State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ][ House Amendment 002 ]

90_HB0062

      20 ILCS 505/5             from Ch. 23, par. 5005
      20 ILCS 505/7.5 new
      20 ILCS 505/7.10 new
          Amends the Children and Family  Services  Act.   Requires
      child  placing  agencies to develop plans for the creation of
      adequate pools of foster and adoptive families and plans  for
      the training of those families.  Requires State reimbursement
      of  adoption  service  providers  at various rates based upon
      type of placement.  Requires the Department of  Children  and
      Family Services to establish an Illinois Adoption Information
      Exchange  and  authorizes the Department to develop rules for
      the provision of subsidies for the adoption of special  needs
      children.   Requires  the  Department,  by  July  1, 1997, to
      establish an automated system in each of its service  regions
      that  lists  available  foster  home  living arrangements and
      adoptive parents.  Requires consideration of a licensed child
      welfare agency's participation in the  system  when  awarding
      State funds.  Effective immediately.
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                                               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        AN  ACT  to amend the Children and Family Services Act by
 2    changing Section 5 and adding Sections 7.5 and 7.10.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Children  and  Family  Services Act is
 6    amended by changing Section 5 and  adding  Sections  7.5  and
 7    7.10 as follows:
 8        (20 ILCS 505/5) (from Ch. 23, par. 5005)
 9        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
10        Sec.  5.  To  provide  direct child welfare services when
11    not available through other public or private child  care  or
12    program facilities.
13        (a)  For purposes of this Section:
14             (1)  "Children" means persons found within the State
15        who  are  under  the  age  of  18  years.   The term also
16        includes persons under age 19 who:
17                  (A)  were committed to the Department  pursuant
18             to  the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act
19             of 1987, as amended, prior to the age of 18 and  who
20             continue under the jurisdiction of the court; or
21                  (B)  were   accepted   for  care,  service  and
22             training by the Department prior to the  age  of  18
23             and  whose  best  interest  in the discretion of the
24             Department would be served by continuing that  care,
25             service  and  training  because  of severe emotional
26             disturbances, physical disability, social adjustment
27             or any combination thereof, or because of  the  need
28             to  complete  an  educational or vocational training
29             program.
30             (2)  "Homeless youth" means persons found within the
31        State who are under the age of 19, are not in a safe  and
                            -2-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1        stable living situation and cannot be reunited with their
 2        families.
 3             (3)  "Child  welfare  services"  means public social
 4        services which are directed toward the accomplishment  of
 5        the following purposes:
 6                  (A)  protecting  and  promoting  the welfare of
 7             children, including homeless, dependent or neglected
 8             children;
 9                  (B)  preventing or remedying, or  assisting  in
10             the  solution  of  problems which may result in, the
11             neglect,  abuse,  exploitation  or  delinquency   of
12             children;
13                  (C)  preventing  the  unnecessary separation of
14             children from their families by  identifying  family
15             problems,  assisting  families  in  resolving  their
16             problems,  and  preventing the breakup of the family
17             where the prevention of child removal  is  desirable
18             and possible;
19                  (D)  restoring  to  their families children who
20             have been removed, by the provision of  services  to
21             the child and the families;
22                  (E)  placing   children  in  suitable  adoptive
23             homes, in cases where restoration to the  biological
24             family is not possible or appropriate;
25                  (F)  assuring  adequate  care  of children away
26             from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be
27             returned home or cannot be placed for adoption;
28                  (G)  providing supportive services  and  living
29             maintenance   which   contribute  to  the  physical,
30             emotional and social well-being of children who  are
31             pregnant and unmarried;
32                  (H)  providing  shelter  and independent living
33             services for homeless youth; and
34                  (I)  placing  and   maintaining   children   in
                            -3-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1             facilities that provide separate living quarters for
 2             children  under  the  age  of 18 and for children 18
 3             years of age and older, unless a child 18  years  of
 4             age  is in the last year of high school education or
 5             vocational training, in an  approved  individual  or
 6             group  treatment  program,  or in a licensed shelter
 7             facility.  The Department is not required  to  place
 8             or maintain children:
 9                       (i)  who are in a foster home, or
10                       (ii)  who are persons with a developmental
11                  disability, as defined in the Mental Health and
12                  Developmental Disabilities Code, or
13                       (iii)  who  are  female  children  who are
14                  pregnant, pregnant and parenting or  parenting,
15                  or
16                       (iv)  who are siblings,
17             in  facilities that provide separate living quarters
18             for children 18 years  of  age  and  older  and  for
19             children under 18 years of age.
20        (b)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  to
21    authorize  the expenditure of public funds for the purpose of
22    performing abortions.
23        (c)  The  Department   shall   establish   and   maintain
24    tax-supported  child  welfare services and extend and seek to
25    improve voluntary services throughout the State, to  the  end
26    that  services  and care shall be available on an equal basis
27    throughout the State to children requiring such services.
28        (d)  The Director may authorize advance disbursements for
29    any new program initiative to any agency contracting with the
30    Department.   As a prerequisite for an advance  disbursement,
31    the contractor must post a surety bond in the amount  of  the
32    advance  disbursement and have a purchase of service contract
33    approved by the Department.  The Department may pay up  to  2
34    months  operational  expenses  in advance.  The amount of the
                            -4-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1    advance disbursement shall be prorated over the life  of  the
 2    contract   or  the  remaining  months  of  the  fiscal  year,
 3    whichever is less, and the installment amount shall  then  be
 4    deducted    from    future   bills.    Advance   disbursement
 5    authorizations for new initiatives shall not be made  to  any
 6    agency  after  that  agency has operated during 2 consecutive
 7    fiscal years.  The requirements of  this  Section  concerning
 8    advance  disbursements  shall  not  apply with respect to the
 9    following:  payments to local public agencies for  child  day
10    care  services  as  authorized by Section 5a of this Act; and
11    youth service programs receiving grant  funds  under  Section
12    17a-4.
13        (e)  For  the  purpose  of  insuring effective state-wide
14    planning, development, and utilization of resources  for  the
15    day  care  of  children, operated under various auspices, the
16    Department is hereby designated to coordinate  all  day  care
17    activities for children of the State and shall:
18             (1)  Develop  on  or  before  December  1, 1977, and
19        update  every  year  thereafter,  a  state  comprehensive
20        day-care  plan  for  submission  to  the  Governor  which
21        identifies high-priority areas and groups, relating  them
22        to   available   resources,   and  identifying  the  most
23        effective approaches to the  use  of  existing  day  care
24        services.  The State comprehensive day-care plan shall be
25        made available to  the  General  Assembly  following  the
26        Governor's approval  of the plan.
27             The  plan  shall  include methods and procedures for
28        the development of  additional  day  care  resources  for
29        children  to  meet  the  goal  of  reducing short-run and
30        long-run dependency and to provide  necessary  enrichment
31        and  stimulation  to  the  education  of  young children.
32        Recommendation shall be made for State policy on  optimum
33        use  of  private  and  public,  local,  state and federal
34        resources, including an estimate of the resources  needed
                            -5-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1        for the licensing and regulation of day care facilities.
 2             A  written report shall be submitted to the Governor
 3        and the General Assembly,  annually,  on  April  15,  and
 4        shall  include  an  evaluation  of  developments over the
 5        preceding fiscal year, including cost-benefit analyses of
 6        various arrangements.  Beginning with the report in  1990
 7        and  every  2  years  thereafter,  the  report shall also
 8        include the following:
 9                  (A)  An assessment of the child care  services,
10             needs  and  available resources throughout the State
11             and an assessment of the adequacy of existing  child
12             care   services,  including,  but  not  limited  to,
13             services assisted under this Act and under any other
14             program administered by other State agencies.
15                  (B)  A  survey  of  day  care   facilities   to
16             determine  the  number  of  qualified caregivers, as
17             defined by rule, attracted to vacant  positions  and
18             any problems encountered by facilities in attracting
19             and retaining capable caregivers.
20                  (C)  The  average wages and salaries and fringe
21             benefit packages paid to caregivers  throughout  the
22             State, computed on a regional basis.
23                  (D)  The qualifications of new caregivers hired
24             at  licensed day care facilities during the previous
25             2 year period.
26                  (E)  Recommendations for  increasing  caregiver
27             wages  and  salaries  to  insure  quality  care  for
28             children.
29                  (F)  Evaluation of the fee structure and income
30             eligibility for child care subsidized by the State.
31             The   requirement   for  reporting  to  the  General
32        Assembly shall be  satisfied  by  filing  copies  of  the
33        report  with  the  Speaker,  the  Minority Leader and the
34        Clerk of the House of Representatives and the  President,
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 1        the  Minority  Leader and the Secretary of the Senate and
 2        the Legislative Research Unit, as required by Section 3.1
 3        of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such
 4        additional  copies  with  the  State  Government   Report
 5        Distribution  Center  for  the  General  Assembly  as  is
 6        required  under  paragraph  (t) of Section 7 of the State
 7        Library Act.
 8             (2)  Establish   policies   and    procedures    for
 9        developing  and  implementing interagency agreements with
10        other agencies of the State providing child care services
11        or reimbursement for such services.
