Section 352.7  Method of Billing, Remittance and Collection

a)         The Department shall bill for substitute care charges on a monthly basis. Remittance to the Department shall be by check or money order made payable to the Treasurer, State of Illinois, and sent to the administrator responsible for collections in Springfield.  The Department shall deposit all such monies collected in the appropriate fund.

b)         The Department shall assess interest each month and the interest shall be based on a rate equal to the prime commercial rate plus 3% on the accounts of the parents or guardians of the estates of children that are more than 60 days delinquent.  The Department shall use the prime rate which was effective on the last day of the month prior to the month of billing.  The interest balance shall be paid in full before payments will be applied toward the principal.

c)         When the Department has exhausted every reasonable effort to collect delinquent payments, it shall request the Attorney General's Office to pursue collection.  When the Attorney General's Office declines to pursue collection and when collection will not jeopardize attainment of the child's permanency goal, pursuant to 89 Ill. Adm. Code 305, Client Service Planning, the Department will proceed in accordance with 20 ILCS 505/9.2 for the collection of monies owned.  Such agreements shall be on a contingent fee basis, but such contingent fee shall not exceed 15% of the total amount collected.

(Source:  Amended at 22 Ill. Reg. 6939, effective April 15, 1998)