May 20, 2002

SPECIAL NOTE:  Copyright 2002. 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.

There will not be a Monday Report on May 27^th in honor of Memorial Day.  The Monday Report will be on the CCAI website Tuesday afternoon, May 28^th.

Table of Contents

REGISTER TODAY FOR CCAI�s ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING/BARBECUE AND AVOID PAYING LATE FEE AFTER MAY 22nd. 1

CHILD WELFARE. 2

BUDGET CUTS AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY�TAKE ACTION NOW... 2

CCAI BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT. 2

CWAC PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WORK GROUP. 3

JUVENILE JUSTICE. 4

URBAN INSTITUTE FINDS TEEN COURTS HAVE POTENTIAL WITH FIRST TIMERS. 4

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.. 5

GENERAL. 5

ATTENTION AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDERS. 5

UPDATE ON ENHANCED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. 5

FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. 5

AGENCY APPROVED FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP. 6

IMPROVING THE JUDICIARY-PRIVATE AGENCY RELATIONSHIP IN JUVENILE COURT: PILOT FORUMS BEGIN IN JUNE. 6

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS. 6

Bethany Opens New Office in Kewanee. 7

HIPAA COMPLIANCE SEMINAR.. 7

SACWIS PHASE I IMPLEMENTED.. 7

UPCOMING EVENTS. 8

SAVE THE DATE�COOK COURT MEETING WITH PRESIDING JUDGE. 8

Calendar. 8

REGISTER TODAY FOR CCAI�s ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING/BARBECUE AND AVOID PAYING LATE FEE AFTER MAY 22nd

We sincerely hope that your plans are to join us for CCAI�s June 5-6 Annual Membership Meeting and Barbecue �The Future of Child Advocacy in Illinois�.  Gubernatorial candidates Blagojevich and Ryan have been invited to speak to us.  Also, keynote presenters will share ideas on creating an Effective Children�s Advocacy Strategy.  Your attendance is extremely important if we are to begin a presence with the new administration.  CCAI�s advocacy efforts will begin with the 93^rd General Assembly the day after the 92^nd General Assembly adjourns.

Rooms may be full at this time at The Crowne.  However, if you need a room call them NOW at 217/529-7777 or toll free 800/227-6963.  Please be sure to say you are attending the Child Care Association meeting to get a $98.00 rate.  If you have difficulty getting a room please call Sandy at CCA at extension 22.

If you would like to register for the meeting on line with a credit card you can go to CCAI�s website at cca-il.org under �members only� to find the registration form. Email your registration to [email protected]. (SKA)

BUDGET CUTS AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY�TAKE ACTION NOW

Last week, CCAI delivered copies of the Impact Survey to all members of the General Assembly, the Governor and Directors of state departments. This survey used the materials submitted by member agencies on the potential impacts of budget cuts (including the disappearing CODB) on programs, clients and agencies. Copies will be mailed to all agencies early this week.

CCAI also prepared fact sheets on the Family-Centered Service cuts and targeted Teen Reach cuts. These will be distributed to the General Assembly this week. Additionally, we will be submitting an information sheet on the overall impact of budget cuts. Letters to the editors of all major papers were prepared. Templates of letters for member agency use with local newspapers are available upon request to Linda Lenzini in the Springfield office.

The General Assembly was originally scheduled to meet for 4 days last week. However, both houses adjourned as of Wednesday afternoon. This apparently gives the 4 leaders and the Governor more time to work out some type of budget plan.  They will be back in session this week. Although the session was officially slated to end on May 17, they did not meet this deadline and will continue until the work is done. More than likely, they will meet at least another 2 weeks. Both the Republicans and Democrats have issued budget plans involving ways to generate revenue. However, details on how our agency programs may be protected from further cuts are not available.

What does this mean for CCAI agencies? It means the fight is not up yet. You must make contact with your Representatives and Senators on these issues. If you have already visited them in person, make weekly phone calls until the very last day of the session. Provide the information on the services you provide and talk about the devastating impacts of budget cuts on your clients and community, including loss of staff positions (these are tax payers and VOTERS.) Ask your reps for their position on the budget.  Write letters and op-ed pieces for the local newspapers. Be sure to alert your papers when you actually cut a service or shut an office, or stop evening hours. If the paper runs the story, send a copy to your reps. We must keep the heat on. Last week, the CCAI board met only for � its usual time so that board members could call upon their Senators and Representatives while in Springfield. Every CCAI agency executive is expected to do the same. We must all push these issues as hard as we can personally.

