develop a ve-year plan to

guide the distribution of future federal funds

and direct County resources.

We have embraced best practices in economic

development by adopting a regional

approach to growing our economy. Regional

economic development acknowledges that

local governments and municipalities have a

collective interest in working together rather

than engaging in wasteful competition. This

approach allows us to work collaboratively with

the City of Chicago and surrounding counties

to promote equitable growth and develop new

initiatives that strengthen the economy of the

entire region. That includes the Chicago Metro

Metal Consortium and the Chicago Regional

Growth Corporation, which furthers global

trade and investment for the region.

In addition to a regional and sector-based

approach to economic development, equitable

growth requires us to build a more robust

set of tools to help small businesses and

entrepreneurs, particularly those owned

by women, minorities or people living with

disabilities. While minorities make up more

than 35 percent of the population nationally,

they own less than 20 percent of businesses

and only 17.4 percent of businesses with at

least one million dollars in revenue.

The distinctively local dynamics of inequality

in our area reafrm the importance of local

leadership for understanding and improving

economic opportunities to reduce disparities

for all residents.

The objectives and strategies that follow

represent the County’s commitment to

supporting inclusive local and regional

economic growth.

Vital Communities

Goal

Pursue inclusive economic

and community growth

by supporting residents,

growing businesses,

attracting investment and

nurturing talent.

Objective

Champion a regional

approach to grow the

economy and combat

racial and economic

inequality.

1.1 Ensure equitable and inclusive policies and practices

for recipients of Cook County resources.

1.2 Implement Racial Equity Assessments in planning and

decision-making.

1.3 Restructure the economic development property tax

and nancial incentives to enhance investment in

underserved communities and support key economic

sectors.

1.4 Provide leadership and support for the Chicago

Regional Growth Corporation.

1.5 Develop global trade programs to increase export

and foreign direct investments in the region.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ Median income (broken down by

race/ethnicity and gender)

▶ Unemployment rate (broken down by

race/ethnicity and gender)

▶ MBE/WBE/DBE Award Commitments

▶ Job training and placement through

Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership

Vital Communities

Grow key economic

clusters by launching and

supporting industry-led

partnerships.

2.1 Identify, prioritize and support new and emerging

sectors that lead to living wage jobs.

2.2 Create a center for industry partnerships to lead,

coordinate and support key economic sectors’

competitiveness, productivity, resiliency and

adaptation to rapidly changing technology.

2.3 Promote targeted “shovel ready sites” through

utility, transportation and environmental remediation

investments.

2.4 Increase minority and women business ownership and

labor force participation in sectors that offer living

wage jobs.

Support expanded

opportunities for local

businesses, women-

or minority-owned

rms and rms owned

by people living with

disabilities.

3.1 Expand Cook County’s toolbox of available resources

for small- and medium-sized businesses and

entrepreneurs.

3.2 Connect small businesses to banks, Community

Development Financial Institutions, business incubators

and worker cooperatives.

3.3 Align procurement and contract compliance policies to

strengthen the minority, women and veteran business

enterprise programs.

3.4 Encourage major corporations and non-prot

organizations to use their purchasing power to

strengthen their local communities and increase

support to local, women- and minority-owned rms.

Objective Strategy

Vital Communities

Objective Strategy

Invest in and support

quality housing and

core services to improve

regional equity and

access to opportunity.

4.1 Advocate for fair housing practices across the region.

4.2 Increase funding for affordable housing and community

development, ensuring investments are community-

driven and maximize impact.

4.3 Eliminate barriers to participation and access in Cook

County economic development programs.

4.4 Provide technical assistance to Cook County

municipalities to identify needs and leverage resources.

4.5 Reactivate vacant land in Cook County.

Open access to

economic prosperity

for all by investing in

workforce and talent

development.

5.1 Support industry-based training models that lead to

industry-recognized credentials.

5.2 Align Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership’s programs

with Cook County’s priority economic growth sectors.

5.3 Proactively identify opportunities to preserve jobs and

increase wealth and prosperity for all residents.

5.4 Eliminate barriers to participation and access in Cook

County workforce development and training programs.

Base transportation

investments on their

capacity to promote

equitable economic

growth.

6.1 Invest in opportunities that reduce the jobs/housing

mismatch.

6.2 Facilitate multimodal transportation of goods and

people within and beyond Cook County to encourage

economic growth.

6.3 Expand alternative forms of transportation to improve

residents’ mobility.

Safe and Thriving Communities

s the administrator of the County’s criminal

justice system, Cook County operates the

second largest unied court system in the United

States. Through the Justice Advisory Council

and Department of Homeland Security and

Emergency Management, OUP works closely with

the County’s separately-elected criminal justice

agencies and public safety stakeholders in the

City of Chicago and the 135 other municipalities

within Cook County to ensure safe and thriving

communities across the County.

OUP will foster Safe and Thriving Communities

by implementing violence reduction strategies.

Additionally, we will create an equitable justice

system in which every person has access to fair

treatment, regardless of race or economic status.

Similar to other major metropolitan areas, Cook

County has seen a signicant decline in arrests,

particularly arrests for violent crime, over the last

two decades. This trend has held true, despite

an uptick in gun shootings and homicides, which

spiked in 2016 and has resumed a downward

trend. Between 2010 and 2016, criminal case

lings for felonies decreased by 13 percent and

criminal case lings for misdemeanors decreased

by nearly 50 percent in Cook County.

addition, prison and probation admissions have

declined substantially and both the Cook County

Jail and the Cook County Juvenile Temporary

Detention Center, where juveniles are detained,

have reached population lows not seen since the

1990s.

This sustained decline in Cook County’s criminal

justice population has not had a negative impact

on public safety and has given the County

an opportunity to implement scally sound

practices that prioritize long-term sustainability

and proactive policy goals rather than reactive

approaches to crime. Interagency collaboration

“JP enrolled in the welding training

program in spring of 2017. He

had been involved in crime for 13

years. JP matured greatly while he

was in class. He struggled through

many internal issues like anger,

bitterness and un-forgiveness.

Through our life skill classes, JP

has been able to cope with some

of the hardships in life. JP has

been working as a welder for over

a year now.”

―Chicagoland Prison Outreach

on welding training program

for formerly incarcerated

people, funded in part by the

Justice Advisory Council

on key initiatives such as the Central Bond

Court reform (see g. 13) and the MacArthur

Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge are

examples of positive cultural shifts brought about

by these circumstances.

Several leadership changes in elected and

appointed ofcials have spurred renewed energy

on reform and collaboration. Alongside these

leadership changes, several administrative and

legislative reforms have positively altered our

justice system. As a result of broad strategies to

prevent the unnecessary detention of people at

low risk of committing crimes or threatening public

safety, we have decreased the population in the

Cook County Jail from 8,600 people at the end of

2014 to 5,091 people in September of 2018. The

Juvenile Temporary Detention Center’s detained

population decreased from 370 young people to

211 young people over the same time period.

In the area of juvenile justice, in partnership with

advocates, community organizations and other

public safety agencies, we helped pass legislative

changes including raising the age of the juvenile

justice system from 16 to include 17-year-olds

as of 2015; reducing the automatic transfer of

juveniles to adult court as of 2016; reducing

ve-year mandatory probation sentences for

lesser juvenile offenses as of 2017 and expanding

automatic juvenile record expungement as of

2018.

Notwithstanding the accomplishments noted

above, one of the most pressing challenges the

County continues to face is the gun violence that

leads to the senseless loss of life and devastates

communities and families. Over the last two years,

as part of our work to reform the criminal justice

system, we have broadened our focus to address

gun violence, particularly as it continues to impact

people of color in the same communities most

impacted by the criminal justice system.

Communities impacted by gun violence

have historically experienced a constellation

of negative conditions — created in part

by government — including divestment of

infrastructure and resources; high levels of

segregation; a lack of employment opportunities

and under-resourced schools. Applying a public

health approach to curing violent crime and

victimization holds the greatest promise, as it

addresses these historic inequities. This will

require partnering with the City of Chicago and

other stakeholders to implement coordinated

and comprehensive prevention and intervention

activities and strategies within those targeted

communities.

In addition to tackling gun violence, we are

committed to increasing transparency within

the criminal justice system by encouraging the

expansion of data sharing among criminal justice

stakeholders and with the public. This will increase

the system’s public accountability and allow us

to better identify and address service needs and

gaps in under-resourced portions of Cook County.

