State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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90_HB0432

      20 ILCS 505/5             from Ch. 23, par. 5005
          Amends the Children and  Family  Services  Act.  Provides
      that,  within  180  days  after  the  effective  date of this
      amendatory Act, all children who had previously  been  placed
      by  the  Department  of  Children  and  Family  Services with
      relative caregivers who remain unlicensed  as  foster  family
      homes   shall   be  removed  from  those  placements  by  the
      Department.
                                                     LRB9001897DNcc
                                               LRB9001897DNcc
 1        AN ACT to amend the Children and Family Services  Act  by
 2    changing Section 5.
 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 as follows:
 7        (20 ILCS 505/5) (from Ch. 23, par. 5005)
 8        (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
 9        Sec.  5.  To  provide  direct child welfare services when
10    not available through other public or private child  care  or
11    program facilities.
12        (a)  For purposes of this Section:
13             (1)  "Children" means persons found within the State
14        who  are  under  the  age  of  18  years.   The term also
15        includes persons under age 19 who:
16                  (A)  were committed to the Department  pursuant
17             to  the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act
18             of 1987, as amended, prior to the age of 18 and  who
19             continue under the jurisdiction of the court; or
20                  (B)  were   accepted   for  care,  service  and
21             training by the Department prior to the  age  of  18
22             and  whose  best  interest  in the discretion of the
23             Department would be served by continuing that  care,
24             service  and  training  because  of severe emotional
25             disturbances, physical disability, social adjustment
26             or any combination thereof, or because of  the  need
27             to  complete  an  educational or vocational training
28             program.
29             (2)  "Homeless youth" means persons found within the
30        State who are under the age of 19, are not in a safe  and
31        stable living situation and cannot be reunited with their
                            -2-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1        families.
 2             (3)  "Child  welfare  services"  means public social
 3        services which are directed toward the accomplishment  of
 4        the following purposes:
 5                  (A)  protecting  and  promoting  the welfare of
 6             children, including homeless, dependent or neglected
 7             children;
 8                  (B)  preventing or remedying, or  assisting  in
 9             the  solution  of  problems which may result in, the
10             neglect,  abuse,  exploitation  or  delinquency   of
11             children;
12                  (C)  preventing  the  unnecessary separation of
13             children from their families by  identifying  family
14             problems,  assisting  families  in  resolving  their
15             problems,  and  preventing the breakup of the family
16             where the prevention of child removal  is  desirable
17             and possible;
18                  (D)  restoring  to  their families children who
19             have been removed, by the provision of  services  to
20             the child and the families;
21                  (E)  placing   children  in  suitable  adoptive
22             homes, in cases where restoration to the  biological
23             family is not possible or appropriate;
24                  (F)  assuring  adequate  care  of children away
25             from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be
26             returned home or cannot be placed for adoption;
27                  (G)  providing supportive services  and  living
28             maintenance   which   contribute  to  the  physical,
29             emotional and social well-being of children who  are
30             pregnant and unmarried;
31                  (H)  providing  shelter  and independent living
32             services for homeless youth; and
33                  (I)  placing  and   maintaining   children   in
34             facilities that provide separate living quarters for
                            -3-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1             children  under  the  age  of 18 and for children 18
 2             years of age and older, unless a child 18  years  of
 3             age  is in the last year of high school education or
 4             vocational training, in an  approved  individual  or
 5             group  treatment  program,  or in a licensed shelter
 6             facility.  The Department is not required  to  place
 7             or maintain children:
 8                       (i)  who are in a foster home, or
 9                       (ii)  who are persons with a developmental
10                  disability, as defined in the Mental Health and
11                  Developmental Disabilities Code, or
12                       (iii)  who  are  female  children  who are
13                  pregnant, pregnant and parenting or  parenting,
14                  or
15                       (iv)  who are siblings,
16             in  facilities that provide separate living quarters
17             for children 18 years  of  age  and  older  and  for
18             children under 18 years of age.
19        (b)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  to
20    authorize  the expenditure of public funds for the purpose of
21    performing abortions.
22        (c)  The  Department   shall   establish   and   maintain
23    tax-supported  child  welfare services and extend and seek to
24    improve voluntary services throughout the State, to  the  end
25    that  services  and care shall be available on an equal basis
26    throughout the State to children requiring such services.
27        (d)  The Director may authorize advance disbursements for
28    any new program initiative to any agency contracting with the
29    Department.   As a prerequisite for an advance  disbursement,
30    the contractor must post a surety bond in the amount  of  the
31    advance  disbursement and have a purchase of service contract
32    approved by the Department.  The Department may pay up  to  2
33    months  operational  expenses  in advance.  The amount of the
34    advance disbursement shall be prorated over the life  of  the
                            -4-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1    contract   or  the  remaining  months  of  the  fiscal  year,
 2    whichever is less, and the installment amount shall  then  be
 3    deducted    from    future   bills.    Advance   disbursement
 4    authorizations for new initiatives shall not be made  to  any
 5    agency  after  that  agency has operated during 2 consecutive
 6    fiscal years.  The requirements of  this  Section  concerning
 7    advance  disbursements  shall  not  apply with respect to the
 8    following:  payments to local public agencies for  child  day
 9    care  services  as  authorized by Section 5a of this Act; and
10    youth service programs receiving grant  funds  under  Section
11    17a-4.
12        (e)  For  the  purpose  of  insuring effective state-wide
13    planning, development, and utilization of resources  for  the
14    day  care  of  children, operated under various auspices, the
15    Department is hereby designated to coordinate  all  day  care
16    activities for children of the State and shall:
17             (1)  Develop  on  or  before  December  1, 1977, and
18        update  every  year  thereafter,  a  state  comprehensive
19        day-care  plan  for  submission  to  the  Governor  which
20        identifies high-priority areas and groups, relating  them
21        to   available   resources,   and  identifying  the  most
22        effective approaches to the  use  of  existing  day  care
23        services.  The State comprehensive day-care plan shall be
24        made available to  the  General  Assembly  following  the
25        Governor's approval  of the plan.
26             The  plan  shall  include methods and procedures for
27        the development of  additional  day  care  resources  for
28        children  to  meet  the  goal  of  reducing short-run and
29        long-run dependency and to provide  necessary  enrichment
30        and  stimulation  to  the  education  of  young children.
31        Recommendation shall be made for State policy on  optimum
32        use  of  private  and  public,  local,  state and federal
33        resources, including an estimate of the resources  needed
34        for the licensing and regulation of day care facilities.
                            -5-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1             A  written report shall be submitted to the Governor
 2        and the General Assembly,  annually,  on  April  15,  and
 3        shall  include  an  evaluation  of  developments over the
 4        preceding fiscal year, including cost-benefit analyses of
 5        various arrangements.  Beginning with the report in  1990
 6        and  every  2  years  thereafter,  the  report shall also
 7        include the following:
 8                  (A)  An assessment of the child care  services,
 9             needs  and  available resources throughout the State
10             and an assessment of the adequacy of existing  child
11             care   services,  including,  but  not  limited  to,
12             services assisted under this Act and under any other
13             program administered by other State agencies.
14                  (B)  A  survey  of  day  care   facilities   to
15             determine  the  number  of  qualified caregivers, as
16             defined by rule, attracted to vacant  positions  and
17             any problems encountered by facilities in attracting
18             and retaining capable caregivers.
19                  (C)  The  average wages and salaries and fringe
20             benefit packages paid to caregivers  throughout  the
21             State, computed on a regional basis.
22                  (D)  The qualifications of new caregivers hired
23             at  licensed day care facilities during the previous
24             2 year period.