12             (3)  In  cooperation  with  other  State   agencies,
13        develop  and implement a resource and referral system for
14        the State of Illinois either within the Department or  by
15        contract  with  local  or regional agencies.  Funding for
16        implementation of this system  may  be  provided  through
17        Department  appropriations  or other inter-agency funding
18        arrangements. The  resource  and  referral  system  shall
19        provide at least the following services:
20                  (A)  assembling  and maintaining a data base on
21             the supply of child care services;
22                  (B)  providing information  and  referrals  for
23             parents;
24                  (C)  coordinating  the development of new child
25             care resources;
26                  (D)  providing   technical    assistance    and
27             training to child care service providers; and
28                  (E)  recording  and  analyzing  the  demand for
29             child care services.
30             The Department shall complete implementation of this
31        resource and referral system in all regions of the  State
32        by January 1, 1992.
33             (4)  Conduct  day  care planning activities with the
34        following priorities:
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 1                  (A)  development   of   voluntary   day    care
 2             resources  wherever possible, with the provision for
 3             grants-in-aid only where demonstrated to  be  useful
 4             and necessary as incentives or supports;
 5                  (B)  emphasis   on   service   to  children  of
 6             recipients of public assistance where  such  service
 7             will  allow  training  or  employment  of the parent
 8             toward achieving the goal of independence;
 9                  (C)  maximum employment of recipients of public
10             assistance in day care centers and day  care  homes,
11             operated   in   conjunction   with  short-term  work
12             training programs;
13                  (D)  care of children from families  in  stress
14             and  crises whose members potentially may become, or
15             are  in  danger  of  becoming,  non-productive   and
16             dependent;
17                  (E)  expansion  of  family  day care facilities
18             wherever possible;
19                  (F)  location  of   centers   in   economically
20             depressed neighborhoods, preferably in multi-service
21             centers with cooperation of other agencies;
22                  (G)  use  of existing facilities free of charge
23             or for reasonable rental wherever possible  in  lieu
24             of construction;
25                  (H)  development  of  strategies for assuring a
26             more complete range of day care  options,  including
27             provision  of day care services in homes, in schools
28             or in centers, which will enable a parent or parents
29             to complete a  course  of  education  or  obtain  or
30             maintain employment.
31             Emphasis  shall  be  given to support services which
32        will help to ensure such parents'  graduation  from  high
33        school  and  to  services for participants in the Project
34        Chance program of job training conducted by the  Illinois
                            -8-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1        Department of Public Aid.
 2             (5)  Actively  stimulate  the  development of public
 3        and private resources at the local level.  It shall  also
 4        seek the fullest utilization of federal funds directly or
 5        indirectly available to the Department.
 6        Where  appropriate, existing non-governmental agencies or
 7    associations shall be involved in planning by the Department.
 8        (f)  The Department, pursuant  to  a  contract  with  the
 9    Illinois  Department  of  Public  Aid, may provide child care
10    services  to  former  recipients  of  assistance  under   The
11    Illinois  Public  Aid  Code as authorized by Section 9-6.3 of
12    that Code.
13        (g)  The Department shall establish rules and regulations
14    concerning its operation of programs  designed  to  meet  the
15    goals   of  child  protection,  family  preservation,  family
16    reunification, adoption and youth development, including  but
17    not limited to:
18             (1)  adoption;
19             (2)  foster care;
20             (3)  family counseling;
21             (4)  protective services;
22             (5)  service to unwed mothers;
23             (6)  homemaker service;
24             (7)  return of runaway children;
25             (8)  independent   living  skills  and  shelter  for
26        homeless youth;
27             (9)  placement under Section  5-7  of  the  Juvenile
28        Court  Act  or  Section  2-27,  3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the
29        Juvenile Court Act of 1987 in accordance with the federal
30        Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980; and
31             (10)  interstate services.
32        Rules and regulations established by the Department shall
33    include provisions for  training  Department  staff  and  the
34    staff  of  Department  grantees, through contracts with other
                            -9-                LRB9000704MWpc
 1    agencies or resources, in alcohol and  drug  abuse  screening
 2    techniques  to  identify  children  and  adults who should be
 3    referred to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment  program  for
 4    professional evaluation.
 5        (h)  If the Department finds that there is no appropriate
 6    program or facility within or available to the Department for
 7    a  ward and that no licensed private facility has an adequate
 8    and appropriate program or none agrees to  accept  the  ward,
 9    the  Department  shall  create an appropriate individualized,
10    program-oriented  plan  for  such  ward.   The  plan  may  be
11    developed  within  the  Department  or  through  purchase  of
12    services by the Department to the extent that  it  is  within
13    its statutory authority to do.
14        (i)  Service  programs  shall be available throughout the
15    State and shall include but not be limited to  the  following
16    services:
17             (1)  case management;
18             (2)  homemakers;
19             (3)  counseling;
20             (4)  parent education;
21             (5)  day care; and
22             (6)  emergency assistance and advocacy.
23        In addition, the following services may be made available
24    to assess and meet the needs of children and families:
25             (1)  comprehensive family-based services;
26             (2)  assessments;
27             (3)  respite care; and
28             (4)  in-home health services.
29        The  Department  shall  provide transportation for any of
30    the services it makes available to children  or  families  or
31    for which it refers children or families.
32        (j)  The Department may provide financial assistance, and
33    shall   establish   rules  and  regulations  concerning  such
34    assistance, to  persons  who  adopt  physically  or  mentally
                            -10-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    handicapped,  older  and  other  hard-to-place  children  who
 2    immediately  prior  to their adoption were legal wards of the
 3    Department.   The  Department  may  also  provide   financial
 4    assistance,  and  shall  establish  rules and regulations for
 5    such assistance, to persons appointed guardian of the  person
 6    under  Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-27,
 7    3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the Juvenile  Court  Act  of  1987  for
 8    children  who  were  wards  of  the  Department for 12 months
 9    immediately  prior  to  the  appointment  of  the   successor
10    guardian  and  for  whom  the  Department  has  set a goal of
11    permanent family placement with a foster family.
12        The amount of assistance may  vary,  depending  upon  the
13    needs of the child but may not exceed the cost of foster care
14    payments  or  special  service payments that would be made by
15    the and the adoptive parents, but must be at least  $25  less
16    than  the monthly cost of care of the child in a foster home,
17    as set forth in the  annual  assistance  agreement.   Special
18    purpose  grants  are allowed where the child requires special
19    service but such costs  may  not  exceed  the  amounts  which
20    similar  services  would  cost  the  Department if it were to
21    provide or secure them as guardian of the child.
22        Any financial assistance provided under  this  subsection
23    is  inalienable  by  assignment, sale, execution, attachment,
24    garnishment, or any other remedy for recovery  or  collection
25    of a judgment or debt.
26        Adoption subsidies for physically or mentally handicapped
27    children  shall  be  determined  on  the basis of the child's
28    medical condition or disability,  whether  the  condition  or
29    disability   is  physical,  mental,  or  emotional.   If  the
30    condition is discovered  during  the  child's  minority,  the
31    subsidy  shall  be paid to the adoptive parent retroactive to
32    the date of the interim order of adoption or the onset of the
33    condition or disability whichever is later.   The  Department
34    shall   have  the  authority  to  promulgate  rules  for  the
                            -11-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    implementation of this  Section,  pursuant  to  the  Illinois
 2    Administrative Procedure Act.
 3        (k)  The  Department  shall  accept for care and training
 4    any child who has been adjudicated neglected  or  abused,  or
 5    dependent  committed to it pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act
 6    or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 7        (l)  Before July 1, 2000, the Department may provide, and
 8    beginning July 1, 2000, the Department shall provide,  family
 9    preservation services, as determined to be appropriate and in
10    the  child's best interests and when the child will not be in
11    imminent risk of harm, to any family  whose  child  has  been
12    placed  in  substitute  care,  any persons who have adopted a
13    child and require  post-adoption  services,  or  any  persons
14    whose  child  or children are at risk of being placed outside
15    their  home  as  documented  by  an  "indicated"  report   of
16    suspected  child  abuse or neglect determined pursuant to the
17    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting  Act.  Nothing  in  this
18    paragraph  shall  be  construed  to create a private right of
19    action or claim on  the  part  of  any  individual  or  child
20    welfare agency.
21        The  Department  shall notify the child and his family of
22    the Department's responsibility to offer and  provide  family
23    preservation services as identified in the service plan.  The
24    child  and  his family shall be eligible for services as soon
25    as  the  report  is  determined  to  be   "indicated".    The
26    Department  may  offer  services  to any child or family with
27    respect to whom a report of suspected child abuse or  neglect
28    has  been  filed, prior to concluding its investigation under
29    Section 7.12 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
30    However,  the  child's  or  family's  willingness  to  accept
31    services shall not be considered in the  investigation.   The
32    Department  may  also provide services to any child or family
33    who is the subject of any report of suspected child abuse  or
34    neglect  or  may  refer  such  child  or  family  to services
                            -12-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    available from other agencies in the community, even  if  the
 2    report  is  determined  to be unfounded, if the conditions in
 3    the child's or family's home are reasonably likely to subject
 4    the child or family to  future  reports  of  suspected  child
 5    abuse  or  neglect.   Acceptance  of  such  services shall be
 6    voluntary.
