Section 313.1  Purpose

 

The Purpose of this Part is to describe:

 

a)         The responsibilities of the Department of Human Services (Department) in developing, maintaining, administering and funding a program of community services.

 

b)         The requirements of boards of Area Projects which seek funding for developing, managing, providing and coordinating community services programs.

 

c)         The responsibilities of Community Committees in implementing and operating the service components of community services programs.

 

Section 313.2  Definitions

 

"Advocacy Services" means para-professional assistance to youth and families in coping with or resolving personal, family, or social institutional problems.

 

"Area Project" means a body whose purpose is to develop, manage, provide and coordinate a community services program.

 

"Community Committee" means an organized group of indigenous community leaders and concerned citizens whose purpose is to implement and operate a community services program in a designated catchment area.

 

"Community Development/Redevelopment" means activities that strengthen the social, cultural and environmental conditions in the community and provide support to residents of a designated geographical area.

 

"Community Needs Assessment" is a process undertaken by an Area Project on the local level to yield insight into community conditions that affect the quality of life of its residents and place its youth at risk.

 

"Community Service Area (CSA)" means the catchment area in which the Community Committee operates a community services program.

 

"Community Services Plan" is a plan, developed by an Area Project, to address identified needs through community organizing activities, advocacy on behalf of community residents and, when necessary, direct services.

 

"Community Services Program" means a program aimed at changing social, cultural and environmental conditions which prevent youth and families from maximizing their potential (i.e., weaken the community) and place youth in a condition which increases their tendency to become involved in the juvenile justice or child welfare systems (i.e., place the community's youth at risk).

 

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Human Services.

 

"Direct Financial Interest" means any type of monetary gain from a Department-funded program such as that acquired by salaried staff of Department-funded programs and their immediate relatives or Department staff.

 

"Division of Youth and Community Services (DYCS)" means the division of the Department mandated to plan, develop and coordinate a statewide system of more comprehensive and integrated community-based youth services systems in Illinois.

 

"Indigenous Leaders" are leaders who live in the area served by the Community Committee.

 

"Monitoring" means the process by which the Department determines whether an expected or anticipated event does occur, through tracking, compliance and accountability checks and documentation of whether programs conform with previously defined program goals and standards.

 

"Network Activities" means the coordination of services and sharing of information among key agencies and individuals in a community.

 

"Regional Youth Planning Committee (RYPC)" means a committee within each region whose members are appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Human Services and designated to advise the Department in regard to regional youth service needs and problems, to prepare an annual regional youth services plan, and to review and comment upon regional youth service grant applications.

 

"Regional Youth Service Coordinators" are employees of the Department's Division of Youth and Community Services assigned to coordinate, develop and provide technical assistance to the youth services funded by the Department in each region.

 

"Service Brokerage Agreement" means a written, non-financial agreement between two agencies in which they agree to perform agreed upon tasks in order to achieve a mutually beneficial goal.

 

"Youth" in the context of this Part means a person under 21 years of age who is eligible as defined in Section 313.7 of this Part for the services delivered in this Part.

 

Section 313.3  Eligibility as an Area Project

 

a)         Any organization, association or local board/service system can apply to be recognized as an Area Project for a given area, provided that either:

 

1)         the recognized body is any agency whose preponderance of resources is directed to community service programs as defined in this rule, which are different than intervention-oriented youth services.

 

2)         it creates, through an amendment to its by-laws or other binding agreement, a specific body whose purpose is to develop, manage, provide and coordinate a community services program.

 

b)         The structure of this body:

 

1)         must include representation from the Community Committee(s) of the Area Project; and

 

2)         may also include business and industry leaders, educators, and other concerned citizens.

 

Section 313.4  Community Service Areas of Community Committees

 

a)         The Community Committee shall define its own geographic area when applying to the board of the Area Project for recognition.  The Community Committee, as the entity which will provide a Community Services Program in that area, may request funding from the Area Project.

 

b)         In defining a community service area, the Community Committee shall consider the following:

 

1)         In urban settings, community areas or "neighborhoods" where there is a common sense of identity and concerns, with a sense of shared territory. The neighborhood is usually not larger than 100 square blocks.

 

2)         In less densely populated areas, the natural groupings are less often clearly defined and "shared territory" may mean a neighborhood, small town, or township.

 

3)         Manageability of the geographic size of the size of the service area. Is the area too large for the committee to develop or should the committee develop target a section of the area?

 

4)         Cohesiveness of the service area and sense of community among the residents.  The committee needs to assess whether the community is homogeneous or heterogeneous with respect to social, cultural, ethnic, racial or economic variables.  If the groups comprising the community are diverse, then the committee will need to adjust its approach to accommodate this diversity.

 

5)         Population.  Is the number of people in the area too large for the committee to service?

 

c)         The board of the Area Project may negotiate changes in community service areas with Community Committees.

 

Section 313.5  Composition of the Board of an Area Project

 

a)         The board of the Area Project shall conduct meetings at least every two months.

 

b)         No member of the board of an Area Project may have a direct financial interest in the affairs of the Area Project or be an immediate relative (i.e. husband, wife or child) of any person with a direct financial interest.

