December 17, 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

CCAI HOLIDAY SCHEDULE.. 2

CHILD WELFARE.. 2

DOC BEGINS MEDICAID CLAIMING EFFORTS.. 2

SURVEY REQUESTS�IMPACT OF BUDGET CUTS AND CASH FLOW... 2

CWAC- SED.. 3

Gatekeepers: 3

Out of State Placements: 3

Standards and Outcomes: 3

Joint Planning: 3

Care Management: 4

Child Care Worker Training: 4

SACY Report: 4

UIR: 4

Rule 384: 4

ITS/Placement Stabilization/SASS Status: 4

Recognition of John Francis: 4

Next Meeting. 5

CWAC ILO/TLP SED WORK GROUP REPORT. 5

SPECIAL EDUCATION.. 6

CCA OBJECTS TO ISBE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REPORT TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.. 6

DCFS RULE 384 APPLIED TO DAY TREATMENT PROGRAMS?. 6

AD HOC GROUPS ON RATE-SETTING AND MODIFICATION OF NONPUBLIC RULES WILL RECONVENE NEXT WEEK.. 6

NEWEST CHANGES IN CERTIFICATION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.. 6

GENERAL.. 6

SACWIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.. 6

Phase I and Phase II Updates. 7

Budget Impact on SACWIS. 7

SACWIS Issues Management Process. 7

POS Advocate Reports. 8

Meeting Schedule. 8

Staff Compliance Report 8

CWAC MEDICAID WORKGROUP.. 8

HIPAA.. 8

Delays in Submitting Plans of Correction. 9

Streamlining the Medicaid Conversion Process. 9

Next Meeting. 9

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS.. 9

Hope School Breaks New Ground for Learning Center 9

WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF A MINIMAL CODB INCREASE ON YOUR AGENCY?. 9

HELPFUL WESITES FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY. 10

UPCOMING EVENTS.. 11

SAVE THE DATE FOR SPRING FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENT CONFERENCE.. 11

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS... 11

Quality Improvement Training with Dr. Fotena Zirps. 11

Calendar 11

CCAI HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Seasons Greetings!! The staff of the Child Care Association of Illinois extends our best wishes for all members to enjoy the holiday season. We hope whatever holiday you celebrate or religious period you observe brings much satisfaction and comfort.  We wish you peace in 2002.

The Monday Report will be published on Monday, December 24. There will be no Monday Report on Monday, December 31.

The CCAI offices will be closed from Monday, December 24, 2001 through Tuesday, January 1, 2002. Any urgent matters can be directed to the Chicago voice mail number at 312-819-1950. (MB)

DOC BEGINS MEDICAID CLAIMING EFFORTS

The Illinois Department of Corrections is developing a Federal Financial Participation (FFP) strategy and is beginning with Medicaid claiming for juvenile residential placements.  The initial strategy is to submit back billings for those residential providers already Medicaid certified through DCFS.  Residential services provided to DOC juveniles from as far back as Fiscal Year 2000 will be submitted this month.  DOC has contracted with AdminPros-Public Consulting Group (APPCG) to coordinate its FFP efforts.  DOC and APPCG will perform all of the necessary tasks to complete the Medicaid back billings.  Early in 2002 DOC and APPCG will meet with residential providers to coordinate a process for future Medicaid claiming.  For comments or questions contact Dan Strick at 312-425-0562 ext. 32. (MB)

SURVEY REQUESTS�IMPACT OF BUDGET CUTS AND CASH FLOW

Surveys regarding status of cash flow are due by December 19. Memos were faxed to CCAI Cook area agencies last week.  We need your responses soon!

Agencies are encouraged to participate in providing information on the impact of budget cuts�both the lack of CODB we have had to absorb the first 3 quarters of this fiscal year and the possible loss of the CODB due on April l. Surveys are brief. CCA staff will also be contacting certain agencies by phone to participate.

We will use collated information as part of future publicity about the challenges facing agencies as well as part of group reports on human services in general.

