Public Act 102-1014
 
SB3470 EnrolledLRB102 23324 KTG 32490 b


  
    AN ACT concerning State government.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  



 
 
    Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended  
by changing Sections 5 and 35.10 and  by adding Section 5.46 as 
follows:
 

    (20 ILCS 505/5)  (from Ch. 23, par. 5005)

 
  
    Sec. 5. Direct child welfare services; Department of 
Children and Family
Services.   To provide direct child welfare 
services when not available
through other public or private 
child care or program facilities.

    (a) For purposes of this Section:

        (1) "Children" means persons found within the State 
    who are under the
age of 18 years.  The term also includes 
    persons under age 21 who:

            (A) were committed to the Department pursuant to 
        the
Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 
        1987 and who continue under the jurisdiction of the 
        court; or

            (B) were accepted  for care, service and training 
        by
the Department prior to the age of 18 and whose best 
        interest in the
discretion of the Department would be 
        served by continuing that care,
service and training 
        because of severe emotional disturbances, physical

        disability, social adjustment or any combination 
        thereof, or because of the
need to complete an 
        educational or vocational training program.

        (2) "Homeless youth" means persons found within the

    State who are under the age of 19, are not in a safe and 
    stable living
situation and cannot be reunited with their 
    families.

        (3) "Child welfare services" means public social 
    services which are
directed toward the accomplishment of 
    the following purposes:

            (A) protecting and promoting the health, safety 
        and welfare of
children,
including homeless, 
        dependent, or neglected children;

            (B) remedying, or assisting in the solution
of 
        problems which may result in, the neglect, abuse, 
        exploitation, or
delinquency of children;

            (C) preventing the unnecessary separation of 
        children
from their families by identifying family 
        problems, assisting families in
resolving their 
        problems, and preventing the breakup of the family

        where the prevention of child removal is desirable and 
        possible when the
child can be cared for at home 
        without endangering the child's health and
safety;

            (D) restoring to their families children who have 
        been
removed, by the provision of services to the 
        child and the families when the
child can be cared for 
        at home without endangering the child's health and

        safety;

            (E) placing children in suitable adoptive homes, 
        in
cases where restoration to the biological family is 
        not safe, possible, or
appropriate;

            (F) assuring safe and adequate care of children 
        away from their
homes, in cases where the child cannot 
        be returned home or cannot be placed
for adoption.  At 
        the time of placement, the Department shall consider

        concurrent planning,
as described in subsection (l-1) 
        of this Section so that permanency may
occur at the 
        earliest opportunity.  Consideration should be given so 
        that if
reunification fails or is delayed, the 
        placement made is the best available
placement to 
        provide permanency for the child;

            (G) (blank);

            (H) (blank); and

            (I) placing and maintaining children in facilities 
        that provide
separate living quarters for children 
        under the age of 18 and for children
18 years of age 
        and older, unless a child 18 years of age is in the 
        last
year of high school education or vocational 
        training, in an approved
individual or group treatment 
        program, in a licensed shelter facility,
or secure 
        child care facility.
The Department is not required to 
        place or maintain children:

                (i) who are in a foster home, or

                (ii) who are persons with a developmental 
            disability, as defined in
the Mental
Health and 
            Developmental Disabilities Code, or

                (iii) who are female children who are 
            pregnant, pregnant and
parenting, or parenting, or

                (iv) who are siblings, in facilities that 
            provide separate living quarters for children 18

            years of age and older and for children under 18 
            years of age.

    (b) (Blank).

    (c) The Department shall establish and maintain 
tax-supported child
welfare services and extend and seek to 
improve voluntary services
throughout the State, to the end 
that services and care shall be available
on an equal basis 
throughout the State to children requiring such services.

    (d) The Director may authorize advance disbursements for 
any new program
initiative to any agency contracting with the 
Department.   As a
prerequisite for an advance  disbursement, the 
contractor must post a
surety bond in the amount of the advance 
disbursement and have a
purchase of service contract approved 
by the Department.  The Department
may pay up to 2 months 
operational expenses in advance.  The amount of the
advance 
disbursement shall be prorated over the life of the contract

or the remaining months of the fiscal year, whichever is less, 
and the
installment amount shall then be deducted from future 
bills.  Advance
disbursement authorizations for new initiatives 
shall not be made to any
agency after that agency has operated 
during 2 consecutive fiscal years.
The requirements of this 
Section concerning advance disbursements shall
not apply with 
respect to the following:  payments to local public agencies

for child day care services as authorized by Section 5a of this 
Act; and
youth service programs receiving grant funds under 
Section 17a-4.

    (e) (Blank).

    (f) (Blank).

    (g) The Department shall establish rules and regulations 
concerning
its operation of programs designed to meet the 
goals of child safety and
protection,
family preservation, 
family reunification, and adoption, including, but not
limited 
to:

        (1) adoption;

        (2) foster care;

        (3) family counseling;

        (4) protective services;

        (5) (blank);

        (6) homemaker service;

        (7) return of runaway children;

        (8) (blank);

        (9) placement under Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court 
    Act or
Section 2-27, 3-28, 4-25, or 5-740 of the Juvenile 
    Court Act of 1987 in
accordance with the federal Adoption 
    Assistance and Child Welfare Act of
1980; and


        (10) interstate services.

    Rules and regulations established by the Department shall 
include
provisions for training Department staff and the staff 
of Department
grantees, through contracts with other agencies 
or resources, in screening techniques to identify substance 
use disorders, as defined in the Substance Use Disorder Act, 
approved by the Department of Human
Services, as a successor 
to the Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse,
for the 
purpose of identifying children and adults who
should be 
referred for an assessment at an organization appropriately 
licensed by the Department of Human Services for substance use 
disorder treatment.

    (h) If the Department finds that there is no appropriate 
program or
facility within or available to the Department for 
a youth in care and that no
licensed private facility has an 
adequate and appropriate program or none
agrees to accept the 
youth in care, the Department shall create an appropriate

individualized, program-oriented plan for such youth in care.  
The
plan may be developed within the Department or through 
purchase of services
by the Department to the extent that it is 
within its statutory authority
to do.