25                  (E)  Recommendations for  increasing  caregiver
26             wages  and  salaries  to  insure  quality  care  for
27             children.
28                  (F)  Evaluation of the fee structure and income
29             eligibility for child care subsidized by the State.
30             The   requirement   for  reporting  to  the  General
31        Assembly shall be  satisfied  by  filing  copies  of  the
32        report  with  the  Speaker,  the  Minority Leader and the
33        Clerk of the House of Representatives and the  President,
34        the  Minority  Leader and the Secretary of the Senate and
                            -6-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1        the Legislative Research Unit, as required by Section 3.1
 2        of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such
 3        additional  copies  with  the  State  Government   Report
 4        Distribution  Center  for  the  General  Assembly  as  is
 5        required  under  paragraph  (t) of Section 7 of the State
 6        Library Act.
 7             (2)  Establish   policies   and    procedures    for
 8        developing  and  implementing interagency agreements with
 9        other agencies of the State providing child care services
10        or reimbursement for such services.
11             (3)  In  cooperation  with  other  State   agencies,
12        develop  and implement a resource and referral system for
13        the State of Illinois either within the Department or  by
14        contract  with  local  or regional agencies.  Funding for
15        implementation of this system  may  be  provided  through
16        Department  appropriations  or other inter-agency funding
17        arrangements. The  resource  and  referral  system  shall
18        provide at least the following services:
19                  (A)  assembling  and maintaining a data base on
20             the supply of child care services;
21                  (B)  providing information  and  referrals  for
22             parents;
23                  (C)  coordinating  the development of new child
24             care resources;
25                  (D)  providing   technical    assistance    and
26             training to child care service providers; and
27                  (E)  recording  and  analyzing  the  demand for
28             child care services.
29             The Department shall complete implementation of this
30        resource and referral system in all regions of the  State
31        by January 1, 1992.
32             (4)  Conduct  day  care planning activities with the
33        following priorities:
34                  (A)  development   of   voluntary   day    care
                            -7-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1             resources  wherever possible, with the provision for
 2             grants-in-aid only where demonstrated to  be  useful
 3             and necessary as incentives or supports;
 4                  (B)  emphasis   on   service   to  children  of
 5             recipients of public assistance where  such  service
 6             will  allow  training  or  employment  of the parent
 7             toward achieving the goal of independence;
 8                  (C)  maximum employment of recipients of public
 9             assistance in day care centers and day  care  homes,
10             operated   in   conjunction   with  short-term  work
11             training programs;
12                  (D)  care of children from families  in  stress
13             and  crises whose members potentially may become, or
14             are  in  danger  of  becoming,  non-productive   and
15             dependent;
16                  (E)  expansion  of  family  day care facilities
17             wherever possible;
18                  (F)  location  of   centers   in   economically
19             depressed neighborhoods, preferably in multi-service
20             centers with cooperation of other agencies;
21                  (G)  use  of existing facilities free of charge
22             or for reasonable rental wherever possible  in  lieu
23             of construction;
24                  (H)  development  of  strategies for assuring a
25             more complete range of day care  options,  including
26             provision  of day care services in homes, in schools
27             or in centers, which will enable a parent or parents
28             to complete a  course  of  education  or  obtain  or
29             maintain employment.
30             Emphasis  shall  be  given to support services which
31        will help to ensure such parents'  graduation  from  high
32        school  and  to  services for participants in the Project
33        Chance program of job training conducted by the  Illinois
34        Department of Public Aid.
                            -8-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1             (5)  Actively  stimulate  the  development of public
 2        and private resources at the local level.  It shall  also
 3        seek the fullest utilization of federal funds directly or
 4        indirectly available to the Department.
 5        Where  appropriate, existing non-governmental agencies or
 6    associations shall be involved in planning by the Department.
 7        (f)  The Department, pursuant  to  a  contract  with  the
 8    Illinois  Department  of  Public  Aid, may provide child care
 9    services  to  former  recipients  of  assistance  under   The
10    Illinois  Public  Aid  Code as authorized by Section 9-6.3 of
11    that Code.
12        (g)  The Department shall establish rules and regulations
13    concerning its operation of programs  designed  to  meet  the
14    goals   of  child  protection,  family  preservation,  family
15    reunification, adoption and youth development, including  but
16    not limited to:
17             (1)  adoption;
18             (2)  foster care;
19             (3)  family counseling;
20             (4)  protective services;
21             (5)  service to unwed mothers;
22             (6)  homemaker service;
23             (7)  return of runaway children;
24             (8)  independent   living  skills  and  shelter  for
25        homeless youth;
26             (9)  placement under Section  5-7  of  the  Juvenile
27        Court  Act  or  Section  2-27,  3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the
28        Juvenile Court Act of 1987 in accordance with the federal
29        Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980; and
30             (10)  interstate services.
31        Rules and regulations established by the Department shall
32    include provisions for  training  Department  staff  and  the
33    staff  of  Department  grantees, through contracts with other
34    agencies or resources, in alcohol and  drug  abuse  screening
                            -9-                LRB9001897DNcc
 1    techniques  to  identify  children  and  adults who should be
 2    referred to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment  program  for
 3    professional evaluation.
 4        (h)  If the Department finds that there is no appropriate
 5    program or facility within or available to the Department for
 6    a  ward and that no licensed private facility has an adequate
 7    and appropriate program or none agrees to  accept  the  ward,
 8    the  Department  shall  create an appropriate individualized,
 9    program-oriented  plan  for  such  ward.   The  plan  may  be
10    developed  within  the  Department  or  through  purchase  of
11    services by the Department to the extent that  it  is  within
12    its statutory authority to do.
13        (i)  Service  programs  shall be available throughout the
14    State and shall include but not be limited to  the  following
15    services:
16             (1)  case management;
17             (2)  homemakers;
18             (3)  counseling;
19             (4)  parent education;
20             (5)  day care; and
21             (6)  emergency assistance and advocacy.
22        In addition, the following services may be made available
23    to assess and meet the needs of children and families:
24             (1)  comprehensive family-based services;
25             (2)  assessments;
26             (3)  respite care; and
27             (4)  in-home health services.
28        The  Department  shall  provide transportation for any of
29    the services it makes available to children  or  families  or
30    for which it refers children or families.
31        (j)  The Department may provide financial assistance, and
32    shall   establish   rules  and  regulations  concerning  such
33    assistance, to  persons  who  adopt  physically  or  mentally
34    handicapped,  older  and  other  hard-to-place  children  who
                            -10-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    immediately  prior  to their adoption were legal wards of the
 2    Department.   The  Department  may  also  provide   financial
 3    assistance,  and  shall  establish  rules and regulations for
 4    such assistance, to persons appointed guardian of the  person
 5    under  Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-27,
 6    3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the Juvenile  Court  Act  of  1987  for
 7    children  who  were  wards  of  the  Department for 12 months
 8    immediately  prior  to  the  appointment  of  the   successor
 9    guardian  and  for  whom  the  Department  has  set a goal of
10    permanent family placement with a foster family.
11        The amount of assistance may  vary,  depending  upon  the
12    needs  of  the child and the adoptive parents, but must be at
13    least $25 less than the monthly cost of care of the child  in
14    a  foster  home,  as  set  forth  in  the  annual  assistance
15    agreement.   Special  purpose  grants  are  allowed where the
16    child requires special service but such costs may not  exceed
17    the  amounts which similar services would cost the Department
18    if it were to provide or  secure  them  as  guardian  of  the
19    child.
