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90_HB1303
20 ILCS 2310/55.78
Amends the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
Provides that the Department of Human Services (now
Department of Public Health) shall administer the Healthy
Families Initiative. Provides that the Department shall
establish local steering committees for the Initiative and
may focus implementation of the Initiative in communities
with a high incidence of child abuse. Deletes the provisions
concerning the comprehensive inventory of home visitation
services. Effective immediately.
LRB9004564PTcw
LRB9004564PTcw
1 AN ACT to amend the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
2 by changing Section 55.78.
3 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
4 represented in the General Assembly:
5 Section 5. The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is
6 amended by changing Section 55.78 as follows:
7 (20 ILCS 2310/55.78)
8 Sec. 55.78. Healthy Families Initiative.
9 (a) The Department of Human Services Public Health, in
10 cooperation with the Department of Children and Family
11 Services, the Illinois Department of Public Health Public
12 Aid, and other related State and community agencies, shall
13 convene the a steering committee appointed under Public Act
14 88-614 to develop a plan to implement the a Healthy Families
15 statewide initiative to prevent the occurrence of child abuse
16 and neglect and to promote positive child health and
17 development. The program shall be based on the Healthy
18 Families America model of a voluntary program to identify
19 at-risk families who are confronted with a significant number
20 of elements that could lead to child abuse and neglect and to
21 offer help before any incidence occurs.
22 (b) The goals of the Healthy Families Initiative shall
23 include the following:
24 (1) Strengthening family functioning.
25 (2) Enhancing child development.
26 (3) Promoting positive parenting.
27 (4) Enhancing parent-child interaction.
28 (5) Ensuring primary health care for all families.
29 (6) Ensuring appropriate use of health and
30 community resources in providing prevention services and
31 the promotion of positive child health and development.
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1 (c) The steering committee may review similar programs
2 operating in other states. The Initiative must provide a
3 comprehensive, coordinated program of prevention services for
4 infants and young children through a voluntary home visitor
5 program for new parents and their children. Funds
6 appropriated to the Initiative may be used to support or The
7 plan shall utilize and may expand existing programs and
8 services currently operating in the State, as well as to
9 develop and implement a statewide system of training and
10 technical assistance supporting the programs and services.
11 Where there are no existing services, the Department of Human
12 Services may authorize the development of new local programs,
13 which incorporate the proven critical elements contained in
14 the Healthy Families America model. The programs shall
15 include an evaluation component. The Department of Human
16 Services is authorized to contract for the study. The
17 Department of Human Services may provide, by grant or
18 contract, support to a statewide child abuse prevention
19 organization for the development and implementation of the
20 Healthy Families initiative and evaluation. Funds for the
21 Healthy Families initiative shall be sought from the federal
22 government and State human service code departments. Private
23 sponsorship may also be sought.
24 (d) (Blank). The steering committee shall inventory
25 State and local resources providing relevant home visitation
26 services to families and evaluate how these resources may be
27 included in a statewide Healthy Families implementation plan.
28 This may result in renaming current programs and bringing
29 them into compliance with the requirements of the Healthy
30 Families America model to create a comprehensive statewide
31 system that can be effectively monitored and evaluated.
32 (d-5) The steering committee shall work with the
33 Department of Human Services to oversee implementation of
34 this Section and shall work to establish local steering
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1 committees composed of representatives of appropriate State
2 and local agencies, service providers, hospitals,
3 not-for-profit community agencies, and families in every
4 community selected for a Healthy Families Program.
5 (e) (Blank). The Department shall report to the Governor
6 and General Assembly on the Healthy Families initiative plan
7 and submit recommendations by January 1, 1995.
8 (e-5) The Department of Human Services, in consultation
9 with the Healthy Families Initiative steering committee and
10 appropriate State and local agencies, shall promulgate rules
11 and regulations necessary for the implementation of this
12 Section. The Department of Human Services may target
13 resources for initial implementation of the Healthy Services
14 Families Initiative to communities that have had child
15 fatalities as a result of child abuse and to communities that
16 have a high incidence of child abuse and neglect.
17 (Source: P.A. 88-614, eff. 9-7-94; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95.)
18 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19 becoming law.
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