June 3, 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.

Table of Contents

CHILD WELFARE.. 1

ILLINOIS BUDGET UPDATE.. 1

FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES UPDATE.. 2

TRAINING GRANT REMINDERS.. 2

EDUCATION.. 2

EDUCATION JOB BANK AVAILABLE THROUGH ISBE WEBSITE.. 2

ISBE REORGANIZATION.. 3

GENERAL.. 3

KEEPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SAFE ACT. 3

CAPTA.. 3

Adoption Opportunities Act 3

Abandoned Infants Assistance Act 3

FEDERAL SENATE DEMOCRATS SEND PRIORITIES TO WELFARE COMMITTEE CHAIRS.. 4

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT � SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.. 4

UPCOMING EVENTS.. 5

SACY TRAINING.. 5

SACY Training for Case Managers (NEW)   June 14  5

SACY Legal Issues and Accountability (NEW)    June 19  5

Calendar. 5

ILLINOIS BUDGET UPDATE

The General Assembly did not meet its deadline of passing the full budget as of 5/31 causing overtime sessions over the weekend. Both houses agreed on expenditures and submitted that part of the budget to Governor Ryan. However, what was still in dispute as of late Sunday evening was the financing part of the package in terms of revenue. Here is what we know:

Expenditures Included:

There was no restoration of the FY�02 COLA of COLA for FY�03 for other human services. However, there were no further program service cuts for other human services in the final spending plan.

As more information becomes available we will keep you advised. (MB)

FAMILY CENTERED SERVICES UPDATE

As reported, $5 million was restored to DCFS� budget for Family Centered Services. We have been in contact with DCFS senior staff about how decisions will be made on funding Family Centered Services programs, given that the line is only half the amount for this year. 

During hearings in the House of Representatives last week, Director McDonald was repeatedly questioned about why DCFS cut these programs. His response included criticism that 60% of the programs had no outcomes related to federal goals and had no proof of effectiveness.  We questioned DCFS on how they were collecting this information on program performance and how they would intend to set expectations for agencies in the future.

A small work group will convene to address these issues with DCFS. CCAI staff will be part of this group, along with several members of the previous Family Centered Services Advisory Committee. They will be meeting in the next 2 weeks to look at these challenges. We will keep you posted. If any member agency has feedback on the outcome measurements or ideas for how this could be improved, please e-mail Marge Berglind ([email protected].) (MB)

TRAINING GRANT REMINDERS

Agencies with Traditional/HMR performance contracts received Training Grants last year to improve the quality of the foster care workforce. DCFS has not budgeted such grants for next fiscal year. As a reminder, the grant was issued for a period of 2 years, from FY�01 through FY�02. This grant must be expended on training related activities by June 30, 2002. Funds not utilized will be subject to recovery by DCFS. (MB)

FOUNDATION TRAINING UPDATE

DCFS Training Staff inform us that at this time, the 6-10-02 Foundations Class in Collinsville only has 2 people enrolled.  This class will be cancelled. 
Employees can attend either of the Cook or Aurora Classes for 6-10 or the
Normal class on 6-24.  The next class in the Southern region starts
7-15-02.
 
At this time, the Cook class has very low enrollment but will probably go on as scheduled. Slots are available for this class. Please direct questions to DCFS Training. (MB)

EDUCATION JOB BANK AVAILABLE THROUGH ISBE WEBSITE 

The website of the Illinois State Board of Education (www.isbe.state.il.us) continues to provide substantial information on the numerous, varying, and constantly changing requirements in teacher certification, student assessment, curriculum changes, and many other areas.  Training tools, curriculum guidebooks and other important works are available through this site.  This site also hosts the Illinois Education Job Bank.  Although it is a service of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the job bank is accessible through the ISBE website.  For schools with fewer than 500 students, the annual fee to list all education job openings is $150 per year.  The site is available to teachers nationwide who are seeking employment (BRH).

ISBE REORGANIZATION 

ISBE has new divisions and division managers.  Under the Interim Superintendent Res Vasquez and Chief Education Officer Christopher Koch, the divisions within ISBE have been substantially revamped.  The new divisions and managers are Standards-Aligned Learning Department (Richard Miguel); Teaching and Leadership Department (Frank Llano); Specialized Support Department, including special education compliance and services (Anthony Sims); Student and School Progress Department, including all student assessment (Gail Lieberman); Operations Center (David Wood); Agency Administration Department (Chris Schmitt); School Finance (Gary Ey); External Assurance Department (Tammy Rust); Planning and Performance Center (Lynne Haeffele Curry); Public Information Center (Wade Nelson); Information Technology Center (Lugene Finley, Jr.); General Counsel (Harry Blackburn). Complete organizational charts and personnel listings will be sent this week to the Education Committee (BRH).

KEEPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SAFE ACT

Reported by CWLA in The Children�s Monitor, in April the House passed the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act, H.R. 3839.  The bill reauthorizes and increase funding levels for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the Adoption Opportunities Act and the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act (AIA).  The Senate is expected to take action on a similar measure in the next few months.