To design, advocate for and implement public

safety and criminal justice policies that create safe

and thriving communities, we will have to address

inequities caused by race, geography, socio-

economic status and disabilities. To accomplish

this and ensure our efforts align with residents’

priorities, the County will incorporate the input

of residents and those with rsthand experience

in the criminal justice system throughout the

decision-making process.

The objectives and strategies that follow will

ensure we operate a fair, efcient and equitable

criminal justice system, create a County where all

residents feel safe and support communities to

thrive for years to come.

Safe and Thriving Communities

Figure 13, infographic showing reduction in

detention due to bond court reform in 2017.

70%

detained

70%

released

30%

released

30%

detained

Bond Court Reform Leads to

Reduction of Pre-Trial Detainees

Safe and Thriving Communities

Goal

Create safe communities

and an equitable and

fair justice system for all

residents.

Objective

Develop

comprehensive and

coordinated planning

and preparedness

activities to proactively

address violence

in highly impacted

communities

throughout Cook

County.

1.1 Invest in a public health approach to reduce gun

violence.

1.2 Ensure that access to resources and response

capabilities to address violence and respond to

emergencies are equitably distributed throughout

Cook County.

1.3 Improve public safety planning and coordination to

identify shared goals and maximize investments in

suburban Cook County.

1.4 Use federal, state and local grant dollars to build

capacity within municipalities to effectively address

protective factors that prevent violence and justice

involvement.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ CCDOC and JTDC population

▶ Resources invested in alternatives to

detention

▶ Rates of violence per capita, broken

down by geographic area

Safe and Thriving Communities

Align criminal justice

investments and

strategies to prioritize

the needs of individuals

involved in the criminal

justice system.

2.1 Generate cost-savings through the reduction criminal

justice system expenses and the consolidation of the

criminal justice system.

2.2 Expand investment in community-based

organizations, anti-violence prevention initiatives and

reentry services to address root causes of violence.

2.3 Advocate for policies that decrease racial, ethnic

and socio-economic disparities in the criminal justice

system.

2.4 Advocate for criminal justice reform policies and

legislation that are informed by data and research.

2.5 Promote community-based programs that use

promising practices or are evidence-based.

2.6 Continue to safely reduce detention populations.

2.7 Develop a collaborative budgeting process and

performance metrics for multi-agency criminal justice

reform efforts.

Increase alternatives to

detention and access

to supportive services

for justice-involved

residents.

3.1 Increase access to wraparound, case management and

re-entry services.

3.2 Build the capacity of service providers in underserved

areas of Cook County through technical assistance and

funding.

3.3 Increase coordination between government agencies

and service providers in the provision of services.

Objective Strategy

Safe and Thriving Communities

Objective Strategy

Cultivate

multidisciplinary

collaboration to advance

criminal justice reform

that incorporates the

voices of affected

communities.

4.1 Incorporate the voices of impacted communities and

people with lived experiences in criminal justice reform

efforts and decision-making.

4.2 Increase inter-agency collaboration within Cook County

to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals.

4.3 Support the creation of a Cook County Criminal Justice

Coordinating Council (CJCC), responsible for planning

and coordinating criminal justice reform.

Inform criminal justice

decision-making by

improving collection,

analysis, interagency

sharing and public

release of justice-related

data.

5.1 Advocate for Cook County agencies to review current

data collection procedures, including abilities, capacity

and barriers, and implement necessary changes.

5.2 Improve residents’ experience utilizing the court system

and accessing needed information.

5.3 Maximize the use of Cook County’s data sharing

platform to enhance the exchange of timely and

relevant data and information between criminal justice

stakeholders.

5.4 Encourage the creation of a publicly available

dashboard and reports on the criminal justice system,

including aggregated data by race, ethnicity, gender,

age and geography at each point of the system to

educate and inform the public.

Sustainable Communities

he continent’s major waterways, forests

and prairies meet in Cook County, as

do the nation’s transportation networks,

representing both the promises and perils

that fall within the portfolio of sustainability.

Sustainable communities do not just have

a clean environment. They are attractive

communities, good for families and the elderly,

and desirable places for businesses to locate

and create jobs. A clean environment, green

space, jobs near housing and choice in modes

of transportation create desirable communities

and drive investment and higher property

values. Renewable energy and energy and

water efciency conserve resources for our

future, while also growing well-paying jobs and

saving money for residents, businesses and local

governments.

Creating sustainable communities also has

health benets. A clean environment reduces

rates of asthma and cancer, while outdoor

activity lowers levels of heart disease and

prevents diabetes. Better health means

residents and local governments spend less on

healthcare. Access to nature improves health,

lowers stress and crime and improves learning

outcomes for our children.

Despite signicant improvements in air and

water quality, Cook County’s industrial heritage

and its concentration of people, development

and transportation still cause environmental

challenges that impact residents’ quality

of life. From the effects of climate change,

uneven development across Cook County

and persistent segregation, we must address

past environmental injustices in underserved

communities. Additionally, we must proactively

promote equitable growth by removing barriers

to the “green” economy to ensure all residents

can benet.

“The Cook County Community

Solar Project launched in 2014

to establish a community solar

market in the County that

provides the economic and

environmental benets of solar to

a dense, urban area: “It’s exciting

to see the projected savings

from community solar. For our

residents, most of whom are very

low-income, reducing their energy

bills by almost $200 annually

is signicant. It allows them to

use this money toward other

basic necessities such as food,

medicine and rent. When you live

on a limited xed income, every

dollar matters and the research

shows that living with physical

disabilities costs more in terms of

special equipment, transportation

and healthcare costs. As a non-

prot, we also appreciate the

cost-savings that community solar

might yield and would put that

money into resident programs or

building improvements.”

– Eric Huffman, Executive

Director, Over the Rainbow

Association

Sustainable Communities

Local governments are at the forefront of

protecting the environment and ghting climate

change. OUP works with partners to mitigate

the effects of climate change and the impact

of climate change on our residents. While

our County’s greenhouse gas emissions have

decreased, this progress is modest compared to

what is needed to forestall the worst effects of

climate change. This includes negative impacts

on human health and wellbeing caused by more

extreme weather events, including ooding and

wildres, decreased air quality and agricultural

disruptions that can diminish the security of our

food supply.

The fragmentation of government hinders our

ability to address environmental issues and

contributes to extreme disparities in income

and municipal government capacity. Cook

County’s many small, under-resourced municipal

governments will need to adapt and overcome

challenges including a lack of funding, capacity

and technical skills to plan for a future that

will look very different from our past. OUP

knows that our efforts to help Cook County’s

municipalities are vital since assistance from

the federal and state governments in the form

of environmental enforcement, resources for

open space protection and policies that address

climate change are waning.

To overcome some of these challenges, we

must take a comprehensive approach to

energy, transportation, economic development

and water that recognizes the sustainability

implications of our actions. We are committed

to dispelling the false belief that economic

development and environmental protection

are in conict. Targeted economic investment

in conjunction with efforts to promote

environmental co-benets, manage storm

water and reduce vulnerabilities to climate

change will be critical to building resilient and

sustainable communities. Finding environmental

solutions will require partnerships between

governments, residents, businesses, non-prots

and educational institutions. We will also need

to continue being an environmental leader and

help communities and municipal governments

achieve the environment residents deserve and

need.

The objectives and strategies that follow

will ensure that we address environmental

injustices, combat climate change and promote

sustainable growth and development.

COOK COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2017

Sustainability in Cook County Government

Carbon Reduction Plan

In 2016, through a partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund Fellowship Program, the County developed

a comprehensive carbon reduction plan. This plan takes into account all County operational impacts on

greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); including energy, water

and fuel use and the responsible management of material

resources. The plan sets interim goals for each category, to

help us stay on track to meet our ultimate goal of a reduction

of GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

2016 Total Metric tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2E)

Emissions Estimated for County Government = 304,825.2

19% decrease from Baseline Equivalent to 173,503,007 miles

driven by an average passenger vehicle

GHG Inventory Portfolio 2016

70%

28%

1% 1%

Buildings

Transportation

Water

Waste

Other Energy Use

70%

28%

1% 1%

Buildings

Transportation

Water

Waste

Other Energy Use

70%

28%

1% 1%

Buildings

Transportation

Water

Waste

Other Energy Use

Carbon Reduction Targets

2016 2035 2050

Baseline

Figure 14, carbon reduction targets from Dept. of Environment and Sustainability’s 2017 Sustainability Report.

Goal

Support healthy, resilient

communities that thrive

economically, socially, and

environmentally.