 7        The Department may, at its discretion  except  for  those
 8    children  also adjudicated neglected or dependent, accept for
 9    care  and  training  any  child  who  has  been   adjudicated
10    addicted,  as  a  truant minor in need of supervision or as a
11    minor  requiring  authoritative   intervention,   under   the
12    Juvenile  Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but no
13    such child shall be committed to the Department by any  court
14    without the approval of the Department.  A minor charged with
15    a  criminal  offense  under  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961 or
16    adjudicated delinquent shall not be placed in the custody  of
17    or  committed  to the Department by any court, except a minor
18    less than 13 years of age committed to the  Department  under
19    Section 5-23 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
20        (m)  The  Department  may assume temporary custody of any
21    child if:
22             (1)  it has  received  a  written  consent  to  such
23        temporary  custody  signed by the parents of the child or
24        by the parent having custody of the child if the  parents
25        are  not  living together or by the guardian or custodian
26        of the child if the child is not in the custody of either
27        parent, or
28             (2)  the child is found in the State and  neither  a
29        parent,  guardian  nor  custodian  of  the  child  can be
30        located.
31    If the child is found in  his  or  her  residence  without  a
32    parent,  guardian,  custodian  or  responsible caretaker, the
33    Department may, instead of removing the  child  and  assuming
34    temporary  custody, place an authorized representative of the
                            -13-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    Department in that residence until such  time  as  a  parent,
 2    guardian  or  custodian  enters  the  home  and  expresses  a
 3    willingness  and  apparent ability to resume permanent charge
 4    of the child, or until a relative  enters  the  home  and  is
 5    willing  and  able  to  assume  charge  of  the child until a
 6    parent, guardian or custodian enters the home  and  expresses
 7    such  willingness  and  ability  to  resume permanent charge.
 8    After a caretaker has remained in the home for a  period  not
 9    to   exceed  12  hours,  the  Department  must  follow  those
10    procedures outlined in Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9  of  the
11    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
12        The Department shall have the authority, responsibilities
13    and  duties  that  a  legal custodian of the child would have
14    pursuant to subsection (9) of Section  1-3  of  the  Juvenile
15    Court  Act of 1987.  Whenever a child is taken into temporary
16    custody pursuant to an investigation  under  the  Abused  and
17    Neglected  Child Reporting Act, or pursuant to a referral and
18    acceptance under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 of a minor in
19    limited  custody,  the  Department,  during  the  period   of
20    temporary  custody  and  before the child is brought before a
21    judicial officer as required by Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9
22    of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall have the  authority,
23    responsibilities  and  duties  that  a legal custodian of the
24    child would have under subsection (9) of Section 1-3  of  the
25    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
26        The  Department  shall  ensure  that any child taken into
27    custody  is  scheduled  for  an  appointment  for  a  medical
28    examination.
29        A parent,  guardian  or  custodian  of  a  child  in  the
30    temporary custody of the Department who would have custody of
31    the  child  if  he  were  not in the temporary custody of the
32    Department may deliver to the  Department  a  signed  request
33    that  the  Department  surrender the temporary custody of the
34    child.  The Department may retain temporary  custody  of  the
                            -14-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    child  for  10  days after the receipt of the request, during
 2    which period the Department may cause to be filed a  petition
 3    pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  If a petition is
 4    so  filed,  the  Department shall retain temporary custody of
 5    the child until the court orders otherwise.  If a petition is
 6    not filed within the  10  day  period,  the  child  shall  be
 7    surrendered to the custody of the requesting parent, guardian
 8    or  custodian  not  later  than  the expiration of the 10 day
 9    period, at  which  time  the  authority  and  duties  of  the
10    Department with respect to the temporary custody of the child
11    shall terminate.
12        (n)  The  Department may place children under 18 years of
13    age in licensed child care facilities when in the opinion  of
14    the   Department,   appropriate   services  aimed  at  family
15    preservation have been unsuccessful or unavailable  and  such
16    placement  would  be  for  their  best interest.  Payment for
17    board, clothing, care, training and supervision of any  child
18    placed  in  a licensed child care facility may be made by the
19    Department, by the parents or guardians  of  the  estates  of
20    those  children, or by both the Department and the parents or
21    guardians, except that no  payments  shall  be  made  by  the
22    Department  for  any  child  placed  in a licensed child care
23    facility for board, clothing, care, training and  supervision
24    of  such  a  child that exceed the average per capita cost of
25    maintaining and of caring for a  child  in  institutions  for
26    dependent  or  neglected children operated by the Department.
27    However, such restriction on payments does not apply in cases
28    where children require specialized  care  and  treatment  for
29    problems    of   severe   emotional   disturbance,   physical
30    disability, social adjustment, or any combination thereof and
31    suitable facilities for the placement of  such  children  are
32    not  available  at  payment  rates within the limitations set
33    forth  in  this  Section.  All  reimbursements  for  services
34    delivered shall  be  absolutely  inalienable  by  assignment,
                            -15-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    sale, attachment, garnishment or otherwise.
 2        (o)  The  Department  shall  establish  an administrative
 3    review and appeal  process  for  children  and  families  who
 4    request   or   receive   child   welfare  services  from  the
 5    Department.  Children who are wards of the Department and are
 6    placed by private child welfare agencies, and foster families
 7    with whom those children are placed, shall  be  afforded  the
 8    same procedural and appeal rights as children and families in
 9    the  case of placement by the Department, including the right
10    to an  initial review of a private agency  decision  by  that
11    agency.   The  Department shall insure that any private child
12    welfare agency, which accepts wards  of  the  Department  for
13    placement,  affords  those  rights  to  children  and  foster
14    families.   The  Department  shall  accept for administrative
15    review and an appeal hearing a complaint made by a  child  or
16    foster  family  concerning  a  decision  following an initial
17    review by a private child welfare agency.   An  appeal  of  a
18    decision  concerning  a  change  in  the placement of a child
19    shall be conducted in an expedited manner.
20        (p)  There is hereby created the Department  of  Children
21    and  Family Services Emergency Assistance Fund from which the
22    Department  may  provide  special  financial  assistance   to
23    families which are in economic crisis when such assistance is
24    not available through other public or private sources and the
25    assistance  is deemed necessary to prevent dissolution of the
26    family unit or to reunite families which have been  separated
27    due  to  child  abuse  and  neglect.   The  Department  shall
28    establish  administrative  rules  specifying the criteria for
29    determining eligibility for and  the  amount  and  nature  of
30    assistance  to  be  provided.   The Department may also enter
31    into  written  agreements  with  private  and  public  social
32    service agencies to provide emergency financial  services  to
33    families  referred  by  the  Department.    Special financial
34    assistance payments shall be available to a  family  no  more
                            -16-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    than once during each fiscal year and the total payments to a
 2    family may not exceed $500 during a fiscal year.
 3        (q)  The   Department  may  receive  and  use,  in  their
 4    entirety, for the benefit of children any gift,  donation  or
 5    bequest  of  money  or  other  property  which is received on
 6    behalf of such children, or any financial benefits  to  which
 7    such  children  are  or  may  become entitled while under the
 8    jurisdiction or care of the Department.
 9        The Department  shall  set  up  and  administer  no-cost,
10    interest-bearing  savings  accounts  in appropriate financial
11    institutions ("individual accounts") for  children  for  whom
12    the  Department  is  legally  responsible  and  who have been
13    determined eligible for Veterans' Benefits,  Social  Security
14    benefits,  assistance allotments from the armed forces, court
15    ordered payments, parental voluntary  payments,  Supplemental
16    Security  Income,  Railroad  Retirement  payments, Black Lung
17    benefits, or other miscellaneous payments.   Interest  earned
18    by  each individual account shall be credited to the account,
19    unless disbursed in accordance with this subsection.
20        In disbursing funds from children's individual  accounts,
21    the Department shall:
22             (1)  Establish  standards  in  accordance with State
23        and federal laws for  disbursing  money  from  children's
24        individual   accounts.    In   all   circumstances,   the
25        Department's  "Guardianship  Administrator" or his or her
26        designee  must  approve  disbursements  from   children's
27        individual accounts.  The Department shall be responsible
28        for  keeping  complete  records  of all disbursements for
29        each individual account for any purpose.
30             (2)  Calculate on a monthly basis the  amounts  paid
31        from  State funds for the child's board and care, medical
32        care not covered under Medicaid, and social services; and
33        utilize funds from the  child's  individual  account,  as
34        covered   by   regulation,   to  reimburse  those  costs.
                            -17-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        Monthly, disbursements  from  all  children's  individual
 2        accounts,  up  to 1/12 of $13,000,000, shall be deposited
 3        by the Department into the General Revenue Fund  and  the
 4        balance over 1/12 of $13,000,000 into the DCFS Children's
 5        Services Fund.
 6             (3)  Maintain    any    balance    remaining   after
 7        reimbursing for the child's costs of care,  as  specified
 8        in  item  (2). The balance shall accumulate in accordance
 9        with  relevant  State  and  federal  laws  and  shall  be
10        disbursed to the child or his or her guardian, or to  the
11        issuing agency.
