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There are some things which all of those staff who need to be licensed need to know. Generally, if you are affected by any of the following points, we have contacted you directly--however--if we have missed you somehow, it is your responsibility to identify yourself and do what you need to do to become licensed.

The final classes and testing sessions for veteran staff are being held in December. If you are a current staff member and have registered for a January class, you must reregister for December instead. Those who have not fulfilled the licensure requirements by the end of December will not be able to carry a caseload on January 1, 2001. We have been asked by AFSCME to let supervisors know that staff must be allowed to attend the training and the exam if they have not already done so. Supervisors need to ensure that all staff have the opportunity to do this and distribute workloads accordingly.

If you are delinquent (more than 30 days) with child support payments, or with repaying your student loan and have not worked out any payment plan for either, you will not be issued a license. You will have until December 31 to make plans with the Court or with the guarantor of the student loan in order to be in compliance with the Licensure Act. After that date, you will not be able to carry a caseload. Include explanations about your repayment plan or your court order with your licensure application if it has been returned to you for one of these reasons.

If you are scheduled for a class and an examination during the month of December, send your application in now. Indicate that you are scheduled for the exam on whatever date and we will hold your application until your score is reported. Your application must be in by December 31 or you will not be in compliance with the Licensure Act. IF YOU NEED AN APPLICATION, CALL TOLL FREE 877-800-3393 and request an application. Please indicate whether you are DCFS or POS staff.

If you were hired before 1986, you will need a background check--fingerprinting and CANTS and Sexual Offender list. Do not neglect this part or you will not be eligible for Licensure. This must be begun before December 31, 2000.

FINALLY, IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED AN APPLICATION, TAKEN THE CLASS AND THE EXAM OR HAD A BACKGROUND CHECK BY DECEMBER 31, 2000, YOU WILL NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LICENSURE ACT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CARRY A CASELOAD.

Staff who are not licensed as of January 1, 2001 cannot be assigned as worker on a case. This includes current staff who are already assigned cases. If those staff have not passed the licensing exam and submitted a completed application packet, your agency will need to reassign their cases to someone who is licensed.

DCFS informed us this week that they have only received 1/6 of the applications anticipated from private agencies. Please do not delay in filling out the employer verification forms for staff or wait to send all your applications in one "batch." DCFS will not be able to guarantee timely data input of the applications -and thus, licensing status, if they receive a high number of applications all at once at year end. Please review this situation in your agency to assure your staff have submitted the application.

Staff can obtain a copy of the application by calling the toll-free information number: 877-800-3393. We learned through personal experience this week that the application form has been removed from the DCFS web site. We have requested that this be reinstated on the web site for the next few weeks. (MB)

We previously printed information from UIC on the availability of field placements for private agencies. The school has corrected the number to call for information: 312-996-0037. (MB)

The rate of permanencies is lagging significantly behind the performance of previous years in the private sector, according to DCFS' most recent permanency report. As of October 31, private agencies had secured only 1563 permanencies-58% of the target-to-date. Overall, there were 557 Reunifications (56% of the target-to-date), 767 Adoptions (57% of the target-to-date), and 239 Subsidized Guardianships (23% of the target-to-date). DCFS seems to be performing at a better rate, achieving 718 total permanencies or 93% of their target-to-date. There are also a number of regional performance variations. Later this week, we will be sending all our agencies a copy of the complete report for information, analysis and review. Please take a moment to review the overall statewide performance and review your own agency's performance to date. We will need feedback from our agencies regarding the reasons for the sluggishness as well as ideas for how the future performance of the system might be improved. (MB)

On December 11, 2000, the DCFS Expert Panel on Best Practice will convene. The panelists who are representing child welfare practitioners, administrators, advocates, researchers, and academicians, will review written materials and provide recommendations to Jess McDonald, Director of DCFS and Don Vacca (who is heading up the Best Practice efforts). Panelists will be organized into three subgroups�intact, permanency and well-being. Richard Calica, chair of the Expert Panel, has asked each panel member to examine the materials through the following "lenses":

1. Is there anything in what is defined as best practice that is at odds with either empirical results or prevailing norms of practice in this area?
2. Are there practices which may have unanticipated and/or negative results?
3. Of all the research questions that could be pursued in this area, which would be the most important from the point of view of enhancing the safety, emotional security and permanency of children?
4. Of the universe of data elements which might be collected, which ones would be most important to help further knowledge about what is or is not effective in keeping children safe and emotionally secure as well as effectively moving children towards permanency?