Objective

Ensure environmental

justice and a healthy

environment for all

people and places.

1.1 Address communities’ environmental priorities and

identify their assets and vulnerabilities.

1.2 Offer programs that reduce exposure to pollution,

with priority given to environmental justice areas.

1.3 Decrease nancial and informational barriers to

environmental benets to ensure equal access to

services and resources.

1.4 Invest in ecological restoration and stewardship to

protect native habitats and species and to reduce the

adverse impacts of invasive species.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ Asthma visits, broken down by

geographic area

▶ Community Solar subscriptions

▶ GHG percent reduction in County

buildings

▶ Kilowatts of solar installed in Cook

County

Sustainable Communities

Promote livable,

sustainable land

use, transportation

policy and economic

development.

2.1 Incorporate environmental impact as a key criterion

when making economic development decisions.

2.2 Increase access to open spaces, greenways and

trails, prioritizing areas where open space is currently

limited.

2.3 Support transportation and land use policy that

prioritizes efcient use of land and the connectivity

between jobs, transportation and land use.

Sustainable Communities

Reduce climate change

and provide ways to

mitigate its effects.

3.1 Advocate for increased energy efciency across all

sectors.

3.2 Prioritize energy efciency and renewable energy

development.

3.3 Invest in transportation systems that decrease

emissions.

3.4 Develop a plan to address community, business, and

infrastructure vulnerabilities due to climate change.

Capture the job and

economic growth

potential of making

Cook County more

sustainable.

4.1 Develop workforce programs that provide residents

with skills and credentials to obtain green jobs.

4.2 Attract quality green sector jobs to the metropolitan

region.

4.3 Develop equitable, healthy and sustainable local

food systems to improve resident health and create

economic opportunity.

Objective Strategy

Create enduring capacity

in government and

communities to build a

sustainable and resilient

future.

5.1 Integrate sustainability measures, such as energy

and water use reduction, waste management and

recycling, into every Cook County department’s

operations.

5.2 Incentivize sustainability in Cook County purchasing.

5.3 Support federal, state and local efforts to advance

sustainability polices informed by data and science.

5.4 Partner with municipalities and community-based

organizations to build regional capacity including

renewable energy, energy and water efciency, waste

reduction and recycling.

Smart Communities

ublic infrastructure is a fundamental function

of Cook County government and represents

the backbone of how we provide seamless

services to residents. Public infrastructure exists

and operates in the background of residents’

everyday lives, yet few recognize government’s

role in ensuring that it works for those it serves.

Infrastructure needs to be robust, inclusive and

sustainable. Despite its day-to-day importance,

many people only think or learn about public

infrastructure after a disaster – such as a bridge

collapse, severe ooding, internet broadband

failure or a transit disruption.

The integration and effective management

of public infrastructure, which includes the

buildings and land owned by the County,

transportation systems and data and technology

systems, enables us to maximize our resources

more efciently and effectively serve residents.

These essential assets also contribute to the

effectiveness of other government services and

provide residents with the tools they need to

carry out the day to day aspects of their lives.

Responsibly managing our infrastructure requires

understanding residents’ needs ranging from

language translation to accessible buildings that

comply with federal disability rights laws.

Many of the County’s public infrastructure assets

are the vast array of buildings and land resources

we own and operate, including hospitals, clinics,

courthouses, jails and other government facilities.

For many residents, visiting these facilities is

their primary contact with the County. To meet

changing public needs and incorporate innovative

services into our operations, we must maintain,

upgrade and modernize these assets and

demolish or sell old facilities when they are no

longer needed.

Cook County joined the CREATE

Partnership, which brings the

County together with the City of

Chicago, the State of Illinois, the

federal government, Metra and

Amtrak and the railroad industry for

a total investment of $474 million

dollars for the 75th Street Corridor

Improvement Project. The 75th

Street Corridor Project aims to

eliminate a chokepoint at a critical

South Side Chicago junction for

freight and passenger trains.

When completed in 2025, the

project is expected to yield an

estimated $3.8 billion in new

economic benets from eliminating

multiple conicts and increasing

capacity at one of the busiest rail

intersections in the U.S.

The 75th Street Project represents

how we are able to combine our

effort with critical partners for

signicant benets for our residents.

OUP is also responsible for building and

maintaining many of the roadways and bridges

that residents and businesses use every day. In

addition to direct investment in County-owned

transportation assets, we play a major leadership

role in transportation decisions throughout the

County, regardless of which government agency

has jurisdiction. In collaboration with our partners,

Smart Communities

we prioritize transit and other transportation

alternatives, support the County’s freight delivery

system and actively promote equal access to

transportation for every resident. To promote

equity, we must expand access to the full range

of transportation options to include people with

disabilities by targeting inaccessible rail stations,

bus stops, sidewalks and curb cuts.

Bridging the data divide and ensuring that our

employees, County ofcials and our residents have

the information they need is also an important

component of a Smart Community. Whether it is

exchanging data and information amongst county

agencies, or using data to make better policy

and budgetary decisions, integrating technology

into our public infrastructure and continuously

improving the delivery and access of our services

will allow us to adapt to a rapidly changing

environment.

While we have achieved many successes that

span the public infrastructure spectrum, OUP

still faces many challenges in managing and

continuously developing its public infrastructure.

New technologies have changed the way we

serve residents and many government facilities

require substantial renovation to preserve and

modernize them. While generating new revenue

is a challenging conversation within and beyond

County government, funding remains a priority to

achieve optimal efciency.

New technologies foster more efcient and

sustainable workplaces but they can also

perpetuate inequities and create hardship for

residents who lack the resources or skills to access

digital tools and information. We must improve

our data platforms to ensure we are able to

exchange information and data with residents.

While information has become more readily

available for many residents, we must strive to

ensure our technology allows residents to ask

questions and provide feedback to support a more

accountable and accessible government. We are

committed to improving technology infrastructure

while acknowledging that all new technology must

be accessible for people with disabilities.

Through our holistic transportation approach,

we must address gaps in mobility to create

an equitable and multi-modal transportation

environment. Our mission must extend beyond

providing transportation access to County

buildings and services and daily activities to

establish a foundation for future community and

economic growth. A connected transportation

system will allow us to ensure well-paying jobs

are located within reach of residents, especially

residents who are currently excluded from

employment opportunities due to long, complex

commutes. Our transportation infrastructure must

promote equity by being accessible to and safe for

residents living with disabilities. At the same time,

we must also create transit-accessible, pedestrian

and bicycle friendly environments that bring these

jobs closer to home as well.

Through smart, targeted planning, provision and

maintenance of our public infrastructure we will

close the gap in access to the services, facilities

and jobs that our residents and businesses

depend on for long term sustainability.

The objectives and strategies that follow will

ensure we strategically leverage our assets and

improve residents’ ability to interact with and

access their government.

Smart Communities

Goal

Provide an innovative

infrastructure that will

change how we live,

work and connect.

Objective

Promote an equitable

and growing economy

through investments

in Cook County

infrastructure.

1.1 Prioritize transit-oriented development in

infrastructure investments, ensuring access for all

residents.

1.2 Invest in the improvement of under-developed land

throughout Cook County to promote community and

economic development.

1.3 Use public-private partnerships to spur economic

opportunity and generate revenue on Cook County

assets.

1.4 Coordinate the development of public infrastructure

projects across all levels of government.

1.5 Connect land maintenance and land use development

efforts to employment and job training opportunities

for Cook County residents, especially those from

marginalized communities.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ Money invested in LRTP projects

▶ MBE/WBE/DBE commitments for

infrastructure projects

▶ Percent of bridges and lane miles

rated as good

▶ Percent of County forms available for

electronic submission

Smart Communities

Objective

Better serve residents

by investing in

and deploying

proven technology

infrastructure.

2.1 Ensure digital access to Cook County services for all

residents.

2.2 Provide residents an excellent user experience when

accessing online Cook County resources.

2.3 Prioritize resident ease of access by integrating Cook

County building and technology design.

2.4 Increase the quality and effectiveness of services by

using data in long-term infrastructure planning.

2.5 Integrate technology and workplace design to

transform Cook County operations.

2.6 Minimize environmental impacts of facilities by

adopting technology that reduces energy and water

consumption and diverts waste.

Strategy

Increase accessibility

and connectivity

through seamless

transportation of

passengers and goods

throughout Cook

County and the region.

3.1 Coordinate transportation investments across

jurisdictions within the metropolitan region.

