SB2879 Engrossed LRB095 19230 HLH 45488 b

1     AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Department of Human Services Act is amended
5 by adding Section 1-35 as follows:
 
6     (20 ILCS 1305/1-35 new)
7     Sec. 1-35. Families of incarcerated parents. The
8 Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of
9 Corrections shall work cooperatively with community
10 organizations and service providers to identify local
11 providers of services and to develop informational materials
12 for families and children of incarcerated parents.
13     The Department of Human Services shall develop
14 informational materials for families and children of
15 incarcerated parents. The materials shall be designed to inform
16 children and families of incarcerated parents about the social
17 services that are available to them, including visitation
18 programs, family counseling, mentoring, school-based programs,
19 and other programs identified by community organizations that
20 work with families of prisoners. The materials shall be
21 designed to reduce stigma and to provide support for children
22 of incarcerated parents. The materials shall (i) provide
23 telephone and Internet contacts for the children's caregivers

 

 

SB2879 Engrossed - 2 - LRB095 19230 HLH 45488 b

1 with further information and (ii) assist the children's
2 caregivers in locating and accessing services for the children.
3 The Department shall make this information available through
4 its website and through its existing toll-free telephone
5 numbers.
6     The Department of Corrections shall provide the materials
7 to inmates during orientation. The Department of Corrections
8 shall provide one sealed envelope containing the public
9 information to the inmate so that the inmate may address it to
10 the inmate's children's caregiver. The Department of
11 Corrections shall mail that envelope to the address provided by
12 the inmate. The cost of postage will be charged to the inmate's
13 trust account. If the inmate is indigent, the Department of
14 Corrections shall pay the postage fees for mailing the
15 informational material to the inmate's children's caregiver.
16 The informational materials shall also be made available within
17 the Department of Corrections' facility visiting rooms and
18 waiting areas.
 
19     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20 becoming law.