MONDAY REPORT

December 3, 2001

SPECIAL NOTE:  Copyright 2001. The Monday Report is produced each week as a benefit to the member agencies of the Child Care Association. Please protect this membership benefit - DO NOT copy and distribute this report to agencies/staff that are not members of CCA. Thank you for your cooperation.

Table of Contents

CHILD WELFARE. 1

FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES PROGRAM EVALUATION CONSULTATION. 1

GENERAL. 1

CURRENT STATE BUDGET DEVELOPMENTS. 1

COOK AGENCY CASH FLOW MEETING.. 2

PREVENTION WORKS ALLIANCE. 2

COMMUNITY CHANGE. 2

PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 11/28/01. 2

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS. 3

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF A MINIMAL CODB INCREASE ON YOUR AGENCY?  3

HELPFUL WESITES FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY. 4

UPCOMING EVENTS. 5

COMMUNITY FORUM--ILLINOIS SUBSIDIZED GUARDIANSHIP IV-E WAIVER DEMONSTRATION PRESENTS �INFORMATIONAL SESSION� 5

CALENDAR. 5

FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES PROGRAM EVALUATION CONSULTATION

The Family Centered Services (FCS) Program Evaluation consultation activities have been transferred from the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois to the Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault at Northern Illinois University.  Each LAN still has the responsibility to select outcome measures, report on the evaluation design and tools, and submit evaluation data.  Objectives for the Program Evaluation consultation activities in the next year include the following:  1) NIU will provide technical assistance as requested by FCS-funded programs to support outcome evaluation activities.  2) NIU will collect information from programs regarding the status of their program evaluation efforts.  The program evaluation staff from Northern Illinois University will begin contacting the Target 9 and Group 24 programs in the next couple weeks.  The Group 29 contacts will begin approximately December 1, 2001.  3) NIU will compile findings from outcome evaluations being conducted by FCS-funded programs.  Each FCS program will submit the findings obtained through their program evaluation to the program evaluation staff at NIU.  (JMS)

CURRENT STATE BUDGET DEVELOPMENTS

The General Assembly adjourned Thursday evening (11/29/01) without making substantial legislative decisions regarding the state�s budget condition. Over the course of the last 3 days of the veto session, Medicaid funded programs (primarily hospitals but we could not get an answer if this would impact other Medicaid funded programs) were in jeopardy of a 5% rate cut. However, this proposed measure failed to pass in the Senate. The legislature did, however, pass some measures that involve moving federal dollars into the DCFS budget to replace state funds, as well as other budget corrections.

The Governor will be responsible for making further spending changes in the state. Since the legislature did not provide specific direction, the Governor will need to proceed. His staff has directly referenced the April CODB amount in human service programs as a potential source of savings. Although there is no direct cut decision yet made, we need to be aware that there is a threat to the 2% CODB due on April 1, and no guarantees that the CODB will be moved into next year�s base. We can expect further announcements from the Governor�s office over the next few weeks about state spending decisions and cuts.

The budget situation and budget discussions in Springfield during the last week of the veto session have been very grim. We will continue to keep you apprised of ongoing developments and potential impacts to our agencies. I warn all agencies of the seriousness of the budget situation. We are heading into a new and even more austere budget climate than we have normally encountered in previous years. Our state funded programs and the state agencies with which we contract will not be immune from budget cut considerations or decisions. We will need new strategies for maintaining programs in this climate. (MMB)

COOK AGENCY CASH FLOW MEETING

In a previous Monday Report, we asked Cook agencies to hold the date of December 11 for a meeting regarding cash flow issues with Senator Jones.  That meeting has been postponed.  There will be no meeting on December 11.  We will alert you to a new upcoming meeting at a later date. (MMB)

PREVENTION WORKS ALLIANCE

The Prevention Works Alliance met in conjunction with the Illinois Association for Prevention on November 16, 2001.  Suggestions made at that meeting were: Contact the Illinois Integrated Prevention System to develop an action plan to do the following: 1.) Establishing a prevention identity in the state within the Division and statewide; 2.) Keep moving forward with common language and developmental stages; and 3.) Create a plan to bring the field of prevention together to work across the disciplines.  The suggestion was also made to create a white paper to propose the ideal statewide prevention system and promote the model legislators and candidates for governor. 

Other matters discussed included moving to prevention centers model: cross-disciplinary; run by community employees; supported by community based coalitions; consistent in outcome-based programming; consistency in staffing and serving birth to death.  (JMS)

COMMUNITY CHANGE

Public/Private Ventures offers a case study of how a YMCA in Kansas City becomes a Community Builder.  Kansas City, MO is one of six sites in a national demonstration project that aims to increase basic supports and opportunities available to youth aged 12-20.  For additional information go to: www.ppv.org.  (JMS)

PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD 11/28/01

A meeting of the Public Policy Committee provided participating CCA members with an opportunity to review current developments in the General Assembly during the current veto session and to get a glance at what might lie ahead in the Winter/Spring season.  There was also some discussion of the Governor�s budget cuts, announced 11/27 in Springfield. The cuts are valued at  $220 million, leaving $180 million from State�s current $400 million shortfall. The committee was in agreement that none of the cuts as of that day appear to impact services to children, but CCA will be monitoring further cuts and their impacts closely.