12        (r)  The    Department   shall   promulgate   regulations
13    requiring encouraging all adoption  agencies  to  voluntarily
14    forward to the Department or its agent names and addresses of
15    all  persons  who have applied for and have been approved for
16    adoption of a hard-to-place  or  handicapped  child  and  the
17    names  of such children who have not been placed for adoption
18    in accordance with Sections 7.5 and  7.10.  A  list  of  such
19    names  and addresses shall be maintained by the Department or
20    its agent as part of  the  Child  Foster  Care  and  Adoption
21    Network,  and  coded lists which maintain the confidentiality
22    of the person seeking to adopt the child  and  of  the  child
23    shall  be  made  available, without charge, to every adoption
24    agency in the State to assist the agencies  in  placing  such
25    children  for  adoption.  The  Department  may delegate to an
26    agent its duty to maintain and  make  available  such  lists.
27    The  Department  shall  ensure  that such agent maintains the
28    confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the child  and
29    of the child.
30        (s)  The  Department  of Children and Family Services may
31    establish and implement a program to reimburse Department and
32    private child welfare agency foster parents licensed  by  the
33    Department  of  Children  and  Family  Services  for  damages
34    sustained  by the foster parents as a result of the malicious
                            -18-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    or negligent acts of foster children, as  well  as  providing
 2    third  party  coverage for such foster parents with regard to
 3    actions  of  foster  children  to  other  individuals.   Such
 4    coverage will be secondary to  the  foster  parent  liability
 5    insurance policy, if applicable.  The program shall be funded
 6    through   appropriations   from  the  General  Revenue  Fund,
 7    specifically designated for such purposes.
 8        (t)  The  Department  shall  perform  home  studies   and
 9    investigations and shall exercise supervision over visitation
10    as  ordered  by a court pursuant to the Illinois Marriage and
11    Dissolution of Marriage Act or the Adoption Act only if:
12             (1)  an  order  entered   by   an   Illinois   court
13        specifically  directs  the  Department  to  perform  such
14        services; and
15             (2)  the  court  has  ordered  one  or  both  of the
16        parties to the proceeding to reimburse the Department for
17        its reasonable  costs  for  providing  such  services  in
18        accordance  with Department rules, or has determined that
19        neither party is financially able to pay.
20        The Department shall provide written notification to  the
21    court  of the specific arrangements for supervised visitation
22    and projected monthly costs  within  60  days  of  the  court
23    order.  The  Department  shall  send to the court information
24    related to the costs incurred except in cases where the court
25    has determined the parties are financially unable to pay. The
26    court may order additional periodic reports as appropriate.
27        (u)  Whenever the Department places a child in a licensed
28    foster home, group home, child  care  institution,  or  in  a
29    relative home, the Department shall provide to the caretaker:
30             (1)  available  detailed  information concerning the
31        child's  educational  and  health  history,   copies   of
32        immunization  records  (including  insurance  and medical
33        card information), a  history  of  the  child's  previous
34        placements,  if  any,  and  reasons for placement changes
                            -19-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        excluding any information that identifies or reveals  the
 2        location of any previous caretaker;
 3             (2)  a  copy  of  the  child's portion of the client
 4        service plan, including any visitation  arrangement,  and
 5        all  amendments  or  revisions  to  it  as related to the
 6        child; and
 7             (3)  information containing details of  the  child's
 8        individualized   educational   plan  when  the  child  is
 9        receiving special education services.
10        The caretaker shall be informed of any  known  social  or
11    behavioral  information  (including, but not limited to, fire
12    setting, perpetuation of sexual abuse, destructive  behavior,
13    and  substance abuse) necessary to care for and safeguard the
14    child.
15        (u-5)  Effective  July  1,   1995,   only   foster   care
16    placements  licensed  as  foster family homes pursuant to the
17    Child Care Act of 1969 shall be eligible  to  receive  foster
18    care  payments  from the Department. Relative caregivers who,
19    as of July  1,  1995,  were  approved  pursuant  to  approved
20    relative   placement  rules  previously  promulgated  by  the
21    Department at 89 Ill. Adm. Code  335  and  had  submitted  an
22    application  for  licensure  as  a  foster  family  home  may
23    continue  to  receive  foster  care  payments  only until the
24    Department determines that they may be licensed as  a  foster
25    family home or that their application for licensure is denied
26    or until September 30, 1995, whichever occurs first.
27        (v)  The  Department shall access criminal history record
28    information  as defined in the  Illinois  Uniform  Conviction
29    Information   Act   and   information   maintained   in   the
30    adjudicatory  and  dispositional  record system as defined in
31    subdivision (A)19 of Section 55a of the Civil  Administrative
32    Code of Illinois if the Department determines the information
33    is  necessary  to  perform  its  duties  under the Abused and
34    Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child Care  Act  of  1969,
                            -20-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    and  the  Children  and  Family Services Act.  The Department
 2    shall provide for interactive computerized communication  and
 3    processing    equipment    that    permits   direct   on-line
 4    communication with the Department of State  Police's  central
 5    criminal  history  data  repository.   The  Department  shall
 6    comply   with  all  certification  requirements  and  provide
 7    certified operators who have been trained by  personnel  from
 8    the  Department  of State Police.  In addition, one Office of
 9    the Inspector General investigator shall have training in the
10    use of the criminal history  information  access  system  and
11    have  access to the terminal.  The Department of Children and
12    Family Services and its employees shall abide  by  rules  and
13    regulations  established  by  the  Department of State Police
14    relating to the access and dissemination of this information.
15        (w)  Within 120 days of August 20,  1995  (the  effective
16    date  of Public Act 89-392), the Department shall prepare and
17    submit to the Governor and the General  Assembly,  a  written
18    plan  for  the  development of in-state licensed secure child
19    care facilities that care for children who  are  in  need  of
20    secure  living  arrangements  for  their  health, safety, and
21    well-being.  For purposes of  this  subsection,  secure  care
22    facility  shall mean a facility that is designed and operated
23    to ensure that all entrances and exits from the  facility,  a
24    building  or  a  distinct part of the building, are under the
25    exclusive control of the staff of the  facility,  whether  or
26    not  the  child  has  the  freedom  of  movement  within  the
27    perimeter  of the facility, building, or distinct part of the
28    building.  The plan shall include descriptions of  the  types
29    of  facilities  that  are  needed  in  Illinois;  the cost of
30    developing these secure care facilities; the estimated number
31    of placements; the potential cost savings resulting from  the
32    movement of children currently out-of-state who are projected
33    to   be   returned  to  Illinois;  the  necessary  geographic
34    distribution of these facilities in Illinois; and a  proposed
                            -21-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    timetable for development of such facilities.
 2    (Source: P.A.  88-380;  88-398;  88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94;
 3    88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-21,  eff.  6-6-95;  89-392,  eff.
 4    8-20-95; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
 5        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
 6        Sec. 5.  Direct child  welfare  services;  Department  of
 7    Children and Family Services. To provide direct child welfare
 8    services  when  not available through other public or private
 9    child care or program facilities.
10        (a)  For purposes of this Section:
11             (1)  "Children" means persons found within the State
12        who are under  the  age  of  18  years.   The  term  also
13        includes persons under age 19 who:
14                  (A)  were  committed to the Department pursuant
15             to the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court  Act
16             of  1987, as amended, prior to the age of 18 and who
17             continue under the jurisdiction of the court; or
18                  (B)  were  accepted   for  care,  service   and
19             training  by  the  Department prior to the age of 18
20             and whose best interest in  the  discretion  of  the
21             Department  would be served by continuing that care,
22             service and training  because  of  severe  emotional
23             disturbances, physical disability, social adjustment
24             or  any  combination thereof, or because of the need
25             to complete an educational  or  vocational  training
26             program.
27             (2)  "Homeless youth" means persons found within the
28        State  who are under the age of 19, are not in a safe and
29        stable living situation and cannot be reunited with their
30        families.
31             (3)  "Child welfare services"  means  public  social
32        services  which are directed toward the accomplishment of
33        the following purposes:
34                  (A)  protecting and promoting  the  welfare  of
                            -22-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1             children, including homeless, dependent or neglected
 2             children;
 3                  (B)  remedying, or assisting in the solution of
 4             problems  which  may  result in, the neglect, abuse,
 5             exploitation or delinquency of children;
 6                  (C)  preventing the unnecessary  separation  of
 7             children  from  their families by identifying family
 8             problems,  assisting  families  in  resolving  their
 9             problems, and preventing the breakup of  the  family
10             where  the  prevention of child removal is desirable
11             and possible;
12                  (D)  restoring to their families  children  who
13             have  been  removed, by the provision of services to
14             the child and the families;
15                  (E)  placing  children  in  suitable   adoptive
16             homes,  in cases where restoration to the biological
17             family is not possible or appropriate;
18                  (F)  assuring adequate care  of  children  away
19             from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be
20             returned home or cannot be placed for adoption;
21                  (G)  (blank);
22                  (H)  (blank); and
23                  (I)  placing   and   maintaining   children  in
24             facilities that provide separate living quarters for
25             children under the age of 18  and  for  children  18
26             years  of  age and older, unless a child 18 years of
27             age is in the last year of high school education  or
28             vocational  training,  in  an approved individual or
29             group treatment program, or in  a  licensed  shelter
30             facility.    The Department is not required to place
31             or maintain children:
32                       (i)  who are in a foster home, or
33                       (ii)  who are persons with a developmental
34                  disability, as defined in the Mental Health and
                            -23-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1                  Developmental Disabilities Code, or
 2                       (iii)  who are  female  children  who  are
 3                  pregnant,  pregnant and parenting or parenting,
 4                  or
 5                       (iv)  who are siblings,
 6             in facilities that provide separate living  quarters
 7             for  children  18  years  of  age  and older and for
 8             children under 18 years of age.