            CAPTA

H.R. 3839 extends CAPTA state grants, discretionary grants and Community �Based Resource and Support programs through 2007.  CAPTA provides funding for child protective services (CPS), community based prevention services and research and development of innovative programs to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect.  The bill authorizes $100 million for CAPTA state and discretionary grants and $80 million for the community-based prevention grants.  Currently, state grants are funded at $22 million, discretionary grants at $26 million and community-based family resource centers at $33 million.  The Administration�s budget proposed no increases for FY 2003. 

            Adoption Opportunities Act

H.R. 3839 also extends the Adoption Opportunities program through FY 2007, authorizing up to $40 million in 2003, and such sums as necessary through 2007.  Funded at $27.4 million in FY 2002 this program provides discretionary grants for demonstration projects that eliminate barriers to adoption and provide permanent loving homes for children and who would benefit from adoption, particularly children with special needs.

            Abandoned Infants Assistance Act

The bill extends authorized funding levels for AIA at $45 million for FY 2003 and such sums as necessary for 2004-2007.  AIA funds local projects that address the serious problem of caring for infants abandoned in hospitals as a result of parental HIV/AIDS and substance abuse.  Through comprehensive services to families affected by substance abuse and HIV/AIDS, AIA helps prevent children from being abandoned.  (JMS)

FEDERAL SENATE DEMOCRATS SEND PRIORITIES TO WELFARE COMMITTEE CHAIRS

On May 23, 2002 a group of 17 Democrats, led by Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Ted Kennedy send a memo outlining their priorities for TANF reauthorization to Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus and ranking member Charles Grassley, the committee with jurisdiction over TANF reauthorization.  Thanks to grassroots pressure, the 17 Senators outlined a set of �principles� designed to shift the tone of the debate on welfare reform from work hours and dollars to poverty reduction and child well-being. 

Priorities for the senators include:

1. Increasing TANF block grant to account for inflation and barriers of those still on welfare;

2. Opposing all superwaiver proposals to maintain congressional authority;

3. Allowing state flexibility in addressing individual needs to opposing uniform work requirements for all welfare recipients;

4. Increasing the number of activities and time recipients can engage in education and training to create a skilled and competitive workforce;

5. Providing services and adequate time to address issues for families with multiple barriers to work, including domestic abuse, substance abuse, limited English proficiency, disabilities and lack of education and training;

6. Increasing childcare spending by $11.3 billion over five years to support working parents;

7. Stopping the clock for working families still eligible for TANF;

8. Allowing TANF recipients to care for infants or sick or disabled children; and

9. Promoting state flexibility for abstinence funding.  (JMS)

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT � SOLUTIONS FOR AMERICAN COMMUNITIES

The Solutions for America initiative, a three year national research project supported by the pew Partnership for Civic Change, documents successful strategies and programs that are working to solve the tough challenges that communities across the country face everyday.  The Pew Partnership identified many approaches being implemented by communities, families, schools, and practitioners that truly make a difference.  The 19 sites that were selected in May of 1999 addressed problems in five policy areas: community economic development; community health; workforce development; civic engagement; and children, youth, and families. 

Lessons learned when developing and operating similar programs related to children, youth and families included: 1.) Recognition of the relationship between community development, education, and social service delivery is critical.  2.) Assist families as a unit, not as separate individuals. 3.) Positive adult role models should be involved and active in the youth programs.   With regards to the financial arrangements this project provided unique opportunities to compare strengths and weaknesses.  1.) Most programs rely heavily on public-sector support. 2.) Diversifying funding bases is a must. 3.) Programs should budget for and be prepared for a self-evaluation mechanism to ensure funding requirements are met.  For additional information on lessons learned go to: www.pew-partnership.org/newsroom/solutionsForAmerica(pr)/lessonsLearned.html.   (JMS)

SACY TRAINING

SACY Training for Case Managers (NEW)                                    June 14

Normative Child and Adolescent Sexual Development, including: sexual maturation and identity, adolescent egocentrism, adult monitoring, culture, peers and friends ∙ The Spectrum of Sexual Behaviors in Youth, including trends and incidences of �normal sexual behaviors and attitudes�, risk factors for problematic behavior, reactive sexual behavior, problematic sexual behavior, aggressive sexual behavior, managing a SACY case, reporting, and creating and enforcing a protective plan

SACY Legal Issues and Accountability (NEW)                    June 19

Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Statute ∙ involvement of Youth ∙ Court Authorities ∙ confidentiality ∙ mandated reporting and Tarasoff issues.

Location: Catholic Charities of Chicago

St. Vincent Hall

721 N. LaSalle

Chicago

Time: 9:00 am till 4:00 pm

Lunch on your own

COST:  $85.00 per person per session

For registration simply go to the CCA Training site www.cca-il.org/training/htm or call Sandy Armstrong at 217-528-4409.

Calendar

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