20        Any  financial  assistance provided under this subsection
21    is inalienable by assignment,  sale,  execution,  attachment,
22    garnishment,  or  any other remedy for recovery or collection
23    of a judgment or debt.
24        (k)  The Department shall accept for  care  and  training
25    any  child  who  has been adjudicated neglected or abused, or
26    dependent committed to it pursuant to the Juvenile Court  Act
27    or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
28        (l)  Before July 1, 2000, the Department may provide, and
29    beginning  July 1, 2000, the Department shall provide, family
30    preservation services, as determined to be appropriate and in
31    the child's best interests and when the child will not be  in
32    imminent  risk  of  harm,  to any family whose child has been
33    placed in substitute care, any persons  who  have  adopted  a
34    child  and  require  post-adoption  services,  or any persons
                            -11-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    whose child or children are at risk of being  placed  outside
 2    their   home  as  documented  by  an  "indicated"  report  of
 3    suspected child abuse or neglect determined pursuant  to  the
 4    Abused  and  Neglected  Child  Reporting Act. Nothing in this
 5    paragraph shall be construed to create  a  private  right  of
 6    action  or  claim  on  the  part  of  any individual or child
 7    welfare agency.
 8        The Department shall notify the child and his  family  of
 9    the  Department's  responsibility to offer and provide family
10    preservation services as identified in the service plan.  The
11    child and his family shall be eligible for services  as  soon
12    as   the   report  is  determined  to  be  "indicated".   The
13    Department may offer services to any  child  or  family  with
14    respect  to whom a report of suspected child abuse or neglect
15    has been filed, prior to concluding its  investigation  under
16    Section 7.12 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
17    However,  the  child's  or  family's  willingness  to  accept
18    services  shall  not be considered in the investigation.  The
19    Department may also provide services to any child  or  family
20    who  is the subject of any report of suspected child abuse or
21    neglect or  may  refer  such  child  or  family  to  services
22    available  from  other agencies in the community, even if the
23    report is determined to be unfounded, if  the  conditions  in
24    the child's or family's home are reasonably likely to subject
25    the  child  or  family  to  future reports of suspected child
26    abuse or neglect.   Acceptance  of  such  services  shall  be
27    voluntary.
28        The  Department  may,  at its discretion except for those
29    children also adjudicated neglected or dependent, accept  for
30    care   and  training  any  child  who  has  been  adjudicated
31    addicted, as a truant minor in need of supervision  or  as  a
32    minor   requiring   authoritative   intervention,  under  the
33    Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but  no
34    such  child shall be committed to the Department by any court
                            -12-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    without the approval of the Department.  A minor charged with
 2    a criminal  offense  under  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961  or
 3    adjudicated  delinquent shall not be placed in the custody of
 4    or committed to the Department by any court, except  a  minor
 5    less  than  13 years of age committed to the Department under
 6    Section 5-23 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 7        (m)  The Department may assume temporary custody  of  any
 8    child if:
 9             (1)  it  has  received  a  written  consent  to such
10        temporary custody signed by the parents of the  child  or
11        by  the parent having custody of the child if the parents
12        are not living together or by the guardian  or  custodian
13        of the child if the child is not in the custody of either
14        parent, or
15             (2)  the  child  is found in the State and neither a
16        parent, guardian  nor  custodian  of  the  child  can  be
17        located.
18    If  the  child  is  found  in  his or her residence without a
19    parent, guardian, custodian  or  responsible  caretaker,  the
20    Department  may,  instead  of removing the child and assuming
21    temporary custody, place an authorized representative of  the
22    Department  in  that  residence  until such time as a parent,
23    guardian  or  custodian  enters  the  home  and  expresses  a
24    willingness and apparent ability to resume  permanent  charge
25    of  the  child,  or  until  a relative enters the home and is
26    willing and able to  assume  charge  of  the  child  until  a
27    parent,  guardian  or custodian enters the home and expresses
28    such willingness and  ability  to  resume  permanent  charge.
29    After  a  caretaker has remained in the home for a period not
30    to  exceed  12  hours,  the  Department  must  follow   those
31    procedures  outlined  in Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9 of the
32    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
33        The Department shall have the authority, responsibilities
34    and duties that a legal custodian of  the  child  would  have
                            -13-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    pursuant  to  subsection  (9)  of Section 1-3 of the Juvenile
 2    Court Act of 1987.  Whenever a child is taken into  temporary
 3    custody  pursuant  to  an  investigation under the Abused and
 4    Neglected Child Reporting Act, or pursuant to a referral  and
 5    acceptance under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 of a minor in
 6    limited   custody,  the  Department,  during  the  period  of
 7    temporary custody and before the child is  brought  before  a
 8    judicial officer as required by Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9
 9    of  the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall have the authority,
10    responsibilities and duties that a  legal  custodian  of  the
11    child  would  have under subsection (9) of Section 1-3 of the
12    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
13        The Department shall ensure that  any  child  taken  into
14    custody  is  scheduled  for  an  appointment  for  a  medical
15    examination.
16        A  parent,  guardian  or  custodian  of  a  child  in the
17    temporary custody of the Department who would have custody of
18    the child if he were not in  the  temporary  custody  of  the
19    Department  may  deliver  to  the Department a signed request
20    that the Department surrender the temporary  custody  of  the
21    child.    The  Department may retain temporary custody of the
22    child for 10 days after the receipt of  the  request,  during
23    which  period the Department may cause to be filed a petition
24    pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  If a petition is
25    so filed, the Department shall retain  temporary  custody  of
26    the child until the court orders otherwise.  If a petition is
27    not  filed  within  the  10  day  period,  the child shall be
28    surrendered to the custody of the requesting parent, guardian
29    or custodian not later than the  expiration  of  the  10  day
30    period,  at  which  time  the  authority  and  duties  of the
31    Department with respect to the temporary custody of the child
32    shall terminate.
33        (n)  The Department may place children under 18 years  of
34    age  in licensed child care facilities when in the opinion of
                            -14-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    the  Department,  appropriate  services   aimed   at   family
 2    preservation  have  been unsuccessful or unavailable and such
 3    placement would be for  their  best  interest.   Payment  for
 4    board,  clothing, care, training and supervision of any child
 5    placed in a licensed child care facility may be made  by  the
 6    Department,  by  the  parents  or guardians of the estates of
 7    those children, or by both the Department and the parents  or
 8    guardians,  except  that  no  payments  shall  be made by the
 9    Department for any child placed  in  a  licensed  child  care
10    facility  for board, clothing, care, training and supervision
11    of such a child that exceed the average per  capita  cost  of
12    maintaining  and  of  caring  for a child in institutions for
13    dependent or neglected children operated by  the  Department.
14    However, such restriction on payments does not apply in cases
15    where  children  require  specialized  care and treatment for
16    problems   of   severe   emotional   disturbance,    physical
17    disability, social adjustment, or any combination thereof and
18    suitable  facilities  for  the placement of such children are
19    not available at payment rates  within  the  limitations  set
20    forth  in  this  Section.  All  reimbursements  for  services
21    delivered  shall  be  absolutely  inalienable  by assignment,
22    sale, attachment, garnishment or otherwise.