3.2 Provide technical assistance and funding to other

municipalities to promote seamless transportation

throughout the region.

3.3 Implement the Long Range Transportation Plan to

address gaps in transportation networks to ensure

equitable access for residents.

3.4 Integrate future transportation technologies into

public infrastructure planning and development.

3.5 Redesign facilities to enable public transit, bicycle

and pedestrian access to Cook County facilities.

Smart Communities

Objective

Responsibly steward

Cook County’s

resources by increasing

the value of Cook

County’s assets.

4.1 Use data to make transportation and energy use more

efcient.

4.2 Increase the resiliency of Cook County infrastructure

by fostering partnerships with public, private and non-

prot stakeholders.

4.3 Conduct a thorough valuation of all Cook County

assets to capture market value.

4.4 Invest in and integrate high-speed technology

infrastructure in Cook County roads and buildings.

4.5 Promote and develop public art and civic

engagement in Cook County facilities.

Strategy

From left: Rosemont Transit Center; aerial view of freight; County Building at 118 N. Clark St.; close-up of new

community-made mosaic artwork in Stroger Hospital Corridor.

Open Communities

UP represents less than ten percent of Cook

County government’s total workforce and

accounts for less than nine percent of the entire

County budget. Nonetheless, we strive to achieve

operational excellence within our own purview as

well as through our inuence over the County’s

broader operations.

We have worked hard to create a culture and

mindset in which elected ofcials, employees and

appointees adopt a human-centered approach

In 2017, the Medical Examiner’s

Ofce and the Bureau of

Technology teamed up to create

the rst-of-their-kind interactive

dashboards, maps and an open

dataset providing the public with

a geographic visualization of every

Medical Examiner case since 2014.

The system is updated daily. Part

of the online data initiative includes

interactive maps, which users can

customize to visualize where deaths

are occurring, create heat maps

and locate clusters and trends,

which can help researchers, medical

professionals, law enforcement,

journalists and the public tackle

pressing issues such as the

prevalence of gun violence and the

opioid epidemic.

In recognition of this work,

Cook County was awarded an

Achievement Award from the

National Association of Counties.

to problem-solving, teamwork and responsible

leadership. To continually improve business

processes and operations and become the

best in practice, we have worked to overcome

institutional obstacles and exploit advantages to

achieve results across key services. This culture

shift has increased the professionalization of our

workforce and improved residents’ experience.

OUP provides a wide array of public services,

managing internal operational functions,

promoting economic growth, investing in

infrastructure and coordinating emergency

management among many other activities.

The efcient and effective provision of our

programs depends on the strength of our internal

operations and shared service coordination,

including nancial planning, core human resources

and payroll functions, asset management and

technology support that benet all County

government. Although we have made progress

towards optimizing our resources, we must

continue pursuing additional opportunities to

standardize common procedures across various

government agencies.

We are committed to providing efcient and

effective service to all Cook County residents.

We have made signicant progress by increasing

our emphasis on performance management,

investing in technological advancements,

conducting an internal restructuring and creating

a climate of collaboration and engagement.

These improvements have allowed us to do more

with less. However, the fragmentation of County

government, which operates under the direction

of eleven separately-elected ofcials, hinders

effective communication with County residents,

who must navigate various independent local

government ofces with distinct responsibilities

and services.

Open Communities

The County is in the process of consolidating the

Ofce of the Cook County Recorder of Deeds,

which maintains property ownership records,

into the Ofce of the Cook County Clerk, which

maintains other vital records and serves as the

chief election ofcer. OUP is supportive of further

reorganization that will provide the public with

improved services.

Furthermore, we need to increase our

engagement with residents, community partners

and businesses to reduce barriers to accessing

public services and doing business with the

County. Creating the Policy Roadmap is a step

toward increasing resident participation in

identifying priorities and nding solutions. Cook

County government exists to serve our residents

and we greatly value their contributions and

feedback. We are committed to ensuring this

engagement is accessible and linguistically- and

culturally-competent and produces tangible results

for residents.

OUP benets greatly from our employees’

commitment to public service and shared sense of

purpose. To solidify ourselves as a leader in high-

quality public service, we must continue to invest

in the professional development of our employees

and provide opportunities for advancement and

growth within County government. Furthermore,

we must ensure that we recruit and retain a

diverse workforce reective of the communities we

serve and that our employees have the tools and

training necessary to apply innovative practices

and new technology to the County’s work.

Continuous operational improvement is key to

making the County a better place to live, work

and do business. The Policy Roadmap provides

a strategic foundation for improvement and has

sparked an ambitious, renewed commitment to

operational excellence. It represents a key step on

the path towards a more innovative, effective and

transparent government for all residents.

The objectives and strategies that follow will

ensure we are transparent and accessible, engage

a diverse and talented workforce and serve as

responsible stewards of the County’s resources.

Figure 15, graph of workforce reduction since 2010.

Open Communities

Goal

Ensure that Cook County

provides responsive,

transparent services

and develops a thriving,

professional workforce that

reects the communities

served.

Objective

Make doing business

with Cook County

simple, transparent and

accessible for residents,

municipalities and

businesses.

1.1 Make all Cook County services accessible to residents

with disabilities and non-English speakers.

1.2 Improve in-person and virtual customer experience

for residents interacting with Cook County.

1.3 Publicize Cook County initiatives and services to

increase public awareness.

1.4 Coordinate media messaging, branding and

communications.

1.5 Implement a public engagement process to reect

residents’ interests and needs.

1.6 Streamline the procurement process to make it more

efcient and accessible.

Strategy

Key Performance Indicators

▶ Average percent of job applicants

meeting minimum/preferred

qualications

▶ Percent of employees completing

mandatory and supplementary

training

▶ Annual preliminary budget gap

Open Communities

Objective

Attract and support a

diverse, compassionate,

high-quality workforce

to improve the delivery

of services to residents.

2.1 Increase the quality of services through employee

training.

2.2 Develop an internal communication strategy to

improve OUP employees’ understanding of Cook

County services in order to foster a resident-centric

culture.

2.3 Ensure uniformity in employee evaluation process.

2.4 Ensure alignment of job descriptions with current

operational needs of Cook County.

2.5 Foster a culture of continuous improvement for

employees.

2.6 Formalize organizational structure that encourages

interagency coordination and improves visibility to

the public.

Strategy

Ensure the best use

of taxpayer dollars by

promoting responsible

and innovative scal

management practices.

3.1 Routinely identify revenue opportunities and areas for

cost-savings.

3.2 Ensure transparency and accountability around core

nancial transactions.

3.3 Create a standardized purchasing program among

local governments to streamline the procurement

process and increase equity in purchasing.

3.4 Use technology to more efciently manage

accounting and reduce transactional costs.

3.5 Improve grant management policies and procedures.

3.6 Enhance employee training on technology

investments to improve the delivery of services.

Open Communities

Objective

Be transparent and

accountable through

the use of data.

4.1 Foster a culture of using data and evidence to drive

decisions and delivery of services.

4.2 Implement a data ethics policy to manage data use

and safeguard privacy.

4.3 Enhance the collection, availability and transparency

of Cook County’s operational data.

4.4 Build capacity to integrate data analysis across all

Cook County functions.

Strategy

Figure 16, infographic demonstrating process ow of the new Ofce of Research, Operations and Innovation,

beginning in December 2018.

Conclusion

he Policy Roadmap outlines our commitment

to equity, engagement and excellence and

will be our cornerstone for the next ve years.

We are excited to implement this vision and

pledge to remain transparent and accountable

to residents. Our public dashboard will launch

in January 2019 (see g. 17) to provide a tool

residents can use to nd data on the state of the

County and the progress of our work. We will also

integrate the Policy Roadmap with our existing

performance management platform to provide

a structure to measure, track and evaluate our

goals. Additionally, we will publish annual progress

reports to provide updates on how well we are

achieving our ambitious goals and to share more

details about specic programs and initiatives as

they are developed and implemented.

Figure 17, mockup of new open performance website, which will feature an interactive public dashboard to

measure the Policy Roadmap’s progress.

