HB4303 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 15237 AMC 40833 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4303

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

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 10/7.4 new

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to annually review private child welfare agencies that place children in foster family homes. Provides that if, upon review, the Department is not satisfied that the agency has met the required minimum standards, as established by rule of the Department, the agency may be subject to disciplinary action under the Act and may be subject to provisions regarding conditional licensure and corrective plans. Provides that information regarding disciplinary actions involving private child welfare agencies must be made available to the public upon request. Requires the Department to submit a report by January 1, 2006, and on January 1 of each year thereafter, to the Governor and General Assembly regarding the review of private child welfare agencies. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning professional regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Child Care Act of 1969 is amended by adding Section 7.4 as follows:

(225 ILCS 10/7.4 new)

Sec. 7.4. Private child welfare agency reviews.

(a) The Department must annually review each private child welfare agency that places or arranges for the placement of a child in a foster family home. This review must include, at a minimum, an assessment of all of the following:

(1) How well the agency engages in ongoing consultation with foster family homes, the court system, and other public and private child and family service agencies.

(2) Reports of the agency's services delivered pursuant to the requirements of this Act.

(3) The agency's compliance with federal and State foster care requirements.

(4) Random surveys of foster family homes in which the agency has placed a child to assess the quality of services provided by that agency.

(b) If, upon review, the Department is not satisfied that the agency has met the required minimum standards, as established by rule of the Department, the agency may be subject to disciplinary action under this Act and may be subject to the provisions of Section 8.2 with regard to conditional licensure and corrective plans.

(c) Information regarding disciplinary actions involving private child welfare agencies must be made available to the public upon request.

(d) The Department shall submit a report by January 1, 2006, and on January 1 of each year thereafter, to the Governor and General Assembly regarding the review of private child welfare agencies. The report shall include, but need not be limited to, a summary of collected data, an analysis of the data and conclusions regarding this Act's effectiveness, and recommendations for changes that may be considered necessary to improve the administration and enforcement of this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.