93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4307

 

Introduced 02/02/04, by James H. Meyer

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Foster Care Independent Transition Pilot Program Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Department of Children and Family Services shall establish and administer a foster care independent transition pilot program to assist young adults who will be leaving the State's foster care system with the transition to independent living. Grants the Department rulemaking power. Provides location, eligibility, and service criteria for the pilot program. Provides that the Department shall decide, subject to appropriation, whether to continue the program based on reviews conducted by the Department or by a private agency of the Department's choosing, jointly with the Department.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning children.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Foster
5 Care Independent Transition Pilot Program Act.
 
6     Section 5. Definitions.
7     "Department" means the Department of Children and Family
8 Services.
9     "Pilot program" means the foster care transition pilot
10 program.
11     "Qualified entities" means municipalities, other political
12 subdivisions of the State, nonprofit corporations, churches
13 and religious organizations, and incorporated and
14 unincorporated entities operating within the State that meet
15 the requirements established by the Department of Children and
16 Family Services.
 
17     Section 10. Foster care independent transition pilot
18 program. To the extent that funds are appropriated by the
19 General Assembly to the Department of Children and Family
20 Services for that purpose, the Department shall establish and
21 administer, solely or in conjunction with a private agency of
22 the Department's choosing, a foster care independent
23 transition pilot program. The purpose of the program is to
24 assist young adults who are in the charge of the State's foster
25 care system and whose foster care system association will
26 terminate within one year so that they may make a successful
27 transition to independent living.
 
28     Section 15. Rulemaking. The Department shall adopt rules to
29 implement this Act, including rules to establish eligibility
30 criteria, standards, and limits for the pilot program.
 

 

 

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1     Section 20. Location. The Department must establish the
2 pilot program in a county of the Department's choosing that is
3 expected to have no more than 10 wards whose association with
4 the State's foster care system will terminate before January 1,
5 2006. The location determination shall be based on previous
6 county data and the current number of wards within a county.
 
7     Section 25. Eligibility. Participants in the pilot program
8 must (i) be 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 years of age, (ii) reach or
9 have reached the age of 18 while in the charge of the State
10 foster care system, and (iii) meet any other eligibility
11 criteria established by the Department.
 
12     Section 30. Implementation. The Department may implement
13 the pilot program through the award of contracts or grants to
14 qualified entities to provide services under the program. The
15 department may award contracts and grants if the Department
16 deems the contracts and grants reasonably related to the
17 purpose of the pilot program.
 
18     Section 35. Services. The pilot program shall provide, but
19 not be limited to, the following services:
20     (a) education and vocational training;
21     (b) career and employment services;
22     (c) training in basic life skills;
23     (d) housing and utility assistance;
24     (e) mentoring and counseling services; and
25     (f) other appropriate services to complement the efforts of
26 former State foster care recipients to achieve
27 self-sufficiency.
 
28     Section 40. Review; duration. The pilot program shall be
29 administered for 2 years, at which time the Department shall
30 decide, subject to appropriation, whether to continue the
31 program based on reviews conducted by the Department or the

 

 

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1 private agency of the Department's choosing, jointly with the
2 Department. The reviews shall consider the effectiveness of
3 services, progress of wards, cost-effectiveness for the
4 Department, and possible replication of services.