Sheriff Dart’s Policy Chief Hired by TASC

(Chicago) – Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s executive director for public policy has accepted an offer to become the top policy chief for a leading Illinois behavioral health and criminal justice reform organization, Chicago-based Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC).

Rebecca Levin worked for Dart for the last three years, including as a senior advisor, prior to assuming the post at TASC. She has also served in senior policy roles at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, the American Academy of Pediatrics, among other organizations.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca Levin to TASC as our vice president of policy,” said TASC CEO Joel K. Johnson. “Rebecca’s deep and recognized experience as a public health professional and violence prevention advocate ideally aligns with both TASC’s historic criminal justice reform advocacy in both Springfield and Washington, D.C. and our commitment to elevate our policy advocacy to a new level.”

Levin is “honored” to become TASC’s policy chief.

“Since 1976, TASC has earned statewide and national recognition for its innovative criminal justice policy advocacy as well as for its gold-standard specialized case management services that divert individuals with substance use disorders from prison to treatment,” said Levin. “For me, I am indeed honored to serve at this storied organization at this critical moment in Illinois criminal justice reform history.”

Levin begins her new position as TASC seeks to play a role in the implementation of the new SAFE-T Act. State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago), who are among the architects of the landmark law, sponsored legislation, Senate Bill 4252 and House Bill 5862, in the 102ndGeneral Assembly that would provide $2.1 million to TASC to launch a pilot project to provide specialized case management services to individuals eligible under the law’s pre-trial release, helping them secure substance use treatment and other services necessary to adhere to the conditions of their release.

“Like Governor JB Pritzker, we believe the Illinois Supreme Court will find the no-bail provision of the law constitutional, so TASC aims to be a partner with the state to help implement the pre-trial release component of the new law once it is operational because TASC has more than 40-years of experience and statewide infrastructure necessary help to pre-trial detainees,” said Johnson. “And Rebecca would be a key player at TASC to help us shape that pilot program.”

Levin began her new job on January 9.

davidormsby@davidormsby.com