 9        (b)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  to
10    authorize the expenditure of public funds for the purpose  of
11    performing abortions.
12        (c)  The   Department   shall   establish   and  maintain
13    tax-supported child welfare services and extend and  seek  to
14    improve  voluntary  services throughout the State, to the end
15    that services and care shall be available on an  equal  basis
16    throughout the State to children requiring such services.
17        (d)  The Director may authorize advance disbursements for
18    any new program initiative to any agency contracting with the
19    Department.   As a prerequisite for an advance  disbursement,
20    the  contractor  must post a surety bond in the amount of the
21    advance disbursement and have a purchase of service  contract
22    approved  by  the Department.  The Department may pay up to 2
23    months operational expenses in advance.  The  amount  of  the
24    advance  disbursement  shall be prorated over the life of the
25    contract  or  the  remaining  months  of  the  fiscal   year,
26    whichever  is  less, and the installment amount shall then be
27    deducted   from   future   bills.     Advance    disbursement
28    authorizations  for  new initiatives shall not be made to any
29    agency after that agency has operated  during  2  consecutive
30    fiscal  years.    The requirements of this Section concerning
31    advance disbursements shall not apply  with  respect  to  the
32    following:   payments  to local public agencies for child day
33    care services as authorized by Section 5a of  this  Act;  and
34    youth  service  programs  receiving grant funds under Section
                            -24-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    17a-4.
 2        (e)  (Blank).
 3        (f)  (Blank).
 4        (g)  The Department shall establish rules and regulations
 5    concerning its operation of programs  designed  to  meet  the
 6    goals   of  child  protection,  family  preservation,  family
 7    reunification, and adoption, including but not limited to:
 8             (1)  adoption;
 9             (2)  foster care;
10             (3)  family counseling;
11             (4)  protective services;
12             (5)  (blank);
13             (6)  homemaker service;
14             (7)  return of runaway children;
15             (8)  (blank);
16             (9)  placement under Section  5-7  of  the  Juvenile
17        Court  Act  or  Section  2-27,  3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the
18        Juvenile Court Act of 1987 in accordance with the federal
19        Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980; and
20             (10)  interstate services.
21        Rules and regulations established by the Department shall
22    include provisions for  training  Department  staff  and  the
23    staff  of  Department  grantees, through contracts with other
24    agencies or resources, in alcohol and  drug  abuse  screening
25    techniques  to  identify  children  and  adults who should be
26    referred to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment  program  for
27    professional evaluation.
28        (h)  If the Department finds that there is no appropriate
29    program or facility within or available to the Department for
30    a  ward and that no licensed private facility has an adequate
31    and appropriate program or none agrees to  accept  the  ward,
32    the  Department  shall  create an appropriate individualized,
33    program-oriented  plan  for  such  ward.   The  plan  may  be
34    developed  within  the  Department  or  through  purchase  of
                            -25-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    services by the Department to the extent that  it  is  within
 2    its statutory authority to do.
 3        (i)  Service  programs  shall be available throughout the
 4    State and shall include but not be limited to  the  following
 5    services:
 6             (1)  case management;
 7             (2)  homemakers;
 8             (3)  counseling;
 9             (4)  parent education;
10             (5)  day care; and
11             (6)  emergency assistance and advocacy.
12        In addition, the following services may be made available
13    to assess and meet the needs of children and families:
14             (1)  comprehensive family-based services;
15             (2)  assessments;
16             (3)  respite care; and
17             (4)  in-home health services.
18        The  Department  shall  provide transportation for any of
19    the services it makes available to children  or  families  or
20    for which it refers children or families.
21        (j)  The Department may provide financial assistance, and
22    shall   establish   rules  and  regulations  concerning  such
23    assistance, to  persons  who  adopt  physically  or  mentally
24    handicapped,  older  and  other  hard-to-place  children  who
25    immediately  prior  to their adoption were legal wards of the
26    Department.   The  Department  may  also  provide   financial
27    assistance,  and  shall  establish  rules and regulations for
28    such assistance, to persons appointed guardian of the  person
29    under  Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-27,
30    3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the Juvenile  Court  Act  of  1987  for
31    children  who  were  wards  of  the  Department for 12 months
32    immediately  prior  to  the  appointment  of  the   successor
33    guardian  and  for  whom  the  Department  has  set a goal of
34    permanent family placement with a foster family.
                            -26-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        The amount of assistance may  vary,  depending  upon  the
 2    needs of the child but may not exceed the cost of foster care
 3    payments  or  special  service payments that would be made by
 4    the and the adoptive parents, but must be at least  $25  less
 5    than  the monthly cost of care of the child in a foster home,
 6    as set forth in the  annual  assistance  agreement.   Special
 7    purpose  grants  are allowed where the child requires special
 8    service but such costs  may  not  exceed  the  amounts  which
 9    similar  services  would  cost  the  Department if it were to
10    provide or secure them as guardian of the child.
11        Any financial assistance provided under  this  subsection
12    is  inalienable  by  assignment, sale, execution, attachment,
13    garnishment, or any other remedy for recovery  or  collection
14    of a judgment or debt.
15        Adoption subsidies for physically or mentally handicapped
16    children  shall  be  determined  on  the basis of the child's
17    medical condition or disability,  whether  the  condition  or
18    disability   is  physical,  mental,  or  emotional.   If  the
19    condition is discovered  during  the  child's  minority,  the
20    subsidy  shall  be paid to the adoptive parent retroactive to
21    the date of the interim order of adoption or the onset of the
22    condition or disability whichever is later.   The  Department
23    shall   have  the  authority  to  promulgate  rules  for  the
24    implementation of this  Section,  pursuant  to  the  Illinois
25    Administrative Procedure Act.
26        (k)  The  Department  shall  accept for care and training
27    any child who has been adjudicated neglected  or  abused,  or
28    dependent  committed to it pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act
29    or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
30        (l)  Before July 1, 2000, the Department may provide, and
31    beginning July 1, 2000, the Department shall provide,  family
32    preservation services, as determined to be appropriate and in
33    the  child's best interests and when the child will not be in
34    imminent risk of harm, to any family  whose  child  has  been
                            -27-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    placed  in  substitute  care,  any persons who have adopted a
 2    child and require  post-adoption  services,  or  any  persons
 3    whose  child  or children are at risk of being placed outside
 4    their  home  as  documented  by  an  "indicated"  report   of
 5    suspected  child  abuse or neglect determined pursuant to the
 6    Abused and Neglected Child Reporting  Act.  Nothing  in  this
 7    paragraph  shall  be  construed  to create a private right of
 8    action or claim on  the  part  of  any  individual  or  child
 9    welfare agency.
10        The  Department  shall notify the child and his family of
11    the Department's responsibility to offer and  provide  family
12    preservation services as identified in the service plan.  The
13    child  and  his family shall be eligible for services as soon
14    as  the  report  is  determined  to  be   "indicated".    The
15    Department  may  offer  services  to any child or family with
16    respect to whom a report of suspected child abuse or  neglect
17    has  been  filed, prior to concluding its investigation under
18    Section 7.12 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
19    However,  the  child's  or  family's  willingness  to  accept
20    services shall not be considered in the  investigation.   The
21    Department  may  also provide services to any child or family
22    who is the subject of any report of suspected child abuse  or
23    neglect  or  may  refer  such  child  or  family  to services
24    available from other agencies in the community, even  if  the
25    report  is  determined  to be unfounded, if the conditions in
26    the child's or family's home are reasonably likely to subject
27    the child or family to  future  reports  of  suspected  child
28    abuse  or  neglect.   Acceptance  of  such  services shall be
29    voluntary.
30        The Department may, at its discretion  except  for  those
31    children  also adjudicated neglected or dependent, accept for
32    care  and  training  any  child  who  has  been   adjudicated
33    addicted,  as  a  truant minor in need of supervision or as a
34    minor  requiring  authoritative   intervention,   under   the
                            -28-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    Juvenile  Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but no
 2    such child shall be committed to the Department by any  court
 3    without the approval of the Department.  A minor charged with
 4    a  criminal  offense  under  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961 or
 5    adjudicated delinquent shall not be placed in the custody  of
 6    or  committed  to the Department by any court, except a minor
 7    less than 13 years of age committed to the  Department  under
 8    Section 5-23 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 9        (m)  The  Department  may assume temporary custody of any
10    child if:
11             (1)  it has  received  a  written  consent  to  such
12        temporary  custody  signed by the parents of the child or
13        by the parent having custody of the child if the  parents
14        are  not  living together or by the guardian or custodian
15        of the child if the child is not in the custody of either
16        parent, or
17             (2)  the child is found in the State and  neither  a
18        parent,  guardian  nor  custodian  of  the  child  can be
19        located.
20    If the child is found in  his  or  her  residence  without  a
21    parent,  guardian,  custodian  or  responsible caretaker, the
22    Department may, instead of removing the  child  and  assuming
23    temporary  custody, place an authorized representative of the
24    Department in that residence until such  time  as  a  parent,
25    guardian  or  custodian  enters  the  home  and  expresses  a
26    willingness  and  apparent ability to resume permanent charge
27    of the child, or until a relative  enters  the  home  and  is
28    willing  and  able  to  assume  charge  of  the child until a
29    parent, guardian or custodian enters the home  and  expresses
30    such  willingness  and  ability  to  resume permanent charge.