    (i) Service programs shall be available throughout the 
State and shall
include but not be limited to the following 
services:

        (1) case management;

        (2) homemakers;

        (3) counseling;

        (4) parent education;

        (5) day care; and

        (6) emergency assistance and advocacy.

    In addition, the following services may be made available 
to assess and
meet the needs of children and families:

        (1) comprehensive family-based services;

        (2) assessments;

        (3) respite care; and

        (4) in-home health services.

    The Department shall provide transportation for any of the 
services it
makes available to children or families or for 
which it refers children
or families.

    (j) The Department may provide categories of financial 
assistance and
education assistance grants, and shall

establish rules and regulations concerning the assistance and 
grants, to
persons who
adopt children with physical or mental 
disabilities, children who are older, or other hard-to-place

children who (i) immediately prior to their adoption were 
youth in care or (ii) were determined eligible for financial 
assistance with respect to a
prior adoption and who become 
available for adoption because the
prior adoption has been 
dissolved and the parental rights of the adoptive
parents have 
been
terminated or because the child's adoptive parents have 
died.
The Department may continue to provide financial 
assistance and education assistance grants for a child who was 
determined eligible for financial assistance under this 
subsection (j) in the interim period beginning when the 
child's adoptive parents died and ending with the finalization 
of the new adoption of the child by another adoptive parent or 
parents. The Department may also provide categories of 
financial
assistance and education assistance grants, and

shall establish rules and regulations for the assistance and 
grants, to persons
appointed guardian of the person under 
Section 5-7 of the Juvenile Court
Act or Section 2-27, 3-28, 
4-25, or 5-740 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987
for children 
who were youth in care for 12 months immediately
prior to the 
appointment of the guardian.

    The amount of assistance may vary, depending upon the 
needs of the child
and the adoptive parents,
as set forth in 
the annual
assistance agreement.  Special purpose grants are 
allowed where the child
requires special service but such 
costs may not exceed the amounts
which similar services would 
cost the Department if it were to provide or
secure them as 
guardian of the child.

    Any financial assistance provided under this subsection is

inalienable by assignment, sale, execution, attachment, 
garnishment, or any
other remedy for recovery or collection of 
a judgment or debt.

    (j-5) The Department shall not deny or delay the placement 
of a child for
adoption
if an approved family is available 
either outside of the Department region
handling the case,
or 
outside of the State of Illinois.

    (k) The Department shall accept for care and training any 
child who has
been adjudicated neglected or abused, or 
dependent committed to it pursuant
to the Juvenile Court Act 
or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

    (l) The Department shall
offer family preservation 
services, as defined in Section 8.2 of the Abused
and

Neglected Child
Reporting Act, to help families, including 
adoptive and extended families.
Family preservation
services 
shall be offered (i) to prevent the
placement
of children in

substitute care when the children can be cared for at home or 
in the custody of
the person
responsible for the children's 
welfare,
(ii) to
reunite children with their families, or 
(iii) to
maintain an adoptive placement.  Family preservation 
services shall only be
offered when doing so will not endanger 
the children's health or safety.  With
respect to children who 
are in substitute care pursuant to the Juvenile Court
Act of 
1987, family preservation services shall not be offered if a 
goal other
than those of subdivisions (A), (B), or (B-1) of 
subsection (2) of Section 2-28
of
that Act has been set, except 
that reunification services may be offered as provided in 
paragraph (F) of subsection (2) of Section 2-28 of that Act.

Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to create a 
private right of
action or claim on the part of any individual 
or child welfare agency, except that when a child is  the 
subject of an action under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act 
of 1987 and the child's service plan calls for services to 
facilitate achievement of the permanency goal, the court 
hearing the action under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act 
of 1987 may order the Department to provide the services set 
out in the plan, if those services are not provided with 
reasonable promptness and if those services are available.

    The Department shall notify the child and his family of 
the
Department's
responsibility to offer and provide family 
preservation services as
identified in the service plan.  The 
child and his family shall be eligible
for services as soon as 
the report is determined to be "indicated".  The
Department may 
offer services to any child or family with respect to whom a

report of suspected child abuse or neglect has been filed, 
prior to
concluding its investigation under Section 7.12 of 
the Abused and Neglected
Child Reporting Act.  However, the 
child's or family's willingness to
accept services shall not 
be considered in the investigation.  The
Department may also 
provide services to any child or family who is the
subject of 
any report of suspected child abuse or neglect or may refer 
such
child or family to services available from other agencies 
in the community,
even if the report is determined to be 
unfounded, if the conditions in the
child's or family's home 
are reasonably likely to subject the child or
family to future 
reports of suspected child abuse or neglect.  Acceptance
of 
such services shall be voluntary. The Department may also 
provide services to any child or family after completion of a 
family assessment, as an alternative to an investigation, as 
provided under the "differential response program" provided 
for in subsection (a-5) of Section 7.4 of the Abused and 
Neglected Child Reporting Act.

