DCFS has asked us to announce an additional opportunity for private staff to attend training on IEPA regulations and requirements. These sessions are suitable for staff who work in foster care, adoption or with any DCFS clients. The training sessions are 2 hours long. The training is scheduled for November 17, 10:00 a.m.-Noon or 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. at DCFS Cook Central, 3301 W. Arthington, Chicago, 2^nd floor conference room. Reservations should be made with Lucy Walker at 217-785-5689. (MB)

We are repeating last week�s information on this for your convenience. The licensure schedule for the next 3 months is attached. DCFS cautions agencies that they should not wait until December for any existing/current staff. These dates should be held only for newly hired staff. There will not be sufficient slots available for new hires if any current staff wait until the last minute to take the exam.

DCFS reports a very high rate of no-shows during recent testing and training dates. We urge agencies to double-check with any current staff you thought had taken the training and exam to be sure they are not part of the no-show group. Reserving slots for staff who fail to show has prevented registration for other staff who then go on a waiting list or must go during another, more inconvenient time.

Once again, the regular registration process with Northern Illinois University should be followed.

We urge all executive staff to personally review the status of all employees in your agency who are mandated to be licensed. Are any of your staff part of the No-Show problem referenced above? You need to be certain that they have signed up to take the test, or have taken it and have received their passing score or are receiving remediation if they failed. You will need to track that they fill out the complete application. You need to assure you or your personnel staff are filling out the employer verification forms�an essential and time-consuming part of the application process but a streamlined version of the copies of everything DCFS was originally going to require staff to produce. Have you committed sufficient h/r resources to this task to help the program staff? You need to be sure all current staff are licensed before December 31. Elsewhere in this Monday Report is the schedule of remaining test dates for the year. There are not many and the slots are filling up fast. Do Not Wait�send staff today. (MB)

Caregivers and child welfare staff are invited to attend a special training session, "Resources and Services for Caregivers" sponsored by the African-American Family Commission, Research Advisory Committee of the Illinois Subsidized Guardianship IV-E Waiver Demonstration Research Project. The goal of the training is to provide information on permanency decisions, adoption/guardianship subsidies and post-permanency resources to help caregivers provide for the safety and well-being of children in their care. Foster Care training credits for caregivers and CEU�s for staff will be offered. The training is scheduled for: December 7, 2000 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Juvenile Court Auditorium, 2245 W. Ogden Ave., Concourse Level. Refreshments will be served from 9 to 10. Pre-registration is required via Wasi Young, Research Specialist, African-American Family Commission, 2925 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL. 60616; Phone: 312-326-0368, FAX: 312-326-1392. Flyers can also be obtained for distribution to caregivers and staff by calling Mr. Young. (MB)

The GAP committee held its final meeting in Chicago on November 8. Since there is a need for resources to be devoted to executive level impact on court and contracting systems, the GAP group as it currently exists is discontinued. Recommendations on a set of strategies will be forthcoming to all Cook executives via a Steering Committee of executive directors. There may be issues that emerge in the future which merit a meeting of the current GAP group. When such cases arise, the current mailing list will be used.

Members exchanged information on the status of the No Reasonable Efforts project. As previously reported from the Cook Executives meeting, agencies do have the capacity to appeal No Reasonable Efforts findings. Several agencies are working on such cases, but reported the process is detailed. Additionally, as they have identified court issues, they have identified internal case and agency performance issues. These sometimes impact the court process but are helpful in providing management intervention in the agency where needed. Agencies also reported that DCFS legal staff have not been particularly involved or helpful in such processes.

Feedback from the CCAI staff meeting with judges was discussed. As the judges continue to provide negative feedback on private agencies, the question is how to impact the perception as well as provide vehicles for sharing agency perceptions of the court. Part of the strategy should be to secure a more active agenda on behalf of agencies during the bi-monthly meetings with Judge Bishop. Agencies were reminded that the next court meeting is scheduled for January 18.

Data collection and review is also key to solving the problem. Some agencies have begun getting an ACR feedback report that previously only went to AP Supervisors. These have been helpful in tracking service plans, school reports, etc. A main problem is providing feedback to DCFS on the accuracy of reports. DCFS does not always have the capacity to change its data system to reflect corrections.

