DHS Sole Source FY27 Williams Consent Decree Court Monitor

The State of Illinois, Department of Human Services, Mental Health Division, awarded a sole source contract to Crosswinds Consulting, LLC (operated by Kathryn DuPree) for court monitoring services under the Williams v. Pritzker Consent Decree. The contract, designated as 27-444DHS-MENTH-P-94830, is valued at $315,000 and covers the period from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. Ms. DuPree was appointed by federal Judge Lefkow to serve as the independent and impartial Court Monitor, a position she has held since May 27, 2022, making her the sole available source for this federally mandated role.

Under this contract, Crosswinds Consulting will provide comprehensive monitoring and compliance evaluation services, including reviewing state compliance data, evaluating adherence to the Consent Decree, identifying areas of non-compliance, mediating disputes between the parties, and preparing semi-annual and annual reports to the federal court. The compensation structure includes an hourly rate of $300 per hour, with the contract budget encompassing direct work, travel expenses, administrative assistance, and consultant services. This represents a continuation of monitoring services the state has procured since October 2017, with funding provided through State Appropriate Funds.