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| [ House Amendment 001 ] |
90_HB0091
20 ILCS 505/5c new
20 ILCS 505/34.13 new
20 ILCS 505/34.14 new
30 ILCS 505/9.07 new
Amends the Children and Family Services Act to create the
Children's Services Commission. Provides that the Commission
shall recommend ways to more effectively deliver services
provided by the State to children and families, to promote
inter-agency cooperation relating to the delivery of those
services, to more effectively use existing resources, and to
eliminate duplication of efforts. Directs the Commission to
make recommendations on the abolition of existing boards,
committees, and commissions and on the consolidation of the
powers and duties of those boards, committees, and
commissions into a single entity. Creates the Task Force on
Accreditation of Services for Children which shall develop
accreditation standards for foster homes, group homes,
community facilities, and other facilities and a 2-year plan
for mandatory accreditation for those facilities. Requires
employees of the Department of Children and Family Services
and independent contractors to possess certain qualifications
before providing direct child welfare services. Amends the
Illinois Purchasing Act to require prospective contractors
for child welfare services to prequalify with the Department
of Children and Family Services. Effective July 1, 1997.
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1 AN ACT concerning services for children.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is
5 amended by adding Sections 5c, 34.13, and 34.14 as follows:
6 (20 ILCS 505/5c new)
7 Sec. 5c. Qualifications for direct child welfare service
8 employees.
9 (a) After July 1, 1997, a person shall not be hired as a
10 direct child welfare service employee or an independent
11 contractor for direct child welfare services unless that
12 person has (i) a master's degree from an accredited or
13 State-approved graduate school in social work or social
14 welfare, marriage, family, and child counseling, child
15 psychology, child development, or child counseling psychology
16 or (ii) the equivalent education and experience, as
17 determined by the Department. If a person who is, on the
18 effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, a direct child
19 welfare service employee or an independent contractor who
20 provides direct child welfare services does not possess the
21 qualifications required by this Section by July 1, 2000, that
22 person's employment or contract shall be terminated.
23 (b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a),
24 after July 1, 1997, a person shall not be hired as a direct
25 child welfare service employee or an independent contractor
26 for direct child welfare services unless that person has all
27 of the following:
28 (1) At least 3 semester units or 100 days of field
29 practice or experience at the master's level in a public
30 or private social service agency setting.
31 (2) At least 9 semester units of course work
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1 related to children and families or 18 months experience
2 in working with children and families.
3 (3) At least 3 semester units in working with
4 minority populations, 6 months of experience with
5 minority populations, or 6 months in-service training in
6 working with minority populations within the first year
7 of employment as a condition of employment.
8 (4) At least 3 semester units in child welfare or 2
9 years of experience in a public or private child welfare
10 social service setting.
11 (c) As used in this Section, "direct child welfare
12 service employee" means a public or private employee who
13 provides investigative services, foster care services, or
14 family preservation services by or through the Department.
15 (20 ILCS 505/34.13 new)
16 Sec. 34.13. Children's Services Commission.
17 (a) There is established within the Department of
18 Children and Family Services the Children's Services
19 Commission. The Commission shall be composed of the
20 following members:
21 (1) The Director or Deputy Director of: the
22 Department of Children and Family Services, the
23 Department of Public Aid, the Department of State Police,
24 and the Department of Public Health; and the Secretary or
25 Assistant Secretary of Human Services.
26 (2) The State Superintendent of Education.
27 (3) One judge of a juvenile court, appointed by the
28 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
29 (4) Four members of the House of Representatives, 2
30 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
31 Representatives and 2 of whom shall be appointed by the
32 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
33 (5) Four members of the Senate, 2 of whom shall be
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1 appointed by the President of the Senate and 2 of whom
2 shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.
3 (b) The Commission shall:
4 (1) Make recommendations on how to encourage
5 greater inter-agency coordination and cooperation, to
6 provide for more effective utilization of existing
7 resources, and to eliminate duplication of efforts in
8 activities of State agencies that affect the legal rights
9 and well-being of children in Illinois. These
10 recommendations shall include recommendations for (i) the
11 abolition of existing boards, committees, and commissions
12 created under this Act or the Abused and Neglected Child
13 Reporting Act and other State boards, committees, and
14 commissions that deal with child welfare issues and (ii)
15 the consolidation of the powers and duties of those
16 boards, committees, and commissions into a single board,
17 committee, or commission.
