Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB3732

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3732

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Maura Hirschauer

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 505/5.48 new

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements.

A BILL FOR

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 adding Section 5.48 as follows:

(20 ILCS 505/5.48 new)

Sec. 5.48. Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program.

(a) Purpose. Illinois currently faces challenges with prolonged foster care placements and reunification delays. Only 18.6 % of the children who entered substitute care in the Cook County region in Calendar Year 2021 were reunified with their families within 24 months. The purpose of this Section is to create a pilot program focused on providing parents with their own case manager, separate from their children in State care, to aid in reunifying children with their biological families after entering foster care. The pilot program would focus on, improving case management services and connection to community resources, and integrating workforce development initiatives for foster youth and parents facing economic hardship.

(b) Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds the following:

(1) Many children in foster care experience instability due to insufficient family support systems and inadequate caseworker resources.

(2) Family reunification, when safely possible, leads to better long-term outcomes for children.

(3) Comprehensive support for parents, including job readiness and placement programs, is essential to creating a stable home environment for returning children.

(c) Program establishment and components. The Department of Children and Family Services shall establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians. To promote case coordination, the Department shall provide caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services.

(d) Two-year reunification plan. For each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. The Department shall also:

(1) conduct quarterly service plan reviews to measure progress toward milestones;

(2) promote family relationship building, by implementing structured family engagement sessions during the first 6 months of an open case to strengthen bonds between children and biological parents; and

(3) target reunifying at least 40% of children who are new to care within the first 18-24 months of placement.

(e) Workforce development component. To increase employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth aged 16 and older, the pilot program shall:

(1) provide parents and foster youth with access to job readiness training, paid internships, and mentorship programs to build career skills and financial independence; and

(2) provide job training, financial literacy, and job placement services to parents in poverty to support economic stability and successful reunification.

(f) Outcomes and reporting. Beginning one year after implementation of the pilot program, the Department shall submit annual reports to the General Assembly that detail reunification rates, family engagement metrics, funding adjustments, and workforce development outcomes. The final report shall be submitted 3 months after the pilot program terminates. After the pilot programs second full year of operation, the Department shall conduct a program evaluation to determine scalability and long-term viability.