Section 404.5  Renewal of License

a)         Application

1)         License renewal application forms shall be mailed to the institution by the Department six months prior to the expiration date of license.  Officers of the governing body shall submit the completed application to the Department three months prior to the expiration date of the license.  The child care institution or maternity center shall also include with the application verification of any accreditations earned.  For a renewal application to be considered complete, the following shall be attached to the application:

A)        a current list of names and addresses of owners, officers, board members, principal shareholders owning more than 5% of the stock of the corporation;

B)        a staff list, including name and job title, indicating those who are licensed to practice as a direct child welfare employee required in 89 Ill. Adm. Code 412.40; and

C)        the following documents, if changes were made to them since the last application or renewal:

i)          statement of purpose;

ii)         range of services; and

iii)        code of ethics.

2)         Upon receipt of the application for license renewal, the Department shall conduct a license study in order to determine that the institution continues to meet licensing standards.  The licensing study shall be in writing; reviewed and signed by the licensing supervisor and the licensing representative performing the study.

3)         When a licensee has made timely and sufficient application for renewal of a license or a new license with reference to any activity of a continuing nature and the Department fails to render a decision on the application for renewal of the license prior to the expiration date of the license, the existing license shall continue in full force and effect for up to 30 days until the final Department decision has been made.  The Department may further extend the period in which such decision must be made in individual cases for up to 30 days, if good cause is shown.  [205 ILCS 10/5(d)]  "Good cause" includes but is not limited to shortages of staff.

b)         Acceptance of Accreditation as Deemed Status

1)         When a child care institution or maternity center is fully accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services, Inc. (Council on Accreditation), 120 Wall Street, 11^th Floor, New York NY 10005 (2001 standards) and there have been no substantiated licensing violations that affect the health, safety, morals, or welfare of children served by that facility for the last four years, that child care institution or maternity center is deemed to be in compliance with the program requirements of this Part.

2)         The Department shall verify in writing with the Council on Accreditation that the child care institution or maternity center's accreditation continues to be in good standing and shall conduct annual monitoring visits to verify the continued compliance of the facility with the requirements of this Part.

3)         If licensing violations are substantiated against an accredited child care institution or maternity center, the Department licensing worker shall notify in writing the Council on Accreditation of the substantiated violations.  The facility shall receive a copy of this notice.

4)         If a substantiated licensing violation may affect the health, safety, morals, or welfare of the children served by the child care institution or maternity center, the institution or maternity center shall be removed from deemed status and a full license study shall be conducted as part of the license renewal process.

c)         Renewal Application Under Deemed Status

1)         A child care institution or maternity center in deemed status doing business with the Department shall submit to the Department Regional Office of Licensing:

A)        Signed and completed renewal application on a form provided by the Department;

B)        Written description of any change in the institution's tax exempt status, charitable trust registration, and range of services provided;

C)        List of current employees, including the name of the Administrator;

D)        List of current board members, including their names, home phone numbers, and addresses;

E)        Copy of any Corrective Plan currently placed on the institution;

F)         Copy of additional information submitted by the institution to the Council on Accreditation, including:

i)          Institution's consumer surveys' results;

ii)         Information regarding any "hold" on the institution's intake             placed by the Council on Accreditation, including: was the hold for any part of the current license sequence; was the institution on hold at the time of renewal; reason for the           hold, and duration of the hold status; and

iii)        Copy of the most recent Annual Maintenance of       Accreditation Report the institution filed with the Council on Accreditation;

G)        Copy of letter the institution has from the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services showing that the institution is fully accredited.

2)         The Department shall obtain the following information from other sources about the institution in deemed status doing business with the Department:

A)        Results of the institution's financial audit and any documented financial problems;

B)        The number of  indicated child abuse/neglect investigations and licensing complaint investigations; and

C)        Council on Accreditation confirmation that the institution is fully accredited and in good standing.

3)         Institutions and maternity centers not doing business with the Department shall submit to the Department:

A)         Signed and completed renewal application on a form provided by the Department;

B)        Written description of any change (if applicable) in the institution's corporate exempt status, charitable trust status and range of services provided;

C)        List of current employees, including the name of the Administrator;

D)        List of current board members, including their names, home phone numbers and addresses;

E)         Copy of information the institution submitted to the Council on Accreditation regarding results of or information about the institution's consumer surveys;

F)         Copy of the last Annual Maintenance of Accreditation Report the institution filed with the Council on Accreditation;

G)        Copy of letter the institution has from the Council on Accreditation showing that the institution is fully accredited; and

H)        Copy of the institution's most recent audit.

4)         The Department shall obtain the following information from other sources about the institution in deemed status that is not doing business with the Department:

A)        Number of indicated child abuse/neglect investigations and licensing complaint investigations;

B)        Council on Accreditation confirmation that the institution is fully accredited and in good standing

d)        Removal of Institution or Maternity Center from Deemed Status

The following shall occur before the Department is to remove a child care institution or maternity center from deemed status:

1)         The Department shall have documentation of one or more substantiated violations that affect the health, safety, morals or welfare of children served by the institution or maternity center's program.

2)         After review and confirmation of the substantiated violation by the licensing supervisor and manager, the Central Office of Licensing shall submit a recommendation for removing the institution from deemed status to a 5-member panel comprised of representatives from the Divisions of Quality Assurance, Purchase of Service Monitoring, and Program Operations, and the Offices of Child and Family Policy and Licensing.

3)         The 5-member panel shall review the recommendation for removal from deemed status.

A)        If the panel concurs with the recommendation, the panel shall forward the recommendation to the Director for final approval.

B)        If the panel does not concur with the recommendation, the institution or maternity center will maintain deemed status.

4)         The Department shall notify the institution or maternity center in writing of the Director's decision to remove or maintain the institution in deemed status.

(Source:  Amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 9976, effective July 1, 2005)