Rep. Sue Scherer

Filed: 3/26/2019

 

 


 

 


 
10100HB1551ham001LRB101 07904 KTG 58484 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 1551

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 1551 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
5by adding Section 7.8 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 505/7.8 new)
7    Sec. 7.8. Home safety checklist; aftercare services;
8immunization checks.
9    (a) As used in this Section, "purchase of service agency"
10means any entity that contracts with the Department to provide
11services that are consistent with the purposes of this Act.
12    (b) Whenever a child is placed in the custody or
13guardianship of the Department or a child is returned to the
14custody of a parent or guardian and the court retains
15jurisdiction of the case, the Department must ensure that the
16child is up to date on his or her well-child visits, including

 

 

10100HB1551ham001- 2 -LRB101 07904 KTG 58484 a

1age-appropriate immunizations, or that there is a documented
2religious or medical reason the child did not receive the
3immunizations.
4    (c) Whenever a child has been placed in foster or
5substitute care by court order and the court later determines
6that the child can return to the custody of his or her parent
7or guardian, the Department must complete, prior to the child's
8discharge from foster or substitute care, a home safety
9checklist to ensure that the conditions of the child's home are
10sufficient to ensure the child's safety and well-being, as
11defined in Department rules and procedures. At a minimum, the
12home safety checklist shall be completed within 24 hours prior
13to the child's return home and completed again or recertified
14in the absence of any environmental barriers or hazards within
155 working days after a child is returned home and every month
16thereafter until the child's case is closed pursuant to the
17Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The home safety checklist shall
18include a certification that there are no environmental
19barriers or hazards to prevent returning the child home.
20    (d) When a court determines that a child should return to
21the custody or guardianship of a parent or guardian, any
22aftercare services provided to the child and the child's family
23by the Department or a purchase of service agency shall
24commence on the date upon which the child is returned to the
25custody or guardianship of his or her parent or guardian.
26However, if multiple children are returned at different times

 

 

10100HB1551ham001- 3 -LRB101 07904 KTG 58484 a

1to the custody or guardianship of the parent or guardian,
2aftercare services shall commence on the date upon which the
3last child returns home.
4    (e) Beginning one year after the effective date of this
5amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, and every 2 years
6thereafter, the Auditor General shall conduct a performance and
7compliance audit of the Department of Children and Family
8Services to determine whether the Department is meeting the
9requirements of this Section. Upon completion of each audit,
10the Auditor General shall report its findings to the General
11Assembly. The Auditor General's report shall include any issues
12or deficiencies and recommendations. The audits required by
13this Section shall be in accordance with and subject to the
14Illinois State Auditing Act.
 
15    Section 10. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is
16amended by adding Section 7.01 as follows:
 
17    (325 ILCS 5/7.01 new)
18    Sec. 7.01. Safety assessments for reports made by mandated
19reporters.
20    (a) When a report is made by a mandated reporter to the
21statewide toll-free telephone number established under Section
227.6 of this Act and there is a prior indicated report of abuse
23or neglect and a prior open service case involving any member
24of the household, the Department must, at a minimum, accept the

 

 

10100HB1551ham001- 4 -LRB101 07904 KTG 58484 a

1report as a child welfare services referral. If the family
2refuses to cooperate or refuses access to the home or children,
3then a child protective services investigation shall be
4initiated if the facts otherwise meet the criteria to accept a
5report.
6    As used in this Section, "child welfare services referral"
7means an assessment of the family for service needs and linkage
8to available local community resources for the purpose of
9preventing or remedying or assisting in the solution of
10problems which may result in the neglect, abuse, exploitation,
11or delinquency of children, and as further defined in
12Department rules and procedures.
13    As used in this Section, "prior open service case" means a
14case in which the Department has provided services to the
15family either directly or through a purchase of service agency.
16    (b) Beginning one year after the effective date of this
17amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, and every 2 years
18thereafter, the Auditor General shall conduct a performance and
19compliance audit of the Department of Children and Family
20Services to determine whether the Department is meeting the
21requirements of this Section. Upon completion of each audit,
22the Auditor General shall report its findings to the General
23Assembly. The Auditor General's report shall include any issues
24or deficiencies and recommendations. The audits required by
25this Section shall be in accordance with and subject to the
26Illinois State Auditing Act.".