Section 125.70  Interagency agreements

a)         Recipients shall be referred from state-operated facilities to supportive community programs in ways which insure the continuity of needed services.  Interagency coordination then is an essential element for improving the capacity of the services system to provide necessary support. Written interagency agreements facilitate the establishment, as well as the understanding and observance of the agreements by various personnel associated with the organizations.

b)         Each Department region and/or State-operated facility must maintain current written linkage agreements as part of its DLA plan with appropriate community agencies involved in the network of services in that region.  The following elements are suggested for consideration in the development of these interagency agreements.

1)         Clear statement of the purpose of the agreement between parties, identifying specific programs to be effected, with delineation of goals and measurable objectives for the terms of the agreement.

2)         Definitions of any terms that could be ambiguous between the parties.

3)         Specific actions, roles and responsibilities of each party to the agreement as well as mutual responsibilities.

4)         Designation of staff position(s) within each agency responsible for:

A)        Implementing the agreement as specified;

B)        Monitoring the implementation;

C)        Negotiating change when necessary to update agreement;

D)        Resolving disagreements.

5)         General administrative procedures for parties affected by the agreement (i.e., specified time period for agreement, mechanism for updating/revising, scheduling meetings, confidentiality safequards, referral mechanisms, information sharing, and other assurances).

6)         Evaluation design specified and agreed upon by all parties to be used in monitoring implementation of agreement; identification of person(s) responsible for evaluating and sanctions agreed on to assure its implementation.

c)         It is important that each region and/or facility maintain these agreements and provide adequate staff to implement the provisions.  This may involve meeting regularly with staff from community agencies/facilities as well as including community agency/facility staff on state-operated treatment/habilitation teams.  Alcoholism agencies must be in conformance with 59 Ill. Adm. Code 107.50.

d)         Agencies which are performing mandated follow-up services for the Department shall enter into an agreement which, in essence, establishes the principle that mandated follow-up services are a statutory responsibility of the Department.  While performance of the function may be delegated to a community agency, responsibility for the function cannot be delegated. Therefore, the community agency acts as an agent of the Department in complying with this legal mandate.

e)         Additional policies and procedures required of community agencies receiving financial support from the Department are contained in Grants (59 Ill. Adm. Code 103) and in purchase of care program guidelines.  Designated regional staff are assigned to work with each community agency to facilitate compliance with the requirements.