Section 428.65  Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council

a)         In accordance with the Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council Law [20 ILCS 525/5-5], there shall be a Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council to advise the Department with respect to all matters involving or affecting the provision of foster care to abused, neglected, or dependent children and their families.

b)         There shall be 22 members appointed by the Director, each serving for a term of three years.  To the extent possible, appointments of members shall be such that the terms of one-third of the members in each category described in subsection (d) below expire every year on June 30th. Further, the Director shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the membership of the Council is culturally diverse, representative of the population of the State, and geographically representative of the Department's administrative regions.

c)         Membership of the Council shall consist of 2 foster parents each from the Department's southern and northern regions; 3 foster parents from the Department's central region, and 2 foster parents from each of the Department's Cook County regions (including the current President of the Cook County Foster Parent Advisory Committee); 2 foster parents representing the Child Welfare Advisory Committee (with at least one residing in Cook County); 2 foster care professionals representing the Child Welfare Advisory Committee who represent agencies with whom the Department contracts for foster care services; the current President of the Illinois Foster Parent Association and 4 other non-Department persons recognized for expertise regarding foster care who shall be selected and appointed by the Director of the Department.  (Section 5-10 of the Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council Law [20 ILCS 525/5-10])

d)         Each member shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.  No member shall be appointed to more than 2 terms.  Members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed. This provision notwithstanding, the President of the Illinois Foster Parent Association and the President of the Cook County Foster Parent Association may serve as long as they hold office.

e)         A chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected by the Council from among its members for a term of one year at a meeting prior to July 1st of each year with those officers assuming the duties of their offices on the first day of July each year. Any officer of the Council shall be eligible for consecutive election to the office held for no more than 2 consecutive one year terms. Further, the immediate past chairperson shall serve as a consultant to the Council for one year.  (Section 5-15 of the Statewide Foster Care Advisory Council Law [20 ILCS 525/5-15])

(Source:  Added at 21 Ill. Reg. 15474, effective December 15, 1997)