The query tool may reside on the file transfer server. After the data is extracted by DCFS, the data may reside on a file transfer server from which each POS agency will extract their data. The query ability desired is similar to the capacity of some private agencies using the AS/400 in conjunction with the DCFS EXEMPLAR program.

As a reminder, all cases in Specialized Foster Care programs must be reviewed using the new Levels of Care format by June 30, 2001. The revised Level of Care (LOC ) forms and Policy Guide have been in effect since February 15, 2001. Additional trainings are being offered. This training is the same training that was offered in January and February. If you should have any questions please contact Wendy Kalina of DCFS at (312) 814-6867.

Registration for these additional trainings is not necessary. (MB)

March 14^th Springfield Field

521 S. 11th Street

1:00 p.m.-4:00 -p.m.

April 25^th Cook South Office

6201 South Emerald

9:30a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

OR

1:30p.m.- 4:30 p.m.

The Social Services Block Grant Coalition is asking agencies to begin efforts now in order restore cuts that were made to the Title XX Social Services Block Grant during the FY 2001 federal budget process. The FY 2001 funding level for the Title XX Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) was set at $1.725 billion, a $50 million cut from FY 2000. Due to efforts by many organizations including letters from CCA members, the final funding level was higher than the initial House recommendation of $1.7 billion, and significantly higher than the initial Senate recommendation of $600 million. The final bill does maintain the amount of funds states can transfer from the TANF program to SSBG at 10%. Under previous law, this transfer authority was to be lowered to 4.25% in FY 2001. This $50 million cut for FY 2001, however, would affect child welfare programming since many states use this money for those purposes.

The CWAC SACWIS Committee met in Springfield on March 6, 2001. There was a presentation by American Management Systems on the status of the screens being developed for Phase I design of the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System. Phase I of the application only deals with intake and investigation. The screens presented at this time were still in development and will be finalized over the next couple months. The Advisory Committee requested for the May meeting which would be held in Springfield that another presentation of screens be made at that time. A prototype is to be completed by the end of May for Phase I of SACWIS and would be available for review during the detail design for Phase II. At this time, detail design for Phase II is estimated to begin during July 2001. Design activities for Phase II will overlap with implementation activities for Phase I. Original dates for agencies to be certified as ready for SACWIS was the early spring of 2002.

DCFS also distributed the most current version of the design team matrix for Phase II. The broad categories to be included in the Phase II design are: Intake, Case and Assignment; Assessment; Service Delivery; Case Planning/ACR; Resources; Court, Administrative Hearings; Business; Administration/Performance Management; and Archiving/Purge and Expungement. Each of these broad categories are broken into sub categories and will be the focus of the topics for Phase II design sessions. Recommendations were made that Medicaid should be added to the assessment area and the case planning. This is an issue that specifically impacts the private agencies.

As of the March 6^th Advisory Committee meeting there are still 27 agencies that have not submitted their plans for funding of SACWIS equipment. It appears as of this meeting that DCFS will begin a process to issue contracts to those agencies that have approved plans. The grant period will also be extended since it will not be possible to issue all contracts and reimburse expenditures for the total funds identified for this fiscal year. As contracts are issued to agencies with approved plans, efforts will be made to contact all agencies to determine the status of development of the multi-year funding plan for the equipment.

Best practices gave a report on their initial review of the best practice guides with the private agency focus groups that were held during the last part of February and the early part of March. Some concerns and suggestions regarding the guide included the prescriptiveness that did not allow room for flexibility, just the sheer volume and size with some redundancy, careful examination of timelines and role of the non-custodial parents. Additional focus groups are being planned related to the best practices review of the guides.