Materials that are referenced in this update include the "Best Practice Implementation Guide which: a) describes the historical, theoretical, and legal framework for best practice and, b) defines the Department�s current thinking of Best practice in areas of child safety, well-being and permanency. If you wish to review and or download this document you may access the document by:

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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].

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.

EDGAR COUNTY CHILDREN�S HOME was recently featured in the Alliance for Children�s Roundtable for last summer�s Great American Duck Race and Children�s Festival. Participants were eligible for prizes by racing small plastic ducks, which they adopted. According to Dale R. Anderson, Executive Director, Edgar County Children�s Home, with the help of the City of Paris, Illinois, the Paris Park Board and Park Departments, and several businesses, the organization also organized a race day festival. The festival featured a food tent, free entertainment, and educational and informative displays. Proceeds from the event were used to provide an additional playground area for children who attend Titer Tots Day Care Center and Head Start, both located on the campus of the Edgar County Children�s Home. Edgar County Children�s Home has been providing services since 1896, and serves over 1233 children and 640 families in FY2000.

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)

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For publication names, addresses, phone numbers and editorial names for publications in your locale, contact CCA at [email protected], or call Linda Lenzini at 217-528-4409. Or..if you have a media contact that you would like added to CCA�s media list, send it to [email protected].

If your agency would like to receive media updates and advisories, template and CCA news releases, and other items of interest, please send name, agency name, title, and e-mail address to [email protected]. (LLL)

Just a reminder that 7pt. paper will be required for post card mailings effective January 1, 2001. For exact specifications, contact your local postmaster. (LLL)

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The SACWIS advisory committee discussed the modification of the Tech Assistant position that would have originally been an assistant to Steve Bradshaw, the DCFS POS Liaison. The recommendation is to turn the Tech Assistant and the Executive Assistant position into two POS Advocates located in Cook and Southern Illinois.

Reimbursement Timing issues was also brought to the attention of DCFS. The way it is currently set up, the certification of the SACWIS sites takes place before the final year three reimbursement is distributed. This would require the private agencies to float the money needed in order to place the equipment into their offices. The time difference between certification and payments could be as long as 7 months. The private agency position is to have either the date of certification moved back or the reimbursement date moved forward.

The issue of training availability after the three years SACWIS is budgeted for was explained. The Getronics contract has a provision for the training of private agency personnel even after the SACWIS roll out. (RS)

OUTCOME MEASURES 2000 SURVEY DUE BACK JANUARY 3, 2001
All CCA member agencies have now received their Outcome Measures 2000 Survey, which is due back by January 3. If your agency needs another copy of this survey, the forms are available in the CCA website library. Visit the library and click on Outcome Measures Survey to download the various documents in MSWord of plan text files. For more information, contact DD Fischer at 217-656-3000 or by e-mail at [email protected]. (DDF)

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Plan now to be a part of this exciting event at the Illinois State Capitol. The day will provide an opportunity to create visibility for your agency�s services and to speak with legislators from your district. Watch for the details in your mailbox soon. Exhibit space for the event is limited, so if you would like to reserve exhibit space for your agency, please send the name of your agency and the contact person for the event to CCA by e-mailing to [email protected] or calling the Child Care Association at 217-528-4409. You may also fax information to 217-528-6498, att�n: Linda Lenzini.

Dec. 11 � CCA Public Policy Committee Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Chicago

Jan. 17 � CCA Board of Directors Meeting, Chicago suburbs

Jan. 26 � POS SACWIS Focus Group Meeting, Hyatt Lisle, Lisle, IL

Jan. 30-31 � Quality Improvement Training, Hilton Lisle/Naperville

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.

March 22-23 � CCA�s Spring Membership Meeting, Hyatt Regency Woodfield, Schaumburg, IL