Footer Menu

COOK COUNTY

GOVERNMENT

POLICY

ROADMAP

Dashboard

Healthy

Communities

Open

Communities

Safe and

Thriving

Communities

Smart

Communities

Sustainable

Communities

Vital

Communities

Cook County

Health’s CountyCare

Membership

Oﬃces Under the

President

Workforce Diversity

Community Solar

Subscriptions

The objectives and strategies outlined in

this document provide concrete steps we

will take to promote residents’ health and

wellness, foster economic and community

development, simultaneously promote public

safety and a fair justice system, protect

the environment, be responsible stewards

of our public assets and provide excellent

service to our residents. The Policy Roadmap

sets forth the Ofces Under the President’s

vision for building vibrant, sustainable and

inclusive communities where people want

to live, learn, work and play. The vision set

forth in this Policy Roadmap was inspired by

our residents. We will proudly work towards

equitable and sustainable communities for all

residents.

Appendix

Appendix A Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Healthy

Communities

Goal: Improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of Cook

County residents and communities.

Objective Strategy

Reduce health

inequities for all

residents by addressing

the racial disparities and

the social, physical and

economic conditions

that impact health.

1.1 Ensure all policies and practices address the root causes of health inequities.

1.2 Reduce barriers to accessing health services for all residents in order to improve their quality of life.

1.3 Support inter-agency coordination to maximize the impact of Cook County investments to address the root

causes of health inequities.

1.4 Use data and public information to educate communities and raise awareness about health inequities

negatively impacting vulnerable communities.

Improve access to and

integration of high-

quality responsive

healthcare and

information.

2.1 Enhance access to high-quality behavioral healthcare, trauma-informed services and mental healthcare.

2.2 Ensure a continuum of health-related services exists within Cook County to meet residents’ needs,

particularly those who are vulnerable or marginalized.

2.3 Explore new or developing models of care that increase access and expand ability to serve marginalized

residents.

2.4 Enhance the language accessibility and cultural appropriateness of public health messaging so that all

residents receive pertinent health information that they can understand.

2.5 Make quality health-related data widely accessible to promote a better understanding of residents’ health

and drive decision-making.

2.6 Provide accessible health consumer education to increase residents’ ability to access health and wellness

services.

Support an active and

healthy lifestyle and

healthy communities.

3.1 Advocate for recreational opportunities and wellness programs that promote physical activity and

improved health outcomes for all residents.

3.2 Improve access to healthy and affordable food options to reduce hunger and enable healthy living,

especially within marginalized communities.

3.3 Promote accessible multi-modal transportation options, including walking and biking, that connect

people to family, work and play.

3.4 Encourage a cleaner and more resilient environment to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution and

climate change.

Advocate

for increased

community safety

through a public

health approach to

violence reduction.

4.1 Address the root causes of violence through increased trauma awareness and trauma-informed care.

4.2 Encourage hospitals and healthcare providers to develop intervention models to reduce individual and

community violence in areas of the highest need.

4.3 Support the implementation of the Chicago-Cook Task Force on Heroin recommendations regarding the

heroin/opioid epidemic.

4.4 Promote the increased use of alternatives to detention in the criminal justice system, particularly for

people struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues.

4.5 Partner with health stakeholders to improve access to employment in the health sector for individuals

facing existing barriers, including young adults and people with criminal backgrounds.

Improve the health

and wellbeing of

the Ofces Under

the President’s

workforce by

fostering a

supportive, healthy

work culture.

5.1 Augment Cook County’s existing wellness program to support employees’ adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

5.2 Align OUP’s personnel and operational policies with health-related and supportive best practices.

5.3 Increase the awareness and capacity of the Employee Assistance Program and other supportive programs

for OUP employees.

5.4 Expandaccesstohealthy,resource-efcientamenitiesinCookCountyfacilitiestoimproveemployees’

workplace experience.

5.5 Prioritize employee wellbeing in workplace design.

Appendix A

Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Vital

Communities

Goal: Pursue inclusive economic and community growth by sup-

porting residents, growing businesses, attracting investment and

nurturing talent.

Objective Strategy

Champion a regional

approach to grow the

economy and combat

racial and economic

inequality.

1.1 Ensure equitable and inclusive policies and practices for recipients of Cook County resources.

1.2 Implement Racial Equity Assessments in planning and decision-making.

1.3 Restructuretheeconomicdevelopmentpropertytaxandnancialincentivestoenhanceinvestmentin

underserved communities and support key economic sectors.

1.4 Provide leadership and support for the Chicago Regional Growth Corporation.

1.5 Develop global trade programs to increase export and foreign direct investments in the region.

Grow key economic

clusters by launching

and supporting

industry-led

partnerships.

2.1 Identify, prioritize and support new and emerging sectors that lead to living wage jobs.

2.2 Create a center for industry partnerships to lead, coordinate and support key economic sectors’

competitiveness, productivity, resiliency and adaptation to rapidly changing technology.

2.3 Promote targeted “shovel ready sites” through utility, transportation and environmental remediation

investments.

2.4 Increase minority and women business ownership and labor force participation in sectors that offer living

wage jobs.

Support expanded

opportunities for local

businesses, women- or

minority-owned rms

and rms owned by

people living with

disabilities.

3.1 Expand Cook County’s toolbox of available resources for small- and medium-sized businesses and

entrepreneurs.

3.2 Connect small businesses to banks, Community Development Financial Institutions, business incubators

and worker cooperatives.

3.3 Align procurement and contract compliance policies to strengthen the minority, women and veteran

business enterprise programs.

3.4 Encouragemajorcorporationsandnon-protorganizationstousetheirpurchasingpowertostrengthen

theirlocalcommunitiesandincreasesupporttolocal,women-andminority-ownedrms.

Invest in and

support quality

housing and core

services to improve

regional equity

and access to

opportunity.

4.1 Advocate for fair housing practices across the region.

4.2 Increase funding for affordable housing and community development, ensuring investments are

community-driven and maximize impact.

4.3 Eliminate barriers to participation and access in Cook County economic development programs.

4.4 Provide technical assistance to Cook County municipalities to identify needs and leverage resources.

4.5 Reactivate vacant land in Cook County.

Open access

to economic

prosperity for

all by investing

in workforce

and talent

development.

5.1 Support industry-based training models that lead to industry-recognized credentials.

5.2 Align Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership’s programs with Cook County’s priority economic growth

sectors.

5.3 Proactively identify opportunities to preserve jobs and increase wealth and prosperity for all residents.

5.4 Eliminate barriers to participation and access in Cook County workforce development and training

programs.

Base

transportation

investments on

their capacity to

promote equitable

economic growth.

6.1 Invest in opportunities that reduce the jobs/housing mismatch.

6.2 Facilitate multimodal transportation of goods and people within and beyond Cook County to encourage

economic growth.

6.3 Expand alternative forms of transportation to improve residents’ mobility.

Appendix A

Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Safe and Thriving

Communities

Goal: Create safe communities and an equitable and fair justice

system for all residents.

Objective Strategy

Develop comprehensive

and coordinated plan-

ning and preparedness

activities to proactively

address violence in

highly impacted com-

munities throughout

Cook County.

1.1 Invest in a public health approach to reduce gun violence.

1.2 Ensure that access to resources and response capabilities to address violence and respond to emergencies

are equitably distributed throughout Cook County.

1.3 Improve public safety planning and coordination to identify shared goals and maximize investments in

suburban Cook County.

1.4 Use federal, state and local grant dollars to build capacity within municipalities to effectively address

protective factors that prevent violence and justice involvement.

Align criminal justice

investments and strat-

egies to prioritize the

needs of individuals

involved in the criminal

justice system.

2.1 Generate cost-savings through the reduction criminal justice system expenses and the consolidation of the

criminal justice system.

2.2 Expand investment in community-based organizations, anti-violence prevention initiatives and reentry

services to address root causes of violence.

2.3 Advocate for policies that decrease racial, ethnic and socio-economic disparities in the criminal justice

system.

2.4 Advocate for criminal justice reform policies and legislation that are informed by data and research.

2.5 Promote community-based programs that use promising practices or are evidence-based.

2.6 Continue to safely reduce detention populations.

2.7 Develop a collaborative budgeting process and performance metrics for multi-agency criminal justice

reform efforts.

Increase alternatives to

detention and access to

supportive services for

justice-involved resi-

dents.

3.1 Increase access to wraparound, case management and re-entry services.

3.2 Build the capacity of service providers in underserved areas of Cook County through technical assistance

and funding.

3.3 Increase coordination between government agencies and service providers in the provision of services.

Cultivate

multidisciplinary

collaboration to

advance criminal

justice reform that

incorporates the

voices of affected

communities.

4.1 Incorporate the voices of impacted communities and people with lived experiences in criminal justice

reform efforts and decision-making.