    The Department may, at its discretion except for those 
children also
adjudicated neglected or dependent, accept for 
care and training any child
who has been adjudicated addicted, 
as a truant minor in need of
supervision or as a minor 
requiring authoritative intervention, under the
Juvenile Court 
Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, but no such child
shall 
be committed to the Department by any court without the 
approval of
the Department.  On and after January 1, 2015 (the 
effective date of Public Act 98-803) and before January 1, 
2017, a minor charged with a criminal offense under the 
Criminal
Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or 
adjudicated delinquent shall not be placed in the custody of 
or
committed to the Department by any court, except (i) a minor 
less than 16 years
of age committed to the Department under 
Section 5-710 of the Juvenile Court
Act
of 1987, (ii) a minor 
for whom an independent basis of abuse, neglect, or dependency 
exists, which must be defined by departmental rule, or (iii) a 
minor for whom the court has granted a supplemental petition 
to reinstate wardship pursuant to subsection (2) of Section 
2-33 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  On and after January 1, 
2017, a minor charged with a criminal offense under the 
Criminal
Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or 
adjudicated delinquent shall not be placed in the custody of 
or
committed to the Department by any court, except (i) a minor 
less than 15 years
of age committed to the Department under 
Section 5-710 of the Juvenile Court
Act
of 1987, ii) a minor 
for whom an independent basis of abuse, neglect, or dependency 
exists, which must be defined by departmental rule, or (iii) a 
minor for whom the court has granted a supplemental petition 
to reinstate wardship pursuant to subsection (2) of Section 
2-33 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. An independent basis 
exists when the allegations or adjudication of abuse, neglect, 
or dependency do not arise from the same facts, incident, or 
circumstances which  give rise to a charge or adjudication of 
delinquency. The Department shall
assign a caseworker to 
attend any hearing involving a youth in
the care and custody of 
the Department who is placed on aftercare release, including 
hearings
involving sanctions for violation of aftercare 
release
conditions and aftercare release revocation hearings. 

    As soon as is possible after August 7, 2009 (the effective 
date of Public Act 96-134), the Department shall develop and 
implement a special program of family preservation services to 
support intact, foster, and adoptive families who are 
experiencing extreme hardships due to the difficulty and 
stress of caring for a child who has been diagnosed with a 
pervasive developmental disorder if the Department determines 
that those services are necessary to ensure the health and 
safety of the child. The Department may offer services to any 
family whether or not a report has been filed under the Abused 
and Neglected Child Reporting Act. The Department may refer 
the child or family to services available from other agencies 
in the community if the conditions in the child's or family's 
home are reasonably likely to subject the child or family to 
future reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Acceptance 
of these services shall be voluntary. The Department shall 
develop and implement a public information campaign to alert 
health and social service providers and the general public 
about these special family preservation services. The nature 
and scope of the services offered and the number of families 
served under the special program implemented under this 
paragraph shall be determined by the level of funding that the 
Department annually allocates for this purpose. The term 
"pervasive developmental disorder" under this paragraph means 
a neurological condition, including, but not limited to, 
Asperger's Syndrome and autism, as defined in the most recent 
edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental 
Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association.
    (l-1) The legislature recognizes that the best interests 
of the child
require that
the child be placed in the most 
permanent living arrangement as soon as is
practically

possible.  To achieve this goal, the legislature directs the 
Department of
Children and
Family Services to conduct 
concurrent planning so that permanency may occur at
the

earliest opportunity.  Permanent living arrangements may 
include prevention of
placement of a child outside the home of 
the family when the child can be cared
for at
home without 
endangering the child's health or safety; reunification with 
the
family,
when safe and appropriate, if temporary placement 
is necessary; or movement of
the child
toward the most 
permanent living arrangement and permanent legal status.

    When determining reasonable efforts to be made with 
respect to a child, as
described in this
subsection, and in 
making such reasonable efforts, the child's health and
safety 
shall be the
paramount concern.

    When a child is placed in foster care, the Department 
shall ensure and
document that reasonable efforts were made to 
prevent or eliminate the need to
remove the child from the 
child's home.  The Department must make
reasonable efforts to 
reunify the family when temporary placement of the child

occurs
unless otherwise required, pursuant to the Juvenile 
Court Act of 1987.
At any time after the dispositional hearing 
where the Department believes
that further reunification 
services would be ineffective, it may request a
finding from 
the court that reasonable efforts are no longer appropriate.  
The
Department is not required to provide further 
reunification services after such
a
finding.

    A decision to place a child in substitute care shall be 
made with
considerations of the child's health, safety, and 
best interests.  At the
time of placement, consideration should 
also be given so that if reunification
fails or is delayed, the 
placement made is the best available placement to
provide 
permanency for the child.

    The Department shall adopt rules addressing concurrent 
planning for
reunification and permanency.  The Department 
shall consider the following
factors when determining 
appropriateness of concurrent planning:

        (1) the likelihood of prompt reunification;

        (2) the past history of the family;

        (3) the barriers to reunification being addressed by 
    the family;

        (4) the level of cooperation of the family;

        (5) the foster parents' willingness to work with the 
    family to reunite;

        (6) the willingness and ability of the foster family 
    to provide an
adoptive
home or long-term placement;

        (7) the age of the child;

        (8) placement of siblings.

    (m) The Department may assume temporary custody of any 
child if:

        (1) it has received a written consent to such 
    temporary custody
signed by the parents of the child or by 
    the parent having custody of the
child if the parents are 
    not living together or by the guardian or
custodian of the 
    child if the child is not in the custody of either
parent, 
    or

        (2) the child is found in the State and neither a 
    parent,
guardian nor custodian of the child can be 
    located.

If the child is found in his or her residence without a parent, 
guardian,
custodian, or responsible caretaker, the Department 
may, instead of removing
the child and assuming temporary 
custody, place an authorized
representative of the Department 
in that residence until such time as a
parent, guardian, or 
custodian enters the home and expresses a willingness
and 
apparent ability to ensure the child's health and safety and 
resume
permanent
charge of the child, or until a
relative 
enters the home and is willing and able to ensure the child's 
health
and
safety and assume charge of the
child until a 
parent, guardian, or custodian enters the home and expresses

such willingness and ability to ensure the child's safety and 
resume
permanent charge.  After a caretaker has remained in the 
home for a period not
to exceed 12 hours, the Department must 
follow those procedures outlined in
Section 2-9, 3-11, 4-8, or 
5-415 of the Juvenile Court Act
of 1987.

    The Department shall have the authority, responsibilities 
and duties that
a legal custodian of the child would have 
pursuant to subsection (9) of
Section 1-3 of the Juvenile 
Court Act of 1987.  Whenever a child is taken
into temporary 
custody pursuant to an investigation under the Abused and

Neglected Child Reporting Act, or pursuant to a referral and 
acceptance
under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 of a minor in 
limited custody, the
Department, during the period of 
temporary custody and before the child
is brought before a 
judicial officer as required by Section 2-9, 3-11,
4-8, or 
5-415 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, shall have
the 
authority, responsibilities and duties that a legal custodian 
of the child
would have under subsection (9) of Section 1-3 of 
the Juvenile Court Act of
1987.

