Section 376.30  Public Notice and Department Approval

a)         A child care institution, maternity center or group home shall request in writing Department approval in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 403 (Licensing Standards for Group Homes) and 89 Ill. Adm. Code 404 (Licensing Standards for Childcare Institutions and Maternity Centers) to change the following:

1)         the range of care or services offered at the facility,

2)         the age or type of children served, or

3)         the area within the facility used by the children. [225 ILCS 10/4]

b)         Within ten days after receipt of the request to make any of the changes specified in subsection (a) above, the Department shall place a notice of the proposed changes in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or municipality in which the facility is located.  The notice shall be published for three consecutive weeks and shall be printed in the total circulation of each edition on the date of publication of the newspaper in which the notice is published as required by the Notice by Publication Act [715 ILCS 5/3].

c)         The Department will accept public comments up to five working days after the last publication date of the notice.  Such comments shall be submitted to:

Deputy Director, Division of Operations and Community Services

Department of Children and Family Services

100 West Randolph, 6-200

Chicago, IL 60601

d)         No changes in any of the conditions in subsection (a) of this Section shall be made prior to the public notification required by this Part and approval by the Department.

e)         The Department will notify the licensee of approval or disapproval of the proposed changes no later than ten working days after the last publication date of the notice.