31    After a caretaker has remained in the home for a  period  not
32    to   exceed  12  hours,  the  Department  must  follow  those
33    procedures outlined in Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9  of  the
34    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
                            -29-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        The Department shall have the authority, responsibilities
 2    and  duties  that  a  legal custodian of the child would have
 3    pursuant to subsection (9) of Section  1-3  of  the  Juvenile
 4    Court  Act of 1987.  Whenever a child is taken into temporary
 5    custody pursuant to an investigation  under  the  Abused  and
 6    Neglected  Child Reporting Act, or pursuant to a referral and
 7    acceptance under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 of a minor in
 8    limited  custody,  the  Department,  during  the  period   of
 9    temporary  custody  and  before the child is brought before a
10    judicial officer as required by Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9
11    of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall have the  authority,
12    responsibilities  and  duties  that  a legal custodian of the
13    child would have under subsection (9) of Section 1-3  of  the
14    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
15        The  Department  shall  ensure  that any child taken into
16    custody  is  scheduled  for  an  appointment  for  a  medical
17    examination.
18        A parent,  guardian  or  custodian  of  a  child  in  the
19    temporary custody of the Department who would have custody of
20    the  child  if  he  were  not in the temporary custody of the
21    Department may deliver to the  Department  a  signed  request
22    that  the  Department  surrender the temporary custody of the
23    child.  The Department may retain temporary  custody  of  the
24    child  for  10  days after the receipt of the request, during
25    which period the Department may cause to be filed a  petition
26    pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  If a petition is
27    so  filed,  the  Department shall retain temporary custody of
28    the child until the court orders otherwise.  If a petition is
29    not filed within the  10  day  period,  the  child  shall  be
30    surrendered to the custody of the requesting parent, guardian
31    or  custodian  not  later  than  the expiration of the 10 day
32    period, at  which  time  the  authority  and  duties  of  the
33    Department with respect to the temporary custody of the child
34    shall terminate.
                            -30-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        (n)  The  Department may place children under 18 years of
 2    age in licensed child care facilities when in the opinion  of
 3    the   Department,   appropriate   services  aimed  at  family
 4    preservation have been unsuccessful or unavailable  and  such
 5    placement  would  be  for  their  best interest.  Payment for
 6    board, clothing, care, training and supervision of any  child
 7    placed  in  a licensed child care facility may be made by the
 8    Department, by the parents or guardians  of  the  estates  of
 9    those  children, or by both the Department and the parents or
10    guardians, except that no  payments  shall  be  made  by  the
11    Department  for  any  child  placed  in a licensed child care
12    facility for board, clothing, care, training and  supervision
13    of  such  a  child that exceed the average per capita cost of
14    maintaining and of caring for a  child  in  institutions  for
15    dependent  or  neglected children operated by the Department.
16    However, such restriction on payments does not apply in cases
17    where children require specialized  care  and  treatment  for
18    problems    of   severe   emotional   disturbance,   physical
19    disability, social adjustment, or any combination thereof and
20    suitable facilities for the placement of  such  children  are
21    not  available  at  payment  rates within the limitations set
22    forth  in  this  Section.  All  reimbursements  for  services
23    delivered shall  be  absolutely  inalienable  by  assignment,
24    sale, attachment, garnishment or otherwise.
25        (o)  The  Department  shall  establish  an administrative
26    review and appeal  process  for  children  and  families  who
27    request   or   receive   child   welfare  services  from  the
28    Department.  Children who are wards of the Department and are
29    placed by private child welfare agencies, and foster families
30    with whom those children are placed, shall  be  afforded  the
31    same procedural and appeal rights as children and families in
32    the  case of placement by the Department, including the right
33    to an  initial review of a private agency  decision  by  that
34    agency.   The  Department shall insure that any private child
                            -31-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    welfare agency, which accepts wards  of  the  Department  for
 2    placement,  affords  those  rights  to  children  and  foster
 3    families.   The  Department  shall  accept for administrative
 4    review and an appeal hearing a complaint made by a  child  or
 5    foster  family  concerning  a  decision  following an initial
 6    review by a private child welfare agency.   An  appeal  of  a
 7    decision  concerning  a  change  in  the placement of a child
 8    shall be conducted in an expedited manner.
 9        (p)  There is hereby created the Department  of  Children
10    and  Family Services Emergency Assistance Fund from which the
11    Department  may  provide  special  financial  assistance   to
12    families which are in economic crisis when such assistance is
13    not available through other public or private sources and the
14    assistance  is deemed necessary to prevent dissolution of the
15    family unit or to reunite families which have been  separated
16    due  to  child  abuse  and  neglect.   The  Department  shall
17    establish  administrative  rules  specifying the criteria for
18    determining eligibility for and  the  amount  and  nature  of
19    assistance  to  be  provided.   The Department may also enter
20    into  written  agreements  with  private  and  public  social
21    service agencies to provide emergency financial  services  to
22    families  referred  by  the  Department.    Special financial
23    assistance payments shall be available to a  family  no  more
24    than once during each fiscal year and the total payments to a
25    family may not exceed $500 during a fiscal year.
26        (q)  The   Department  may  receive  and  use,  in  their
27    entirety, for the benefit of children any gift,  donation  or
28    bequest  of  money  or  other  property  which is received on
29    behalf of such children, or any financial benefits  to  which
30    such  children  are  or  may  become entitled while under the
31    jurisdiction or care of the Department.
32        The Department  shall  set  up  and  administer  no-cost,
33    interest-bearing  savings  accounts  in appropriate financial
34    institutions ("individual accounts") for  children  for  whom
                            -32-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    the  Department  is  legally  responsible  and  who have been
 2    determined eligible for Veterans' Benefits,  Social  Security
 3    benefits,  assistance allotments from the armed forces, court
 4    ordered payments, parental voluntary  payments,  Supplemental
 5    Security  Income,  Railroad  Retirement  payments, Black Lung
 6    benefits, or other miscellaneous payments.   Interest  earned
 7    by  each individual account shall be credited to the account,
 8    unless disbursed in accordance with this subsection.
 9        In disbursing funds from children's individual  accounts,
10    the Department shall:
11             (1)  Establish  standards  in  accordance with State
12        and federal laws for  disbursing  money  from  children's
13        individual   accounts.    In   all   circumstances,   the
14        Department's  "Guardianship  Administrator" or his or her
15        designee  must  approve  disbursements  from   children's
16        individual accounts.  The Department shall be responsible
17        for  keeping  complete  records  of all disbursements for
18        each individual account for any purpose.
19             (2)  Calculate on a monthly basis the  amounts  paid
20        from  State funds for the child's board and care, medical
21        care not covered under Medicaid, and social services; and
22        utilize funds from the  child's  individual  account,  as
23        covered   by   regulation,   to  reimburse  those  costs.
24        Monthly, disbursements  from  all  children's  individual
25        accounts,  up  to 1/12 of $13,000,000, shall be deposited
26        by the Department into the General Revenue Fund  and  the
27        balance over 1/12 of $13,000,000 into the DCFS Children's
28        Services Fund.
29             (3)  Maintain    any    balance    remaining   after
30        reimbursing for the child's costs of care,  as  specified
31        in  item  (2). The balance shall accumulate in accordance
32        with  relevant  State  and  federal  laws  and  shall  be
33        disbursed to the child or his or her guardian, or to  the
34        issuing agency.
                            -33-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        (r)  The    Department   shall   promulgate   regulations
 2    requiring encouraging all adoption  agencies  to  voluntarily
 3    forward to the Department or its agent names and addresses of
 4    all  persons  who have applied for and have been approved for
 5    adoption of a hard-to-place  or  handicapped  child  and  the
 6    names  of such children who have not been placed for adoption
 7    in accordance with Sections 7.5 and  7.10.  A  list  of  such
 8    names  and addresses shall be maintained by the Department or
 9    its agent as part of  the  Child  Foster  Care  and  Adoption
10    Network,  and  coded lists which maintain the confidentiality
11    of the person seeking to adopt the child  and  of  the  child
12    shall  be  made  available, without charge, to every adoption
13    agency in the State to assist the agencies  in  placing  such
14    children  for  adoption.  The  Department  may delegate to an
15    agent its duty to maintain and  make  available  such  lists.
16    The  Department  shall  ensure  that such agent maintains the
17    confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the child  and
18    of the child.
19        (s)  The  Department  of Children and Family Services may
20    establish and implement a program to reimburse Department and
21    private child welfare agency foster parents licensed  by  the
22    Department  of  Children  and  Family  Services  for  damages
23    sustained  by the foster parents as a result of the malicious
24    or negligent acts of foster children, as  well  as  providing
25    third  party  coverage for such foster parents with regard to
26    actions  of  foster  children  to  other  individuals.   Such
27    coverage will be secondary to  the  foster  parent  liability
28    insurance policy, if applicable.  The program shall be funded
29    through   appropriations   from  the  General  Revenue  Fund,
30    specifically designated for such purposes.