    The Department shall ensure that any child taken into 
custody
is scheduled for an appointment for a medical 
examination.

    A parent, guardian, or custodian of a child in the 
temporary custody of the
Department who would have custody of 
the child if he were not in the
temporary custody of the 
Department may deliver to the Department a signed
request that 
the Department surrender the temporary custody of the child.

The Department may retain temporary custody of the child for 
10 days after
the receipt of the request, during which period 
the Department may cause to
be filed a petition pursuant to the 
Juvenile Court Act of 1987.  If a
petition is so filed, the 
Department shall retain temporary custody of the
child until 
the court orders otherwise.  If a petition is not filed within

the 10-day period, the child shall be surrendered to the 
custody of the
requesting parent, guardian, or custodian not 
later than the expiration of
the 10-day period, at which time 
the authority and duties of the Department
with respect to the 
temporary custody of the child shall terminate.

    (m-1) The Department may place children under 18 years of 
age in a secure
child care facility licensed by the Department 
that cares for children who are
in need of secure living 
arrangements for their health, safety, and well-being
after a 
determination is made by the facility director and the 
Director or the
Director's designate prior to admission to the 
facility subject to Section
2-27.1 of the Juvenile Court Act 
of 1987.  This subsection (m-1) does not apply
to a child who is 
subject to placement in a correctional facility operated

pursuant to Section 3-15-2 of the Unified Code of Corrections, 
unless the
child is a youth in care who was placed in the care 
of the Department before being
subject to placement in a 
correctional facility and a court of competent
jurisdiction 
has ordered placement of the child in a secure care facility.

    (n) The Department may place children under 18 years of 
age in
licensed child care facilities when in the opinion of 
the Department,
appropriate services aimed at family 
preservation have been unsuccessful and
cannot ensure the 
child's health and safety or are unavailable and such

placement would be for their best interest.  Payment
for board, 
clothing, care, training and supervision of any child placed 
in
a licensed child care facility may be made by the 
Department, by the
parents or guardians of the estates of 
those children, or by both the
Department and the parents or 
guardians, except that no payments shall be
made by the 
Department for any child placed in a licensed child care

facility for board, clothing, care, training and supervision 
of such a
child that exceed the average per capita cost of 
maintaining and of caring
for a child in institutions for 
dependent or neglected children operated by
the Department.  
However, such restriction on payments does not apply in
cases 
where children require specialized care and treatment for 
problems of
severe emotional disturbance, physical disability, 
social adjustment, or
any combination thereof and suitable 
facilities for the placement of such
children are not 
available at payment rates within the limitations set
forth in 
this Section. All reimbursements for services delivered shall 
be
absolutely inalienable by assignment, sale, attachment, or 
garnishment or
otherwise.

    (n-1) The Department shall provide or authorize child 
welfare services, aimed at assisting minors to achieve 
sustainable self-sufficiency as independent adults, for any 
minor eligible for the reinstatement of wardship pursuant to 
subsection (2) of Section 2-33 of the Juvenile Court Act of 
1987, whether or not such reinstatement is sought or allowed, 
provided that the minor consents to such services and has not 
yet attained the age of 21. The Department shall have 
responsibility for the development and delivery of services 
under this Section.  An eligible youth may access services 
under this Section through the Department of Children and 
Family Services or by referral from the Department of Human 
Services. Youth participating in services under this Section 
shall cooperate with the assigned case manager in developing 
an agreement identifying the services to be provided and how 
the youth will increase skills to achieve self-sufficiency.  A 
homeless shelter is not considered appropriate housing for any 
youth receiving child welfare services under this Section.  The 
Department shall continue child welfare services under this 
Section to any eligible minor until the minor becomes 21 years 
of age, no longer consents to participate, or achieves 
self-sufficiency as identified in the minor's service plan.  
The Department of Children and Family Services shall create 
clear, readable notice of the rights of former foster youth to 
child welfare services under this Section and how such 
services may be obtained.  The Department of Children and 
Family Services and the Department of Human Services shall 
disseminate this information statewide.  The Department shall 
adopt regulations describing services intended to assist 
minors in achieving sustainable self-sufficiency as 
independent adults. 
    (o) The Department shall establish an administrative 
review and appeal
process for children and families who 
request or receive child welfare
services from the Department.  
Youth in care who are placed by private child welfare 
agencies, and foster families with whom
those youth are 
placed, shall be afforded the same procedural and appeal

rights as children and families in the case of placement by the 
Department,
including the right to an  initial review of a 
private agency decision by
that agency.  The Department shall 
ensure that any private child welfare
agency, which accepts 
youth in care for placement, affords those
rights to children 
and foster families.  The Department shall accept for

administrative review and an appeal hearing a complaint made 
by (i) a child
or foster family concerning a decision 
following an initial review by a
private child welfare agency 
or (ii) a prospective adoptive parent who alleges
a violation 
of subsection (j-5) of this Section.  An appeal of a decision

concerning a change in the placement of a child shall be 
conducted in an
expedited manner. A court determination that a 
current foster home placement is necessary and appropriate 
under Section 2-28 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 does not 
constitute a judicial determination on the merits of an 
administrative appeal, filed by a former foster parent, 
involving a change of placement decision.

    (p) (Blank).

    (q) The Department may receive and use, in their entirety, 
for the
benefit of children any gift, donation, or bequest of 
money or other
property which is received on behalf of such 
children, or any financial
benefits to which such children are 
or may become entitled while under
the jurisdiction or care of 
the Department, except that the benefits described in Section 
5.46 must be used and conserved consistent with the provisions 
under Section 5.46.

