99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB1751

 

Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 505/5.05 new

    Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that by January 1, 2016, the Department of Children and Family Services shall convene a multi-disciplinary workgroup to review treatment programs for youth in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking and to make recommendations regarding a continuum of care for these vulnerable youth. Requires the workgroup to: (1) review existing models of treatment programs available in the State and outside the State for youth in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking and consider whether the programs have been subject to evaluation; (2) evaluate the need for new programs in the State; (3) review existing State laws and rules that permit children to be placed in secured therapeutic residential care; and (4) make recommendations regarding a continuum of care for children in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking. Contains provisions concerning the composition of the workgroup and the workgroup's access to certain records and information held by the Department. Requires the workgroup to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2017. Requires the Department to implement the workgroup's recommendations, as feasible and appropriate, by March 1, 2017 and to submit a report to the General Assembly explaining its decision to implement or to not implement each of the workgroup's recommendations.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning State government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
5by adding Section 5.05 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 505/5.05 new)
7    Sec. 5.05. Victims of sex trafficking.
8    (a) Legislative findings. Because of their histories of
9trauma, youth in the care of the Department of Children and
10Family Services are particularly vulnerable to sex
11traffickers. Sex traffickers often target child care
12facilities licensed by the Department to recruit their victims.
13Foster children who are victims of sex trafficking present
14unique treatment needs that existing treatment programs are not
15always able to address. The Department of Children and Family
16Services needs to develop a comprehensive strategy and
17continuum of care to treat foster children who are identified
18as victims of sex trafficking.
19    (b) Multi-disciplinary workgroup. By January 1, 2016, the
20Department shall convene a multi-disciplinary workgroup to
21review treatment programs for youth in the Department's care
22who are victims of sex trafficking and to make recommendations
23regarding a continuum of care for these vulnerable youth. The

 

 

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1workgroup shall do all of the following:
2        (1) Review existing models of treatment programs
3    available in the State and outside the State for youth in
4    the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking
5    and consider whether the programs have been subject to
6    evaluation.
7        (2) Evaluate the need for new programs in the State,
8    taking into account that youth in the Department's care who
9    are victims of sex trafficking can present a variety of
10    additional needs, including mental illness, medical needs,
11    emotional disturbance, and cognitive delays.
12        (3) Review existing State laws and rules that permit
13    children to be placed in secured therapeutic residential
14    care and recommend (i) whether secured residential care
15    should be part of a continuum of care in the State for
16    foster youth who have been sexually trafficked and who
17    repeatedly run away from treatment facilities, and if so,
18    whether any amendments to existing State laws and rules
19    should be made; and (ii) the circumstances under which
20    youth should be considered for placement in secured
21    therapeutic residential care.
22        (4) Make recommendations regarding a continuum of care
23    for children in the Department's care who are victims of
24    sex trafficking.
25    (c) Composition of workgroup. The workgroup shall consist
26of a minimum of:

 

 

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1        (1) two representatives of the Department, including
2    at least one who is familiar with child care facilities
3    licensed by the Department under the Child Care Act of 1969
4    that provide residential services;
5        (2) one representative of a child advocacy
6    organization;
7        (3) one licensed clinician with expertise in working
8    with youth in the Department's care;
9        (4) one licensed clinician with expertise in working
10    with youth who are victims of sex trafficking;
11        (5) one board-certified child and adolescent
12    psychiatrist;
13        (6) two persons representing providers of residential
14    treatment programs operating in the State;
15        (7) two persons representing providers of adolescent
16    foster care or specialized foster care programs operating
17    in the State;
18        (8) one representative of the Department of Children
19    and Family Services' Statewide Youth Advisory Board;
20        (9) one representative of an agency independent of the
21    Department who has experience in providing treatment to
22    children and youth who are victims of sex trafficking; and
23        (10) one representative of a law enforcement agency
24    that works with youth who are victims of sex trafficking.
25    (d) Records and information. Upon request, the Department
26shall provide the workgroup with all records and information in

 

 

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1the Department's possession that are relevant to the
2workgroup's review of existing programs and to the workgroup's
3review of the need for new programs for victims of sex
4trafficking. The Department shall redact any confidential
5information from the records and information provided to the
6workgroup to maintain the confidentiality of persons served by
7the Department.
8    (e) Workgroup report. The workgroup shall provide a report
9to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2017 with its
10findings and recommendations.
11    (f) Department report. No later than March 1, 2017, the
12Department shall implement the workgroup's recommendations, as
13feasible and appropriate, and shall submit a written report to
14the General Assembly that explains the Department's decision to
15implement or to not implement each of the workgroup's
16recommendations.