Cash flow will likely soon develop into a struggle for many agencies. We are in the process of setting up a meeting with the Illinois Controller�s staff and Senator Jones to discuss the current situation and identify procedures for Cook County area agencies. We will then determine if there is a similar need for a meeting with downstate agencies or whether the information can be forwarded. As part of planning for this meeting, we are trying to collect essential information on the extent of the problem. Cook area agency executives will receive a survey next week. We urge you to fill this out or forward immediately to your CFO for processing. Questions or concerns about participation in either survey should be directed to Marge Berglind at 312-819-1950. If you need another copy of the survey, contact the Springfield CCAI office. (MB)

CWAC- SED

The CWAC-SED Committee met in Chicago on December 13.

Highlights of the meeting are as follows:

Gatekeepers:

�         Gatekeepers will be transitioning from their current gate keeping functions back to case management. Concerns were addressed from the group about how to assure continuity of essential functions currently handled by gatekeepers during the transition:

1.      Consents: DCFS has no definitive answer as to how to manage consents but is looking at various options. For the moment, agencies should seek consents from the assigned DCFS worker. In the event that worker cannot be reached, the request should get directed to the Consent Unit.

2.      Intake/Referral: There will no longer be a centralized referring screening or regional review. Any agency can accept referrals. DCFS will be using this opportunity to further refine matches of children with the agency profiles submitted. DCFS wants to assure protection of the beds designed for the riskiest children. Future correspondence on this issue is forthcoming. Agencies must still get the page 10 of the PRT form signed by Jerry Slomka or Tom Finnegan. Agencies should continue to keep sign-in logs for DCFS worker visits. DCFS will alert them later as to who may need to review.

Out of State Placements:

�        Ron Davidson reported that DCFS is now down to only 26 wards in out of state placements. Of these, 6 are placed in proximity to relatives. Twenty are left to bring back to Illinois.

Standards and Outcomes:

�        The website on outcomes is available for browsing at: dcfsoutcomes.NU.com. Users can search for particular topics on this site, as well.  The standards DCFS liaisons need the e-mail addresses for the designated outcomes managers at agencies. The group is preparing  a formal memo to DCFS officials recommending use of Ansell-Casey over the Daniel Memorial assessment. All but one agency has now completed outcomes training. Agencies are encouraged to supplement this training with more advanced in-services for staff. A list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the outcome training is available by calling Catherine Francis (312-814-8742) or Scott Leon (312-814-3057) of DCFS or the CCAI Springfield office.

Joint Planning:

�        The group is analyzing data with DCFS regarding divisions, and numbers of providers in each region. The group is also giving guidance to DCFS on classification of providers according to self-report and data on type of children served. Sometimes the data is inconsistent with the reported profile. There is also regional review of types of placements. There is not sufficient need in every region for every type of placement, especially those for highly specialized needs such as traumatic brain injury. However, all attempts will be made to place children as close to home as possible.  Highest volume of children still comes from the Cook area. (Refer to 11/12/01 Monday Report for full report on this sub-committee.)

Care Management:

�        The group continues to work towards synchronization of various treatment plans, assuring transitions of youth are seamless and discussing effectiveness of WRAP and child and family team processes.

Child Care Worker Training:

�        The two sub-groups continue to work on development of content and delivery issues. The delivery group is refining seven training modules in the recommended topic areas: Behavior Management and Restraint, Therapeutic Milieu, Common Mental Health Diagnoses, Developmentally Disabled and Delayed Population, Child and Adolescent Development, Risk Assessment and Managing Change and Transition. The content group is developing core competencies workers would demonstrate upon completion of the training. Copies of the module content development or competency reports-to-date are available by contacting the Springfield CCAI office.

SACY Report:

�        Theoretically, the acronym of SACY will no longer be used. There will be significant changes in the manner in which Children with Sexual Behavioral Problems are recognized and labeled by DCFS. There is a need to differentiate the 4 year old with acting out behavior from the l7 year old predator. Children are being reviewed for removal from the database, which will soon be eliminated. The used of the SACY label and the database appeared to be equivalent to a sex offender registry, which was never the intent of the label or the data tracking. Children still need treatment, protective plans and diligent work with schools to manage behavior. Programs treating children with sexual behavior problems must still be certified and staff must still complete the 40 hours of training.

UIR:

�        The work group will continue to address implementation problems associated with the new UIR process. The group has already identified problems in getting numbers assigned. Agencies can e-mail their concerns to Ed Sherk of Shelter, Inc. who has agreed to collect concerns from providers and report them to the work group ([email protected] or [email protected].)