    The Department shall set up and administer no-cost, 
interest-bearing accounts in appropriate financial 
institutions
for children for whom the Department is legally 
responsible and who have been
determined eligible for 
Veterans' Benefits, Social Security benefits,
assistance 
allotments from the armed forces, court ordered payments, 
parental
voluntary payments, Supplemental Security Income, 
Railroad Retirement
payments, Black Lung benefits, or other 
miscellaneous payments.  Interest
earned by each account shall 
be credited to the account, unless
disbursed in accordance 
with this subsection.

    In disbursing funds from children's accounts, the 
Department
shall:

        (1) Establish standards in accordance with State and 
    federal laws for
disbursing money from children's 
    accounts.  In all
circumstances,
the Department's 
    "Guardianship Administrator" or his or her designee must

    approve disbursements from children's accounts.  The 
    Department
shall be responsible for keeping complete 
    records of all disbursements for each account for any 
    purpose.

        (2) Calculate on a monthly basis the amounts paid from 
    State funds for the
child's board and care, medical care 
    not covered under Medicaid, and social
services; and 
    utilize funds from the child's account, as
covered by 
    regulation, to reimburse those costs.  Monthly, 
    disbursements from
all children's accounts, up to 1/12 of 
    $13,000,000, shall be
deposited by the Department into the 
    General Revenue Fund and the balance over
1/12 of 
    $13,000,000 into the DCFS Children's Services Fund.

        (3) Maintain any balance remaining after reimbursing 
    for the child's costs
of care, as specified in item (2). 
    The balance shall accumulate in accordance
with relevant 
    State and federal laws and shall be disbursed to the child 
    or his
or her guardian, or to the issuing agency.

    (r) The Department shall promulgate regulations 
encouraging all adoption
agencies to voluntarily forward to 
the Department or its agent names and
addresses of all persons 
who have applied for and have been approved for
adoption of a 
hard-to-place child or child with a disability and the names 
of such
children who have not been placed for adoption. A list 
of such names and
addresses shall be maintained by the 
Department or its agent, and coded
lists which maintain the 
confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the
child and 
of the child shall be made available, without charge, to every

adoption agency in the State to assist the agencies in placing 
such
children for adoption. The Department may delegate to an 
agent its duty to
maintain and make available such lists.  The 
Department shall ensure that
such agent maintains the 
confidentiality of the person seeking to adopt the
child and 
of the child.

    (s) The Department of Children and Family Services may 
establish and
implement a program to reimburse Department and 
private child welfare
agency foster parents licensed by the 
Department of Children and Family
Services for damages 
sustained by the foster parents as a result of the
malicious or 
negligent acts of foster children, as well as providing third

party coverage for such foster parents with regard to actions 
of foster
children to other individuals.  Such coverage will be 
secondary to the
foster parent liability insurance policy, if 
applicable.  The program shall
be funded through appropriations 
from the General Revenue Fund,
specifically designated for 
such purposes.

    (t) The Department shall perform home studies and 
investigations and
shall exercise supervision over visitation 
as ordered by a court pursuant
to the Illinois Marriage and 
Dissolution of Marriage Act or the Adoption
Act only if:

        (1) an order entered by an Illinois court specifically

    directs the Department to perform such services; and

        (2) the court has ordered one or both of the parties to

    the proceeding to reimburse the Department for its 
    reasonable costs for
providing such services in accordance 
    with Department rules, or has
determined that neither 
    party is financially able to pay.

    The Department shall provide written notification to the 
court of the
specific arrangements for supervised visitation 
and projected monthly costs
within 60 days of the court order. 
The Department shall send to the court
information related to 
the costs incurred except in cases where the court
has 
determined the parties are financially unable to pay. The 
court may
order additional periodic reports as appropriate.

    (u) In addition to other information that must be 
provided, whenever the Department places a child with a 
prospective adoptive parent or parents, in a licensed foster 
home,
group home, or child care institution, or in a relative 
home, the Department
shall provide to the prospective adoptive 
parent or parents or other caretaker:

        (1) available detailed information concerning the 
    child's educational
and health history, copies of 
    immunization records (including insurance
and medical card 
    information), a history of the child's previous 
    placements,
if any, and reasons for placement changes 
    excluding any information that
identifies or reveals the 
    location of any previous caretaker;

        (2) a copy of the child's portion of the client 
    service plan, including
any visitation arrangement, and 
    all amendments or revisions to it as
related to the child; 
    and

        (3) information containing details of the child's 
    individualized
educational plan when the child is 
    receiving special education services.

    The caretaker shall be informed of any known social or 
behavioral
information (including, but not limited to, 
criminal background, fire
setting, perpetuation of
sexual 
abuse, destructive behavior, and substance abuse) necessary to 
care
for and safeguard the children to be placed or currently 
in the home. The Department may prepare a written summary of 
the information required by this paragraph, which may be 
provided to the foster or prospective adoptive parent in 
advance of a placement. The foster or prospective adoptive 
parent may review the supporting documents in the child's file 
in the presence of casework staff. In the case of an emergency 
placement, casework staff shall at least provide known 
information verbally, if necessary, and must subsequently 
provide the information in writing as required by this 
subsection.

    The information described in this subsection shall be 
provided in writing. In the case of emergency placements when 
time does not allow prior review, preparation, and collection 
of written information, the Department shall provide such 
information as it becomes available. Within 10 business days 
after placement, the Department shall obtain from the 
prospective adoptive parent or parents or other caretaker a 
signed verification of receipt of the information provided. 
Within 10 business days after placement, the Department shall 
provide to the child's guardian ad litem a copy of the 
information provided to the prospective adoptive parent or 
parents or other caretaker. The information provided to the 
prospective adoptive parent or parents or other caretaker 
shall be reviewed and approved regarding accuracy at the 
supervisory level.


    (u-5) Effective July 1, 1995, only foster care placements 
licensed as
foster family homes pursuant to the Child Care Act 
of 1969 shall be eligible to
receive foster care payments from 
the Department.
Relative caregivers who, as of July 1, 1995, 
were approved pursuant to approved
relative placement rules 
previously promulgated by the Department at 89 Ill.
Adm. Code 
335 and had submitted an application for licensure as a foster 
family
home may continue to receive foster care payments only 
until the Department
determines that they may be licensed as a 
foster family home or that their
application for licensure is 
denied or until September 30, 1995, whichever
occurs first.

