Illinois 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB3732 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3732 Introduced , by Rep. Maura Hirschauer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 20 ILCS 505/5.48 new Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements. LRB104 09568 KTG 19631 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3732 Introduced , by Rep. Maura Hirschauer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 20 ILCS 505/5.48 new 20 ILCS 505/5.48 new Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements. LRB104 09568 KTG 19631 b LRB104 09568 KTG 19631 b A BILL FOR
2	2	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3732 Introduced , by Rep. Maura Hirschauer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
3	3	20 ILCS 505/5.48 new 20 ILCS 505/5.48 new
4	4	20 ILCS 505/5.48 new
5	5	Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements.
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11	11	1 AN ACT concerning State government.
12	12	2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
13	13	3 represented in the General Assembly:
14	14	4 Section 5. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
15	15	5 by adding Section 5.48 as follows:
16	16	6 (20 ILCS 505/5.48 new)
17	17	7 Sec. 5.48. Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot
18	18	8 Program.
19	19	9 (a) Purpose. Illinois currently faces challenges with
20	20	10 prolonged foster care placements and reunification delays.
21	21	11 Only 18.6 % of the children who entered substitute care in the
22	22	12 Cook County region in Calendar Year 2021 were reunified with
23	23	13 their families within 24 months. The purpose of this Section
24	24	14 is to create a pilot program focused on providing parents with
25	25	15 their own case manager, separate from their children in State
26	26	16 care, to aid in reunifying children with their biological
27	27	17 families after entering foster care. The pilot program would
28	28	18 focus on, improving case management services and connection to
29	29	19 community resources, and integrating workforce development
30	30	20 initiatives for foster youth and parents facing economic
31	31	21 hardship.
32	32	22 (b) Legislative findings. The General Assembly finds the
33	33	23 following:
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37	37	104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3732 Introduced , by Rep. Maura Hirschauer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
38	38	20 ILCS 505/5.48 new 20 ILCS 505/5.48 new
39	39	20 ILCS 505/5.48 new
40	40	Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements.
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68	68	1 (1) Many children in foster care experience
69	69	2 instability due to insufficient family support systems and
70	70	3 inadequate caseworker resources.
71	71	4 (2) Family reunification, when safely possible, leads
72	72	5 to better long-term outcomes for children.
73	73	6 (3) Comprehensive support for parents, including job
74	74	7 readiness and placement programs, is essential to creating
75	75	8 a stable home environment for returning children.
76	76	9 (c) Program establishment and components. The Department
77	77	10 of Children and Family Services shall establish and administer
78	78	11 a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program
79	79	12 that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children
80	80	13 with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization
81	81	14 period. Under the pilot program, the Department shall develop
82	82	15 individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline
83	83	16 steps for returning children to their parents or guardians. To
84	84	17 promote case coordination, the Department shall provide
85	85	18 caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on
86	86	19 building relationships with biological families for the child.
87	87	20 Tools and services shall include mental health evaluations,
88	88	21 family counseling, and reintegration services.
89	89	22 (d) Two-year reunification plan. For each child placed in
90	90	23 foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan
91	91	24 involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders
92	92	25 to ensure sustained family stability. The Department shall
93	93	26 also:
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104	104	1 (1) conduct quarterly service plan reviews to measure
105	105	2 progress toward milestones;
106	106	3 (2) promote family relationship building, by
107	107	4 implementing structured family engagement sessions during
108	108	5 the first 6 months of an open case to strengthen bonds
109	109	6 between children and biological parents; and
110	110	7 (3) target reunifying at least 40% of children who are
111	111	8 new to care within the first 18-24 months of placement.
112	112	9 (e) Workforce development component. To increase
113	113	10 employment and income opportunities for parents and foster
114	114	11 youth aged 16 and older, the pilot program shall:
115	115	12 (1) provide parents and foster youth with access to
116	116	13 job readiness training, paid internships, and mentorship
117	117	14 programs to build career skills and financial
118	118	15 independence; and
119	119	16 (2) provide job training, financial literacy, and job
120	120	17 placement services to parents in poverty to support
121	121	18 economic stability and successful reunification.
122	122	19 (f) Outcomes and reporting. Beginning one year after
123	123	20 implementation of the pilot program, the Department shall
124	124	21 submit annual reports to the General Assembly that detail
125	125	22 reunification rates, family engagement metrics, funding
126	126	23 adjustments, and workforce development outcomes. The final
127	127	24 report shall be submitted 3 months after the pilot program
128	128	25 terminates. After the pilot programs second full year of
129	129	26 operation, the Department shall conduct a program evaluation
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