Public Act 099-0348
 
SB0653 EnrolledLRB099 06163 KTG 26221 b


  
    AN ACT concerning State government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended  
by adding Section 21.2 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 505/21.2 new)
    Sec. 21.2. Child welfare training academy.
    Subject to appropriations, the Department shall establish 
within its operations a child welfare training academy for 
child protective investigators and supervisors employed by the 
Department.
    The training efforts of the child welfare training academy 
shall include, but shall  not be limited to, establishing:
        (1) training curricula on recognizing and responding 
    to cases of child abuse or neglect;
        (2) cultural competency training that provides tools 
    and other supports to ensure that a child welfare 
    provider's response to and engagement with families and 
    children of color are conducted or provided in a manner 
    that is responsive to the beliefs, interpersonal styles, 
    attitudes, language, and behaviors of the individuals who 
    are receiving services, and are conducted or provided in a 
    manner that has the greatest likelihood of ensuring maximum 
    success of or participation in the child welfare program or 
    services being provided; 
        (3) laboratory training facilities that include mock 
    houses, mock medical facilities, mock courtrooms, and mock 
    forensic interview rooms that allow for simulated, 
    interactive, and intensive training; and
        (4) minimum standards of competence that a person shall 
    be required to demonstrate prior to receiving 
    certification from the Department.
    By January 1, 2016, the Department shall adopt rules for 
the administration of the child welfare training academy that 
not only establish statewide competence, assessment, and 
training standards for persons providing child welfare 
services, but that also ensure that persons who provide child 
welfare services have the knowledge, skills, professionalism, 
and abilities to make decisions that keep children safe and 
secure.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.