Please be sure to keep CCAI updated on your contacts. Call us at any time for materials, ideas or advice on working with the media in your area. Call if you need help locating whom your senator/rep is, getting their phone numbers, local office addresses or Springfield office numbers. While in Springfield, you are welcome to use the CCAI office to make phone calls, copies or to check your e-mail while away from home. TAKE ACTION NOW

CCAI BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORT

The CCAI Board of Directors met in Springfield on May 15. The following actions were taken:

�     Ratified Strategic Plan

�     Reviewed Draft FY�03 Budget and Impact of Budget Decisions on Strategic Plan

�     Accepted Slate of New Board Directors to be presented at June Annual Meeting

�     Recommended revised Board/Member Link System by Functional Areas

�     Reported on Contacts with Legislators

�     Designed a review process to be presented during Annual Meeting on the exploring membership in CCAI for For-Profit agencies

�     Began annual evaluation of President/CEO

�     Copies of the board minutes will be available upon request after May 31 by calling Sandy at the CCAI Springfield office. (MB)

CWAC PERFORMANCE CONTRACT WORK GROUP

The PBC Work Group met on Wednesday, May 1st. Discussion focused on:

�     ERC/DCP Issues

Mary Ellen could not be present. Melissa discussed abandoned infants and a proposal that these cases be immediately placed in adoptive homes. CAU would bypass an agency if the agency did not have an adoptive home and would move through rotation. Agencies that did not have an adoptive home would not receive a penalty. This is being discussed internally to make sure it does not conflict with established protocol.

�     APT Issues

Meeting between ACR and APT to be rescheduled. Treva Hamilton reported that the court certification backlog has been cleared up. If agencies have any troubles in obtaining court orders, requests should be re-submitted to Anna Tejeda.

�     Counseling Funds

This has been an issue raised in Infrastructure. The FY02 Counseling Rate is found in the BAT/BARC or per diem payment. In the FY02 rate schedule, counseling dollars are found in two places-an add-on of $27.54 in counseling dollars, and $27.54 is included in the administrative rate, for a total of $55.08 per child. Although the rate is per child, the counseling dollars are to be used for the child and family as defined in the case plan. The proposal for FY03 is to increase counseling dollars to $69.95 per child for all contracts. The additional funding will come from a 5.7% across the board shrinkage of Cook HMR agencies.

�     Sibling Visitation

99 letters went out in February. 10 agencies, the majority being POS, will be sanctioned. There were 98 letters Statewide that were mailed out for March. 69 of the 98 letters went to POS. Please respond within the 30 days. Some concern raised as to the various letters being mailed out as some people stated they were receiving letters from QA staff as well as Mary Sue Morsch. The concern was also raised that the letters being mailed from QA often were directed to the supervisor rather than the Execs. Melissa to follow-up with Quality Assurance.

�     FY03 Contract Requirements/Provisions

Wendy Kalina discussed the reconciliation results for Specialized Foster Care (see attached). Some other contract provisions include the following:

�       Will be mid-year contract adjustments in FY03 (mid-year and final reconciliation)

�       Combining PCT, PCR, PCD, and PCS into one contract titled PCC or Performance Contract Combined. The program plans for each will stay the same however.

�       Specialized Reconciliation results will be sent out via email at the end of the week

�     Infrastructure Update

(Please refer to Monday Reports of 4/22 and 5/13 for Updated Infrastructure Information.)

�     Federal Outcomes and Audit

Federal Audit to occur in September of 2003. The majority of agencies have been taking part in mock reviews. Agencies will be mandated by contract in FY�03 to take part in the mock reviews.

�     Court Improvement

It was reported that there have been some improvements made since the Watchlist protocol was implemented. However, judges are still ordering agencies off of cases. Approximately 60-65 transfers away from agencies since January. The sub committee of the Cook Workgroup meets regularly to discuss court concerns.

�     Other

Melissa handed out revisions to Procedures 315.110 Worker Contacts and Interventions.

Cook Central Region will be closing. The cases will be absorbed by Cook North and Cook South DCFS regions.

�     Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on June 13th, 2002 from 9:30 � 12:00 at LSSI,

10 West 35^th Street (IIT Building) on the 15^th Floor.  There is parking across the street and the Green El Line also is conveniently located across from the building. Contact Marcia Wefflen of LSSI at (847) 635-4623 if you should have any questions or if you would like to add items to the agenda. (Thanks to Kara Teeple of DCFS and Marcia Wefflen of LSSI for this report.) (MB)

URBAN INSTITUTE FINDS TEEN COURTS HAVE POTENTIAL WITH FIRST TIMERS

Urban Institute researchers compared rates of recidivism among 500 teen court participants with 500 �similar� youth (first time offenders, small offenses) entering the juvenile justice system in four states: Alaska, Arizona, Maryland and Missouri.  While recidivism for teen court youth was significantly lower in Alaska and Missouri, there was no statistical significance between youth from teen courts and other interventions in Arizona and Maryland.