    (v) The Department shall access criminal history record 
information
as defined in the Illinois Uniform Conviction 
Information Act and information
maintained in the adjudicatory 
and dispositional record system as defined in
Section 2605-355 
of the
Illinois State Police Law
if the Department determines 
the information is necessary to perform its duties
under the 
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child Care Act 
of 1969,
and the Children and Family Services Act.  The 
Department shall provide for
interactive computerized 
communication and processing equipment that permits
direct 
on-line communication with the Illinois State Police's central

criminal history data repository.  The Department shall comply 
with all
certification requirements and provide certified 
operators who have been
trained by personnel from the Illinois 
State Police.  In addition, one
Office of the Inspector General 
investigator shall have training in the use of
the criminal 
history information access system and have
access to the 
terminal.  The Department of Children and Family Services and 
its
employees shall abide by rules and regulations established 
by the Illinois State Police relating to the access and 
dissemination of
this information.

    (v-1) Prior to final approval for placement of a child, 
the Department shall conduct a criminal records background 
check of the prospective foster or adoptive parent, including 
fingerprint-based checks of national crime information 
databases.   Final approval for placement shall not be granted 
if the record check reveals a felony conviction for child 
abuse or neglect, for spousal abuse, for a crime against 
children, or for a crime involving violence, including rape, 
sexual assault, or homicide, but not including other physical 
assault or battery, or if there is a felony conviction for 
physical assault, battery, or a drug-related offense committed 
within the past 5 years.
    (v-2) Prior to final approval for placement of a child, 
the Department shall check its child abuse and neglect 
registry for information concerning prospective foster and 
adoptive parents, and any adult living in the home.  If any 
prospective foster or adoptive parent or other adult living in 
the home has resided in another state in the preceding 5 years, 
the Department shall request a check of that other state's 
child abuse and neglect registry.

    (w) Within 120 days of August 20, 1995 (the effective date 
of Public Act
89-392), the Department shall prepare and submit 
to the Governor and the
General Assembly, a written plan for 
the development of in-state licensed
secure child care 
facilities that care for children who are in need of secure

living
arrangements for their health, safety, and well-being.  
For purposes of this
subsection, secure care facility shall 
mean a facility that is designed and
operated to ensure that 
all entrances and exits from the facility, a building
or a 
distinct part of the building, are under the exclusive control 
of the
staff of the facility, whether or not the child has the 
freedom of movement
within the perimeter of the facility, 
building, or distinct part of the
building.  The plan shall 
include descriptions of the types of facilities that
are 
needed in Illinois; the cost of developing these secure care 
facilities;
the estimated number of placements; the potential 
cost savings resulting from
the movement of children currently 
out-of-state who are projected to be
returned to Illinois; the 
necessary geographic distribution of these
facilities in 
Illinois; and a proposed timetable for development of such

facilities.
    (x) The Department shall conduct annual credit history 
checks to determine the financial history of children placed 
under its guardianship pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 
1987. The Department shall conduct such credit checks starting 
when a youth in care turns 12 years old and each year 
thereafter for the duration of the guardianship as terminated 
pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The Department 
shall determine if financial exploitation of the child's 
personal information has occurred. If financial exploitation 
appears to have taken place or is presently ongoing, the 
Department shall notify the proper law enforcement agency, the 
proper State's Attorney, or the Attorney General.
    (y) Beginning on July 22, 2010 (the effective date of 
Public Act 96-1189), a child with a disability who receives 
residential and educational services from the Department shall 
be eligible to receive transition services in accordance with 
Article 14 of the School Code from the age of 14.5 through age 
21, inclusive, notwithstanding the child's residential 
services arrangement. For purposes of this subsection, "child 
with a disability" means a child with a disability as defined 
by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Improvement Act of 2004. 
    (z)  The Department shall access criminal history record 
information as defined as "background information" in this 
subsection and criminal history record information as defined 
in the Illinois Uniform Conviction Information Act for each 
Department employee or Department applicant.  Each Department 
employee or Department applicant shall submit his or her 
fingerprints to the Illinois State Police in the form and 
manner prescribed by the Illinois State Police.  These 
fingerprints shall be checked against the fingerprint records 
now and hereafter filed in the Illinois State Police and the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history records 
databases.  The Illinois State Police shall charge a fee for 
conducting the criminal history record check, which shall be 
deposited into the State Police Services Fund and shall not 
exceed the actual cost of the record check.  The Illinois State 
Police shall furnish, pursuant to positive identification, all 
Illinois conviction information to the Department of Children 
and Family Services. 
    For purposes of this subsection: 
    "Background information" means all of the following: 
        (i) Upon the request of the Department of Children and 
    Family Services, conviction information obtained from the 
    Illinois State Police as a result of a fingerprint-based 
    criminal history records check of the Illinois criminal 
    history records database and the Federal Bureau of 
    Investigation criminal history records database concerning 
    a Department employee or Department applicant. 
        (ii) Information obtained by the Department of 
    Children and Family Services after performing a check of 
    the Illinois State Police's Sex Offender Database, as 
    authorized by Section 120 of the Sex Offender Community  
    Notification Law, concerning a Department employee or 
    Department applicant. 
        (iii) Information obtained by the Department of 
    Children and Family Services after performing a check of 
    the Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) 
    operated and maintained by the Department. 
    "Department employee" means a full-time or temporary 
employee coded or certified within the State of Illinois 
Personnel System. 
    "Department applicant" means an individual who has  
conditional Department full-time or part-time work, a 
contractor, an individual used to replace or supplement staff,    
an academic intern, a volunteer in Department offices or on 
Department contracts, a work-study student, an individual or 
entity licensed by the Department, or an unlicensed service  
provider who works as a condition of a contract or an agreement  
and whose work may bring the unlicensed service provider into 
contact with Department clients or client records. 
(Source: P.A. 101-13, eff. 6-12-19; 101-79, eff. 7-12-19; 
101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-558, eff. 
8-20-21.)
 