Rule 384:

�        DCFS policy division is drafting the rule for notice. One additional expectation for ongoing training for nursing staff has been added.  DCFS has asked UIC to develop available training to meet this need.

ITS/Placement Stabilization/SASS Status:

�        Tom Finnegan confirmed that DCFS has reviewed these three programs. There will be changes in ITS and Placement Stabilization as linked to changes in Specialized Foster Care (See Monday Report of 11/26 for a full report.) SASS is a required element of BH compliance so will continue in similar form. Placement stabilization and ITS started when DCFS experienced much higher caseloads and overburdened shelters. Since the context of the system has changed, these programs may change. Copies of the analysis reports of the three programs can be obtained by calling Tom Finnegan of DCFS at 312-814-8744.

Recognition of John Francis:

�        The group recognized the many contributions of John Francis of the Children�s Home Association. Mr. Francis has been a longtime member of CWAC SED and most recently chaired the Standards and Outcomes sub-group. He has contributed much to children in Illinois and to furthering the quality of care for children in residential care. John will become the CEO of United Methodist Youthville in Newton, Kansas. The CWAC SED group will miss him.

Next Meeting

�        The next meeting is scheduled for February 14.

CWAC ILO/TLP SED WORK GROUP REPORT      

The  ILO Work Group met on 12/6/01. Highlights of the meeting are as follows:

Issue 1:  Lack of knowledge and training on front line DCFS and private sector staff on referral process

Solution:  Training sessions on Policy Guide, referral process and accompanying forms.  Must stress the flexibility in eligibility criteria.

Status: DCFS agreed to implement training on the policy guide into the on-going DCFS training curriculum.  It was also stressed that if private agency staff have questions regarding the referral process, they should contact their DCFS regional clinical manager.  DCFS announced that over the course of the next few months, TCM�s will become the primary DCFS workers for IGH cases.  It was suggested that once that is accomplished, that training on the ILO/TLP referral process be implemented.  DCFS agreed to re-train and discuss the policy guide at upcoming AP Team meetings (to target the private sector) as well.

Issue 2: Excessive delays and bottlenecks at both Step 2 and Step 3 in referral process.

Solution:  Streamline referral process by allowing approval and denials of ILO/TLP referrals at the Regional level (Step 2), thereby eliminating Step 3.  Implement a quality assurance component to ensure clinically appropriate decision-making.

Status:  DCFS stated that this was still the intended goal, but that since there were new changes in DETS, the movement to eliminate Step 3 is less urgent.

Issue 3: A significant # of youth are being kept in residential care far past discharge dates due to delays in the ILO/TLP referral process.

Solution A:  Coordinate the resolution of this issue with the CWAC SED Care Management and Community Linkages subcommittee.

Status: This is still the plan.

Solution B:  Determine a way to �fast track� youth being referred from residential facilities into ILO/TLP�s.

Status:  There was no resolution with regard to this solution.

Future meeting dates:

February 5:  ILO All Provider Meeting Cook

To be determined: ILO All Provider Meeting Downstate

February 21: CWAC ILO/TLP Work Group meeting

(Our thanks to Susan Cowen of Youth Network Council for this report. MB)

CCA OBJECTS TO ISBE FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REPORT TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

On behalf of the federal subcommittee in Illinois on which CCA staff serve, an objection to the contents of an Illinois report to the federal Department of Education was filed with ISBE and the Department of Education.  CCA also testified at the hearing of the ISBE Governing Board in Chicago on December 13.  In response to these objections, ISBE has agreed to submit the report for review and modification to the federal subcommittee and to extend the deadline (originally December 21) for submission of the report.  One of the more offensive goals in the draft document was that an increasing percentage of children every year will be placed in the general education classroom.  Such a provision would override the process through which placement decisions are made and negates the requirement of federal law that a continuum of alternative placements must be available to serve the diverse needs of children.  At its next meeting on Thursday, December 20, CCA will bring up the shortage of slots in therapeutic day treatment programs for Illinois students.  If you have evidence of a waiting list for your program and/or know of individuals students for whom therapeutic day placement is written in the IEP who must wait for slots to become available, please e-mail Bridget Helmholz with that information ([email protected]) BRH.