Presentation was also made regarding how the overall issue how security would be handled within the system. Some of the security principles that were identified were: access to windows and fields in the application is restricted unless explicitly granted; user groups and security profiles determined the user�s access to windows and reports; user group and security profile, in conjunction with worker assignment determines the ability of the user to create, read and update information in the system; security will be established by logon with a specified role; access will be based on assignment; "my worker" access for supervisors; access based on organization; field level security and finding level security. The private agencies raised the issue of a joint workgroup on the security issue based on access issues that had been discussed at previous Advisory Committee meetings. Since DCFS is well along in the process, minutes of prior security workgroup meetings would be provided to a small group of private agency representatives for review and comment. (JMS)

Watch for your participation packet! Packets of information for those agencies participating in Child Welfare Day at the State Capitol have been mailed as of today. The packets include directions, information about the day�s events, and printed invitations that members can use to invite their legislators. More invitations are available upon request by contacting the Child Care Association at [email protected], or by phone at 217-528-4409.

Information is available through CCA to help your agency plan and launch a public education program about foster care in your community. For idea, resources, and suggestions on events, media attention, and advocacy, contact Linda Lenzini at [email protected]. Additional information with a national perspective is available on the Casey Family Programs website at www.casey.org/cnc (LLL)

.

The website has been developed by Acton Burnell, Inc. an Alexandria, Virginia-based Information Management consulting firm, who has won the contract to develop the procedures that will be used to accredit agencies, and approve persons who wish to provide international adoption services.

Acton Burnell will provide draft regulations by July 31, 2001 under the direction of The Department of State, which has primary responsibility for implementation of the Convention in the United States. The proposed regulations will then be published in the Federal Register for public comment. (LLL)

In CCA�s efforts to mobilize member advocacy for a Cost of Living Adjustment this year from the State of Illinois, assistance is available. CCA member agencies wishing to advocate for this adjustment in their local media can obtain template press releases, talking points, and editorial contact names. For more information contact Linda Lenzini at [email protected]. (LLL)

A listing of bills being monitored by CCA, along with the address of the Illinois legislative website that can be accessed for more information, is now available on the home page of the CCA website. The listing, plus the legislative site address, will enable visitors to read synopses or full text of bills being monitored, contact bill sponsors, and read about the current status of bills, including upcoming hearings. For more information or assistance accessing the Watchlist and accompanying legislative website, contact Linda Lenzini at the Child Care Association by email at [email protected] (LLL)

Visit the home page of the CCA Website at http://www.cca-il.org for a new feature,

" Success Stories". The most recent feature has been submitted by Dave McClure, Executive Director of member agency Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley. These features, submitted by members or penned by CCA staff, share the successes that members have realized with innovative programs, new initiative, and hard work. If your agency has an innovative program or recent success story that you�d like to share, contact Linda Lenzini at CCA with the details. (LLL)

DCFS has scholarship money available for foster children and former foster children. To obtain more information, contact Dwight Lambert at DCFS at 217-524-2030.

The Casey Family Programs in conjunction with the Orphan Foundation of America are also offering scholarships for foster children and former foster children. To obtain more information, visit the Casey Foundation website at http:www.orphan.org and click on the "Scholarships" button at the top of the home page. (LLL)

GRANTS TO PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE
Two sister organizations are offering grants for community programs that address youth violence.

The National Campaign Against Youth Violence (NCAYV) has announced a request for proposals (RFP) to participate in its city-by-city initiative. The initiative is currently operating in five communities to stimulate private sector investment in prevention efforts, to increase youth involvement and leadership, and to improve media exposure and coverage of local activities. The program will be expanded to include 10 additional communities. NCAYV seeks a diverse mix of communities that are in different regions of the country, use varied violence prevention strategies, and serve different populations. The RFP can be requested by calling 202/687-1660 or by downloading a copy from http://www.noviolence.net. The deadline for submitting proposals is April 13, 2001.