4.2 Increase inter-agency collaboration within Cook County to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals.

4.3 Support the creation of a Cook County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), responsible for

planning and coordinating criminal justice reform.

Inform criminal justice

decision-making by im-

proving collection, anal-

ysis, interagency sharing

and public release of

justice-related data.

5.1 Advocate for Cook County agencies to review current data collection procedures, including abilities,

capacity and barriers, and implement necessary changes.

5.2 Improve residents’ experience utilizing the court system and accessing needed information.

5.3 Maximize the use of Cook County’s data sharing platform to enhance the exchange of timely and relevant

data and information between criminal justice stakeholders.

5.4 Encourage the creation of a publicly available dashboard and reports on the criminal justice system,

including aggregated data by race, ethnicity, gender, age and geography at each point of the system to

educate and inform the public.

Appendix A

Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Sustainable

Communities

Goal: Support healthy, resilient communities that thrive econom-

ically, socially, and environmentally.

Objective Strategy

Ensure environmental

justice and a healthy

environment for all

people and places.

1.1 Address communities’ environmental priorities and identify their assets and vulnerabilities.

1.2 Offer programs that reduce exposure to pollution, with priority given to environmental justice areas.

1.3 Decreasenancialandinformationalbarrierstoenvironmentalbenetstoensureequalaccesstoservices

and resources.

1.4 Invest in ecological restoration and stewardship to protect native habitats and species and to reduce the

adverse impacts of invasive species.

Promote livable,

sustainable land

use, transportation

policy and economic

development.

2.1 Incorporate environmental impact as a key criterion when making economic development decisions.

2.2 Increase access to open spaces, greenways and trails, prioritizing areas where open space is currently

limited.

2.3 Supporttransportationandlandusepolicythatprioritizesefcientuseoflandandtheconnectivity

between jobs, transportation and land use.

Reduce climate change

and provide ways to

mitigate its effects.

3.1 Advocateforincreasedenergyefciencyacrossallsectors.

3.2 Prioritizeenergyefciencyandrenewableenergydevelopment.

3.3 Invest in transportation systems that decrease emissions.

3.4 Develop a plan to address community, business, and infrastructure vulnerabilities due to climate change.

Capture the job and

economic growth

potential of making

Cook County more

sustainable.

4.1 Develop workforce programs that provide residents with skills and credentials to obtain green jobs.

4.2 Attract quality green sector jobs to the metropolitan region.

4.3 Develop equitable, healthy and sustainable local food systems to improve resident health and create

economic opportunity.

Create enduring

capacity in

government and

communities to

build a sustainable

and resilient future.

5.1 Integrate sustainability measures, such as energy and water use reduction, waste management and

recycling, into every Cook County department’s operations.

5.2 Incentivize sustainability in Cook County purchasing.

5.3 Support federal, state and local efforts to advance sustainability polices informed by data and science.

5.4 Partner with municipalities and community-based organizations to build regional capacity including

renewableenergy,energyandwaterefciency,wastereductionandrecycling.

Appendix A Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Smart

Communities

Goal: Provide an innovative infrastructure that will change how

we live, work and connect.

Objective Strategy

Promote an equitable

and growing economy

through investments

in Cook County

infrastructure.

1.1 Prioritize transit-oriented development in infrastructure investments, ensuring access for all residents.

1.2 Invest in the improvement of under-developed land throughout Cook County to promote community and

economic development.

1.3 Use public-private partnerships to spur economic opportunity and generate revenue on Cook County

assets.

1.4 Coordinate the development of public infrastructure projects across all levels of government.

1.5 Connect land maintenance and land use development efforts to employment and job training

opportunities for Cook County residents, especially those from marginalized communities.

Better serve residents

by investing in

and deploying

proven technology

infrastructure.

2.1 Ensure digital access to Cook County services for all residents.

2.2 Provide residents an excellent user experience when accessing online Cook County resources.

2.3 Prioritize resident ease of access by integrating Cook County building and technology design.

2.4 Increase the quality and effectiveness of services by using data in long-term infrastructure planning.

2.5 Integrate technology and workplace design to transform Cook County operations.

2.6 Minimize environmental impacts of facilities by adopting technology that reduces energy and water

consumption and diverts waste.

Increase accessibility

and connectivity

through seamless

transportation of

passengers and goods

throughout Cook

County and the region.

3.1 Coordinate transportation investments across jurisdictions within the metropolitan region.

3.2 Provide technical assistance and funding to other municipalities to promote seamless transportation

throughout the region.

3.3 Implement the Long Range Transportation Plan to address gaps in transportation networks to ensure

equitable access for residents.

3.4 Integrate future transportation technologies into public infrastructure planning and development.

3.5 Redesign facilities to enable public transit, bicycle and pedestrian access to Cook County facilities.

Responsibly

steward Cook

County’s resources

by increasing the

value of Cook

County’s assets.

4.1 Usedatatomaketransportationandenergyusemoreefcient.

4.2 Increase the resiliency of Cook County infrastructure by fostering partnerships with public, private and

non-protstakeholders.

4.3 Conduct a thorough valuation of all Cook County assets to capture market value.

4.4 Promote and develop public art and civic engagement in Cook County facilities.

4.5 Invest in and integrate high-speed technology infrastructure in Cook County roads and buildings.

Appendix A

Goals, Objectives and Strategies

Open

Communities

Goal: Ensure that Cook County provides responsive, transparent

services and develops a thriving, professional workforce that

reects the communities served.

Objective Strategy

Make doing business

with Cook County

simple, transparent and

accessible for residents,

municipalities and

businesses.

1.1 Make all Cook County services accessible to residents with disabilities and non-English speakers.

1.2 Improve in-person and virtual customer experience for residents interacting with Cook County.

1.3 Publicize Cook County initiatives and services to increase public awareness.

1.4 Coordinate media messaging, branding and communications.

1.5 Implementapublicengagementprocesstoreectresidents’interestsandneeds.

1.6 Streamlinetheprocurementprocesstomakeitmoreefcientandaccessible.

Attract and support a

diverse, compassionate,

high-quality workforce

to improve the delivery

of services to residents.

2.1 Increase the quality of services through employee training.

2.2 Develop an internal communication strategy to improve OUP employees’ understanding of County

services in order to foster a constituent-centric culture.

2.3 Ensure uniformity in employee evaluation process.

2.4 Ensure alignment of job descriptions with current operational needs of the County.

2.5 Foster a culture of continuous improvement for employees.

2.6 Formalize organizational structure that encourages interagency coordination and improves visibility to the

public.

Ensure the best use

of taxpayer dollars by

promoting responsible

and innovative scal

management practices.

3.1 Routinely identify revenue opportunities and areas for cost-savings.

3.2 Ensuretransparencyandaccountabilityaroundcorenancialtransactions.

3.3 Create a standardized purchasing program among local governments to streamline the procurement

process and increase equity in purchasing.

3.4 Usetechnologytomoreefcientlymanageaccountingandreducetransactionalcosts.

3.5 Improve grant management policies and procedures.

3.6 Enhance employee training on technology investments to improve the delivery of services.

Be transparent and

accountable through

the use of data.

4.1 Foster a culture of using data and evidence to drive decisions and delivery of services.

4.2 Implement a data ethics policy to manage data use and safeguard privacy.

4.3 Enhance the collection, availability and transparency of Cook County’s operational data.

4.4 Build capacity to integrate data analysis across all Cook County functions.

Appendix B Acknowledgments

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed their time, energy and ideas as part of the strategic

development process for the Cook County Policy Roadmap. We would like to thank our appointed and

independent ofces for their input and review, including the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership; Cook

County Health; the Cook County Land Bank Authority; the Cook County Department of Public Health;

the Cook County Public Defender’s Ofce; the Forest Preserve District of Cook County; and the Housing

Authority of Cook County. We would also like to extend a special thanks to the following individuals who

played a signicant role in the Roadmap’s development.