The Education Work Group reported on meetings with DCFS educational staff. Educational services have been incorporated in the Center for Child Welfare and Education at Northern Illinois University. Rule 314 is being revised by DCFS. When the draft is available for comment it will be important for Cook agencies to review. Surrogate parent training can be provided by a pool of volunteer educational advocates. Requests for a volunteer training can be made to Christa Hinton, 312-814-6800. she will make a "referral" of one of the volunteers to the agency and the agency will be responsible for following up to arrange the training. (MB)

The ISBE will conduct trainings around the state on the new special education rules in Illinois. The locations and dates are as follows:

November 14, 6-9:30 p.m. and November 15, 9-12:30 p.m., Gateway Convention Center, #1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville IL (618) 345-8998; November 20, 6-9:30 p.m. and November 21, 9-12:30 p.m., Signature Inn Conference Center, 3090 Stephenson Drive, Springfield IL (217)529-6611; November 27, 6-9:30 p.m. and November 28, 9-12:30 p.m., Radisson Hotel, 75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights IL (847)427-4231; and November 28, 6-9:30 p.m. and November 29, 9-12:30 p.m., Holiday Inn, 500 Holiday Plaza Drive, Matteson IL (708)747-3500. No advance registration is required. No information is available about trainings in Chicago at this time (BRH)

On November 14, the legislative members of JCAR will rule on the peremptory rules that ISBE has filed on special education certification in order to comply, as ISBE says, with the Corey H. consent decree. These rules change current categorical certifications into general certifications of learning specialists I and II. This is a radical change that, for the most part, has remained unopposed by the major teacher unions and special education organizations. Particularly in the public sector, ISELA, the special education umbrella advocacy organization believes "This is an attempt to place almost every child with a disability in the regular classroom taught by the regular classroom teacher. This would de-value special education by making almost all current special education teachers become consultants for almost all children with seven very different types of disabilities from the mild to the most severe." CCA�s membership has chosen only to monitor this situation due to the very different needs of the children in our members� settings. However, should your agency decide to oppose this move, the members of JCAR and their fax and phone numbers can be faxed to you by the CCA office. (BRH)

FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES STEERING COMMITTEE

At the last meeting of the Family Centered Service Steering Committee, updates were provided on the FCS Year 2 programs and the additional dollar applications for adoption and time-limited reunification. 22 applications were being reviewed for Adoption Services and 29 applications were being reviewed for Time-Limited Reunification. It was estimated that between 10 to 15 contracts would be funded for each of these additional services. Adoption services would begin funding November 1^st for a 12 month period and Time-Limited Reunification would begin December 1, 2000 for a 12 month period.

The Evaluation Subcommittee reported on the LAN statistic book on outcomes which was provided to all members of the committee and would be mailed to those that did not attend. Profiles are presented for each LAN on permanency outcomes. Permanency can be achieved in three ways: 1.) Children return home to their natural parents; 2.) Children are adopted; 3.) and children are placed in subsidized guardianship. Information is presented on the total number of permanencies achieved in the LAN in the 3 year period from April 1, 1997 to March 31, 2000. The information is also presented by the three types of permanencies. The permanency information is also broken out by race, age and type of foster care in which children had been placed. (JMS)

Should you have any questions a special help line has been established. For help please call D.D. Fischer at (217) 656-3000.

DCFS has reported that they have all Plan Part 1�s for determining the funding allocations for each agency for the POS SACWIS equipment as of the week of October 23^rd. It was critical that this information be submitted so that determination can be made on the number of seats that will be funded for SACWIS statewide and what will be the funding amount for each seat. Once resolution of the numbers is finalized DCFS will be mailing out the document that each agency will use to develop the three year plan and budget for POS SACWIS equipment. It is anticipated that this information will be mailed out shortly. Agencies will then need to return the plan by December 31^st in order to implement a contract amendment with the additional funds.

POS members of the SACWIS Advisory Committee have also begun initial discussions around continued funding issues for SACWIS beyond FY 2003. Is the current funding level for SACWIS POS equipment during, FY 2001, 2002 and 2003 sufficient? Will the federal administration of Children and Families approve 50% reimbursement for POS equipment? If so, how can additional funds be used for POS SACWIS issues? How can funding for maintenance and support be accessed during the first three years to fund POS equipment? What funding level is needed after the first three years of funding? How and where will funds be accessed to update, maintain and support the system after FY 2003? (JMS)

Central Baptist Family Services will be featured on the show Chicagoing hosted by Bill Campbell. The show will provide an overview on Central Baptist�s adoption services and provide details on the policy issues surrounding adoption and subsidized guardianship. In addition, two clients who have adopted children through the agency will be featured on the show. It is currently scheduled to air on Sunday, November 26, 11:30 AM - Noon on WLS-TV, Channel 7 in Chicago. A videotape will also be available for loan from CCA. TO reserve your loan, contact Linda Lenzini at [email protected] or by phone at 217-528-4409.

