State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ]

90_SB0861eng

      305 ILCS 5/4-8            from Ch. 23, par. 4-8
          Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code.  Provides  that,  in
      determining  whether  a  child  in  an assistance unit is not
      receiving  proper  and  necessary  support   or   care,   the
      Department of Public Aid, or the Department of Human Services
      as  successor  agency to the Department of Public Aid for the
      purpose of administering the  AFDC  program,  shall  consider
      irregular  school attendance by children of school age grades
      1 through 8 (rather  than  elementary  school  age  grades  1
      through  6)  as  evidence  of  lack  of  proper and necessary
      support or care and shall provide services to those  families
      as resources permit.  Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9002989SMpk
SB861 Engrossed                                LRB9002989SMpk
 1        AN  ACT to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code by changing
 2    Section 4-8.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
 6    changing Section 4-8 as follows:
 7        (305 ILCS 5/4-8) (from Ch. 23, par. 4-8)
 8        Sec. 4-8. Mismanagement of assistance grant.
 9        (a)  If the County Department has reason to believe  that
10    the money payment for basic maintenance is not being used, or
11    may  not  be used, in the best interests of the child and the
12    family and that there is present or potential damage  to  the
13    standards of health and well-being that the grant is intended
14    to  assure, the County Department shall provide the parent or
15    other relative with the counseling and guidance services with
16    respect to the use of the grant and the management  of  other
17    funds  available  to  the family as may be required to assure
18    use of the grant in the  best  interests  of  the  child  and
19    family.  The  Illinois  Department  shall  by  rule prescribe
20    criteria   which   shall   constitute   evidence   of   grant
21    mismanagement. The criteria shall include but not be  limited
22    to the following:
23             (1)  A  determination that a child in the assistance
24        unit is not receiving proper  and  necessary  support  or
25        other  care  for which assistance is being provided under
26        this Code.
27             (2)  A  record  establishing  that  the  parent   or
28        relative has been found guilty of public assistance fraud
29        under Article VIIIA.
30             (3)  A   determination  by  an  appropriate  person,
31        entity, or agency  that  the  parent  or  other  relative
SB861 Engrossed             -2-                LRB9002989SMpk
 1        requires treatment for alcohol or substance abuse, mental
 2        health services, or other special care or treatment.
 3        The  Department  shall  at  least consider non-payment of
 4    rent  for  two  consecutive  months  as  evidence  of   grant
 5    mismanagement  by  a parent or relative of a recipient who is
 6    responsible for making rental payments  for  the  housing  or
 7    shelter  of  the  child  or  family,  unless  the  Department
 8    determines   that   the  non-payment  is  necessary  for  the
 9    protection of the health and well-being of the recipient. The
10    County Department shall advise the parent or  other  relative
11    grantee  that  continued  mismanagement  will  result  in the
12    application  of  one  of  the  sanctions  specified  in  this
13    Section.
14        The Illinois Department shall consider  irregular  school
15    attendance  by  children  of  elementary  school age grades 1
16    through 8 6, as evidence of  lack  of  proper  and  necessary
17    support or care.
18        The Illinois Department shall develop preventive programs
19    in  collaboration  with  elementary school and social service
20    networks to encourage school attendance of children receiving
21    assistance under Article IV.  To  the  extent  that  Illinois
22    Department   and   community  resources  are  available,  the
23    programs shall serve families  whose  children  in  grades  1
24    through 8 6 are not attending elementary school regularly, as
25    defined  by the school.  The programs shall include referrals
26    from the school to a social service network,  assessment  and
27    development  of  a  service  plan  by  one  or  more  network
28    representatives,  and the Illinois Department's encouragement
29    of the family  to  follow  through  with  the  service  plan.
30    Families  that  fail to follow the service plan as determined
31    by the service provider, shall be subject to  the  protective
32    payment  provisions  of  this Section and Section 4-9 of this
33    Code.
34        Families for whom a protective payment plan has  been  in
SB861 Engrossed             -3-                LRB9002989SMpk
 1    effect  for  at  least  3  months and whose elementary school
 2    children continue to regularly miss school shall  be  subject
 3    to  a  sanction  of  the  parent's portion of the grant.  The
 4    sanction  shall  continue  until  the  children   demonstrate
 5    satisfactory  attendance,  as  defined by the school.  To the
 6    extent necessary to  implement  this  Section,  the  Illinois
 7    Department   shall   seek   appropriate  waivers  of  federal
 8    requirements from the U.S. Department  of  Health  and  Human
 9    Services.
10        The  Illinois  Department  may  implement  the amendatory
11    changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act  of  1995
12    through  the  use  of  emergency rules in accordance with the
13    provisions of Section 5-45  of  the  Illinois  Administrative
14    Procedure  Act.   For purposes of the Illinois Administrative
15    Procedure  Act,  the  adoption  of  rules  to  implement  the
16    amendatory changes to this Section made  by  this  amendatory
17    Act  of  1995  shall be deemed an emergency and necessary for
18    the public interest, safety, and welfare.
19        (b)  If the local office has reason  to  believe  that  a
20    caretaker relative is experiencing substance abuse:
21             (i)  If there is another family member or friend who
22        is  ensuring  that the family's needs are being met, that
23        person, if  willing,  shall  be  assigned  as  protective
24        payee.
25             (ii)  If  there  is no family member or close friend
26        to  serve  as  protective  payee,  the  Department  shall
27        determine if a referral to the Department of Children and
28        Family Services is warranted and,  if  appropriate,  make
29        the referral.
30             (iii)  The  Department  shall contact the individual
31        who is thought to be  experiencing  substance  abuse  and
32        explain  why  the  protective payee has been assigned and
33        refer the individual to treatment.
34        (c)  This subsection (c)  applies  to  cases  other  than
SB861 Engrossed             -4-                LRB9002989SMpk
 1    those described in subsection (b).  If the efforts to correct
 2    the  mismanagement  of  the  grant  have  failed,  the County
 3    Department, in accordance with the rules and  regulations  of
 4    the  Illinois  Department,  shall initiate one or more of the
 5    following actions:
 6             1.  Provide for a protective payment to a substitute
 7        payee, as provided in Section 4-9.  This  action  may  be
 8        initiated  for  any  assistance  unit  containing a child
 9        determined to be neglected by the Department of  Children
10        and  Family Services under the Abused and Neglected Child
11        Reporting Act, and in any  case  involving  a  record  of
12        public assistance fraud.
13             2.  Provide for issuance of all or part of the grant
14        in  the  form  of  disbursing orders.  This action may be
15        initiated in  any  case  involving  a  record  of  public
16        assistance  fraud,  or  upon  the request of a substitute
17        payee designated under Section 4-9.
18             3.  File a petition under the Juvenile Court Act  of
19        1987  for  an  Order  of  Protection under Sections 2-25,
20        2-26, 3-26, and 3-27, 4-23, 4-24, 5-27, or 5-28  of  that
21        Act.
22             4.  Institute  a proceeding under the Juvenile Court
23        Act of 1987 for the appointment of a  guardian  or  legal
24        representative  for the purpose of receiving and managing
25        the public aid grant.
26             5.  If the mismanagement of the grant, together with
27        other factors, have rendered the home unsuitable for  the
28        best  welfare of the child, file a neglect petition under
29        the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, requesting the removal of
30        the child or children.
31    (Source: P.A. 88-412; 89-6, eff. 3-6-95.)
32        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
33    becoming law.

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