The authors concluded that teen courts might be better than sending youth through the usual juvenile court process, especially in areas that do not provide meaningful sanctions for first-time offenders of �non-serious� acts.  Since teen courts use volunteer labor and low budgets, they may present a cost-effective alternative to sending youth through the usual system.

Although the authors regard their analysis a step up, there remain no definitive results on teen courts.  Nor has theirs or any prior study offered any explanations as to why teen courts may be effective.

For copies of �Teen Court Could Be Promising Alternative to Traditional Juvenile Justice System,� contact UI, 202/261-5687; www.urban.org.  (SKA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has $2.8 million for 12 to 16 awards for collaborative community action to prevent youth violence and promote youth development.  There are two types of projects: 1) for vulnerable youth, who are more subject to violence or violence due to physical and social differences; and 2) school-based mental health projects.  Applications are due June 19. On program issues contact: Malcolm Gordon at 301/443-7713, [email protected]; or on grants management questions, contact Steve Hudak at 301/443-9666, [email protected].  (SKA)

ATTENTION AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDERS

At the request of the Illinois Legislature, the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the University of Illinois is working with the Illinois After School Initiative Task Force to develop a plan to ensure quality after school programs for every school-age child in Illinois.  To accomplish this they must: 1) Identify youth who are in need of after school services, and 2) Assess the current state of after school services in Illinois.

The Center is asking organizations across the state that may administer after school programs to complete a web based survey.  The on-line survey as well as a printable copy is available at the following website: http://www-2.cprd.uiuc.edu/AfterSchool/default.asp

The password for the system is �IASI� or �iasi�.

If you do not run an after school program but know of others who do, an email invitation to the survey is available at: http://www-2.cprd.uiuc.edu/AfterSchool/email.asp  (CCA�s thanks to Miller Anderson for this information).  (SKA)

UPDATE ON ENHANCED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

DCFS has informed us that they WILL ALLOW agencies that are excluded from participation in the enhanced training by virtue of caseload size only, to send staff to the enhanced training. Participation will be contingent on availability and space. The agencies would not be eligible for the financial incentive since they are not part of the waiver (because of caseload size and need for randomization of selected teams.) Additionally, the field support provided as part of the enhanced model will not be available to these agencies. Although probably not a problem for those agencies requesting to participate because of their commitment to training and staff development, there may be questions from the participants as they went through the training cycle.  (MB)

FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Staff of DHHS Children's Bureau have asked us to share the following information:

The following is the Internet link to the Children's Bureau �What's New� page, Program Instruction PI-02-03 on the Availability of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2002 Children's Justice Act Grants to States Under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act can be accessed:

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb/whatsnew/index.htm

The following is information from the National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (e-mail: [email protected]) about potential funding opportunities.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently published it's Super Notice of Funding Availability (SuperNOFA) for Discretionary Grants Programs for Fiscal Year 2002, announcing the availability of funding through 29 grant programs, including the Youthbuild Program and the Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs.  Further information about these potential funding sources is available in a recent press release at <http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr02-033.cfm>.

The complete funding announcement and application materials for the HUD grant programs are available at <http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm#imp>

Please note that application deadlines vary for each program.  If you have questions about an announcement, please contact the SuperNOFA Information Center by telephone at (800) HUD-8929, or you may wish to contact the HUD office serving your area at the number listed in the SuperNOFA for the programs in which you are interested.

AGENCY APPROVED FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP

Please join us in welcoming the Chicagoland Children�s Service Network to full membership in the Association.  CCSN has created two Internet based systems to support Performance Based Contracting in Illinois.  An Intake Reconciliation System and a Secondary Matching System.  Together these systems create a mechanism for agencies and DCFS to communicate about available resources.  These systems encourage agencies and DCFS to cooperate in their efforts to provide a continuum of care for children in placement.  If you would like to call or write CCSN you can do so at: Mari Reid, Executive Director, CCSN, 4833 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625; Phone: 312/505-9775; Fax: 312/710-7592. (SKA)

IMPROVING THE JUDICIARY-PRIVATE AGENCY RELATIONSHIP IN JUVENILE COURT: PILOT FORUMS BEGIN IN JUNE

The calendar has been set for the Court Improvement Program�s Pilot Forums. Registration forms and invitations will be sent to all CCA agencies in the following circuits:  Cook County, the 1^st Circuit, including Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski, Alexander, and Union Counties; the 18^th Circuit, comprised of DuPage County; the 10^th Circuit, comprised of Peoria and Tazewell Counties; and the 8^th Circuit, comprised of Adams, Schuyler, Brown, Cass, Mason, Menard, Pike, and Calhoun Counties.

