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| Public Act 101-0569 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended | ||||
by adding Section 21.2a as follows: | ||||
(20 ILCS 505/21.2a new) | ||||
Sec. 21.2a. The Department of Children and Family Services' | ||||
Child Protection Training Academy. | ||||
(a) Findings. The General Assembly finds and declares all | ||||
of the following: | ||||
(1) The Department of Children and Family Services | ||||
collaborated with the University of Illinois at | ||||
Springfield to develop the Child Protection Training | ||||
Academy in 2015. | ||||
(2) The Child Protection Training Academy represents | ||||
an innovative approach to training frontline child | ||||
protection investigators using experiential learning | ||||
through simulations. Simulations provide a safe learning | ||||
environment that bridges the gap between policy and | ||||
practice, increases worker engagement, and accelerates | ||||
learning. | ||||
(3) Research indicates that traditional classroom | ||||
training results in less than a 15% transfer of knowledge | ||||
once in the field. | ||
(b)
Subject to appropriation, the training efforts of the | ||
Child Protection Training Academy shall include, but not be | ||
limited to, the following: | ||
(1) The continued development of simulation training | ||
for all child protection investigators, including those | ||
newly hired and seasoned investigators. | ||
(2) The continued development and implementation of | ||
simulation training for investigation, intact, and | ||
permanency supervisors. | ||
(3) The development of simulation training for intact | ||
and permanency workers both in the Department and at | ||
private agencies. | ||
(4) The development of simulation-based training | ||
curricula on recognizing and responding to cases of child | ||
abuse or neglect for mandated reporters. | ||
(5) The development of simulation-based training for | ||
multidisciplinary teams in partnership with the | ||
Department, including, but not limited to, the use of mock | ||
medical and mock forensic facilities. | ||
(6) Cultural competency training for investigative | ||
staff that provides tools and other supports to ensure that | ||
a child welfare provider's response to and engagement with | ||
families and children of color are: (i) conducted or | ||
provided in a manner that is responsive to the beliefs, | ||
interpersonal styles, attitudes, language, and behaviors | ||
of the individuals who are receiving services; and (ii) | ||
conducted or provided in a manner that has the greatest | ||
likelihood of ensuring maximum
success of or participation | ||
in the child welfare program or services being provided. | ||
(7) Laboratory training facilities that may include, | ||
but not be limited to, mock houses, mock courtrooms, mock | ||
medical facilities, and mock forensic interview rooms that | ||
allow for simulated, interactive, and intensive training. | ||
(8) Minimum standards of competence that staff shall be | ||
required to demonstrate prior to receiving Child Welfare | ||
Employee Licensure certification from the Department. | ||
(c) By July 1, 2020, the Department of Children and Family | ||
Services may adopt procedures for the administration of the | ||
Child Protection Training Academy that not only establish | ||
statewide competence, assessment, and training standards for | ||
persons providing child welfare services, but that also ensure | ||
that persons who provide child welfare services have the | ||
knowledge, skills, professionalism, and abilities to make | ||
decisions that keep children safe and secure.
The Department | ||
shall continue to arrange for an independent evaluation of the | ||
Child Protection Training Academy through June 2021, inclusive | ||
of the first 5 years of operation. Nothing in this Section | ||
prohibits the Department from administering simulation | ||
training with other entities outside of the University of | ||
Illinois at Springfield. The Department may contract with any | ||
entity to provide all aspects of child welfare training.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||