The Alliance for Justice accepts applications on a rolling basis for Co/Motion Youth Gun Violence Prevention Initiative Challenge Grants. Matching grants of up to $10,000 are awarded to qualifying organizations and agencies for youth-driven initiatives. The challenge grants are available only to youth groups that work in partnership with the Co/Motion program to design and carry out a 12-month, youth-led violence prevention campaign that includes onsite training, ongoing technical assistance, and program evaluation. The youth groups must also be affiliated with a nonprofit, 501(c)(3)organization or a government agency through which funds can be disbursed. Further information about the challenge grants and an application form the challenge grants are available at http://www.comotionmakers.org by clicking on the Youth Gun Violence Prevention Initiative, and clicking on Co/Motion Grants.

The African-American Family Commission, Research Advisory Committee of the Illinois Subsidized Guardianship IV-E Waiver Demonstration Research Project invites CCAI members to a seminar entitled: "Post-Permanency Resources and Services for Caregivers." The seminar is scheduled for Thursday, March 22, 2001, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Ada S. McKinley, 2907 S. Wabash, Chicago. Panelists include representatives from DCFS Legal Services, Department of Human Services, Hull House Child Care Initiatives and DCFS Education and Transitional Services. CEU's and Foster Care Training Credits are available. For information and registration contact Wasi Young at 312-326-0368. (MB)

CCA is arranging a meeting with Spectrum Maximus in order to help answer some technical questions raised in various meetings. Sample questions such as:

We need to collect more questions to send to Spectrum Maximus ahead of time along with a list of people that would like to attend. Please send a list of names that would attend this meeting in addition to actual questions you would have to Rommel J. Sangalang at [email protected] or call 217-528-4409. The date is still being worked on but the location will be in Springfield.

From the high rates of incarceration to the low reliability of assessment, these juveniles are under-served and their needs often go unnoticed. The challenge seems unbearable. What are the actual rates of mental disorders? Are there differences in the expression of mental disorders? What unique factors contribute to the overrepresentation in the juvenile justice system? This presentation will examine these questions and other perceptions and barriers from a systemic and strengths-based framework.

The presenter is Dr. Lee Underwood, a Clinical Psychologist that serves as an Assistant Professor of Counseling (MA) and Psychology (Psy.D.), and Director of the Masters in Counseling Program at Regent University Graduate School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Dr. Underwood is conducting validity studies on the efficacy of certain intervention methodologies with juvenile offenders with co-occurring disorders in several states.

The training is scheduled for May 9, 2001 at the Springfield Hilton, 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. CCA is a co-sponsor of this seminar and CCA members attending will pay the discounted fee of $25.00. For additional information or a registration form please call 800-252-8045 (Illinois only) or 217-522-2663. (Our thanks to Wendy Reese at the Illinois Collaboration on Youth for this information) (SKA)

March 16 � CCA Education Committee Meeting, 10-2, CCA Office, 300 E. Monroe, Springfield

March 20 � Healthy Families Illinois Policy and Advocacy Committee, Chicago/Conference Call

March 21 � CCA Board of Directors Meeting, Hyatt Regency Woodfield, Schaumburg

March 21 � SACWIS Focus Group Facilitator�s Meeting, Schaumburg

MARCH 22-23 � CCA�S SPRING MEMBERSHIP MEETING, Hyatt Regency Woodfield, Schaumburg

March 26-27 � Education Law Institute 2001: Current and Emerging Issues in Special Education, New

York City � Call 1-800-260-4PLI.

April 3 � CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee, LCFS River Forest

April 11 � CCA Board of Directors, Holiday Inn Select, Naperville, IL

May 1�2 � National Family Heritage Coalition, Hilton, Oak Lawn, IL

May 9 � Assessing, Diagnosing and Treating the Mental Health needs of African-American adolescents

in the Juvenile Justice System. Springfield Hilton, 7^th and Adams, Springfield, Illinois.

Registration due by May 4, 2001. For more information, call 1-800-252-8045 (Illinois only) or

1-217-522-2663

May 20-21 - Business and Education 2001 Conference, The Capital Hilton, Washington DC, contact

Customer Service (212) 339-0345.