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1 | AN ACT concerning public aid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | changing Section 2-12 and by adding Article XVII as follows: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (305 ILCS 5/2-12) (from Ch. 23, par. 2-12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 2-12. "Illinois Department"; "Department". In this | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Code, "Illinois Department" or "Department", when a particular | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | entity is not specified, means the following: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | (1) In the case of a function performed before July 1, 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (the effective date of the Department of Human Services Act), | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | the term means the Department of Public Aid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | (2) In the case of a function to be performed on or after | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | July 1, 1997 under Article III, IV, VI, IX, or IXA, XVI, or | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | XVII, the term means the Department of Human Services as | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | (3) In the case of a function to be performed on or after | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | July 1, 1997 under Article V, V-A, V-B, V-C, V-D, V-E, X, XIV, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | or XV, the term means the Department of Healthcare and Family | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | Services (formerly Illinois Department of Public Aid). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | (4) In the case of a function to be performed on or after | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | July 1, 1997 under Article I, II, VIIIA, XI, XII, or XIII, the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | term means the Department of Human Services (acting as |
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1 | successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid) or the | ||||||
2 | Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly | ||||||
3 | Illinois Department of Public Aid) or both, according to | ||||||
4 | whether that function, in the specific context, has been | ||||||
5 | allocated to the Department of Human Services or the | ||||||
6 | Department of Healthcare and Family Services (formerly | ||||||
7 | Department of Public Aid) or both of those departments. | ||||||
8 | (Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07.) | ||||||
9 | (305 ILCS 5/Art. XVII heading new) | ||||||
10 | ARTICLE XVII. REFUGEE SOCIAL SERVICES | ||||||
11 | (305 ILCS 5/17-1 new) | ||||||
12 | Sec. 17-1. Definitions. As used in this Article: | ||||||
13 | (a) "Eligible county" means a county or city and county | ||||||
14 | designated as impacted using a formula developed by the | ||||||
15 | Department based upon the refugee arrivals in the county | ||||||
16 | during the preceding 60-month period for which the Department | ||||||
17 | has data. | ||||||
18 | (b) "Qualified nonprofit organization" means a nonprofit | ||||||
19 | organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under | ||||||
20 | Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that | ||||||
21 | satisfies any additional eligibility criteria established by | ||||||
22 | the Department. | ||||||
23 | (c) "Refugee social services" include, but are not limited | ||||||
24 | to, English language and employment training, as funded |
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1 | through federal appropriations, or as funded through State | ||||||
2 | appropriations as described in Section 17-4. | ||||||
3 | (305 ILCS 5/17-2 new) | ||||||
4 | Sec. 17-2. Funding of refugee social services. | ||||||
5 | (a)(1) After setting aside the necessary State | ||||||
6 | administrative funds, the Department shall allocate | ||||||
7 | appropriated federal funds, or appropriated State funds as | ||||||
8 | described in Section 17-4, for refugee social services | ||||||
9 | programs to each eligible county and, if the Department | ||||||
10 | exercises its discretion in accordance with subsection (b), to | ||||||
11 | a qualified nonprofit organization, based on the number of | ||||||
12 | refugees receiving aid in the eligible county or the number of | ||||||
13 | refugees who reside in the eligible county. The Department | ||||||
14 | may, at its discretion, utilize funding adjustments based on | ||||||
15 | the length of time that the refugees have resided in the United | ||||||
16 | States. | ||||||
17 | (2) If an eligible county or qualified nonprofit | ||||||
18 | organization that receives funds under paragraph (1) declines | ||||||
19 | all or part of those funds, or returns unexpended funds, the | ||||||
20 | Department may exercise its discretion to reallocate the | ||||||
21 | declined or returned funds among eligible counties and | ||||||
22 | qualified nonprofit organizations. | ||||||
23 | (3) If the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement provides | ||||||
24 | funding in addition to the annual appropriation described in | ||||||