23        (o)  The Department  shall  establish  an  administrative
24    review  and  appeal  process  for  children  and families who
25    request  or  receive  child   welfare   services   from   the
26    Department.  Children who are wards of the Department and are
27    placed by private child welfare agencies, and foster families
28    with  whom  those  children are placed, shall be afforded the
29    same procedural and appeal rights as children and families in
30    the case of placement by the Department, including the  right
31    to  an   initial  review of a private agency decision by that
32    agency.  The Department shall insure that any  private  child
33    welfare  agency,  which  accepts  wards of the Department for
34    placement,  affords  those  rights  to  children  and  foster
                            -15-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    families.  The Department  shall  accept  for  administrative
 2    review  and  an appeal hearing a complaint made by a child or
 3    foster family concerning  a  decision  following  an  initial
 4    review  by  a  private  child welfare agency.  An appeal of a
 5    decision concerning a change in  the  placement  of  a  child
 6    shall be conducted in an expedited manner.
 7        (p)  There  is  hereby created the Department of Children
 8    and Family Services Emergency Assistance Fund from which  the
 9    Department   may  provide  special  financial  assistance  to
10    families which are in economic crisis when such assistance is
11    not available through other public or private sources and the
12    assistance is deemed necessary to prevent dissolution of  the
13    family  unit or to reunite families which have been separated
14    due  to  child  abuse  and  neglect.   The  Department  shall
15    establish administrative rules specifying  the  criteria  for
16    determining  eligibility  for  and  the  amount and nature of
17    assistance to be provided.  The  Department  may  also  enter
18    into  written  agreements  with  private  and  public  social
19    service  agencies  to provide emergency financial services to
20    families referred  by  the  Department.    Special  financial
21    assistance  payments  shall  be available to a family no more
22    than once during each fiscal year and the total payments to a
23    family may not exceed $500 during a fiscal year.
24        (q)  The  Department  may  receive  and  use,  in   their
25    entirety,  for  the benefit of children any gift, donation or
26    bequest of money or  other  property  which  is  received  on
27    behalf  of  such children, or any financial benefits to which
28    such children are or may  become  entitled  while  under  the
29    jurisdiction or care of the Department.
30        The  Department  shall  set  up  and  administer no-cost,
31    interest-bearing savings accounts  in  appropriate  financial
32    institutions  ("individual  accounts")  for children for whom
33    the Department is  legally  responsible  and  who  have  been
34    determined  eligible  for Veterans' Benefits, Social Security
                            -16-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    benefits, assistance allotments from the armed forces,  court
 2    ordered  payments,  parental voluntary payments, Supplemental
 3    Security Income, Railroad  Retirement  payments,  Black  Lung
 4    benefits,  or  other miscellaneous payments.  Interest earned
 5    by each individual account shall be credited to the  account,
 6    unless disbursed in accordance with this subsection.
 7        In  disbursing funds from children's individual accounts,
 8    the Department shall:
 9             (1)  Establish standards in  accordance  with  State
10        and  federal  laws  for  disbursing money from children's
11        individual   accounts.    In   all   circumstances,   the
12        Department's "Guardianship Administrator" or his  or  her
13        designee   must  approve  disbursements  from  children's
14        individual accounts.  The Department shall be responsible
15        for keeping complete records  of  all  disbursements  for
16        each individual account for any purpose.
17             (2)  Calculate  on  a monthly basis the amounts paid
18        from State funds for the child's board and care,  medical
19        care not covered under Medicaid, and social services; and
20        utilize  funds  from  the  child's individual account, as
21        covered  by  regulation,  to   reimburse   those   costs.
22        Monthly,  disbursements  from  all  children's individual
23        accounts, up to 1/12 of $13,000,000, shall  be  deposited
24        by  the  Department into the General Revenue Fund and the
25        balance over 1/12 of $13,000,000 into the DCFS Children's
26        Services Fund.
27             (3)  Maintain   any    balance    remaining    after
28        reimbursing  for  the child's costs of care, as specified
29        in item (2). The balance shall accumulate  in  accordance
30        with  relevant  State  and  federal  laws  and  shall  be
31        disbursed  to the child or his or her guardian, or to the
32        issuing agency.
33        (r)  The   Department   shall   promulgate    regulations
34    encouraging  all  adoption agencies to voluntarily forward to
                            -17-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    the Department or  its  agent  names  and  addresses  of  all
 2    persons  who  have  applied  for  and  have been approved for
 3    adoption of a hard-to-place  or  handicapped  child  and  the
 4    names of such children who have not been placed for adoption.
 5    A list of such names and addresses shall be maintained by the
 6    Department  or  its agent, and coded lists which maintain the
 7    confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the child  and
 8    of  the  child  shall  be  made available, without charge, to
 9    every adoption agency in the State to assist the agencies  in
10    placing  such  children  for  adoption.  The  Department  may
11    delegate  to an agent its duty to maintain and make available
12    such lists.  The Department  shall  ensure  that  such  agent
13    maintains  the confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt
14    the child and of the child.
15        (s)  The Department of Children and Family  Services  may
16    establish and implement a program to reimburse Department and
17    private  child  welfare agency foster parents licensed by the
18    Department  of  Children  and  Family  Services  for  damages
19    sustained by the foster parents as a result of the  malicious
20    or  negligent  acts  of foster children, as well as providing
21    third party coverage for such foster parents with  regard  to
22    actions  of  foster  children  to  other  individuals.   Such
23    coverage  will  be  secondary  to the foster parent liability
24    insurance policy, if applicable.  The program shall be funded
25    through  appropriations  from  the  General   Revenue   Fund,
26    specifically designated for such purposes.
27        (t)  The   Department  shall  perform  home  studies  and
28    investigations and shall exercise supervision over visitation
29    as ordered by a court pursuant to the Illinois  Marriage  and
30    Dissolution of Marriage Act or the Adoption Act only if:
31             (1)  an   order   entered   by   an  Illinois  court
32        specifically  directs  the  Department  to  perform  such
33        services; and
34             (2)  the court  has  ordered  one  or  both  of  the
                            -18-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1        parties to the proceeding to reimburse the Department for
 2        its  reasonable  costs  for  providing  such  services in
 3        accordance with Department rules, or has determined  that
 4        neither party is financially able to pay.
 5        The  Department shall provide written notification to the
 6    court of the specific arrangements for supervised  visitation
 7    and  projected  monthly  costs  within  60  days of the court
 8    order. The Department shall send  to  the  court  information
 9    related to the costs incurred except in cases where the court
10    has determined the parties are financially unable to pay. The
11    court may order additional periodic reports as appropriate.
12        (u)  Whenever the Department places a child in a licensed
13    foster  home,  group  home,  child  care institution, or in a
14    relative home, the Department shall provide to the caretaker:
15             (1)  available detailed information  concerning  the
16        child's   educational   and  health  history,  copies  of
17        immunization records  (including  insurance  and  medical
18        card  information),  a  history  of  the child's previous
19        placements, if any, and  reasons  for  placement  changes
20        excluding  any information that identifies or reveals the
21        location of any previous caretaker;
22             (2)  a copy of the child's  portion  of  the  client
23        service  plan,  including any visitation arrangement, and
24        all amendments or revisions  to  it  as  related  to  the
25        child; and
26             (3)  information  containing  details of the child's
27        individualized  educational  plan  when  the   child   is
28        receiving special education services.
29        The  caretaker  shall  be informed of any known social or
30    behavioral information (including, but not limited  to,  fire
31    setting,  perpetuation of sexual abuse, destructive behavior,
32    and substance abuse) necessary to care for and safeguard  the
33    child.
