103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2297

 

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Julie A. Morrison

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
20 ILCS 505/5.48 new
20 ILCS 505/5.49 new
20 ILCS 505/5.50 new

    Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, shall develop a comprehensive list of children and youth under the age of 18 who are diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities or with a mental illness and are referred to a children's group home, an Illinois public school, a therapeutic day school, or a private in-state or out-of-state residential program or hospital due to their need for behavioral health services and supports. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services (Department) to work in conjunction with other specified State agencies to (i) track the referrals, monitor any possible overlap between agencies, track funding streams, track the number of available facilities, staff, and beds, and establish clear processes and memoranda of understanding for the exchange of this information; and (ii) establish a Short-Term Stabilization Home Model to serve eligible children and youth who have behavioral challenges that have not been stabilized despite interventions to support such children and youth in their communities. Provides that the Department and other specified entities shall be responsible for making referrals to the short-term stabilization homes. Provides that the Department shall work in conjunction with individual service coordination agencies in the child or youth's geographic area to identify potential short-term stabilization home participants. Requires the Department to establish a Transition to Adulthood Model as an intensive transition program that serves young adults from the age of 18 to the day before their 26th birthday. Provides that the Transition to Adulthood Model shall include educational services so that young adults receiving services under the model can learn how to navigate within their own community, use public transportation, plan and purchase meals, self-advocate, plan social activities, and attend institutions of higher learning, among other social activities. Effective immediately.


LRB103 30787 KTG 57277 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2297LRB103 30787 KTG 57277 b

1    AN ACT concerning children.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
5by adding Sections 5.48, 5.49, and 5.50 as follows:
 
6    (20 ILCS 505/5.48 new)
7    Sec. 5.48. Behavioral health referrals; agency monitoring.
8The Department of Children and Family Services, in conjunction
9with the Department of Human Services, shall develop a
10comprehensive list of children and youth under the age of 18
11who are diagnosed with intellectual and developmental
12disabilities or with a mental illness and are referred to a
13children's group home, an Illinois public school, a
14therapeutic day school, or a private in-state or out-of-state
15residential program or hospital due to their need for
16behavioral health services and supports.
17    The Department of Children and Family Services shall work
18in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, the
19Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the State Board
20of Education, and the Department of Juvenile Justice to track
21the referrals, monitor any possible overlap between agencies,
22track funding streams, track the number of available
23facilities, staff, and beds, and establish clear processes and

 

 

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1memoranda of understanding for the exchange of this
2information.
 
3    (20 ILCS 505/5.49 new)
4    Sec. 5.49. Short-Term Stabilization Home Model.
5    The Department of Children and Family Services, in
6conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the
7State Board of Education, shall establish a Short-Term
8Stabilization Home Model for children and youth under the age
9of 18 who are diagnosed with intellectual and developmental
10disabilities or with a mental illness and are receiving
11services under any home and community-based services waiver
12program authorized under Section 1915(c) of the Social
13Security Act.
14    The Short-Term Stabilization Home Model shall serve
15eligible children and youth who have behavioral challenges
16that have not been stabilized despite interventions to support
17such children and youth in their communities. Under the model,
18eligible children and youth shall not stay in a short-term
19stabilization home for more than 90 days. Each short-term
20stabilization home in the model shall be staffed by the
21following personnel:
22        (1) board-certified behavior analysts;
23        (2) qualified intellectual disabilities
24    professionals;
25        (3) registered nurses;

 

 

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1        (4) direct support persons;
2        (5) registered behavior technicians; and
3        (6) consulting psychiatrists.
4    The Department of Children and Family Services, the
5Department of Human Services, and the State Board of
6Education, in conjunction with local school districts, shall
7be responsible for making referrals to the short-term
8stabilization homes.
9    The Department of Children and Family Services shall
10ensure all children and youth under the age of 18 with
11intellectual and developmental disabilities or with a mental
12illness, regardless of funding streams, have access to the
13short-term stabilization home model. The Department shall work
14in conjunction with individual service coordination agencies
15in the child or youth's geographic area to identify potential
16short-term stabilization home participants.
 
17    (20 ILCS 505/5.50 new)
18    Sec. 5.50. Transition to Adulthood Model.
19    (a) The Department of Children and Family Services, in
20conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the
21State Board of Education, shall establish a Transition to
22Adulthood Model as an intensive transition program that serves
23young adults from the age of 18 to the day before their 26th
24birthday.
25    (b) The Transition to Adulthood Model shall include

 

 

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1educational services so that young adults receiving services
2under the model can learn how to navigate within their own
3community, use public transportation, plan and purchase meals,
4self-advocate, plan social activities, and attend institutions
5of higher learning, among other social activities.
6    The Transition to Adulthood Model shall also emphasize
7transition-to-adulthood planning to facilitate young adults
8with intellectual and developmental disabilities into their
9adult living arrangement and to prepare them to live as
10independently as possible within their own communities, while
11also emphasizing the intermittent supports they need to
12thrive. Young adults receiving services under the model shall
13be evaluated on an individual basis and strategies shall be
14based on person-centered planning.
15    Each young adult shall have an individualized transition
16plan in which transition specialists ensure communication,
17visits, and social engagements with other individuals (staff
18and peers) within the identified adult provider agency.
19    (c) The Transition to Adulthood Model shall employ
20transition specialists with job coaching skills to create a
21support replacement plan to ensure benchmarks toward
22independence are met by young adults receiving services under
23the model. These transition specialists shall have specialized
24training in transition and independence planning. A transition
25specialist, in collaboration with work site employees, shall
26work with a young adult toward helping the young adult achieve

 

 

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1job independence.
 
2    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
3becoming law.