DCFS RULE 384 APPLIED TO DAY TREATMENT PROGRAMS?

CCA heard that DCFS is planning to apply the provisions of their Rule 384 to therapeutic day treatment programs, which are approved by ISBE (not DCFS).  If you have information about this, please contact Bridget Helmholz.  Since DCFS does not license these programs, their application of this rule is unusual.  If you have been advised about this or have other information, please contact CCA (BRH).

AD HOC GROUPS ON RATE-SETTING AND MODIFICATION OF NONPUBLIC RULES WILL RECONVENE NEXT WEEK

After a brief hiatus due to effort to stop the filing of the ISBE report to the federal government, work on these ad hoc groups will resume next week (BRH).

NEWEST CHANGES IN CERTIFICATION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

The ISBE website contains information as of December 14, 2001 regarding implementation of changes in special education certification.  The address is www.isbe.net/coreyh/htmls/certchange.htm.  There do not appear to be any significant changes from our last review since a limited LBS1 certification is available along with emergency certification (formerly the PZZ).  Please log onto this site for the latest information.  There is still no news regarding the Illinois Education Association�s appeal of the Corey H. decision.  Updated information on Corey H. is available at www.isbe.net/coreyh/default.html (BRH).

SACWIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING

Additional items discussed at the December SACWIS Advisory Committee meeting held in DePlaines included an update on project progress for both Phase I and Phase II.  Phase I being the implementation of intake and investigation.  Other items included reports by both the Cook and Downstate Advocate Positions, discussion of Issues Management Process, the reallocation of funds for SACWIS readiness, and a review of meeting schedule of the committee through June 2002.

Phase I and Phase II Updates

Reports were provided by members of the Committee that had attended the QA/QI design session for Phase II.  Concern was expressed by the POS representatives in attendance of those design sessions that there was lack of preparation on the part of the AMS facilitator which resulted in little being accomplished from that initial three day session.  Additional dates needed to be scheduled.  In addition the resource design sessions were created as a new session from the licensing sessions and also did not result in agreement being reached on what should be included in actual design discussions.  What resources outside of the foster care services would be included? How would that information be updated and who would be responsible for ongoing maintenance?  This further raised the issue of the extent of the information that should be included in SACWIS.  A letter had been sent out to all subject matter experts from Director McDonald regarding the intent of the scope of the SACWIS system.

It was also noted that Susan Klein Rothschild was leaving Spectrum Maximus and the POS representatives asked if the position would be replaced.  The members of the committee noted the role Susan played had been extremely valuable in providing an ongoing link between the project development and the input of the private agencies from the quality assurance perspective.  A letter would be sent to Sam Traylor, DCFS Project Manager requesting that the position be replaced. 

Budget Impact on SACWIS

With the budget cut situation, a presentation was made to the Governor�s office regarding SACWIS.  April 22 is still the implementation date for Phase I of SACWIS.  Major milestones must be met by the project.  As was reported in last week�s Monday Report, there will be a reallocation of funds based on the seat count process used during FY 01.  That should have been mailed out last week to all SACWIS agencies.  Please respond as quickly as possible to this request in order to issue new amendments to allow access to additional funding this fiscal year.  If people have any questions regarding this issue they should be directed to Steve Bradshaw at 217-747-7604.

SACWIS Issues Management Process

The SACWIS Advisory Committee continues to identify key issues that will have a significant impact on the implementation of SACWIS from the POS perspective.  Those issues include: Medicaid, residential, communication, security administration and access, data creep, initial staff productivity, training coordination of SACWIS with other staff requirement training, and the impact of design schedule changes on POS participation.  An issues management process was presented which will be updated each week in response to the need to review action steps taken to address these issues.  This will be maintained and monitored by the POS Private Agency Liaison. 

The most immediate issue continues to be the link of the Medicaid documentation system with SACWIS.  What information needs to be in SACWIS and how does it get designed?  What happens to the documentation link with the Medicaid Billing System if the MBS system is not going to be incorporated into SACWIS?  The issue continues to be raised and addressed through the CWAC Medicaid workgroup.  Recommendations were developed from the SACWIS Advisory Committee to be presented at the Medicaid Workgroup meeting.  The design needs to eliminate the requirement for documentation to be entered into two separate systems for the agencies � SACWIS and Medicaid. 

