State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB1303

      20 ILCS 2310/55.78
          Amends  the  Civil  Administrative  Code   of   Illinois.
      Provides   that   the   Department  of  Human  Services  (now
      Department of Public Health)  shall  administer  the  Healthy
      Families  Initiative.   Provides  that  the  Department shall
      establish local steering committees for  the  Initiative  and
      may  focus  implementation  of  the Initiative in communities
      with a high incidence of child abuse.  Deletes the provisions
      concerning the comprehensive  inventory  of  home  visitation
      services.  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9004564PTcw
                                               LRB9004564PTcw
 1        AN ACT to amend the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
 2    by changing Section 55.78.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The Civil Administrative Code of Illinois  is
 6    amended by changing Section 55.78 as follows:
 7        (20 ILCS 2310/55.78)
 8        Sec. 55.78. Healthy Families Initiative.
 9        (a)  The  Department  of Human Services Public Health, in
10    cooperation  with  the  Department  of  Children  and  Family
11    Services, the Illinois Department  of  Public  Health  Public
12    Aid,  and  other  related State and community agencies, shall
13    convene the a steering committee appointed under  Public  Act
14    88-614  to develop a plan to implement the a Healthy Families
15    statewide initiative to prevent the occurrence of child abuse
16    and  neglect  and  to  promote  positive  child  health   and
17    development.   The  program  shall  be  based  on the Healthy
18    Families America model of a  voluntary  program  to  identify
19    at-risk families who are confronted with a significant number
20    of elements that could lead to child abuse and neglect and to
21    offer help before any incidence occurs.
22        (b)  The  goals  of the Healthy Families Initiative shall
23    include the following:
24             (1)  Strengthening family functioning.
25             (2)  Enhancing child development.
26             (3)  Promoting positive parenting.
27             (4)  Enhancing parent-child interaction.
28             (5)  Ensuring primary health care for all families.
29             (6)  Ensuring  appropriate   use   of   health   and
30        community  resources in providing prevention services and
31        the promotion of positive child health and development.
                            -2-                LRB9004564PTcw
 1        (c)  The steering committee may review  similar  programs
 2    operating  in  other  states.   The Initiative must provide a
 3    comprehensive, coordinated program of prevention services for
 4    infants and young children through a voluntary  home  visitor
 5    program   for   new   parents   and   their  children.  Funds
 6    appropriated to the Initiative may be used to support or  The
 7    plan  shall  utilize  and  may  expand  existing programs and
 8    services currently operating in the  State,  as  well  as  to
 9    develop  and  implement  a  statewide  system of training and
10    technical assistance supporting the  programs  and  services.
11    Where there are no existing services, the Department of Human
12    Services may authorize the development of new local programs,
13    which  incorporate  the proven critical elements contained in
14    the Healthy  Families  America  model.   The  programs  shall
15    include  an  evaluation  component.   The Department of Human
16    Services is  authorized  to  contract  for  the  study.   The
17    Department  of  Human  Services  may  provide,  by  grant  or
18    contract,  support  to  a  statewide  child  abuse prevention
19    organization for the development and  implementation  of  the
20    Healthy  Families  initiative  and evaluation.  Funds for the
21    Healthy Families initiative shall be sought from the  federal
22    government and State human service code departments.  Private
23    sponsorship may also be sought.
24        (d)  (Blank).  The  steering  committee  shall  inventory
25    State  and local resources providing relevant home visitation
26    services to families and evaluate how these resources may  be
27    included in a statewide Healthy Families implementation plan.
28    This  may  result  in  renaming current programs and bringing
29    them into compliance with the  requirements  of  the  Healthy
30    Families  America  model  to create a comprehensive statewide
31    system that can be effectively monitored and evaluated.
32        (d-5)  The  steering  committee  shall  work   with   the
33    Department  of  Human  Services  to oversee implementation of
34    this Section and  shall  work  to  establish  local  steering
                            -3-                LRB9004564PTcw
 1    committees  composed  of representatives of appropriate State
 2    and   local   agencies,   service    providers,    hospitals,
 3    not-for-profit  community  agencies,  and  families  in every
 4    community selected for a Healthy Families Program.
 5        (e)  (Blank). The Department shall report to the Governor
 6    and General Assembly on the Healthy Families initiative  plan
 7    and submit recommendations by January 1, 1995.
 8        (e-5)  The  Department of Human Services, in consultation
 9    with the Healthy Families Initiative steering  committee  and
10    appropriate  State and local agencies, shall promulgate rules
11    and regulations necessary  for  the  implementation  of  this
12    Section.    The  Department  of  Human  Services  may  target
13    resources for initial implementation of the Healthy  Services
14    Families  Initiative  to  communities  that  have  had  child
15    fatalities as a result of child abuse and to communities that
16    have a high incidence of child abuse and neglect.
17    (Source: P.A. 88-614, eff. 9-7-94; 89-235, eff. 8-4-95.)
18        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
19    becoming law.

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