18 (2) Develop a plan, to be phased in over a 3-year
19 period, for an integrated system for providing child
20 welfare and child care services to children in this State
21 through State programs.
22 (3) Develop a plan to improve the quality of child
23 welfare programs Statewide. This plan shall include, but
24 not be limited to:
25 (A) Methods for making these programs
26 available to those children and families who need
27 them regardless of their geographic location in the
28 State or their financial limitations.
29 (B) Program recommendations for child welfare
30 services that include child development, education,
31 supervision, health, and social services.
32 (C) Recommendations to address all federal
33 mandates concerning State child welfare programs.
34 (4) Evaluate the Commission's success in fulfilling
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1 its duties under this Section.
2 (5) Submit a report to the General Assembly by
3 February 1 of each year detailing the Commission's
4 activities and setting forth its recommendations.
5 (c) The Commission shall have an executive director,
6 appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services,
7 and 5 staff members who shall be provided by the Department
8 of Children and Family Services. The costs of the Commission
9 shall be paid from appropriations to the Department of
10 Children and Family Services for that purpose.
11 (20 ILCS 505/34.14 new)
12 Sec. 34.14. Accreditation of services for children.
13 (a) There is established within the Department of
14 Children and Family Services the Task Force on Accreditation
15 of Services for Children. The Governor shall convene a
16 meeting of that body on or before July 1, 1997.
17 (b) The Governor shall appoint a minimum of 15 members
18 to the Task Force. Membership of the Task Force shall
19 include, but not be limited to, the following:
20 (1) A representative from the Department of
21 Children and Family Services, the Department of Public
22 Aid, the Department of Public Health, and the Department
23 of Human Services.
24 (2) A representative from the State Board of
25 Education.
26 (3) Four representatives from university research
27 schools with expertise in children's services and,
28 specifically, standards of care.
29 (4) Three professionals in the field of child
30 welfare service delivery who have at least 5 years of
31 direct child welfare service experience and who have a
32 minimum of a Master's level degree in graduate studies
33 related to child welfare service delivery.
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1 (5) Two pediatric physicians, at least one of whom
2 is a pediatric psychiatrist, with at least 5 years of
3 direct child welfare servicing experience.
4 (6) One representative with experience in
5 accreditation of agencies serving children.
6 (c) No member serving on the Task Force shall be under
7 contract with the State of Illinois.
8 (d) Members of the Task Force shall receive no
9 compensation related to their service on the Task Force with
10 the exception of departmental employees.
11 (e) The Task Force may consult with additional persons,
12 advisory entities, and governmental agencies, as the Task
13 Force determines necessary.
14 (f) The Task Force shall develop a 2-year plan for
15 mandatory accreditation of all facilities for children in
16 substitute care, including group homes, foster family
17 agencies, foster family homes, and community treatment
18 facilities, in order to achieve the maximum quality of
19 residential services for children. Accreditation standards
20 shall also be developed for child welfare service personnel
21 who are employed by or are under contract with child welfare
22 agencies.
23 (g) The plan shall include, but not be limited to, all
24 of the following:
25 (1) Proof that the standards of accreditation have
26 been written with the participation of a diverse group of
27 service providers, advocacy organizations, and placement
28 agency personnel.
29 (2) A draft that sets forth accreditation standards
30 that are comprehensive and detailed, are concerned with
31 optimal achievement rather than minimal quality, and
32 provide for continuing and objective evaluation of
33 services.
34 (3) A recommended schedule for implementation of
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1 accreditation of residential facilities for children, and
2 a fiscal incentive strategy for programs that become
3 accredited.
4 The Task Force shall report its plan to the Governor and
5 the General Assembly by December 31, 1997.
6 Section 10. The Illinois Purchasing Act is amended by
7 adding Section 9.07 as follows:
8 (30 ILCS 505/9.07 new)
9 Sec. 9.07. The Department of Children and Family Services
10 shall require prospective contractors for child welfare
11 services, including those contracts involving professional
12 skills, to be prequalified to determine their responsibility
13 and competency to perform the prospective contract.
14 Contractors, including the principals, officers, or directors
15 of a corporation, who engage in political activity to
16 influence the bidding selection process or make political
17 contributions to political office holders who may influence
18 the bidding selection process, are automatically excluded
19 from the bidding process.
20 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on
21 July 1, 1997.