25 | paragraph (1) or designates funding for services to a specific |
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1 | population of eligible individuals, the Department may | ||||||
2 | exercise its discretion to allocate those funds among eligible | ||||||
3 | counties and qualified nonprofit organizations consistent with | ||||||
4 | federal law. | ||||||
5 | (b)(1) Notwithstanding any other law, and to the extent | ||||||
6 | permitted by federal law, the Department may, at its | ||||||
7 | discretion, contract with, or award grants to, qualified | ||||||
8 | nonprofit organizations for the purpose of administering | ||||||
9 | refugee social services programs within a county. An eligible | ||||||
10 | county providing refugee social services in accordance with | ||||||
11 | this Article may continue to administer those services while a | ||||||
12 | contractor or grantee is also providing refugee social | ||||||
13 | services in accordance with this Article within the county. | ||||||
14 | (2) If an eligible county and a qualified nonprofit | ||||||
15 | organization are administering refugee social services | ||||||
16 | simultaneously within the same county, the Department shall, | ||||||
17 | at its discretion, determine the amount of the funds to be | ||||||
18 | distributed to the eligible county and qualified nonprofit | ||||||
19 | organization. | ||||||
20 | (3) Contracts or grants awarded in accordance with this | ||||||
21 | subsection shall require reporting, monitoring, or audits of | ||||||
22 | services provided, as determined by the Department. | ||||||
23 | (305 ILCS 5/17-3 new) | ||||||
24 | Sec. 17-3. Implementation; plan requirements. | ||||||
25 | (a) The Department shall notify each eligible county's |
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1 | board of the availability of funds described in subsection (a) | ||||||
2 | of Section 17-2 or in subsection (b) of Section 17-4. | ||||||
3 | (b) A county administering refugee social services shall | ||||||
4 | designate an agency that is responsible for developing and | ||||||
5 | implementing a plan for the provision of services funded by | ||||||
6 | refugee social services funds. | ||||||
7 | (c)(1) The plan developed in accordance with subsection | ||||||
8 | (b) shall reflect the full intent of this Article that the | ||||||
9 | funding for, and provision of, refugee social services shall | ||||||
10 | lead to successful self-sufficiency and social integration for | ||||||
11 | all refugee recipients of refugee social services, in | ||||||
12 | accordance with guidelines issued by the Department. | ||||||
13 | (2) Any plan developed in accordance with subsection (b) | ||||||
14 | shall, at a minimum, meet all of the following requirements: | ||||||
15 | (A) Each eligible county's board shall ensure that the | ||||||
16 | county planning process is designed in such a way as to | ||||||
17 | facilitate refugee participation and public input in that | ||||||
18 | process. | ||||||
19 | (B) The plan shall include a description of how | ||||||
20 | available funds will be used to provide services to | ||||||
21 | refugees. | ||||||
22 | (C) The plan shall specifically address how services | ||||||
23 | will be delivered to refugees receiving aid in each | ||||||
24 | county. | ||||||
25 | (D) The plan shall provide for the priority | ||||||
26 | consideration for funding refugee community-based |
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1 | organizations if they demonstrate the capacity to | ||||||
2 | implement the proposed programs, which capacity shall be | ||||||
3 | comparable to that of other competitors who qualify for | ||||||
4 | funding. | ||||||
5 | (305 ILCS 5/17-4 new) | ||||||
6 | Sec. 17-4. Applicability; eligibility. | ||||||
7 | (a) The requirements established by this Article shall be | ||||||
8 | applicable only so long as federal funds are available for its | ||||||
9 | purposes, or so long as State funds are available as provided | ||||||
10 | in subsection (b). | ||||||
11 | (b)(1) This subsection shall be implemented only to the | ||||||
12 | extent an appropriation of State funds is made in the annual | ||||||
13 | Budget Act or another statute for the purpose of this | ||||||
14 | subsection. | ||||||
15 | (2) If a refugee recipient of refugee social services | ||||||
16 | under the federal Reception and Placement Program administered | ||||||
17 | by the U.S. Department of State completes 90 days of those | ||||||
18 | services and exhausts the federal funds allocated for that | ||||||
19 | recipient, the recipient shall be eligible for a 90-day | ||||||
20 | extension of refugee social services using State funds within | ||||||
21 | the first 12 months of arrival to the United States. | ||||||
22 | (3)(A) If a recipient completes the 90-day extension | ||||||
23 | described in paragraph (2) and seeks additional refugee social | ||||||
24 | services, the designated case manager shall conduct an | ||||||
25 | assessment of the recipient's needs and shall determine |
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1 | whether to grant the recipient an additional extension of | ||||||
2 | those services using State funds. | ||||||
3 | (B) The case manager's determination in subparagraph (A) | ||||||