 

c)         The board of an Area Project shall have the following authority and responsibilities:

 

1)         Review and approval of all community services program reports submitted to the Department.

 

2)         Review, approval and monitoring of expenditures in accordance with all laws, Department rules and procedures.

 

3)         Maintenance of written records of all meetings.

 

4)         Review, approval and monitoring of all contracts and subcontracts established.

 

5)         Ensuring that all relevant laws, regulations and procedures are complied with including all laws, Department rules, procedures and contract requirements and guidelines.

 

6)         Assuring that community services grants, contracts and budgets are implemented as approved.

 

7)         Approval and monitoring of all aspects of a community services program.

 

d)         The board of the Area Project shall have the following membership composition:

 

1)         At least 9 members.

 

2)         Representation by one or more leaders of established community institutions such as churches, settlement houses, block clubs, business, labor and education who are identified as indigenous leaders, along with community residents, including youth, seen as leaders in the community. Representatives may not advocate for the specific organization with which they are affiliated.

 

3)         Membership shall include equal representation from all Community Committee(s) of the Area Project.

 

4)         The board of an Area Project shall elect or designate a fiscal officer and chairperson.

 

Section 313.6  Community Services Program Plan

 

a)         Area Projects funded by the Department to provide community services shall, within 180 days of notification of initial funding and 45 days prior to contract renewal in subsequent years, submit a community services program plan to the Department and the appropriate Regional Youth Planning Committee.

 

b)         Each community services program plan shall incorporate the previously submitted application and also include:

 

1)         Documentation as to how the services will achieve the program goals and objectives in accordance with the community needs assessment and available resources.

 

2)         Procedures which describe how the following functions will be carried out:

 

A)        community organizing

 

B)        advocacy services

 

C)        direct services

 

3)         A plan which details a time-line for implementation of the procedures stated in subsection (b)(2) above.

 

4)         Staffing patterns and job descriptions.

 

5)         Personnel policies.

 

6)         Procedures for development, award and monitoring of subcontracts.

 

7)         Fiscal record keeping.

 

8)         Reporting procedures and documentation of programs towards goals and objectives.

 

9)         A plan for monitoring of working agreements and network activities.

 

10)         A plan to recruit, screen and train volunteers accompanied by a method of record keeping for activities performed by volunteers.

 

11)         A financial development and fund raising plan which ensures that on-going attempts are made to generate resources from potential public and private sources.

 

12)         An affirmative action plan, if necessitated by state or federal statutes or regulations.

 

13)         A plan for staff development including staff training plans sponsored by the Area Project and participation in Department/Division training workshops.

 

14)         listings of the service brokerage agreements for referral.

 

15)         listings of the criteria for admission/discharge of a youth from the program.

 

16)         appeal procedures for clients which are clear and comprehensive.

 

c)         Plans will be rejected which are not clear, comprehensive, and sufficiently detailed relative to the components in Section 313.6(b)(10)-(15).  Area Projects will be allowed 90 days to revise the plan for reconsideration.  During this 90-day period the Department will not award a grant to another entity as Area Project for the geographic area in question, which award would preclude granting a subsequent award to the entity granted the additional time to revise its plan.

 

Section 313.7  Target Groups to be Served by Community Services Programs

 

a)         The identification of persons eligible to receive services under the community services program shall flow from the program plan developed in the context of the targeted community service area.

 

b)         In identifying target groups, the total youth population in the community service area shall be given consideration for eligibility.

 

c)         A process for referral of youth not eligible for services under the community services program shall be developed.

 

Section 313.8  Service Components of Community Services Programs

 

a)         In order to be considered for funding, Area Projects must plan to provide the following services:

 

1)         Community organizing, which shall seek to change conditions that weaken the community and put its youth at risk, through activities such as the building of community organizations, community development/ redevelopment, and efforts directed at improving community environmental, educational, political and other problem conditions.

 

2)         Advocacy services on behalf of the local population, both youth and their families, either:

 

A)        directly with employers, parents, schools and other service providers; or with the key persons of the juvenile justice system (i.e., police, courts and the Department/Division), or

 

B)        indirectly through such actions as assisting youth and families to seek advocacy services in the community.

 

3)         Direct services to the youth themselves when deemed necessary by the Area Project, should serve as a means of involving community residents. Direct services shall be:

 

A)        identified and developed by the local residents.

 

B)        provided by the Community Committee(s) or volunteers.

 

C)        delivered on an informal basis as opposed to the traditional casework modality.

 

D)        directly related to the problem identified in the community needs assessment and address the specific needs which are identified as part of the program plan.

 

E)        structured in such a way as to encourage the recruitment and involvement of both youth and adult community residents as volunteers.

 

b)         The Area Project shall attempt to secure written service brokerage agreements with local social service agencies and network with these service providers to make use of the existing services and resources, avoiding duplication of services and enhancing community involvement.

 

Section 313.9  Funding of Community Services Programs

 

a)         The Department may make grants for the purpose of planning, establishing, operating, coordinating and evaluating programs aimed at changing conditions which weaken the community and put its youth at risk based upon poverty levels and population of youth in a designated geographical area.  Grants shall be made through negotiated contracts, which are written agreements mutually agreed upon by the Department and the provider.

