HR0740 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0740 LRB101 18058 ECR 70068 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The mission of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is to promote prevention, child safety, permanency, and well-being; and

WHEREAS, As of June 30, 2018, DCFS had approximately 17,481 children under its service umbrella; and

WHEREAS, Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly budgeted an additional $128.2 million for DCFS for Fiscal Year 2020 and authorized the hiring of an additional 300 employees; and

WHEREAS, DCFS has the primary responsibility of protecting children through the investigation of suspected abuse and neglect by parents and other caregivers in a position of trust or authority over the child; and

WHEREAS, The Office of Inspector General of DCFS has recommended changes within DCFS in its annual report; and

WHEREAS, 123 children who are, or who have been, under the DCFS service umbrella died between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019; and

WHEREAS, The Adoption and Child Welfare Committee of the Illinois House of Representatives is a bi-partisan group of legislators committed to working together to better protect children under the purview of DCFS; and

WHEREAS, Input from the medical community is important to this endeavor; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Illinois' medical community to work with the General Assembly and other stakeholders to develop the best practices and resources to assist them in their role as mandated reporters of suspected child abuse and neglect.