34        (u-5)  Effective   July   1,   1995,   only  foster  care
                            -19-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    placements licensed as foster family homes  pursuant  to  the
 2    Child  Care  Act  of 1969 shall be eligible to receive foster
 3    care payments from the Department. Relative  caregivers  who,
 4    as  of  July  1,  1995,  were  approved  pursuant to approved
 5    relative  placement  rules  previously  promulgated  by   the
 6    Department  at  89  Ill.  Adm.  Code 335 and had submitted an
 7    application  for  licensure  as  a  foster  family  home  may
 8    continue to receive  foster  care  payments  only  until  the
 9    Department  determines  that they may be licensed as a foster
10    family home or that their application for licensure is denied
11    or until September 30, 1995, whichever occurs first.
12        (u-10)  Within 180 days after the effective date of  this
13    amendatory  Act of 1997, all children who had previously been
14    placed by the Department with relative caregivers who  remain
15    unlicensed as foster family homes shall be removed from those
16    placements by the Department.
17        (v)  The  Department shall access criminal history record
18    information  as defined in the  Illinois  Uniform  Conviction
19    Information   Act   and   information   maintained   in   the
20    adjudicatory  and  dispositional  record system as defined in
21    subdivision (A)19 of Section 55a of the Civil  Administrative
22    Code of Illinois if the Department determines the information
23    is  necessary  to  perform  its  duties  under the Abused and
24    Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child Care  Act  of  1969,
25    and  the  Children  and  Family Services Act.  The Department
26    shall provide for interactive computerized communication  and
27    processing    equipment    that    permits   direct   on-line
28    communication with the Department of State  Police's  central
29    criminal  history  data  repository.   The  Department  shall
30    comply   with  all  certification  requirements  and  provide
31    certified operators who have been trained by  personnel  from
32    the  Department  of State Police.  In addition, one Office of
33    the Inspector General investigator shall have training in the
34    use of the criminal history  information  access  system  and
                            -20-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    have  access to the terminal.  The Department of Children and
 2    Family Services and its employees shall abide  by  rules  and
 3    regulations  established  by  the  Department of State Police
 4    relating to the access and dissemination of this information.
 5        (w)  Within 120 days of August 20,  1995  (the  effective
 6    date  of Public Act 89-392), the Department shall prepare and
 7    submit to the Governor and the General  Assembly,  a  written
 8    plan  for  the  development of in-state licensed secure child
 9    care facilities that care for children who  are  in  need  of
10    secure  living  arrangements  for  their  health, safety, and
11    well-being.  For purposes of  this  subsection,  secure  care
12    facility  shall mean a facility that is designed and operated
13    to ensure that all entrances and exits from the  facility,  a
14    building  or  a  distinct part of the building, are under the
15    exclusive control of the staff of the  facility,  whether  or
16    not  the  child  has  the  freedom  of  movement  within  the
17    perimeter  of the facility, building, or distinct part of the
18    building.  The plan shall include descriptions of  the  types
19    of  facilities  that  are  needed  in  Illinois;  the cost of
20    developing these secure care facilities; the estimated number
21    of placements; the potential cost savings resulting from  the
22    movement of children currently out-of-state who are projected
23    to   be   returned  to  Illinois;  the  necessary  geographic
24    distribution of these facilities in Illinois; and a  proposed
25    timetable for development of such facilities.
26    (Source: P.A.  88-380;  88-398;  88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94;
27    88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-21,  eff.  6-6-95;  89-392,  eff.
28    8-20-95; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
29        (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
30        Sec. 5.  Direct child  welfare  services;  Department  of
31    Children and Family Services. To provide direct child welfare
32    services  when  not available through other public or private
33    child care or program facilities.
34        (a)  For purposes of this Section:
                            -21-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1             (1)  "Children" means persons found within the State
 2        who are under  the  age  of  18  years.   The  term  also
 3        includes persons under age 19 who:
 4                  (A)  were  committed to the Department pursuant
 5             to the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court  Act
 6             of  1987, as amended, prior to the age of 18 and who
 7             continue under the jurisdiction of the court; or
 8                  (B)  were  accepted   for  care,  service   and
 9             training  by  the  Department prior to the age of 18
10             and whose best interest in  the  discretion  of  the
11             Department  would be served by continuing that care,
12             service and training  because  of  severe  emotional
13             disturbances, physical disability, social adjustment
14             or  any  combination thereof, or because of the need
15             to complete an educational  or  vocational  training
16             program.
17             (2)  "Homeless youth" means persons found within the
18        State  who are under the age of 19, are not in a safe and
19        stable living situation and cannot be reunited with their
20        families.
21             (3)  "Child welfare services"  means  public  social
22        services  which are directed toward the accomplishment of
23        the following purposes:
24                  (A)  protecting and promoting  the  welfare  of
25             children, including homeless, dependent or neglected
26             children;
27                  (B)  remedying, or assisting in the solution of
28             problems  which  may  result in, the neglect, abuse,
29             exploitation or delinquency of children;
30                  (C)  preventing the unnecessary  separation  of
31             children  from  their families by identifying family
32             problems,  assisting  families  in  resolving  their
33             problems, and preventing the breakup of  the  family
34             where  the  prevention of child removal is desirable
                            -22-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1             and possible;
 2                  (D)  restoring to their families  children  who
 3             have  been  removed, by the provision of services to
 4             the child and the families;
 5                  (E)  placing  children  in  suitable   adoptive
 6             homes,  in cases where restoration to the biological
 7             family is not possible or appropriate;
 8                  (F)  assuring adequate care  of  children  away
 9             from their homes, in cases where the child cannot be
10             returned home or cannot be placed for adoption;
11                  (G)  (blank);
12                  (H)  (blank); and
13                  (I)  placing   and   maintaining   children  in
14             facilities that provide separate living quarters for
15             children under the age of 18  and  for  children  18
16             years  of  age and older, unless a child 18 years of
17             age is in the last year of high school education  or
18             vocational  training,  in  an approved individual or
19             group treatment program, or in  a  licensed  shelter
20             facility.    The Department is not required to place
21             or maintain children:
22                       (i)  who are in a foster home, or
23                       (ii)  who are persons with a developmental
24                  disability, as defined in the Mental Health and
25                  Developmental Disabilities Code, or
26                       (iii)  who are  female  children  who  are
27                  pregnant,  pregnant and parenting or parenting,
28                  or
29                       (iv)  who are siblings,
30             in facilities that provide separate living  quarters
31             for  children  18  years  of  age  and older and for
32             children under 18 years of age.
33        (b)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  to
34    authorize the expenditure of public funds for the purpose  of
                            -23-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    performing abortions.
 2        (c)  The   Department   shall   establish   and  maintain
 3    tax-supported child welfare services and extend and  seek  to
 4    improve  voluntary  services throughout the State, to the end
 5    that services and care shall be available on an  equal  basis
 6    throughout the State to children requiring such services.
 7        (d)  The Director may authorize advance disbursements for
 8    any new program initiative to any agency contracting with the
 9    Department.   As a prerequisite for an advance  disbursement,
10    the  contractor  must post a surety bond in the amount of the
11    advance disbursement and have a purchase of service  contract
12    approved  by  the Department.  The Department may pay up to 2
13    months operational expenses in advance.  The  amount  of  the
14    advance  disbursement  shall be prorated over the life of the
15    contract  or  the  remaining  months  of  the  fiscal   year,
16    whichever  is  less, and the installment amount shall then be
17    deducted   from   future   bills.     Advance    disbursement
18    authorizations  for  new initiatives shall not be made to any
19    agency after that agency has operated  during  2  consecutive
20    fiscal  years.    The requirements of this Section concerning
21    advance disbursements shall not apply  with  respect  to  the
22    following:   payments  to local public agencies for child day
23    care services as authorized by Section 5a of  this  Act;  and
24    youth  service  programs  receiving grant funds under Section
25    17a-4.
