(325 ILCS 20/4) (from Ch. 23, par. 4154)

Sec. 4. Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention.

(a) There is established the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention. The Council shall be composed of at least 20 but not more than 30 members. The members of the Council and the designated chairperson of the Council shall be appointed by the Governor. The Council member representing the lead agency may not serve as chairperson of the Council. The Council shall be composed of the following members:

(1) The Secretary of Human Services (or his or her designee) and 2 additional representatives of the Department of Human Services designated by the Secretary, plus the Directors (or their designees) of the following State agencies involved in the provision of or payment for early intervention services to eligible infants and toddlers and their families:

(A) Department of Insurance; and

(B) Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

(2) Other members as follows:

(A) At least 20% of the members of the Council shall be parents, including minority parents, of infants or toddlers with disabilities or children with disabilities aged 12 or younger, with knowledge of, or experience with, programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities. At least one such member shall be a parent of an infant or toddler with a disability or a child with a disability aged 6 or younger;

(B) At least 20% of the members of the Council shall be public or private providers of early intervention services;

(C) One member shall be a representative of the General Assembly;

(D) One member shall be involved in the preparation of professional personnel to serve infants and toddlers similar to those eligible for services under this Act;

(E) Two members shall be from advocacy organizations with expertise in improving health, development, and educational outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities;

(F) One member shall be a Child and Family Connections manager from a rural district;

(G) One member shall be a Child and Family Connections manager from an urban district;

(H) One member shall be the co-chair of the Illinois Early Learning Council (or his or her designee); and

(I) Members representing the following agencies or entities: the State Board of Education; the Department of Public Health; the Department of Children and Family Services; the University of Illinois Division of Specialized Care for Children; the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities; Head Start or Early Head Start; and the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health. A member may represent one or more of the listed agencies or entities.

The Council shall meet at least quarterly and in such places as it deems necessary. Terms of the initial members appointed under paragraph (2) shall be determined by lot at the first Council meeting as follows: of the persons appointed under subparagraphs (A) and (B), one-third shall serve one year terms, one-third shall serve 2 year terms, and one-third shall serve 3 year terms; and of the persons appointed under subparagraphs (C) and (D), one shall serve a 2 year term and one shall serve a 3 year term. Thereafter, successors appointed under paragraph (2) shall serve 3 year terms. Once appointed, members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed. No member shall be appointed to serve more than 2 consecutive terms.

Council members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred in the performance of their duties, including costs related to child care, and parents may be paid a stipend in accordance with applicable requirements.

The Council shall prepare and approve a budget using funds appropriated for the purpose to hire staff, and obtain the services of such professional, technical, and clerical personnel as may be necessary to carry out its functions under this Act. This funding support and staff shall be directed by the lead agency.

(b) The Council shall:

(1) advise and assist the lead agency in the performance of its responsibilities including but not limited to the identification of sources of fiscal and other support services for early intervention programs, and the promotion of interagency agreements which assign financial responsibility to the appropriate agencies;

(2) advise and assist the lead agency in the preparation of applications and amendments to applications;

(3) review and advise on relevant regulations and standards proposed by the related State agencies;

(4) advise and assist the lead agency in the development, implementation and evaluation of the comprehensive early intervention services system;

(4.5) coordinate and collaborate with State interagency early learning initiatives, as appropriate; and

(5) prepare and submit an annual report to the Governor and to the General Assembly on the status of early intervention programs for eligible infants and toddlers and their families in Illinois. The annual report shall include (i) the estimated number of eligible infants and toddlers in this State, (ii) the number of eligible infants and toddlers who have received services under this Act and the cost of providing those services, and (iii) the estimated cost of providing services under this Act to all eligible infants and toddlers in this State. The report shall be posted by the lead agency on the early intervention website as required under paragraph (f) of Section 5 of this Act.

No member of the Council shall cast a vote on or participate substantially in any matter which would provide a direct financial benefit to that member or otherwise give the appearance of a conflict of interest under State law. All provisions and reporting requirements of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act shall apply to Council members.

(Source: P.A. 97-902, eff. 8-6-12; 98-41, eff. 6-28-13.)