Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB3684
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Full Text of HB3684  99th General Assembly

HB3684ham002 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Litesa E. Wallace

Filed: 4/7/2015

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3684

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3684 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Foster Children's Bill of Rights Act.
 
6    Section 5. Foster Children's Bill or Rights. It is the
7policy of this State that every child and adult in the care of
8the Department of Children and Family Services who is placed in
9foster care shall have the following rights:
10        (1) To live in a safe, healthy, and comfortable home
11    where he or she is treated with respect.
12        (2) To be free from physical, sexual, emotional, or
13    other abuse, or corporal punishment.
14        (3) To receive adequate and healthy food, adequate
15    clothing, and, for youth in group homes, an allowance.
16        (4) To receive medical, dental, vision, and mental

 

 

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1    health services.
2        (5) To be free of the administration of medication or
3    chemical substances, unless authorized by a physician.
4        (6) To contact family members, unless prohibited by
5    court order, and social workers, attorneys, foster youth
6    advocates and supporters, Court Appointed Special
7    Advocates (CASAs), and probation officers.
8        (7) To visit and contact brothers and sisters, unless
9    prohibited by court order.
10        (8) To contact the Advocacy Office for Children and
11    Families established under the Children and Family
12    Services Act or the Department of Children and Family
13    Services' Office of the Inspector General regarding
14    violations of rights, to speak to representatives of these
15    offices confidentially, and to be free from threats or
16    punishment for making complaints.
17        (9) To make and receive confidential telephone calls
18    and send and receive unopened mail, unless prohibited by
19    court order.
20        (10) To attend religious services and activities of his
21    or her choice.
22        (11) To maintain an emancipation bank account and
23    manage personal income, consistent with the child's age and
24    developmental level, unless prohibited by the case plan.
25        (12) To not be locked in a room, building, or facility
26    premises, unless placed in a secure child care facility

 

 

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1    licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services
2    under the Child Care Act of 1969.
3        (13) To attend school and participate in
4    extracurricular, cultural, and personal enrichment
5    activities, consistent with the child's age and
6    developmental level, with minimal disruptions to school
7    attendance and educational stability.
8        (14) To work and develop job skills at an
9    age-appropriate level, consistent with State law.
10        (15) To have social contacts with people outside of the
11    foster care system, including teachers, church members,
12    mentors, and friends.
13        (16) If he or she meets age requirements, to attend
14    services and programs operated by the Department of
15    Children and Family Services or any other appropriate State
16    agency that aim to help current and former foster youth
17    achieve self-sufficiency prior to and after leaving foster
18    care.
19        (17) To attend court hearings and speak to the judge.
20        (18) To have storage space for private use.
21        (19) To be involved in the development of his or her
22    own case plan and plan for permanent placement.
23        (20) To review his or her own case plan and plan for
24    permanent placement, if he or she is 12 years of age or
25    older and in a permanent placement, and to receive
26    information about his or her out-of-home placement and case

 

 

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1    plan, including being told of changes to the case plan.
2        (21) To be free from unreasonable searches of personal
3    belongings.
4        (22) To the confidentiality of all juvenile court
5    records consistent with existing law.
6        (23) To have fair and equal access to all available
7    services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to
8    not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the
9    basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group
10    identification, ancestry, national origin, color,
11    religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental
12    or physical disability, or HIV status.
13        (24) To have caregivers and child welfare personnel who
14    have received sensitivity training and instruction on
15    matters concerning race and ethnicity.
16        (25) To have caregivers and child welfare personnel who
17    have received instruction on cultural competency and
18    sensitivity relating to, and best practices for, providing
19    adequate care to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
20    youth in out-of-home care.
21        (26) At 16 years of age or older, to have access to
22    existing information regarding the educational options
23    available, including, but not limited to, the coursework
24    necessary for vocational and postsecondary educational
25    programs, and information regarding financial aid for
26    postsecondary education.

 

 

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1        (27) To have access to age-appropriate, medically
2    accurate information about reproductive health care, the
3    prevention of unplanned pregnancy, and the prevention and
4    treatment of sexually transmitted infections at 12 years of
5    age or older.
6        (28) To receive a copy of this Act from and have it
7    fully explained by the Department of Children and Family
8    Services when the child or adult is placed in the care of
9    the Department of Children and Family Services.
 
10    Section 10. Foster care provider. Nothing in this Act shall
11be interpreted to require a foster care provider to take any
12action that would impair the health and safety of children in
13out-of-home placement.".