26        (e)  (Blank).
27        (f)  (Blank).
28        (g)  The Department shall establish rules and regulations
29    concerning its operation of programs  designed  to  meet  the
30    goals   of  child  protection,  family  preservation,  family
31    reunification, and adoption, including but not limited to:
32             (1)  adoption;
33             (2)  foster care;
34             (3)  family counseling;
                            -24-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1             (4)  protective services;
 2             (5)  (blank);
 3             (6)  homemaker service;
 4             (7)  return of runaway children;
 5             (8)  (blank);
 6             (9)  placement under Section  5-7  of  the  Juvenile
 7        Court  Act  or  Section  2-27,  3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the
 8        Juvenile Court Act of 1987 in accordance with the federal
 9        Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980; and
10             (10)  interstate services.
11        Rules and regulations established by the Department shall
12    include provisions for  training  Department  staff  and  the
13    staff  of  Department  grantees, through contracts with other
14    agencies or resources, in alcohol and  drug  abuse  screening
15    techniques  to  identify  children  and  adults who should be
16    referred to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment  program  for
17    professional evaluation.
18        (h)  If the Department finds that there is no appropriate
19    program or facility within or available to the Department for
20    a  ward and that no licensed private facility has an adequate
21    and appropriate program or none agrees to  accept  the  ward,
22    the  Department  shall  create an appropriate individualized,
23    program-oriented  plan  for  such  ward.   The  plan  may  be
24    developed  within  the  Department  or  through  purchase  of
25    services by the Department to the extent that  it  is  within
26    its statutory authority to do.
27        (i)  Service  programs  shall be available throughout the
28    State and shall include but not be limited to  the  following
29    services:
30             (1)  case management;
31             (2)  homemakers;
32             (3)  counseling;
33             (4)  parent education;
34             (5)  day care; and
                            -25-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1             (6)  emergency assistance and advocacy.
 2        In addition, the following services may be made available
 3    to assess and meet the needs of children and families:
 4             (1)  comprehensive family-based services;
 5             (2)  assessments;
 6             (3)  respite care; and
 7             (4)  in-home health services.
 8        The  Department  shall  provide transportation for any of
 9    the services it makes available to children  or  families  or
10    for which it refers children or families.
11        (j)  The Department may provide financial assistance, and
12    shall   establish   rules  and  regulations  concerning  such
13    assistance, to  persons  who  adopt  physically  or  mentally
14    handicapped,  older  and  other  hard-to-place  children  who
15    immediately  prior  to their adoption were legal wards of the
16    Department.   The  Department  may  also  provide   financial
17    assistance,  and  shall  establish  rules and regulations for
18    such assistance, to persons appointed guardian of the  person
19    under  Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court Act or Section 2-27,
20    3-28, 4-25 or 5-29 of the Juvenile  Court  Act  of  1987  for
21    children  who  were  wards  of  the  Department for 12 months
22    immediately  prior  to  the  appointment  of  the   successor
23    guardian  and  for  whom  the  Department  has  set a goal of
24    permanent family placement with a foster family.
25        The amount of assistance may  vary,  depending  upon  the
26    needs  of  the child and the adoptive parents, but must be at
27    least $25 less than the monthly cost of care of the child  in
28    a  foster  home,  as  set  forth  in  the  annual  assistance
29    agreement.   Special  purpose  grants  are  allowed where the
30    child requires special service but such costs may not  exceed
31    the  amounts which similar services would cost the Department
32    if it were to provide or  secure  them  as  guardian  of  the
33    child.
34        Any  financial  assistance provided under this subsection
                            -26-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    is inalienable by assignment,  sale,  execution,  attachment,
 2    garnishment,  or  any other remedy for recovery or collection
 3    of a judgment or debt.
 4        (k)  The Department shall accept for  care  and  training
 5    any  child  who  has been adjudicated neglected or abused, or
 6    dependent committed to it pursuant to the Juvenile Court  Act
 7    or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
 8        (l)  Before July 1, 2000, the Department may provide, and
 9    beginning  July 1, 2000, the Department shall provide, family
10    preservation services, as determined to be appropriate and in
11    the child's best interests and when the child will not be  in
12    imminent  risk  of  harm,  to any family whose child has been
13    placed in substitute care, any persons  who  have  adopted  a
14    child  and  require  post-adoption  services,  or any persons
15    whose child or children are at risk of being  placed  outside
16    their   home  as  documented  by  an  "indicated"  report  of
17    suspected child abuse or neglect determined pursuant  to  the
18    Abused  and  Neglected  Child  Reporting Act. Nothing in this
19    paragraph shall be construed to create  a  private  right  of
20    action  or  claim  on  the  part  of  any individual or child
21    welfare agency.
22        The Department shall notify the child and his  family  of
23    the  Department's  responsibility to offer and provide family
24    preservation services as identified in the service plan.  The
25    child and his family shall be eligible for services  as  soon
26    as   the   report  is  determined  to  be  "indicated".   The
27    Department may offer services to any  child  or  family  with
28    respect  to whom a report of suspected child abuse or neglect
29    has been filed, prior to concluding its  investigation  under
30    Section 7.12 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
31    However,  the  child's  or  family's  willingness  to  accept
32    services  shall  not be considered in the investigation.  The
33    Department may also provide services to any child  or  family
34    who  is the subject of any report of suspected child abuse or
                            -27-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    neglect or  may  refer  such  child  or  family  to  services
 2    available  from  other agencies in the community, even if the
 3    report is determined to be unfounded, if  the  conditions  in
 4    the child's or family's home are reasonably likely to subject
 5    the  child  or  family  to  future reports of suspected child
 6    abuse or neglect.   Acceptance  of  such  services  shall  be
 7    voluntary.
 8        The  Department  may,  at its discretion except for those
 9    children also adjudicated neglected or dependent, accept  for
10    care   and  training  any  child  who  has  been  adjudicated
11    addicted, as a truant minor in need of supervision  or  as  a
12    minor   requiring   authoritative   intervention,  under  the
13    Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but  no
14    such  child shall be committed to the Department by any court
15    without the approval of the Department.  A minor charged with
16    a criminal  offense  under  the  Criminal  Code  of  1961  or
17    adjudicated  delinquent shall not be placed in the custody of
18    or committed to the Department by any court, except  a  minor
19    less  than  13 years of age committed to the Department under
20    Section 5-23 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
21        (m)  The Department may assume temporary custody  of  any
22    child if:
23             (1)  it  has  received  a  written  consent  to such
24        temporary custody signed by the parents of the  child  or
25        by  the parent having custody of the child if the parents
26        are not living together or by the guardian  or  custodian
27        of the child if the child is not in the custody of either
28        parent, or
29             (2)  the  child  is found in the State and neither a
30        parent, guardian  nor  custodian  of  the  child  can  be
31        located.
32    If  the  child  is  found  in  his or her residence without a
33    parent, guardian, custodian  or  responsible  caretaker,  the
34    Department  may,  instead  of removing the child and assuming
                            -28-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    temporary custody, place an authorized representative of  the
 2    Department  in  that  residence  until such time as a parent,
 3    guardian  or  custodian  enters  the  home  and  expresses  a
 4    willingness and apparent ability to resume  permanent  charge
 5    of  the  child,  or  until  a relative enters the home and is
 6    willing and able to  assume  charge  of  the  child  until  a
 7    parent,  guardian  or custodian enters the home and expresses
 8    such willingness and  ability  to  resume  permanent  charge.