31        (t)  The  Department  shall  perform  home  studies   and
32    investigations and shall exercise supervision over visitation
33    as  ordered  by a court pursuant to the Illinois Marriage and
34    Dissolution of Marriage Act or the Adoption Act only if:
                            -34-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1             (1)  an  order  entered   by   an   Illinois   court
 2        specifically  directs  the  Department  to  perform  such
 3        services; and
 4             (2)  the  court  has  ordered  one  or  both  of the
 5        parties to the proceeding to reimburse the Department for
 6        its reasonable  costs  for  providing  such  services  in
 7        accordance  with Department rules, or has determined that
 8        neither party is financially able to pay.
 9        The Department shall provide written notification to  the
10    court  of the specific arrangements for supervised visitation
11    and projected monthly costs  within  60  days  of  the  court
12    order.  The  Department  shall  send to the court information
13    related to the costs incurred except in cases where the court
14    has determined the parties are financially unable to pay. The
15    court may order additional periodic reports as appropriate.
16        (u)  Whenever the Department places a child in a licensed
17    foster home, group home, child  care  institution,  or  in  a
18    relative home, the Department shall provide to the caretaker:
19             (1)  available  detailed  information concerning the
20        child's  educational  and  health  history,   copies   of
21        immunization  records  (including  insurance  and medical
22        card information), a  history  of  the  child's  previous
23        placements,  if  any,  and  reasons for placement changes
24        excluding any information that identifies or reveals  the
25        location of any previous caretaker;
26             (2)  a  copy  of  the  child's portion of the client
27        service plan, including any visitation  arrangement,  and
28        all  amendments  or  revisions  to  it  as related to the
29        child; and
30             (3)  information containing details of  the  child's
31        individualized   educational   plan  when  the  child  is
32        receiving special education services.
33        The caretaker shall be informed of any  known  social  or
34    behavioral  information  (including, but not limited to, fire
                            -35-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    setting, perpetuation of sexual abuse, destructive  behavior,
 2    and  substance abuse) necessary to care for and safeguard the
 3    child.
 4        (u-5)  Effective  July  1,   1995,   only   foster   care
 5    placements  licensed  as  foster family homes pursuant to the
 6    Child Care Act of 1969 shall be eligible  to  receive  foster
 7    care  payments  from the Department. Relative caregivers who,
 8    as of July  1,  1995,  were  approved  pursuant  to  approved
 9    relative   placement  rules  previously  promulgated  by  the
10    Department at 89 Ill. Adm. Code  335  and  had  submitted  an
11    application  for  licensure  as  a  foster  family  home  may
12    continue  to  receive  foster  care  payments  only until the
13    Department determines that they may be licensed as  a  foster
14    family home or that their application for licensure is denied
15    or until September 30, 1995, whichever occurs first.
16        (v)  The  Department shall access criminal history record
17    information  as defined in the  Illinois  Uniform  Conviction
18    Information   Act   and   information   maintained   in   the
19    adjudicatory  and  dispositional  record system as defined in
20    subdivision (A)19 of Section 55a of the Civil  Administrative
21    Code of Illinois if the Department determines the information
22    is  necessary  to  perform  its  duties  under the Abused and
23    Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child Care  Act  of  1969,
24    and  the  Children  and  Family Services Act.  The Department
25    shall provide for interactive computerized communication  and
26    processing    equipment    that    permits   direct   on-line
27    communication with the Department of State  Police's  central
28    criminal  history  data  repository.   The  Department  shall
29    comply   with  all  certification  requirements  and  provide
30    certified operators who have been trained by  personnel  from
31    the  Department  of State Police.  In addition, one Office of
32    the Inspector General investigator shall have training in the
33    use of the criminal history  information  access  system  and
34    have  access to the terminal.  The Department of Children and
                            -36-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    Family Services and its employees shall abide  by  rules  and
 2    regulations  established  by  the  Department of State Police
 3    relating to the access and dissemination of this information.
 4        (w)  Within 120 days of August 20,  1995  (the  effective
 5    date  of Public Act 89-392), the Department shall prepare and
 6    submit to the Governor and the General  Assembly,  a  written
 7    plan  for  the  development of in-state licensed secure child
 8    care facilities that care for children who  are  in  need  of
 9    secure  living  arrangements  for  their  health, safety, and
10    well-being.  For purposes of  this  subsection,  secure  care
11    facility  shall mean a facility that is designed and operated
12    to ensure that all entrances and exits from the  facility,  a
13    building  or  a  distinct part of the building, are under the
14    exclusive control of the staff of the  facility,  whether  or
15    not  the  child  has  the  freedom  of  movement  within  the
16    perimeter  of the facility, building, or distinct part of the
17    building.  The plan shall include descriptions of  the  types
18    of  facilities  that  are  needed  in  Illinois;  the cost of
19    developing these secure care facilities; the estimated number
20    of placements; the potential cost savings resulting from  the
21    movement of children currently out-of-state who are projected
22    to   be   returned  to  Illinois;  the  necessary  geographic
23    distribution of these facilities in Illinois; and a  proposed
24    timetable for development of such facilities.
25    (Source: P.A.  88-380;  88-398;  88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94;
26    88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-21,  eff.  6-6-95;  89-392,  eff.
27    8-20-95; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
28        (20 ILCS 505/7.5 new)
29        Sec. 7.5.  Recruitment and retention of foster placements
30    and adoptive placements.
31        (a)  Recruitment.  All licensed  child  welfare  agencies
32    that receive State funding for their services shall work with
33    their   respective  regional  office  of  the  Department  of
                            -37-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    Children and  Family  Services  to  create  an  adequate  and
 2    appropriate pool of foster and adoptive family placements for
 3    children  in  need  of substitute care.  The goal shall be to
 4    achieve timely permanent placement for each minor  within  12
 5    months  from  the  date  of  adjudication  of wardship of the
 6    minor.  For  purposes  of  this  Section,  the  terms  foster
 7    placement or adoptive placement shall refer to foster  family
 8    or adoptive family.
 9        The  Department  shall  require  that each licensed child
10    welfare agency receiving State funding, as a condition of its
11    State contract  to  provide  foster  placements,  shall  make
12    special  efforts  to  recruit and retain a sufficient current
13    pool of appropriate licensed foster placements  to  meet  the
14    cultural and special needs of children served by that agency.
15    For  purposes of this Section, appropriate shall mean willing
16    and able to care for a  child  in  need  of  placement  under
17    federal  and  State  laws  governing foster care licensing or
18    approval.  A licensed child welfare agency's current pool  of
19    licensed foster placements shall be deemed sufficient when it
20    comprises no less than a 2-to-1 ratio of appropriate licensed
21    foster  placements  to  children  in  need  of placement.  To
22    generate its current pool of licensed foster placement,  each
23    licensed  child  welfare  agency shall be expected to include
24    recruits from among appropriate relatives of children in need
25    of foster care, families of the same racial or ethnic origin,
26    families  residing  in  the   Department's   service   region
27    proximate   to  the  child's  natural  family,  and  families
28    residing within the geographical area served by the  licensed
29    child welfare agency.
30        The  Department  shall  require  that each licensed child
31    welfare agency receiving State funding, as a condition of its
32    State contract to provide  adoptive  placements,  shall  make
33    special  efforts  to  recruit and retain a sufficient current
34    pool of appropriate adoptive placements to meet the  cultural
                            -38-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    and  special  needs  of  children served by that agency.  For
 2    purposes of this Section, appropriate shall mean willing  and
 3    able  to  care  for  a child in need of placement pursuant to
 4    federal and  State  laws  governing  adoptive  placement.   A
 5    licensed  child  welfare agency's current pool of appropriate
 6    adoptive  placements  shall  be  deemed  sufficient  when  it
 7    comprises no less than a 2-to-1 ratio of appropriate adoptive
 8    placements to children in need of placement.  To generate its
 9    current  pool  of  appropriate  adoptive   placements,   each
10    licensed  child  welfare  agency shall be expected to include
11    recruits from among appropriate relatives of children in need
12    of adoption, families of the same racial  or  ethnic  origin,
13    and  families  residing  in  the  Department's service region
14    served by the licensed child welfare agency.
15        Recruitment efforts for foster  placements  and  adoptive
16    placements  shall  include contacting and working with foster
17    parent   organizations,   adoptive   parent    organizations,
18    community organizations, and religious organizations, and may
19    include contracting with these organizations, utilizing local
20    media  and  other local information resources, and conducting
21    outreach activities.   Each  licensed  child  welfare  agency
22    shall  have a written recruitment plan to be submitted to the
23    Department for  approval  prior  to  approval  of  its  State
24    contract.  The plan must include:
25             (1)  strategies   for   using   existing   community
26        resources,  including  foster  parent and adoptive parent
27        organizations,  religious  organizations,  and  community
28        organizations;
29             (2)  strategies to  eliminate  racial,  ethnic,  and
30        national  origin  discrimination and bias in recruitment,
31        selection and placement procedures  in  order  to  foster
32        placement  of  children in placements that will best meet
33        each child's needs; and
34             (3)  goals, objectives, and timetable for compliance
                            -39-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1        of  2-to-1  ratio  of  foster  placements   or   adoptive
 2        placements for children in need of placement.