4 | shall be on a case-by-case basis and subject to a finding by | ||||||
5 | the case manager that the recipient demonstrates extreme need | ||||||
6 | in accordance with criteria set forth by the Department. A | ||||||
7 | finding of extreme need shall be based on the level of need for | ||||||
8 | services as defined in subsection (c) of Section 17-1 or case | ||||||
9 | management services as described in subsection (b) of Section | ||||||
10 | 17-5. | ||||||
11 | (C) An additional extension granted under this paragraph | ||||||
12 | shall be at a minimum 90 days and at a maximum 180 days, | ||||||
13 | resulting in a combined duration of no more than 270 days for | ||||||
14 | the extensions described in paragraph (2) and this paragraph | ||||||
15 | beyond the original 90 days under the federal Reception and | ||||||
16 | Placement Program, for a total of no more than 360 days of | ||||||
17 | those services. If the recipient is approved for the | ||||||
18 | additional extension in accordance with this paragraph, the | ||||||
19 | case manager shall determine the number of extension days | ||||||
20 | granted based on the assessment and on the level of the | ||||||
21 | recipient's extreme need. | ||||||
22 | (4) The refugee social services covered under this | ||||||
23 | subsection shall include the services as defined in subsection | ||||||
24 | (c) of Section 17-1 and the case management services described | ||||||
25 | in subsection (b) of Section 17-5. | ||||||
26 | (5) The refugee social services covered under this |
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1 | subsection may be provided by a qualified nonprofit | ||||||
2 | organization, as defined in Section 17-1, including a | ||||||
3 | community-based organization, or by an eligible county, as | ||||||
4 | defined in Section 17-1, or by any office or affiliate of the | ||||||
5 | agencies authorized under the federal Reception and Placement | ||||||
6 | Program, as applicable. | ||||||
7 | (305 ILCS 5/17-5 new) | ||||||
8 | Sec. 17-5. Required services. | ||||||
9 | (a)(1) Each refugee social services program established in | ||||||
10 | accordance with Section 17-2 shall provide culturally | ||||||
11 | appropriate and responsive case management services for | ||||||
12 | refugees, asylees, and other vulnerable noncitizens for up to | ||||||
13 | 180 days, or as specified in paragraph (2), within the first | ||||||
14 | year following the grant of asylum or after having been deemed | ||||||
15 | eligible for services under Article 16. | ||||||
16 | (2)(A) If a recipient completes 180 days of case | ||||||
17 | management services as provided under paragraph (1) and seeks | ||||||
18 | an extension of those services, the designated case manager | ||||||
19 | shall conduct an assessment of the recipient's needs and shall | ||||||
20 | determine whether to grant the recipient the extension. | ||||||
21 | (B) The case manager's determination in subparagraph (A) | ||||||
22 | shall be on a case-by-case basis and subject to a finding by | ||||||
23 | the case manager that the recipient demonstrates extreme need | ||||||
24 | under criteria set forth by the Department. A finding of | ||||||
25 | extreme need shall be based on the level of need for services |
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1 | as defined in subsection (c) of Section 17-1 or case | ||||||
2 | management services as described in subsection (b). | ||||||
3 | (C) An additional extension granted under this paragraph | ||||||
4 | shall be at a minimum 90 days and at a maximum 180 days, for a | ||||||
5 | total of no more than 360 days of case management services. If | ||||||
6 | the recipient is approved for the additional extension under | ||||||
7 | this paragraph, the case manager shall determine the number of | ||||||
8 | extension days granted based on the assessment and on the | ||||||
9 | level of the recipient's extreme need. | ||||||
10 | (b) Case management services under each program shall | ||||||
11 | include assistance in identifying and applying for all | ||||||
12 | benefits to which the person is legally entitled, including | ||||||
13 | cultural orientation and integration programs, support in | ||||||
14 | accessing and navigating the public benefits and health care | ||||||
15 | systems, housing assistance, community connection and | ||||||
16 | relationship building, English language instruction, and | ||||||
17 | enrollment in an educational program or institution, financial | ||||||
18 | literacy education, employment training, job placement | ||||||
19 | assistance, and professional recredentialing and licensing | ||||||
20 | application assistance. | ||||||
21 | (c) Case management services under each program may be | ||||||
22 | provided by a qualified nonprofit organization, as defined in | ||||||
23 | Section 17-1, including a community-based organization, or by | ||||||
24 | any office or affiliate of the agencies authorized under the | ||||||
25 | federal Reception and Placement Program administered by the | ||||||
26 | U.S. Department of State, as applicable. |
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1 | (d) The Department shall, in collaboration with service | ||||||
2 | providers, determine outcome metrics to define program | ||||||
3 | success. |