Ofce of the President

Lanetta Haynes Turner (Chief of Staff; Policy Roadmap co-lead); Mara Heneghan (Aide; Policy Roadmap

lead author); Alex Ensign (Special Assistant; Chief Minion; Policy Roadmap graphic designer); Becky

Schlikerman (Press Secretary; Policy Roadmap editor); Jennifer Sanchez (Public Information Ofcer; Policy

Roadmap social media coordinator); Henry Bensinger (Administrative Assistant; Policy Roadmap analyst);

Andrew Miller (Cook County Summer Fellow; Policy Roadmap analyst); Eric Wong (Aide; Policy Roadmap

logistics coordinator); Frank Shuftan (former Director of Communications)

Cook County Bureau Chiefs

Ann P. Kalayil (Cook County Bureau of Asset Management; Policy Roadmap Co-Lead); Ammar Rizki (Cook

County Bureau of Finance); Jay Stewart (Cook County Bureau of Economic Development); Martha Martinez

(Cook County Bureau of Administration); Tom Lynch (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Velisha Haddox

(Cook County Bureau of Human Resources)

Additional support

Frank Beal (Civic Consulting Alliance; Policy Roadmap lead advisor); Daniel Comeaux (Civic Consulting

Alliance; Policy Roadmap co-advisor); Charlotte McPherson (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management

Services; Policy Roadmap change management advisor); Daniela Melisa Gómez Treviño (Cook County

Policy Roadmap Spanish translator); Delrice Adams (Cook County Justice Advisory Council); Dessa Gypalo

(Cook County Bureau of Technology); Valerie Holden (Cook County Bureau of Finance; Policy Roadmap

analyst); Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services analysts: Ama Baljinnyam; Jeron Bland;

Julia Khiria; John Ferro; Jose Murillo; Nader Abusumayah; Samuel Molaro

Policy Roadmap Committee

Adam Clement (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Alejandro Aixala (formerly Cook County Justice

Advisory Council); Andrea Gibson (Cook County Health); Irene Sherr (Cook County Bureau of Economic

Development); Jay Stewart (Cook County Bureau of Economic Development); Jeffrey Lewelling (Cook

County Dept. of Budget & Management Services); Jennifer Killen (Cook County Dept. of Transportation

and Highways); John Yonan (Cook County Dept. of Transportation and Highways); Letitia Close (Cook

County Health); Michael Jasso (formerly Cook County Bureau of Economic Development); Michael

Rodriguez (Cook County Medical Examiner’s Ofce); Simona Rollinson (formerly Cook county Bureau of

Technology); Viviana Martinez (Cook County Bureau of Administration)

Healthy Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Michael Goldman (Cook County Bureau of Human Resources); Terry Mason, M.D. (Cook County

Dept. of Public Health)

Project managers: Joel Inwood (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Mara Heneghan (Cook County

President’s Ofce)

Members: Andrea Gibson (Cook County Health); Andrew Van Wieren (Esperanza Health Centers); Berneice

Appendix B

Acknowledgments

Mills Thomas (Near North Health Service Corporation); Carmen Vergara (Esperanza Health Centers); Cathy

Geraghty (Cook County Forest Preserve District); Elissa Bassler (Illinois Public Health Institute); Gwen

Maxwell (The Women’s Treatment Center); Holly Wallace (Housing Authority of Cook County); John Clark

(Cook County Health); Marco Jacomo (Healthcare Alternative Systems); Margie Schaps (Health & Medicine

Policy Research Group); Nicole Richardson (Thresholds); Raul Garza (Aunt Martha’s); Rebecca Janowitz

(Cook County Justice Advisory Council); Renee Carrion (Cook County Bureau of Human Resources); Rich

Monocchio (Housing Authority of Cook County)

Vital Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Andrew Geer (Enterprise Community Partners); Simone Weil (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for

Planning)

Project manager: Irene Sherr (Cook County Bureau of Economic Development)

Members: Alan Quick (Illinois Housing Development Authority); Amy Bashiti (Illinois Housing Development

Authority); Angela Smith (Ford Heights Community Service Organization); Calvin Holmes (Chicago

Community Loan Fund); Elisha Sander (Cook County Land Bank Authority); Joanna Trotter (Chicago

Community Trust); Joey Mak (Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce); John Bradarich (Illinois Manufacturing

Excellence Center); Karin Norington-Reeves (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership); Mollie Dowling (OAI);

Phaedra Leslie (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership); Rebecca Janowitz (Cook County Justice Advisory

Council); Reggie Greenwood (Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation); Rich Monocchio

(Housing Authority of Cook County); Teresa Cordova (Great Cities Institute); Tim Kollar (Housing Authority

of Cook County); Victoria Lakes-Battle (IFF)

Safe and Thriving Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Ali Abid (Cook County Justice Advisory Council); Megan Alderden (Illinois Criminal Justice

Information Authority)

Project manager: Wynetta Scales (Cook County Justice Advisory Council)

Members: Aaron Goldstein (Cook County Public Defender’s Ofce); Darlene Dugo (Cook County Land

Bank Authority); Dawn Ruzich (Gateway Foundation); Elaine Nekritz (Nekritz Amdor Consulting LLC); Era

Laudermilk (Cook County Public Defender’s Ofce); Greg Martinez (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership);

Jen Keeling (Chicago CRED); Julie Biehl (Bluhm Legal Clinic, Northwestern University School of Law);

Kanako Ishida (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services); Leticia Reyes-Nash (Cook County

Health); Nate Steinfeld (Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council); Ramesh Damietsy (Cook County

Bureau of Technology); Rebecca Janowitz (Cook County Justice Advisory Council); Sharone Mitchell (Illinois

Justice Project); Soledad McGrath (Joyce Foundation); Steven Meeks (Illinois Department of Corrections);

Tiffany Lyles (Enlace Chicago)

Sustainable Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Laura Oakleaf (Cook County Dept. of Environment and Sustainability; Sarah Cardona

(Metropolitan Planning Council)

Project manager: Jessica Schumacher (Cook County Dept. of Environment and Sustainability)

Members: Allessandra Kummelehne (South Metro Higher Ed Consortium); Amy Rosenthal (Field

Museum); Anthony Tindal (Forest Preserve District of Cook County); Barbara Scapardine (Metropolitan

Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago); Benet Haller (Cook County Dept. of Transportation and

Highways); Cory Muldoon (Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership); Eric Davis (Cook County Dept. of

Capital Planning); Deborah Stone (Cook County Dept. of Environment and Sustainability); Dominic Diorio

Appendix B Acknowledgments

(Cook County Land Bank Authority); Dominic Tocci (Cook County Bureau of Economic Development);

Gina Masuda Barnett (Cook County Dept. of Public Health); Kate Buczek (Cook County Bureau of Asset

Management); Kristin Ihnchak (Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency); Lindy Wordlaw (Elevate Energy);

Molly Dunn (ComEd); Raja Alfraihat (Village of Park Forest); William Campbell-Bezat (Cook County Bureau

of Technology); Jeron Bland (Cook County Budget Ofce)

Smart Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Hardik Bhatt (Amazon); Jamie Meyers (Cook County Bureau of Asset Management)

Project managers: Alex Beata (Cook County Bureau of Administration); Susan Lombard (Cook County

Bureau of Asset Management)

Members: Danielle Stanley (Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce); Eileen Figel (Cook County Forest

Preserve District); Hema Sundaram (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Jacky Grimshaw (Center for

Neighborhood Technology); Jimmy Rayan (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services); John

Cooke (GSA Great Lakes Region); Lawrence Brozek (Cook County Bureau of Asset Management); Jessica

Hector-Hsu (Regional Transportation Authority) Liz Schuh (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning);

Lindsay Hollander (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning); Elizabeth Irvin (Chicago Metropolitan

Agency for Planning); Luigi Pezzarossi (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Maria Choca Urban (Cook

County Dept. of Transportation and Highways); John Yonan (Cook County Dept. of Transportation and

Highways); Jennifer Killen (Cook County Dept. of Transportation and Highways); Mike Reever (Chicagoland

Chamber of Commerce); Rob Rose (Cook County Land Bank Authority); Steve Ediger (Chi Hack Night);

Sam Molaro (Cook County Budget Ofce)

Open Communities Focus Team

Co-leads: Deanna Zalas (Cook County Dept. of Risk Management); Jerry Pray (Cook County Bureau of

Administration); Jonathan Casiano (PNC Bank)

Project managers: Charlotte McPherson (Cook County Dept. Of Budget & Management Services); Nicole

Hollins (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services)

Members: Amy Crawford (Cook County Dept. of Human Rights and Ethics); Ann Kalayil (Cook County

Bureau of Asset Management); Brandon Brooks (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Christopher

Whitaker (Code for America); Dean Constantinou (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services);

Derrick Thomas (Cook County Bureau of Technology); Ivana Dabizljevic (Cook County Comptroller’s Ofce);

Ivaylo Lazarov (Cook County Bureau of Asset Management); James Thompson (University of Illinois, Public

Administration); Jeff Lewelling (Cook County Bureau of Finance); Lizveth Mendez (Cook County Bureau

of Asset Management); Tanya Anthony (Cook County Dept. of Budget & Management Services); Thomas

Snyder (University of Illinois, Public Administration); Tom Lynch (Cook County Bureau of Technology);

Velisha Haddox (Cook County Bureau of Human Resources); Vincent Waller (Cook County Bureau of

Human Resources)

We would also like to thank the organizations who submitted written feedback during our public comment

period, including Access Living; Arab-American Family Services Coalition; Chicago Community Bond

Fund; Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; Collaborative for Health Equity Cook County; Heartland

Alliance; Illinois Justice Project; Metropolitan Planning Council; Neighborhood Housing Services of

Chicago, Inc.; Public Health Woke Coalition; Women Employed and Woodstock Institute.