There was also extensive discussion on the need for additional mechanisms to communicate the status of SACWIS to all POS providers.  It was recognized that the current newsletter that is developed is not the only means that needs to be developed at this point for distribution to the private agencies.  Other suggestions offered included questions and answers format and routine e-mail communications.

POS Advocate Reports

The POS Advocates provided a status report on the site visits made to the private agencies.  The purpose of the visits is providing information to agencies and their staff regarding the status of the SACWIS project and to identify questions or concerns they may have regarding the implementation process.  The information obtained from the agencies will be used as part of the change management effort related to the impact of SACWIS on the staff, organizational structure, training and procedures.  Agencies are encouraged to schedule visits with the advocates when they are contacted so that they may have their issues and concerns raised.

Meeting Schedule

The meeting dates for the remainder of the fiscal year for the SACWIS Advisory Committee are: Jan. 8^th, Feb. 5^th, March 5^th, April 2^nd, May 7^th, and June 4^th.  The meetings will continue to alternate between Springfield and DesPlaines.  The meeting in January will be in Springfield.

Staff Compliance Report

It was reported from the Nov. SACWIS Advisory Committee meeting that there would be no penalties assessed based on the staff compliance reports, but they still needed to be submitted.  Following the week of the December SACWIS Advisory Committee meeting, we have been advised that the quarterly staffing compliance reports no longer need to be submitted.  (JMS)

CWAC MEDICAID WORKGROUP

Further details on some of the agenda items from the Medicaid Workgroup meeting held on Dec. 6^th are discussed below.

HIPAA

In last week�s Monday Report there was reference made to the HIPAA agenda item from the last Medicaid workgroup meeting.  HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.  A one year-extension for compliance with the Transactions/Code Set requirements has been approved by both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate.  The next step in the legislative process is for the Senate and the House to reconcile their versions.  Once reconciled and revoted, the final bill then goes to the President for signature.  The new compliance deadline for Transactions/Code Set requirements is October 2003.  To receive the extension, Illinois will need to file an Implementation Plan with the federal government.  This will give Illinois an additional year to implement the standardized code sets for billing.  DCFS has been working with DHS on the code sets for Part 132.  There are still questions about how HIPAA applies to DCFS and to the providers.   So far, no extension has been granted for the Privacy requirements within HIPAA.  It was noted that the Privacy requirements could have a much greater impact on providers and DCFS than Transaction/Code Set.  Given the heavy reliance on computerized information and SACWIS development, it will be extremely difficult to ensure only authorized personnel are able to view protected information. 

Delays in Submitting Plans of Correction

With the revised checklist materials, it is expected that the Notice of Deficiencies will be more streamlined.  This should correspond to clearer expectations for a Plan of Correction.  In addition, providers who need to revise forms as part of their Plan of Correction will no longer need to wait until the form is completed to submit an acceptable Plan of Correction.  Instead, the provider can describe what will be done to correct the deficiency.  Implementation of the new form will be checked at the next review.  DCFS and IPI are increasing their attention to timelines for all required reports and responses. 

Streamlining the Medicaid Conversion Process

To streamline the Medicaid conversion process, certain elements are now going to be completed after the conversion instead of as part of the conversion.  Specifically, service projections, staffing information, and a program plan are no longer going to be required prior to conversion.  Instead, these elements are going to be completed as part of the comprehensive program plan project that DCFS is implementing for all residential providers.  Under the streamlined conversion process, the provider gets certified at the applicable site, receives a Medicaid Addendum to be attached to the current non-Medicaid program plan, and then a new contract is completed to convert the contract to Medicaid.  The Medicaid Addendum will describe the requirements of Medicaid implementation.  There will only be a few basic elements for the provider to complete on the Medicaid Addendum.   Thus it is expected that the conversion will occur very quickly after the provider is certified at the applicable site.  Once the Medicaid contract is completed, the provider will be granted a 3 or 6 month Hold Harmless period to fully implement all Medicaid requirements for all DCFS Medicaid clients in the program.  The provider will not be held financially liable during the Hold Harmless period. 