 9    After  a  caretaker has remained in the home for a period not
10    to  exceed  12  hours,  the  Department  must  follow   those
11    procedures  outlined  in Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9 of the
12    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
13        The Department shall have the authority, responsibilities
14    and duties that a legal custodian of  the  child  would  have
15    pursuant  to  subsection  (9)  of Section 1-3 of the Juvenile
16    Court Act of 1987.  Whenever a child is taken into  temporary
17    custody  pursuant  to  an  investigation under the Abused and
18    Neglected Child Reporting Act, or pursuant to a referral  and
19    acceptance under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 of a minor in
20    limited   custody,  the  Department,  during  the  period  of
21    temporary custody and before the child is  brought  before  a
22    judicial officer as required by Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8 or 5-9
23    of  the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall have the authority,
24    responsibilities and duties that a  legal  custodian  of  the
25    child  would  have under subsection (9) of Section 1-3 of the
26    Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
27        The Department shall ensure that  any  child  taken  into
28    custody  is  scheduled  for  an  appointment  for  a  medical
29    examination.
30        A  parent,  guardian  or  custodian  of  a  child  in the
31    temporary custody of the Department who would have custody of
32    the child if he were not in  the  temporary  custody  of  the
33    Department  may  deliver  to  the Department a signed request
34    that the Department surrender the temporary  custody  of  the
                            -29-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    child.    The  Department may retain temporary custody of the
 2    child for 10 days after the receipt of  the  request,  during
 3    which  period the Department may cause to be filed a petition
 4    pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  If a petition is
 5    so filed, the Department shall retain  temporary  custody  of
 6    the child until the court orders otherwise.  If a petition is
 7    not  filed  within  the  10  day  period,  the child shall be
 8    surrendered to the custody of the requesting parent, guardian
 9    or custodian not later than the  expiration  of  the  10  day
10    period,  at  which  time  the  authority  and  duties  of the
11    Department with respect to the temporary custody of the child
12    shall terminate.
13        (n)  The Department may place children under 18 years  of
14    age  in licensed child care facilities when in the opinion of
15    the  Department,  appropriate  services   aimed   at   family
16    preservation  have  been unsuccessful or unavailable and such
17    placement would be for  their  best  interest.   Payment  for
18    board,  clothing, care, training and supervision of any child
19    placed in a licensed child care facility may be made  by  the
20    Department,  by  the  parents  or guardians of the estates of
21    those children, or by both the Department and the parents  or
22    guardians,  except  that  no  payments  shall  be made by the
23    Department for any child placed  in  a  licensed  child  care
24    facility  for board, clothing, care, training and supervision
25    of such a child that exceed the average per  capita  cost  of
26    maintaining  and  of  caring  for a child in institutions for
27    dependent or neglected children operated by  the  Department.
28    However, such restriction on payments does not apply in cases
29    where  children  require  specialized  care and treatment for
30    problems   of   severe   emotional   disturbance,    physical
31    disability, social adjustment, or any combination thereof and
32    suitable  facilities  for  the placement of such children are
33    not available at payment rates  within  the  limitations  set
34    forth  in  this  Section.  All  reimbursements  for  services
                            -30-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    delivered  shall  be  absolutely  inalienable  by assignment,
 2    sale, attachment, garnishment or otherwise.
 3        (o)  The Department  shall  establish  an  administrative
 4    review  and  appeal  process  for  children  and families who
 5    request  or  receive  child   welfare   services   from   the
 6    Department.  Children who are wards of the Department and are
 7    placed by private child welfare agencies, and foster families
 8    with  whom  those  children are placed, shall be afforded the
 9    same procedural and appeal rights as children and families in
10    the case of placement by the Department, including the  right
11    to  an   initial  review of a private agency decision by that
12    agency.  The Department shall insure that any  private  child
13    welfare  agency,  which  accepts  wards of the Department for
14    placement,  affords  those  rights  to  children  and  foster
15    families.  The Department  shall  accept  for  administrative
16    review  and  an appeal hearing a complaint made by a child or
17    foster family concerning  a  decision  following  an  initial
18    review  by  a  private  child welfare agency.  An appeal of a
19    decision concerning a change in  the  placement  of  a  child
20    shall be conducted in an expedited manner.
21        (p)  There  is  hereby created the Department of Children
22    and Family Services Emergency Assistance Fund from which  the
23    Department   may  provide  special  financial  assistance  to
24    families which are in economic crisis when such assistance is
25    not available through other public or private sources and the
26    assistance is deemed necessary to prevent dissolution of  the
27    family  unit or to reunite families which have been separated
28    due  to  child  abuse  and  neglect.   The  Department  shall
29    establish administrative rules specifying  the  criteria  for
30    determining  eligibility  for  and  the  amount and nature of
31    assistance to be provided.  The  Department  may  also  enter
32    into  written  agreements  with  private  and  public  social
33    service  agencies  to provide emergency financial services to
34    families referred  by  the  Department.    Special  financial
                            -31-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    assistance  payments  shall  be available to a family no more
 2    than once during each fiscal year and the total payments to a
 3    family may not exceed $500 during a fiscal year.
 4        (q)  The  Department  may  receive  and  use,  in   their
 5    entirety,  for  the benefit of children any gift, donation or
 6    bequest of money or  other  property  which  is  received  on
 7    behalf  of  such children, or any financial benefits to which
 8    such children are or may  become  entitled  while  under  the
 9    jurisdiction or care of the Department.
10        The  Department  shall  set  up  and  administer no-cost,
11    interest-bearing savings accounts  in  appropriate  financial
12    institutions  ("individual  accounts")  for children for whom
13    the Department is  legally  responsible  and  who  have  been
14    determined  eligible  for Veterans' Benefits, Social Security
15    benefits, assistance allotments from the armed forces,  court
16    ordered  payments,  parental voluntary payments, Supplemental
17    Security Income, Railroad  Retirement  payments,  Black  Lung
18    benefits,  or  other miscellaneous payments.  Interest earned
19    by each individual account shall be credited to the  account,
20    unless disbursed in accordance with this subsection.
21        In  disbursing funds from children's individual accounts,
22    the Department shall:
23             (1)  Establish standards in  accordance  with  State
24        and  federal  laws  for  disbursing money from children's
25        individual   accounts.    In   all   circumstances,   the
26        Department's "Guardianship Administrator" or his  or  her
27        designee   must  approve  disbursements  from  children's
28        individual accounts.  The Department shall be responsible
29        for keeping complete records  of  all  disbursements  for
30        each individual account for any purpose.
31             (2)  Calculate  on  a monthly basis the amounts paid
32        from State funds for the child's board and care,  medical
33        care not covered under Medicaid, and social services; and
34        utilize  funds  from  the  child's individual account, as
                            -32-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1        covered  by  regulation,  to   reimburse   those   costs.
 2        Monthly,  disbursements  from  all  children's individual
 3        accounts, up to 1/12 of $13,000,000, shall  be  deposited
 4        by  the  Department into the General Revenue Fund and the
 5        balance over 1/12 of $13,000,000 into the DCFS Children's
 6        Services Fund.
 7             (3)  Maintain   any    balance    remaining    after
 8        reimbursing  for  the child's costs of care, as specified
 9        in item (2). The balance shall accumulate  in  accordance
10        with  relevant  State  and  federal  laws  and  shall  be
11        disbursed  to the child or his or her guardian, or to the
12        issuing agency.