Four consecutive forums will be held in each circuit between now and Fall, 2002 in two-hour increments over the noon hour, with lunch served. The Forums will be held either at the courthouses in these circuits or in locations convenient to the courthouse(s).

There is no charge to attend. The Forums are being funded through the Federal Court Improvement Program. CCA agencies are encouraged to send Program Directors and other executive-level staff that are involved with the courts to these Forums.  Attendance is limited, so register as soon as possible.

To obtain more information about the forums, a schedule, and registration information, contact the CCA offices at 217-528-4409, or visit the CCA website at http://www.cca-il.org.

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Correction: Janice Gould, a teacher at Lawrence Hall Youth Services, has been inducted into The National Teachers Hall of Fame. She had already been awarded the Golden Apple Award. She is one of fifty teachers from twenty-five states inducted into this prestigious organization since the inaugural induction in 1992. My apologies to Janice for mis-stating her award, and congratulations to her.

(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 for information and JPG�s for pictures are preferred.)

Bethany Opens New Office in Kewanee

Bethany for Children and Families will Bethany's new Kewanee office, located at 101 South Chestnut Street, will open June 1.  The 1,000 square feet facility will accommodate three staff and include space for a family visit room/conference room.  According to Bethany President Shirley Stewart, the larger space is necessary to accommodate the increase in services, which have tripled since January 2001.  Bethany provides Adoption, Foster Care, Counseling, Intact Family Services, and Family Preservation services to residents of Kewanee and the surrounding area.

HIPAA COMPLIANCE SEMINAR

The First Nonprofit sponsored a seminar on May 14, 2002 regarding compliance with the HIPAA regulations. The presentation was made by Richard Sevcik from Bell Boyd and Lloyd and Maureen Carson with BDO Seidman.  HIPAA represents the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.  At the seminar �who was covered� by the HIPAA regulations was only discussed in the broadest terms of the regulations, meaning Health Plans, Healthcare clearinghouses and Healthcare providers that transmit information electronically.  There are three sets of regulations that are covered by this act: 1.) transaction and code sets; 2.) security; and 3.) privacy.  Some of the administrative requirements of the privacy regulation include: 1.) personnel designations; 2.) education and training; 3.) safeguards; 4.) complaints; 5.) sanctions; 6.) mitigation; 7.) refraining from intimidating or retaliatory acts; 8.) waiver of rights; 9.) policies and procedures; 10.) documentation; and 11.) marketing.   Consent requirements and authorizations were also reviewed as part of the privacy issues.  One of the steps recommended by the presenters in trying to implement HIPAA was to conduct a gap analysis.  Look at the current practice in an agency and compare that to the HIPAA requirements.  However, the amount of information in the HIPAA regulations is rather extensive.  CCA has contacted the Child Welfare League as a resource for information to assist the child welfare providers in looking at how these regulations impact the provision of services within the system.  Technical assistance sessions are being planned for September by CWLA.  Additional clarification is also being sought from DCFS through the CWAC Medicaid Advisory Committee. (JMS)

SACWIS PHASE I IMPLEMENTED

This is to let everyone know that as of today, May 20, 2002, SACWIS was scheduled to go live for Phase I, Intake and Investigation.  The CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee is in the process of being restructured due to some of the changes that have occurred with the planning process for Phase II and the committee is scheduled to meet less frequently during the remainder of the this calendar year.  Focus for the committee will be on technically related areas such as the bridge between SACWIS and the private agency information systems, hardware issues and dual addressing concerns raised by POS providers.  Efforts will continue to implement a means for ongoing communication with all POS agencies and addressing change management concerns.  Funding for the private agencies will be reduced based on the reduction in caseloads that have occurred.  As information becomes available regarding the progress of Phase I implementation, we will report that to CCA members.  (JMS)

SAVE THE DATE�COOK COURT MEETING WITH PRESIDING JUDGE

The next meeting of agencies with Presiding Judge Patricia Martin Bishop is scheduled for May 30, 10:00 a.m. �Noon, at the Juvenile Court Auditorium. We urge executive directors and executive program staff of agencies to attend this meeting. (MB)

Calendar

May 30 - Meeting of agencies with Presiding Judge Patricia Martin Bishop, 10:00 a.m.�Noon,

               at the Juvenile Court Auditorium.

June 5-6 � CCAI�s Membership / Annual Meeting / Barbecue, Crowne Plaza, Springfield

July 10-14 - Developing Local Systems of Care for Children and Adolescents with Emotional

                    Disturbances and their Families Training Institutes, Marriott Wardman Park

                    Hotel, Washington, D.C. For more information phone (202-687-5000)