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| Public Act 102-1029 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended | ||||
by adding Section 5.46 as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 505/5.46 new) | ||||
Sec. 5.46. Extended Family Support Pilot Program. The | ||||
Department may consult with independent partners to review | ||||
Extended Family Support Program services and advise if | ||||
additional services are needed prior to the start of the pilot | ||||
program required under this Section. Beginning January 1, | ||||
2023, the Department shall implement a 3-year pilot program of | ||||
additional resources for families receiving Extended Family | ||||
Support Program services from the Department for the purpose | ||||
of supporting relative caregivers. These resources may | ||||
include, but are not limited to: (i) wraparound case | ||||
management services, (ii) home visiting services for | ||||
caregivers with children under the age of 5, and (iii) parent | ||||
mentors for caregivers with children over the age of 3. | ||||
The services for the Extended Family Support Program are | ||||
expanded given the program's inclusion in the Family First | ||||
Prevention Services Act's targeted populations. Other target | ||||
populations include intact families, pregnant and parenting | ||||
youth, reunification within 6 months, and post adoption and | ||
subsidized guardianship. Inclusion provides the array of | ||
evidence-based interventions included within the State's | ||
Family First Prevention Services plan. Funding through Title | ||
IV-E of the Social Security Act shall be spent on services to | ||
prevent children and youth who are candidates for foster care | ||
from coming into care and allow them to remain with their | ||
families. Given the inclusion of the Extended Family Support | ||
Program in the Family First Prevention Services Act, the | ||
program is a part of the independent evaluation of Family | ||
First Prevention Services. This includes tracking deflection | ||
from foster care. | ||
The resources provided by the pilot program are voluntary | ||
and refusing such resources shall not be used as evidence of | ||
neglect of a child. | ||
The Department shall arrange for an independent evaluation | ||
of the pilot program to determine whether the pilot program is | ||
successfully supporting families receiving Extended Family | ||
Support Program services or Family First Prevention Program | ||
services and preventing entrance into the foster care system. | ||
This evaluation will support determining whether there is a | ||
long-term cost benefit to continuing the pilot program. | ||
At the end of the 3-year pilot program, the Department | ||
shall submit a report to the General Assembly with its | ||
findings of the evaluation. The report shall state whether the | ||
Department intends to continue the pilot program and the | ||
rationale for its decision. | ||
The Department may adopt rules and procedures to implement | ||
and administer this Section.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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