    (20 ILCS 505/5.46 new)
    Sec. 5.46. Application for Social Security benefits, 
Supplemental Security Income, Veterans benefits, and Railroad 
Retirement benefits. 
    (a) Definitions. As used in this Section:
    "Benefits" means Social Security benefits, Supplemental 
Security Income, Veterans benefits, and Railroad Retirement 
benefits.
    "Youth's attorney and guardian ad litem" means the person 
appointed as the youth's attorney or guardian ad litem in 
accordance with  the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 in the 
proceeding in which the Department is appointed as the youth's 
guardian or custodian.
    (b) Application for benefits.
        (1) Upon receiving temporary custody or guardianship 
    of a youth in care, the Department shall assess the youth 
    to determine whether the youth may be eligible for 
    benefits. If, after the assessment, the Department 
    determines that the youth may be eligible for benefits, 
    the Department shall ensure that an application is filed 
    on behalf of the youth. The Department shall prescribe by 
    rule how it will review cases of youth in care at regular 
    intervals to determine whether the youth may have become 
    eligible for benefits after the initial assessment.   The 
    Department shall make reasonable efforts to encourage 
    youth in care over the age of 18 who are likely eligible 
    for benefits to cooperate with the application process and 
    to assist youth with the application process.
        (2) When applying for benefits under this Section for 
    a youth in care the Department shall identify a 
    representative payee in accordance with the requirements 
    of 20 CFR 404.2021 and 416.621. If the Department is 
    seeking to be appointed as the youth's representative 
    payee, the Department must consider input, if provided, 
    from the youth's attorney and guardian ad litem regarding 
    whether another representative payee, consistent with the 
    requirements of 20 CFR 404.2021 and 416.621, is available. 
    If the Department serves as the representative payee for a 
    youth over the age of 18, the Department shall request a 
    court order, as described in subparagraph (C) of paragraph 
    (1) of subsection (d) and in subparagraph (C) of paragraph 
    (2) of subsection (d).
    (c) Notifications. The Department shall immediately notify 
a youth over the age of 16, the youth's attorney and guardian 
ad litem, and the youth's parent or legal guardian or another 
responsible adult of:
        (1) any application for or any application to become 
    representative payee for benefits on behalf of a youth in 
    care;
        (2) any communications from the Social Security 
    Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 
    or the Railroad Retirement Board pertaining to the 
    acceptance or denial of benefits or the selection of a 
    representative payee; and
        (3) any appeal or other action requested by the 
    Department regarding an application for benefits.
    (d) Use of benefits. Consistent with federal law, when the 
Department serves as the representative payee for a youth 
receiving benefits and receives benefits on the youth's 
behalf, the Department shall:
        (1) Beginning January 1, 2023, ensure that when the 
    youth attains the age of 14 years and until the Department 
    no longer serves as the representative payee, a minimum 
    percentage of the youth's Supplemental Security Income 
    benefits are conserved in accordance with paragraph (4) as 
    follows:
            (A) From the age of 14 through age 15, at least 
        40%.
            (B) From the age of 16 through age 17, at least 
        80%.
            (C) From the age of 18 through 20, 100%, when a 
        court order has been entered expressly allowing the 
        Department to have the authority to establish and 
        serve as an authorized agent of the youth over the age 
        of 18 with respect to an account established in 
        accordance with paragraph (4).
        (2) Beginning January 1, 2024, ensure that when the 
    youth attains the age of 14 years and until the Department 
    no longer serves as the representative payee a minimum 
    percentage of the youth's Social Security benefits, 
    Veterans benefits, or Railroad Retirement benefits are 
    conserved in accordance with paragraph (4) as follows:
            (A) From the age of 14 through age 15, at least 
        40%.
            (B) From the age of 16 through age 17, at least 
        80%.
            (C) From the age of 18 through 20, 100%, when a 
        court order has been entered expressly allowing the 
        Department to have the authority to establish and 
        serve as an authorized agent of the youth over the age 
        of 18 with respect to an account established in 
        accordance with paragraph (4).
        (3) Exercise discretion in accordance with federal law 
    and in the best interests of the youth when making 
    decisions to use or conserve the youth's benefits that are 
    less than or not subject to asset or resource limits under 
    federal law, including using the benefits to address the 
    youth's special needs and conserving the benefits for the 
    youth's reasonably foreseeable future needs.
        (4) Appropriately monitor any federal asset or 
    resource limits for the benefits and ensure that the 
    youth's best interest is served by using or conserving the 
    benefits in a way that avoids violating any federal asset 
    or resource limits that would affect the youth's 
    eligibility to receive the benefits, including:
            (A) applying to the Social Security Administration 
        to establish a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) 
        Account for the youth under the Social Security Act 
        and determining whether it is in the best interest of 
        the youth to conserve all or parts of the benefits in 
        the PASS account;
            (B) establishing a 529 plan for the youth and 
        conserving the youth's benefits in that account in a 
        manner that appropriately avoids any federal asset or 
        resource limits;
            (C) establishing an Individual Development Account 
        for the youth and conserving the youth's benefits in 
        that account in a manner that appropriately avoids any 
        federal asset or resource limits;
            (D) establishing an ABLE account authorized by 
        Section 529A of the  Internal Revenue Code of 1986, for 
        the youth and conserving the youth's benefits in that 
        account in a manner that appropriately avoids any 
        federal asset or resource limits;
            (E) establishing a Social Security Plan to Achieve 
        Self-Support account for the youth and conserving the 
        youth's benefits in a manner that appropriately avoids 
        any federal asset or resource limits;
            (F) establishing a special needs trust for the 
        youth and conserving the youth's benefits in the trust 
        in a manner that is consistent with federal 
        requirements for special needs trusts and that 
        appropriately avoids any federal asset or resource 
        limits;
            (G) if the Department determines that using the 
        benefits for services for current special needs not 
        already provided by the Department is in the best 
        interest of the youth, using the benefits for those 
        services;
            (H) if federal law requires certain back payments 
        of benefits to be placed in a dedicated account, 
        complying with the requirements for dedicated accounts 
        under 20 CFR 416.640(e); and
            (I) applying any other exclusions from federal 
        asset or resource limits available under federal law 
        and using or conserving the youth's benefits in a 
        manner that appropriately avoids any federal asset or 
        resource limits.
    (e) By July 1, 2024, the Department shall provide a report 
to the General Assembly regarding youth in care who receive 
benefits who are not subject to this Act.  The report shall 
discuss a goal of expanding conservation of children's 
benefits to all benefits of all children of any age for whom 
the Department serves as representative payee.  The report 
shall include a description of any identified obstacles, steps 
to be taken to address the obstacles, and a description of any 
need for statutory, rule, or procedural changes. 
    (f) Accounting. The Department shall provide an annual 
accounting to the youth's attorney and guardian ad litem of 
how the youth's benefits have been used and conserved.  In 
addition, within 10 business days of a request from a youth or 
the youth's attorney and guardian ad litem, the Department 
shall provide an accounting to the youth of how the youth's 
benefits have been used and conserved.  The accounting shall 
include:
        (1) The amount of benefits received on the youth's 
    behalf since the most recent accounting and the date the 
    benefits were received.
        (2) Information regarding the youth's benefits and 
    resources, including the youth's benefits, insurance, cash 
    assets, trust accounts, earnings, and other resources.
        (3) An accounting of the disbursement of benefit 
    funds, including the date, amount, identification of 
    payee, and purpose.
        (4) Information regarding each request by the youth, 
    the youth's attorney and guardian ad litem, or the youth's 
    caregiver for disbursement of funds and a statement 
    regarding the reason for not granting the request if the 
    request was denied.
    When the Department's guardianship of the youth is being 
terminated, the Department shall provide (i) a final 
accounting to the Social Security Administration, to the 
youth's attorney and guardian ad litem, and to either the 
person or persons who will assume guardianship of the youth or 
who is in the process of adopting the youth, if the youth is 
under 18,  or to the youth, if the youth is over 18 and (ii) 
information to the parent, guardian, or youth regarding how to 
apply to become the representative payee.  The Department shall 
adopt rules to ensure that the representative payee 
transitions occur in a timely and appropriate manner.
    (g) Financial literacy. The Department shall provide the 
youth with financial literacy training and support, including 
specific information regarding the existence, availability, 
and use of funds conserved for the youth in accordance with 
this  subsection, beginning by age 14. The literacy program and 
support services shall be developed in consultation with input 
from the Department's Statewide Youth Advisory Board.
    (h) Adoption of rules. The Department shall adopt rules to 
implement the provisions of this Section by January 1, 2023.
    (i) Reporting. No later than February 28, 2023, the 
Department shall file a report with the General Assembly 
providing the following information for State Fiscal Years 
2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 and annually beginning February 28, 
2023, for the preceding fiscal year:
        (1) The number of youth entering care.
        (2) The number of youth entering care receiving each 
    of the following types of benefits: Social Security 
    benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans benefits, 
    Railroad Retirement benefits.
        (3) The number of youth entering care for whom the 
    Department filed an application for each of the following 
    types of benefits: Social Security benefits, Supplemental 
    Security Income, Veterans benefits, Railroad Retirement 
    benefits.
        (4) The number of youth entering care who were awarded 
    each of the following types of benefits based on an 
    application filed by the Department: Social Security 
    benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans benefits, 
    Railroad Retirement benefits.
    (j) Annually beginning December 31, 2023, the Department 
shall file a report with the General Assembly with the 
following information regarding the preceding fiscal year:
        (1) the number of conserved accounts established and 
    maintained for youth in care;
        (2) the average amount conserved by age group; and
        (3) the total amount conserved by age group.
 