A press release template that promotes the part that private, voluntary agencies have played in Illinois� outstanding adoption record is now available on the CCA Website. This template, available in an MSWord format, can be tailored to your agency�s use. CCA can also assist you in tailoring your message to the media in your community. For more information, contact Linda Lenzini at [email protected] or by phone at 217-528-4409.

(LLL)

WEBSITES WE LIKE will be a regular feature in the Monday Report. If you have a website you are using for policy research, media information, or other purposes, please send it on to CCA so that we can share it with other members in the Monday Report and consider it for addition to the CCA Link Library on-line. Send submissions via e-mail to: [email protected].

There are a two websites worth looking at for those interested child development in Illinois. Visit these websites to learn more about how communities, policy makers and families work together to ensure that children grow up healthy, nurtured, safe and well educated.

http://www.voices4kids.org

http://www.charterforillinoischildren.org

Tell us what you think of the WEBSITES WE LIKE. Were they helpful? Were they easy to find? E-mail Linda Lenzini at [email protected] with comments, suggestions, and questions.

(LLL)

If your agency participated last year in this exciting event, you�ll be hearing from CCA. We want to know what you felt was effective on this day, and what could have been improved. CHILD WELFARE DAY will be scheduled during the Spring legislative session once the legislative schedule is set after the election. Please share your ideas and suggestions for this high-profile event by contacting Linda Lenzini, Director of Marketing and Communications at the Child Care Association at 217-538-4409, or by e-mail at [email protected]

(LLL)

CCA SURVEY UPDATES
Data from the CCA 2000 Membership Survey is currently being reviewed and aggregated for use in CCA�s Public Policy and Legislative efforts on behalf of its membership. Agencies that participate in this mandatory survey will have their information included in a searchable database that is currently being planned. Aggregate data will be available by the end of December 2000 on the CCA website.
(LLL)

The Outcome Measures 2000 Survey has been mailed to CCA�s membership, with returns due by January 3, 2001, and data analysis completed in February of 2001. For more information, contact DD Fischer at 217-656-3000 or by e-mail at [email protected]. (DDF)

Looking for information on a particular facet of legislation, association management, program or service? Chances are, if you want to know, other member agencies do, too.

Send e-mail to [email protected], and we�ll publish your question and the answer in the Monday Report. (LLL)

Hosting services and simply website development are now available through CCA. For more information contact Rommel Sangalang at CCA at [email protected] or by phone at 217-528-4409.

If your agency has a website, you can be linked to the CCA website. This will enable visitors to the CCA website to simply click on your agency�s name and access your website. Send requests for linkage via e-mail to Linda Lenzini at CCA, e-mail address [email protected]. (LLL)

JOIN CCA�s GROWING E-MAIL Directory If your agency is interested in listing an e-mail contact with CCA and has not already done so, please send the contact name, title, and current e-mail address to [email protected]. There is also a directory being put together for communications/public relations personnel within agencies to receive media updates and advisories, template news releases, and other items of interest. Please send name, agency name, and e-mail address to [email protected], specifying which list you would like to be on -- general, or communications/public relations. (LLL)

Does your agency have an innovative program or recent success story that you�d like to share? CCA is interested in sharing your recent success story or innovative program with the rest of the membership. If you would like to be featured on the CCA website with your success story, contact Linda Lenzini at CCA with the details. (LLL)

CCAI�s Spring Membership Meeting will be held on March 22-23 at the Hyatt Regency Woodfield, Schaumburg. The Hyatt is located across the street from the Woodfield Mall, 20 minutes from O�Hare, 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, and is easily accessible to major highways. The Hyatt boasts their Frank Lloyd Wright�s Prairie style design, and their recently completed eight million-dollar renovation. Please plan to join us next March. Look for more information in future Monday Reports. (SKA)

Calendar:

Nov. 14 � CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee, Springfield

Nov. 15 � CCA Board of Directors Meeting, Springfield

Nov. 17 � CCA Public Policy Committee Conference Call Meeting

Nov. 17-20 - The Teaching-Family Association Conference: "Circle of Courage" �Call: 540-370-4439

Feb. 25-28 � 14^th Annual Conference, A System of Care for Children�s Mental Health: Expanding the

Research Base, Tampa Hyatt Regency, Tampa, Fl. Call Lyn Bryan at 813/974-4649 for information.

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