 

b)         The payment of funds to the sponsoring bodies under the community services program shall be in the form of a grant paid in equal monthly installments.

 

c)         The Department will make monthly payments in advance on or about the 10th day of the month for which payment is requested.  Due to the requirements of the State of Illinois' appropriation system, no advance payment will be made for the month of July.

 

Section 313.10  Application Requirements for Funding as a Community Services Program

 

Applications from Area Projects shall include:

 

a)         A plan for a community needs assessment which shall be conducted annually as the basis for the formulation of the community services program.  This plan should address:

 

1)         A compilation and review of the community service area demographic data, such as, but not limited to:  total population, ethnic/racial composition, educational levels, dropout and truancy rates, teenage pregnancies, gang activity and juvenile arrests/station adjustments.

 

2)         Interviews with community residents, leaders, youth and others who can identify the unique needs, available resources and current problems.  As part of this assessment, the problems present in the community shall be ranked by the residents in terms of their own perception of seriousness.

 

3)         Identification of indigenous leaders who have strong abilities to reflect the needs of their community, identify and understand those needs firsthand and carry influence with their peers and neighbors.

 

b)         A definition of the target group(s) to be served, as dictated by the nature of the community service area itself and the identification and ranking of present problems by the residents.

 

c)         Goals which address the local youth population "at risk", and which are designed to:

 

1)         Develop strategies for community organizing;

 

2)         Change conditions which weaken the community;

 

3)         Advocate on the behalf of the local population, both youth and their families;

 

4)         Utilize the input and involvement of both youth and adult community residents as volunteers;

 

5)         Coordinate existing services to youth to avoid duplication;

 

6)         Provide direct services to youth as a vehicle for member involvement;

 

7)         Reduce the "at risk" youth population in the community.

 

d)         A description of the strategy of the Area Project to provide the service components described in Section 313.8.

 

e)         A budget which details direct costs, indirect costs, units of service to be provided if known, and administrative costs.  The budget shall demonstrate that the highest quality and quantity of services possible are being provided for the most reasonable costs possible.

 

f)         A plan for evaluation by the Area Project of its effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its goals.

 

g)         A plan for the programmatic and financial stability of the organization through in-kind or cash contributions.

 

h)         A statement that all State funds will be used to supplement rather than supplant other local funds available for these services.  This Section should demonstrate that maximum use is made of existing resources.

 

i)          Proposed membership and by-laws of the Area Project.

 

j)          Demonstration of compliance with Part 313.

 

k)         Detailed identification of the community service area(s) which the applicant proposes to serve.

 

l)          A Table of Organization and a flow chart diagramming the community services system.

 

m)        Cooperative agreements with Department Regions and local field offices.

 

n)         A letter of endorsement/acknowledgement or verification of attempts to secure such a letter from the recognized local board/local service system responsible for the comprehensive community-based youth services planning area(s) which encompasses the Area Project's community service area(s).

 

o)         A statement of compliance with the data collection process developed by DYCS as stated in Section 313.11(a).

 

Section 313.11  Review and Monitoring of Community Services Program Plans

 

a)         The Department shall establish a data repository which will organize the minimum data by county to assist Area Projects in profiling the problems that put youth at risk in their community service areas.

 

b)         The Department shall analyze available data for trends and correlations in order to prepare a statewide youth profile which shall become part of the statewide annual plan for youth services.

 

c)         The Department shall review all community services program plans to assure compliance with all requirements and the potential for achievement of all goals.

 

d)         The final decision on the approval of all plans and the award of all contracts shall be made by the Department's Secretary or designee.

 

e)         All contracts will be reviewed at least annually.

 

f)         The Department shall perform on-site monitoring with each designated Area Project at least semi-annually.  Monitoring will be done by a monitoring team of Department staff and community services provider staff from other regions whose responsibilities will be to:

 

1)         View progress toward objectives or compliance with this Part.

 

2)         Discuss problems encountered and steps taken to remedy them.

 

3)         Develop corrective action plans to ensure attainment of objectives and compliance with requirements.

 

4)         View a sample of account records, time sheets and contract files.

 

g)         Appropriate documentation of services will be provided by the Area Project as needed for auditing and monitoring purposes.  Programs will be required to comply with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 434 (Audits, Reviews, and Investigations).

 

Section 313.12  Contract Renewal

 

a)         Subsequent contracts may be negotiated and renewed, based on available funds, without recourse to a Request for Proposal.  The Department will review such contracts in order to determine that the provider is complying with the provisions of the current contract and providing effective services which meet the goals of the contract.  The Department will review the program plan of the proposed contract for compatibility with Department goals and objectives as stated in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 310, Delivery of Youth Services Funded by the Department of Human Services.

 

b)         In all cases, the Secretary or designee shall make the final decision in the renewal of community services contracts.  In the event of reduced or insufficient funding, existing grants will receive proportionate reductions.  The funding of new programs will be based on the availabilty of new, additional funding.