    (20 ILCS 505/35.10)
    Sec. 35.10. Documents necessary for adult living. The 
Department shall assist a youth in care in identifying and 
obtaining documents necessary to function as an independent 
adult prior to the closure of the youth's case to terminate 
wardship as provided in Section 2-31 of the Juvenile Court Act 
of 1987. These necessary documents shall include, but not be 
limited to, any of the following:
        (1) State identification card or driver's license.
        (2) Social Security card.
        (3) Medical records, including, but not limited to, 
    health passport, dental records, immunization records, 
    name and contact information for all current medical, 
    dental, and mental health providers, and a signed 
    certification that the Department provided the youth with 
    education on executing a healthcare power of attorney.
        (4) Medicaid card or other health eligibility 
    documentation.
        (5) Certified copy of birth certificate.
        (6) Any applicable religious documents.
        (7) Voter registration card.
        (8) Immigration, citizenship, or naturalization 
    documentation, if applicable.
        (9) Death certificates of parents, if applicable.
        (10) Life book or compilation of personal history and 
    photographs.
        (11) List of known relatives with relationships, 
    addresses, telephone numbers, and other contact 
    information, with the permission of the involved relative.
        (12) Resume.
        (13) Educational records, including list of schools 
    attended, and transcript, high school diploma, or high 
    school equivalency certificate.
        (14) List of placements while in care.
        (15) List of community resources with referral 
    information, including the Midwest Adoption Center for 
    search and reunion services for former youth in care, 
    whether or not they were adopted,  and the Illinois Chapter 
    of Foster Care Alumni of America.
        (16) All documents necessary to complete a  Free 
    Application for Federal Student Aid form, if applicable, 
    or an application for State financial aid. 
        (17) If applicable, a final accounting of the account 
    maintained on behalf of the youth as provided under 
    Section 5.46. 
If a court determines that a youth in care no longer requires 
wardship of the court and orders the wardship terminated and 
all proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 
respecting the youth in care finally closed and discharged, 
the Department shall ensure that the youth in care receives a 
copy of the court's order. 

(Source: P.A. 102-70, eff. 1-1-22.)
  
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.