13        (r)  The   Department   shall   promulgate    regulations
14    encouraging  all  adoption agencies to voluntarily forward to
15    the Department or  its  agent  names  and  addresses  of  all
16    persons  who  have  applied  for  and  have been approved for
17    adoption of a hard-to-place  or  handicapped  child  and  the
18    names of such children who have not been placed for adoption.
19    A list of such names and addresses shall be maintained by the
20    Department  or  its agent, and coded lists which maintain the
21    confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the child  and
22    of  the  child  shall  be  made available, without charge, to
23    every adoption agency in the State to assist the agencies  in
24    placing  such  children  for  adoption.  The  Department  may
25    delegate  to an agent its duty to maintain and make available
26    such lists.  The Department  shall  ensure  that  such  agent
27    maintains  the confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt
28    the child and of the child.
29        (s)  The Department of Children and Family  Services  may
30    establish and implement a program to reimburse Department and
31    private  child  welfare agency foster parents licensed by the
32    Department  of  Children  and  Family  Services  for  damages
33    sustained by the foster parents as a result of the  malicious
34    or  negligent  acts  of foster children, as well as providing
                            -33-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    third party coverage for such foster parents with  regard  to
 2    actions  of  foster  children  to  other  individuals.   Such
 3    coverage  will  be  secondary  to the foster parent liability
 4    insurance policy, if applicable.  The program shall be funded
 5    through  appropriations  from  the  General   Revenue   Fund,
 6    specifically designated for such purposes.
 7        (t)  The   Department  shall  perform  home  studies  and
 8    investigations and shall exercise supervision over visitation
 9    as ordered by a court pursuant to the Illinois  Marriage  and
10    Dissolution of Marriage Act or the Adoption Act only if:
11             (1)  an   order   entered   by   an  Illinois  court
12        specifically  directs  the  Department  to  perform  such
13        services; and
14             (2)  the court  has  ordered  one  or  both  of  the
15        parties to the proceeding to reimburse the Department for
16        its  reasonable  costs  for  providing  such  services in
17        accordance with Department rules, or has determined  that
18        neither party is financially able to pay.
19        The  Department shall provide written notification to the
20    court of the specific arrangements for supervised  visitation
21    and  projected  monthly  costs  within  60  days of the court
22    order. The Department shall send  to  the  court  information
23    related to the costs incurred except in cases where the court
24    has determined the parties are financially unable to pay. The
25    court may order additional periodic reports as appropriate.
26        (u)  Whenever the Department places a child in a licensed
27    foster  home,  group  home,  child  care institution, or in a
28    relative home, the Department shall provide to the caretaker:
29             (1)  available detailed information  concerning  the
30        child's   educational   and  health  history,  copies  of
31        immunization records  (including  insurance  and  medical
32        card  information),  a  history  of  the child's previous
33        placements, if any, and  reasons  for  placement  changes
34        excluding  any information that identifies or reveals the
                            -34-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1        location of any previous caretaker;
 2             (2)  a copy of the child's  portion  of  the  client
 3        service  plan,  including any visitation arrangement, and
 4        all amendments or revisions  to  it  as  related  to  the
 5        child; and
 6             (3)  information  containing  details of the child's
 7        individualized  educational  plan  when  the   child   is
 8        receiving special education services.
 9        The  caretaker  shall  be informed of any known social or
10    behavioral information (including, but not limited  to,  fire
11    setting,  perpetuation of sexual abuse, destructive behavior,
12    and substance abuse) necessary to care for and safeguard  the
13    child.
14        (u-5)  Effective   July   1,   1995,   only  foster  care
15    placements licensed as foster family homes  pursuant  to  the
16    Child  Care  Act  of 1969 shall be eligible to receive foster
17    care payments from the Department. Relative  caregivers  who,
18    as  of  July  1,  1995,  were  approved  pursuant to approved
19    relative  placement  rules  previously  promulgated  by   the
20    Department  at  89  Ill.  Adm.  Code 335 and had submitted an
21    application  for  licensure  as  a  foster  family  home  may
22    continue to receive  foster  care  payments  only  until  the
23    Department  determines  that they may be licensed as a foster
24    family home or that their application for licensure is denied
25    or until September 30, 1995, whichever occurs first.
26        (u-10)  Within 180 days after the effective date of  this
27    amendatory  Act of 1997, all children who had previously been
28    placed by the Department with relative caregivers who  remain
29    unlicensed as foster family homes shall be removed from those
30    placements by the Department.
31        (v)  The  Department shall access criminal history record
32    information  as defined in the  Illinois  Uniform  Conviction
33    Information   Act   and   information   maintained   in   the
34    adjudicatory  and  dispositional  record system as defined in
                            -35-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    subdivision (A)19 of Section 55a of the Civil  Administrative
 2    Code of Illinois if the Department determines the information
 3    is  necessary  to  perform  its  duties  under the Abused and
 4    Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child Care  Act  of  1969,
 5    and  the  Children  and  Family Services Act.  The Department
 6    shall provide for interactive computerized communication  and
 7    processing    equipment    that    permits   direct   on-line
 8    communication with the Department of State  Police's  central
 9    criminal  history  data  repository.   The  Department  shall
10    comply   with  all  certification  requirements  and  provide
11    certified operators who have been trained by  personnel  from
12    the  Department  of State Police.  In addition, one Office of
13    the Inspector General investigator shall have training in the
14    use of the criminal history  information  access  system  and
15    have  access to the terminal.  The Department of Children and
16    Family Services and its employees shall abide  by  rules  and
17    regulations  established  by  the  Department of State Police
18    relating to the access and dissemination of this information.
19        (w)  Within 120 days of August 20,  1995  (the  effective
20    date  of Public Act 89-392), the Department shall prepare and
21    submit to the Governor and the General  Assembly,  a  written
22    plan  for  the  development of in-state licensed secure child
23    care facilities that care for children who  are  in  need  of
24    secure  living  arrangements  for  their  health, safety, and
25    well-being.  For purposes of  this  subsection,  secure  care
26    facility  shall mean a facility that is designed and operated
27    to ensure that all entrances and exits from the  facility,  a
28    building  or  a  distinct part of the building, are under the
29    exclusive control of the staff of the  facility,  whether  or
30    not  the  child  has  the  freedom  of  movement  within  the
31    perimeter  of the facility, building, or distinct part of the
32    building.  The plan shall include descriptions of  the  types
33    of  facilities  that  are  needed  in  Illinois;  the cost of
34    developing these secure care facilities; the estimated number
                            -36-               LRB9001897DNcc
 1    of placements; the potential cost savings resulting from  the
 2    movement of children currently out-of-state who are projected
 3    to   be   returned  to  Illinois;  the  necessary  geographic
 4    distribution of these facilities in Illinois; and a  proposed
 5    timetable for development of such facilities.
 6    (Source: P.A.  88-380;  88-398;  88-487; 88-614, eff. 9-7-94;
 7    88-670,  eff.  12-2-94;  89-21,  eff.  6-6-95;  89-392,  eff.
 8    8-20-95; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
 9        Section 95.  No acceleration or delay.   Where  this  Act
10    makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
11    text  that  is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a
12    Section represented by multiple versions), the  use  of  that
13    text  does  not  accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i)
14    the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived  from
15    any other Public Act.

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