Appendix C

County-Wide

Organizational Chart

Residents of Cook County

Board of

Review

Office of

the Chief

Judge

Probation and Court

Services

Circuit Court Dispute

Resolution

Mental Health

Children’s Waiting

Room

Peer Court

Drug Court

Juvenile Temporary

Detention Center

Adult Probation

Judiciary

Forensic Clinical

Services

Social Service

Juvenile Probation

Public Guardian

Public

Admin.

Sheriff

Admin. & Human

Resources

Corrections

Police Dept.

Women’s Justice

Services

Court Services

Information

Technology

Merit Board

Vehicle Purchasing

Emergency

Telephone Systems

Board

Assessor

Clerk

Automation

Election

Division

Board of

Election

Comm.

County

Board

President

Technology

Administration

Economic

Development

Asset

Management

Finance

Human

Resources

Auditor

Administrative

Hearings

Justice Advisory

Council

Human Rights &

Ethics

Board of

Comm.

Recorder

of Deeds

Document

Storage

System

Geographic

Information

Services

Rental

Housing

Support

State’s

Attorney

Narcotics

Forfeiture

Treasurer

Clerk of

the Circuit

Court

Automation

Document

Storage

Election

Citation

Circuit

Court

Admin.

Health and

Hospitals

System

Public Defender

Inspector

General

Land Bank

Authority

Veterans

Assistance

Comm.

Housing

Authority of

Cook County

Forest Preserve

District of Cook

County

Chicago Cook

Workforce

Partnership

Appointed and Independent Agencies

Cook County Government

Organizational Charts

Appendix C

Offices Under the President

President’s Office

Bureau of

Administration

Environment and

Sustainability

Adoption and

Family Supportive

Services

Transportation and

Highways

Law Library

Medical

Examiner

Veterans

Affairs

Fleet

Management

Homeland Sec. and

Emergency Mgmt.

Animal Control

Bureau of

Finance

Revenue

Budget and

Management

Services

Contract

Compliance

Comptroller

Procurement

Risk

Management

Performance

Management

Bureau of

Economic

Development

Planning and

Development

Zoning Board

of Appeals

Building and

Zoning

Bureau of

Human

Resources

Employee

Appeals Board

Labor

Relations

Training and

Management

Division

Bureau of

Technology

Geographic

Information

Systems

Enterprise

Solutions

Office and

Desktop

Servers

Enterprise

Resource

Planning

Bureau of

Asset

Management

Capital

Planning and

Policy

Real Estate

Management

Facilities

Management

Dept. of

Human Rights

and Ethics

Auditor

Justice

Advisory

Council

Secretary to the

Board of

Commissioners

Administrative

Hearings

Ofces Under the President

Organizational Charts

Appendix D

Endnotes

1 U.S. Census Bureau Quickfacts: Cook County, Ilinois.

2 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

3 Connecting Cook County.

4 U.S. Census Bureau Quickfacts: Cook County, Illinois.

5 Terpstra, Clary, and Kreisburg.

6 Terpstra, Clary, and Kreisburg.

7 This number represents the portion of the operating budget devoted to criminal justice and

healthcare when capital, debt service and pension-related payments are excluded and all

other xed charges are included.

8 The Recorer of Deeds’ ofce duties will be assumed by the Cook County Clerk’s ofce in

2020, following the merging of the two ofces.

9 Constitution of the World Health Organization: Principles.

10 Healthy Places.

11 Map the Meal Gap.

12 Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States, 2005–20

13 Riddell, Harper and Kaufman.

14 U.S. Small-Area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (USALEEP): Life Expectancy Estimates File

for Cook County, 2010–2015.

15 Cost of Segregation.

16 Morelix, Hwang and Tareque

17 Cook County’s Criminal Justice System Trends and Issues Report.

18 Louv.

“2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.” United States Census Bureau.

Accessed October 12, 2018. https://factnder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/

index.xhtml.

Connecting Cook County. 2016. Connecting Cook County. Cook County Ofces Under

the President. http://www.citationmachine.net/chicago-17-author-date/cite-a-govt/

manual.

“Constitution of World Health Organization: Principles.” 2016. About WHO. World Health

Organization. September 1, 2016. https://www.who.int/about/mission/en/.

“Cook County’s Criminal Justice System: Trends and Issues Report.” 2018. Rep. Cook

County’s Criminal Justice System: Trends and Issues Report. Center for Criminal

Justice Research, Policy and Practice. https://luc.edu/media/lucedu/criminaljustice/

pdfs/Cook County Trends and Issues Report June 2018.pdf

“Cook County, IL.” Data USA. Accessed October 31, 2018. https://datausa.io/prole/geo/

cook-county-il/.

“Cost of Segregation.” 2017. Rep. Cost of Segregation. Metropolitan Planning Council.

https://www.metroplanning.org/costofsegregation.

“Healthy Places.” 2009. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention. October 15, 2009. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/

terminology.htm.

“Household Income in Cook County, Illinois (County).” The Demographic Statistical Atlas

of the United States - Statistical Atlas. Cedar Lake Ventures, Inc. Accessed October

31, 2018. https://statisticalatlas.com/county/Illinois/Cook-County/Household-

Income.

Louv, Richard. 2006. Last Child in the Woods. North Carolina, USA: Algonquin Books of

Chapel Hill.

“Making Hunger Visible.” 2016. Greater Chicago Food Depository. September 16, 2016.

https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/map-statistics/.

“Map the Meal Gap.” Food Insecurity in the United States. Feeding America. Accessed

October 19, 2018. http://map.feedingamerica.org/.

Morelix, Arnobio, Victor Hwang, and Inara S. Tareque. 2017. “Zero Barriers: Three Mega

Trends Shaping the Future of Entrepreneurship.” State of Entrepreneurship 2017.

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. 2017. https://www.kauffman.org/~/media/

kauffman_org/resources/2017/state_of_entrepreneurship_address_report_2017.pdf.

Appendix E

References

Policy Roadmap Community Conversation Report. 2018. Cook County Ofces Under the

President. le:///C:/Users/MaraHeneghan/Downloads/policy-roadmap-community-

conversation-report-6-8-18 (2).pdf.

Riddell, Corinne A., Sam Harper, and Jay S. Kaufman. 2017. “Trends in Differences

in US Mortality Rates Between Black and White Infants.” JAMA Pediatrics.

American Medical Association. July 3, 2017. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/

jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2633490.

Terpstra, Amy, Jennifer Clary, and Nicole Kreisberg. 2013. “Poverty Matters: It’s Now

50/50, Chicago Region Poverty Growth Is a Suburban Story.” Social IMPACT

Research Center. September 5, 2013. http://socialimpactresearchcenter.issuelab.

org/resource/poverty-matters-it-s-now-50-50-chicago-region-poverty-growth-is-a-

suburban-story.html.

“Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States, 2005–20.” 2017. National Center for

Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. March 21, 2017.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db279.htm.

“U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cook County, Illinois.” United States Census Bureau.

Accessed October 12, 2018. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/

cookcountyillinois/PST120217.

“U.S. Small-Area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (USALEEP): Life Expectancy Estimates

File for Cook County, 2010-2015.” 2018. National Center for Health Statistics.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. August 28, 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/

nchs/nvss/usaleep/usaleep.html.

Appendix E

References

Toni Preckwinkle

Board President

Board of Commissioners

Luis Arroyo, Jr.

Richard R. Boykin

Jerry Butler

John P. Daley

Dennis Deer

John A. Fritchey

Bridget Gainer

Jesús G. García

Gregg Goslin

Edward M. Moody

Stanley Moore

Sean M. Morrison

Timothy O. Schneider

Peter N. Silvestri

Deborah Sims

Larry Suffredin

Jeffrey R. Tobolski