CHICAGO (AP) – The head of Illinois’ child welfare agency is pushing legislation developed out of a consent decree aimed at improving care for youths.
The Department of Children and Family Services and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois submitted an agreed reform plan in court last. It includes more oversight and programs and awaits a judge’s final approval. The agency has been under a decades-old consent decree to make improvements.
Agency Director George Sheldon appeared with Gov. Bruce Rauner at a Monday news conference to tout the changes.
One bill that’s in the reform plan calls for expanding who can apply to become a child’s guardian. The other would let caregivers decide if a child can participate in extracurricular or social activities instead of the agency.
The bills are SB2371/HB5551 and SB3041/HB5665.