The committee also reviewed two potential items of legislation. The first is a House resolution and proposed bill drafted by the Coalition to Save Human Services that recommends a multi-year cost of doing business increase and a new oversight committee to review rates for social service agencies contracting with state code departments.  The resolution, passed in the House on 11/27, has no money attached. However, the proposed bill potentially would.  CCA remains neutral on the proposed legislation due to concerns about additional oversight. A tentative proposal to the Illinois Coalition on Tobacco, drafted on behalf of Illinois� social service private sector representatives, was submitted for consideration. The proposal asserts that increased tobacco tax revenues should be legislated and then be used to fund a cost of doing business initiative for social service agencies.  The Association will work further with the Coalition to determine how increased tax revenues would be specifically earmarked for human services.

Plans were also made to begin reviewing state code department budgets early through the utilization of an ad hoc subcommittee, and the identification of key budgeteers and CCA member access to those individuals.

The committee agreed that the upcoming legislative session provides an excellent opportunity for the Association to engage a focused education and information effort with legislators, while planting the seeds for future initiatives. At the same time, CCA will be monitoring the current budget efforts.  A subcommittee has been formed to review and formulate recommendations on a Juvenile Justice strategy.

In the interests of using this year as an opportunity to provide education and information to legislators, and in view of limited access and security at the Capitol, the committee members recommended that Child Welfare Day as an exhibitors event be replaced this year by one or more lobbying days to encourage members to meet with their legislators. The training, coaching, and pre-planning required for such efforts to be successful were also discussed. A date for Child Welfare Day, which will include an exhibition effort in 2003, will also be identified shortly.

The next Public Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for January 15^th, 2002, at 3 P.M. in the Naperville area. Exact location will be announced at a later date. (LLL)

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

To submit your agency�s news for The Monday Report, send to Linda Lenzini, Director, Marketing and Public Relations, at the Child Care Association. MSWord e-mail attachments are preferred.

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF A MINIMAL CODB INCREASE ON YOUR AGENCY?

If you have not responded to your e-mail or fax inquiry regarding economic impacts on your agency related to the minimal CODB provided to private agencies in the State of Illinois�s FY2002 budget, please do so as soon as possible. CCA plans to use this information in conversations with those responsible for state budgeting. The Association is particularly interested in the following information from member agencies:

Please add any other comments you might have about the impact that a minimal cost of doing business has had on your agency for FY2002, or any anticipated concerns you have moving into the budget cycle for FY2003. Information can be sent via e-mail to: [email protected], or by fax to 217-528-6498.

HELPFUL WESITES FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY

Tired of all that paper cluttering up your desk as you work on important public policy and advocacy issues? Check out these helpful online sites!

To find Illinois state legislators, their phone numbers, their districts, and their voting history:

http://www.state.il.us/state.legis

Provides legislation status and text, contact information for district or elected officials, and links to each legislator�s bio, voting record, contact numbers and e-mail address.

To find Congress members, phone numbers for districts, and voting history:

http://congress.org

Includes quick Capitol Hill tips, contacts for elected officials by zip code, issues and legislation, and a guide to the media. Provides bios and voting history for members of Congress and a quick means to contact them via e-mail.

To track CWLA public policy and advocacy information:

http://www.cwla.org/advocacy

Includes legislative agenda�s, report forms, Kids� Advocate Online, an interactive area of the website to obtain information and contact Congress, budget information alerts and updates, and more.

To track Alliance for Children public policy and advocacy information:

http://www.alliance1.org. Outlines public policy position statements, action alerts, and legislative tracking chart for current Congressional session.

To track DCFS Executive Summaries Monthly:

http:/www.state.il.us/dcfs

Includes updated Executive Statistical Summary Report covering trends in child abuse, foster care and licensing outcomes.

To learn how your congressional representatives and senators are doing at their jobs, identify and contact state or county elected officials and more: http://www.vote-smart.org is the Project Vote Smart website. Contains policy information by keyword category, as well as bio�s on elected officials, and much more.

COMMUNITY FORUM--ILLINOIS SUBSIDIZED GUARDIANSHIP IV-E WAIVER DEMONSTRATION PRESENTS �INFORMATIONAL SESSION�

The African-American Family Commission Research Advisory Committee of the Illinois Subsidized Guardianship IV-E Waiver Demonstration presents �Informational Session�.  The date is Thursday, December 6 at Ada S. McKinley, 2907 S. Wabash, Chicago, from 10:00 a.m. until Noon.  Topics include: 1) Updated information on the Subsidized Guardianship IV-E Waiver Demonstration Research Project; 2) New services for older wards, 18-21 years of age and wards who have aged out of care; 3) Adoption and Guardianship Post-Permanency Services; and 4) The new Federal Outcome Training 426 Initiative.  CEU�s and Foster Parent Training Credits available.  For more information please contact: Wasi Young, African-American Family Commission at 312/326-0368.  (Our thanks to Terry Solomon for this information).

December 4 � SACWIS Advisory Committee � LSSI, Des Plaines

December 5 � DD Contracts Meeting � Springfield

December 6 � CWAC Medicaid Workgroup � St. Joseph�s Carondelet, Chicago

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