Next Meeting

The next workgroup meeting will occur February 7, 2002 from 10:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. at The Baby Fold in Normal.  (JMS)

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

Hope School Breaks New Ground for Learning Center

Hope School in Springfield, Illinois has broken ground on a multi-million dollar Learning Center that will replace current classrooms at the school.

The center will provide a state-of-the-art environment tailored to the to the particular needs of children and youth with multiple disabilities and autism. The project seeks to ensure proper identification and early assessment of individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, since early intervention can make a positive difference in the overall success for an individual with developmental delays. The Learning Center, which is approximately 40,000 square feet, will contain classrooms, sensory integration areas and rooms, observation areas, and a training facility. The Hope School serves nearly 100 children and youth with multiple disabilities, ages 5-21, at its campus facility and community homes located throughout the Springfield area.

 (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?

To date, nearly one-third of the CCA membership has shared anecdotal and statistical information which will assist the Association in pinpointing the consequences of state funding shortfalls over the past few years. The information gathered is important if we are to demonstrate the impact of eroded services for children and families on the communities of Illinois. This is an important story to tell, but we can�t tell it without your support and information.  If your agency has not yet shared information with CCA, there is still an opportunity to do so. We�re essentially interested in the following information:

Any programs that will potentially be modified or eliminated in FY2002

Number of clients impacted by modification/elimination of program

The impact of this in client services and the community in which the service is provided

The counties in which that service is provided

Operational impacts, such as facilities or satellite locations that will be closed

Personnel related impacts, such as not filling vacated positions, eliminating positions, or freezing wage increases

Reduction of current staff hours

Reduction of education and training opportunities for staff

Reduction of benefits, vacations, holidays, or personal days

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. Feel free to call, fax, or e-mail any information you care to share.  (LLL)

MINI-GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR KINSHIP CARE SUPPORT GROUPS
Ten programs from throughout the United States will be selected by KinNET, a national network of support groups for foster care, to develop additional support groups. The mini-grants, which are for $10,000 over two years time contingent on first-year successes, are available for FY2002-2003. Guidelines and an Application form are available at http://www.gu.org (click on KinNET). Agencies must be local agencies with 501[c]3 or equivalent tax-exempt status, and each grantee is expected to match at least 10% of the grant. Proposals must be submitted by February 15, 2002.

The grants for KinNET are funded through Generations United (GU), which was awarded a cooperative agreement from the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish KinNET.  KinNET focuses on the unique needs of kinship caregivers and provides sessions on topics such as the legal, psychological, and socioeconomic implications of becoming a guardian or adoptive parent.  To maximize the resources and services available, GU's partner in KinNET is the Brookdale Foundation Group (http://www.ewol.com/brookdale), which funds support groups for relatives raising children outside the foster care system.

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.

SAVE THE DATE FOR SPRING FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENT CONFERENCE

The 2002 Spring Foster and Adoptive Parent conference will be held March 8 and 9 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield. The theme for the upcoming conference is �Every Child Is A Success Story.� Foster parents received information and registration forms in the current Holiday Issue of Fostering Illinois. Agencies who wish to send representatives can obtain a copy of the form via fax by contacting the Springfield CCAI office. Registration deadline is January 25. (MB)

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

Quality Improvement Training with Dr. Fotena Zirps

Santa has granted our wish!  Mark your calendars for February 6 & 7, 2002 when Dr. Fotena Zirps will return to Illinois to conduct two days of Quality Improvement training.  The event will be held at the Hilton, Lisle / Naperville with brochure and registration in the mail soon.  Santa�s elf tells us that a new book is in the works for Dr. Zirps and the training will help you go beyond basic agency quality improvement tasks.  Look for more details soon.

If you have any questions, please call D.D. Fischer at 217/656-3000 or email him at [email protected]

Calendar

January 8 � CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee, Springfield

February 5 � CWAC SACWIS Advisory Committee, LSSI, DesPlaines

February 6-7 � Quality Improvement Training with Fotena Zirps, Hilton Lisle / Naperville

February 7 � CWAC Medicaid Workgroup, The Baby Fold, Normal

March 8-9 � 2002 Spring Foster and Adoptive Parent Conference��Every Child is a Success

                     Story.�  Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield.

March 20-21 � CCAI�s Spring Membership Meeting, The Hyatt Lodge, Oak Brook