HB1551eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB1551 Engrossed LRB101 07904 SLF 52959 b

AN ACT concerning courts.

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 7.8 as follows:

(20 ILCS 505/7.8 new)

Sec. 7.8. Home safety checklist; aftercare services; immunization checks.

(a) As used in this Section, "purchase of service agency" means any entity that contracts with the Department to provide services that are consistent with the purposes of this Act.

(b) Whenever a child is placed in the custody or guardianship of the Department or a child is returned to the custody of a parent or guardian and the court retains jurisdiction of the case, the Department must ensure that the child is up to date on his or her well-child visits, including age-appropriate immunizations, or that there is a documented religious or medical reason the child did not receive the immunizations.

(c) Whenever a child has been placed in foster or substitute care by court order and the court later determines that the child can return to the custody of his or her parent or guardian, the Department must complete, prior to the child's discharge from foster or substitute care, a home safety checklist to ensure that the conditions of the child's home are sufficient to ensure the child's safety and well-being, as defined in Department rules and procedures. At a minimum, the home safety checklist shall be completed within 24 hours prior to the child's return home and completed again or recertified in the absence of any environmental barriers or hazards within 5 working days after a child is returned home and every month thereafter until the child's case is closed pursuant to the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. The home safety checklist shall include a certification that there are no environmental barriers or hazards to prevent returning the child home.

(d) When a court determines that a child should return to the custody or guardianship of a parent or guardian, any aftercare services provided to the child and the child's family by the Department or a purchase of service agency shall commence on the date upon which the child is returned to the custody or guardianship of his or her parent or guardian. However, if multiple children are returned at different times to the custody or guardianship of the parent or guardian, aftercare services shall commence on the date upon which the last child returns home.

(e) One year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the Auditor General shall commence a performance audit of the Department of Children and Family Services to determine whether the Department is meeting the requirements of this Section. Within 2 years after the audit's release, the Auditor General shall commence a follow-up performance audit to determine whether the Department has implemented the recommendations contained in the initial performance audit. Upon completion of each audit, the Auditor General shall report its findings to the General Assembly. The Auditor General's reports shall include any issues or deficiencies and recommendations. The audits required by this Section shall be in accordance with and subject to the Illinois State Auditing Act.

Section 10. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is amended by adding Section 7.01 as follows:

(325 ILCS 5/7.01 new)

Sec. 7.01. Safety assessments for reports made by mandated reporters.

(a) When a report is made by a mandated reporter to the statewide toll-free telephone number established under Section 7.6 of this Act and there is a prior indicated report of abuse or neglect and a prior open service case involving any member of the household, the Department must, at a minimum, accept the report as a child welfare services referral. If the family refuses to cooperate or refuses access to the home or children, then a child protective services investigation shall be initiated if the facts otherwise meet the criteria to accept a report.

As used in this Section, "child welfare services referral" means an assessment of the family for service needs and linkage to available local community resources for the purpose of preventing or remedying or assisting in the solution of problems which may result in the neglect, abuse, exploitation, or delinquency of children, and as further defined in Department rules and procedures.

As used in this Section, "prior open service case" means a case in which the Department has provided services to the family either directly or through a purchase of service agency.

(b) One year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, the Auditor General shall commence a performance audit of the Department of Children and Family Services to determine whether the Department is meeting the requirements of this Section. Within 2 years after the audit's release, the Auditor General shall commence a follow-up performance audit to determine whether the Department has implemented the recommendations contained in the initial performance audit. Upon completion of each audit, the Auditor General shall report its findings to the General Assembly. The Auditor General's reports shall include any issues or deficiencies and recommendations. The audits required by this Section shall be in accordance with and subject to the Illinois State Auditing Act.