 3        The  Department shall require that licensed child welfare
 4    agencies must be in no less  than  50%  compliance  with  the
 5    placement  ratio  within  60  days  of contract approval; 75%
 6    compliance within 120 days  of  contract  approval;  and  95%
 7    compliance  within  180  days  of contract approval.  For the
 8    balance of the contractual  period,  licensed  child  welfare
 9    agencies  will  be  required  to be at 100% ratio compliance.
10    If at any time a licensed child welfare  agency  should  fall
11    10%  below  ratio  compliance,  the  Department shall affix a
12    penalty  of  not  more  than  10%  of  the   value   of   the
13    administrative  expenses  for  those foster care placement or
14    adoptive placement services below contract compliance for the
15    period of time the Department determines the services  to  be
16    below  contract  compliance.  This Section shall be phased in
17    over 2 years from the date of its enactment.  The  Department
18    shall   have  the  authority  to  promulgate  rules  for  the
19    implementation of this  Section,  pursuant  to  the  Illinois
20    Administrative Procedure Act.
21        The plan must include staffing goals and objectives.  The
22    licensed  child  welfare agency must ensure that adoption and
23    foster care workers attend training offered and  approved  by
24    the  Department regarding cultural diversity and the needs of
25    special needs children.
26        (b)  Reimbursement   rates   for    adoptive    services.
27    Legislative  intent:  it  is  the  intention  of  the General
28    Assembly to  provide  new  incentives  for  timely  permanent
29    placement  of  children  in  need  of adoption.  The State of
30    Michigan has established a program which has a proven  record
31    of  providing  such  incentives and obtaining timely adoptive
32    placement of children.  The Department shall have  rulemaking
33    authority   to   implement  this  Section  and  establish  an
34    incentive program. All licensed child welfare  agencies  that
                            -40-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    are under contract with the Department to provide foster care
 2    and  adoption  services  shall  be  offered reimbursement for
 3    adoptions based upon a three-tiered flat rate:
 4             (1)  An enhanced rate will  be  paid  to  the  child
 5        welfare  agency  that places a child in its care within 6
 6        months of wardship.
 7             (2)  A standard rate will be paid to an agency  that
 8        places  a child in its care after 6 months of the date of
 9        wardship.
10             (3)  A premium rate will be paid to an  agency  that
11        places  a  child  registered  on  the  Illinois  Adoption
12        Information Exchange.  The premium rate will not apply to
13        foster  parent  or  relative  adoptions.  The agency that
14        registers the child on the Exchange will not be  eligible
15        to receive the premium rate.
16             (4)  Only  a  pre-placement rate will be paid to the
17        child welfare agency when a child in its care  is  placed
18        by  another  child  welfare agency or Department regional
19        office.
20        If a child is not placed within 6 months of wardship, the
21    child  shall  be  registered  with  the   Illinois   Adoption
22    Information  Exchange.   Failure  to  register  the child, as
23    required, shall result in a 20%  reduction  in  the  licensed
24    child  welfare agency's administrative rate for the child not
25    registered until the  child  is  registered.  The  Department
26    shall have rulemaking authority to implement this Section and
27    to  determine  any  additional penalties, up to and including
28    loss of licensure if failures are willful and repeated.
29        Once a child  is  registered  on  the  Illinois  Adoption
30    Information  Exchange,  the child is available on a statewide
31    basis for placement by  any  private  adoption  agency  under
32    contract with the Department or any departmental office.
33        (c)  Listing   of   prospective   adoptive   homes.   The
34    Department of Children and Family  Services  shall  establish
                            -41-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    and  operate the Illinois Adoption Information Exchange.  The
 2    Illinois  Adoption  Information  Exchange  shall  maintain  a
 3    current  listing  of  all  prospective  adoptive   homes   in
 4    Illinois.   A  placement shall be listed when the prospective
 5    adoptive parent  or  parents  have  completed  a  home  study
 6    conducted  by  the  Department or one of its assigns and have
 7    met the requirements  for  licensing.   Each  licensed  child
 8    welfare agency shall report all prospective adoptive homes to
 9    the  Illinois  Adoption  Information  Exchange within 30 days
10    after the  issuance  of  a  license.   The  Department  shall
11    promulgate  rules  for  the collection of specific data to be
12    maintained on the Exchange with respect to  each  prospective
13    home.   The  Department  shall  have  rulemaking authority to
14    implement this Section.
15        As a separate part of the Exchange, the Department  shall
16    also  accept  information  from a prospective adoptive parent
17    who has received a favorable  home  study  conducted  by  the
18    Department  or its assigns that the individual is suitable to
19    be the parent of an adoptee.  The information shall be  filed
20    in  a  form  and  manner  that  will  permit it to be readily
21    accessible to biological parents or  licensed  child  welfare
22    agencies seeking adoptive homes for children.
23        (d)  Annual  reports.   The  Department  shall compile an
24    annual  report  of  all  foster   placements   and   adoptive
25    placements taking place in Illinois.
26        By  January  31 of each year, each licensed child welfare
27    agency which places children  for  foster  care  or  adoption
28    shall report the following:
29             Total number of children placed in foster care.
30             Total number of children placed for adoption.
31             Comparative numbers of placements recruited, filled,
32        and unfilled by county.
33             Comparative numbers of placements recruited, filled,
34        and unfilled by racial or ethnic origin.
                            -42-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1             Sources  of  children  placed  for  adoption  by the
 2        following categories:
 3                  Original locality of child by county, state  or
 4             nation.
 5                  Whether child was subject to a proceeding under
 6             the  Juvenile  Court Act of 1987 prior to consent or
 7             surrender.
 8                  Whether the child was subject of a petition  of
 9             termination  of  parental  rights under the Juvenile
10             Court Act of 1987.
11             Racial or ethnic background of children  and  foster
12        or adoptive parent or parents.
13             Biological  relationship,  if  any, between children
14        and foster or adoptive parent or parents.
15             Gender of children.
16             Age of children.
17             Number of children per placement.
18             Number of prior foster placements.
19             Total number of adoption disruptions.
20             Special needs, if any, of children placed.
21             Number of parents in each home.
22        Each licensed child welfare agency shall  use  the  Child
23    Foster  Care  and  Adoption Network to make its report to the
24    Department.
25        By March 31 of each year, the  Department  shall  provide
26    the  General Assembly with a comprehensive report on the type
27    and number of adoptions  completed  in  Illinois  during  the
28    previous year.  The report shall include all data provided by
29    licensed child welfare agencies pursuant to this Section, all
30    data  obtained pursuant to the Department's administration of
31    the Interstate Compact  on  Adoptions  and  pursuant  to  the
32    Department's  processing  of  intercounty  adoptions, and all
33    data obtained from the Illinois Department of  Public  Health
34    relating  to  private  adoptions.  The Department of Children
                            -43-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    and Family Services shall have the authority pursuant to  the
 2    Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act  to  promulgate such
 3    rules as may be necessary to obtain  the  necessary  data  to
 4    prepare this report.
 5        (20 ILCS 505/7.10 new)
 6        Sec.  7.10.   Automated  child  foster  care and adoption
 7    network.  By July 1, 1997, the Department shall establish  an
 8    automated Child Foster Care and Adoption Network ("CFCAN") in
 9    every Department service region.
10        The  CFCAN shall link all licensed child welfare agencies
11    in each Department service region to the Department in  order
12    to access a current listing of all licensed foster placements
13    and  adoptive  placements  currently  available through their
14    agencies  and  the  children  currently  placed  or  awaiting
15    placement in a foster or adoptive placement.  It shall be the
16    responsibility of  each  licensed  child  welfare  agency  to
17    provide the Department with a current listing of all licensed
18    foster  care and adoptive home slots within 48 hours of their
19    availability by transmitting  that  data  to  the  Department
20    through  an  automation device in order to maintain a current
21    and accurate listing of all foster care arrangements and  all
22    adoptive  placements  including  those listed in the Illinois
23    Adoption Information Exchange.  The Network shall be used  to
24    (i)  match  children  requiring foster or adoptive placements
25    with (ii) an appropriate foster  placement  and  (iii)  place
26    children in suitable adoptive placements.
27        In  addition to the data to be reported by licensed child
28    welfare agencies under subsection (c)  of  Section  7.5,  the
29    agencies shall also report to the Department the full name of
30    the  foster  or adoptive parent, address, city, zip code, and
31    telephone number of the licensed foster home, the  number  of
32    slots  available for placement in the home, the type of slots
33    available based upon placement criteria such as age, cultural
                            -44-               LRB9000704MWpc
 1    and linguistic background, education level, and special needs
 2    of the child as well as status of placement such as emergency
 3    placements or long term placements.  All information reported
 4    shall be handled in a confidential manner as required by law.
 5        Planning and implementation of the  CFCAN  shall  be  the
 6    responsibility  of  the  Department  and  shall  include  the
 7    development  of all necessary computer applications and forms
 8    and the  purchase  and  installation  of  computer  hardware.
 9    Successful  compliance  with  CFCAN  shall  be  a  basis  for
10    consideration  of  receiving  State funding by licensed child
11    welfare agencies providing foster care or adoptive services.
12        Section 95.  No acceleration or delay.   Where  this  Act
13    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
14    text  that  is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a
15    Section represented by multiple versions), the  use  of  that
16    text  does  not  accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i)
17    the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived  from
18    any other Public Act.
19        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
20    becoming law.

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