HB2723 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB101 07994 KTG 53051 b

101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB2723

Introduced , by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

325 ILCS 70/10
325 ILCS 70/15

Amends the Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families Act. Increases the membership of the Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families to include 2 persons who each serve as a chief executive officer or chief administrator of a private sector child welfare provider. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services (rather than the Children and Family Research Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) to provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Requires the Department to engage the services of the Children and Family Research Center to aid in the collection, cataloguing, and analysis of child welfare data. Extends the deadline date by which the Task Force must submit certain reports to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning the State's child welfare workforce. Changes the date the Task Force is dissolved from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. Changes the date the Act is repealed from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning children.

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

Section 5. The Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families Act is amended by changing Sections 10 and 15 as follows:

(325 ILCS 70/10)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2021)

Sec. 10. Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families.

(a) As used in this Act:

"Child welfare workers" or "staff" means child welfare caseworkers, child welfare specialists, and child welfare specialist supervisors.

"Child welfare services job" mean an employment position as a child welfare caseworker, child welfare specialist, or child welfare specialist supervisor.

(b) The Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families is created to do all of the following:

(1) Perform a policy and literature review regarding: (i) compensation and caseload standards in the field of child welfare; (ii) staff turnover rates; and (iii) the impact compensation, caseload, and staff turnover have on achieving safety and timely permanency for children.

(2) Survey employers in the public and private sector to determine:

(A) how many child welfare service jobs exist;

(B) the compensation paid to child welfare workers;

(C) how many child welfare service jobs are filled and how many are vacant;

(D) how many child welfare service jobs are filled by persons who have at least 18 months in the position;

(E) the rate of turnover for child welfare workers; and

(F) the causes of turnover for child welfare workers.

(3) Conduct a detailed time log analysis for child welfare workers to determine how much time is available to complete each administrative task and how much time is actually spent to complete each administrative task. The time log analysis shall expressly ask child welfare workers the following question for each administrative task, "Is this task duplicative of one that you have already completed?".

(4) Develop recommendations on how to (i) improve the recruitment and retention of child welfare workers; and (ii) reduce the turnover rates for child welfare workers.

(c) Members of the Task Force shall include:

(1) 2 members appointed by the Governor;

(2) 2 legislative members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated as Co-Chairperson;

(3) 2 legislative members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated as Co-Chairperson;

(4) 2 legislative members appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be designated as Co-Chairperson;

(5) 2 legislative members appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, one of whom shall be designated as Co-Chairperson;

(6) the Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, or his or her designee;

(7) the Director of Children and Family Services, or his or her designee;

(8) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or his or her designee;

(9) the Principal Investigator for the Child Protection Training Academy at the University of Illinois;

(10) a person appointed by a labor union that represents State employees;

(11) a current private sector employee appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

(12) a person representing a non-profit, statewide organization that represents private sector child welfare providers; and .

(13) 2 persons who each serve as a chief executive officer or chief administrator of a private sector child welfare provider.

(d) The Department of Children and Family Services Children and Family Research Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force.

(e) The Department of Children and Family Services shall engage the services of the Children and Family Research Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The Department of Children and Family Services shall engage the services of a university-based consultant to aid in the collection, cataloguing, and analysis of child welfare data. Services provided by the Children and Family Research Center as described in this subsection and whose services shall conclude when the Task Force submits its final report to the General Assembly and the Governor as required under subsection (h).

(f) The Task Force shall consider contracting with a qualified company, university, or other entity with demonstrated experience studying and improving human resources management.

(g) The Task Force shall meet no less than 6 times.

(h) The Task Force shall submit a preliminary report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than October 1, 2020 2019, and a final electronic report, along with recommendations and any proposed legislation, to the General Assembly and the Governor by January 1, 2021 2020.

The reports to the General Assembly shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate in electronic form only, in the manner that the Clerk and the Secretary shall direct.

(i) The Task Force is dissolved on January 1, 2022 2021.

(Source: P.A. 100-879, eff. 8-14-18.)

(325 ILCS 70/15)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2021)

Sec. 15. Repeal. This Act is repealed on January 1, 2022 2021.

(Source: P.A. 100-879, eff. 8-14-18.)

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