HB 4242

Abstract

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Human Services to jointly develop and administer a program that provides free and accessible child care services to parenting youth in foster care. Grants the Departments rulemaking authority. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Deletes reference to: 20 ILCS 505/5.21 new Adds reference to: 305 ILCS 5/9A-11 from Ch. 23, par. 9A-11 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Expands eligibility under the Department of Human Services' Child Care Assistance Program to include the following categories of families: (i) foster parents or caregivers of youth in care, regardless of whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs; (ii) youth in care who are parents, regardless of whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs; (iii) parents who have custody of their children and their children are the subjects of pending cases under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, regardless of whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs; (iv) families with children who have an open intact family services case with the Department of Children and Family Services (rather than families with children under the age of 5 who have an open intact family services case with the Department of Children and Family Services); and (v) families receiving Extended Family Support Program services from the Department of Children and Family Services, regardless of whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs. Provides that youth in care who are parents and parents whose children are the subjects of pending cases under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 shall receive extended child care eligibility for a specified period of time, regardless of whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs. Effective July 1, 2023. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adds reference to: 20 ILCS 505/5a from Ch. 23, par. 5005a 325 ILCS 20/3 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Expands eligibility under the Department of Human Services' Child Care Assistance Program to include the following categories of families: (i) youth in care who are parents, regardless of income or whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs; and (ii) families receiving Extended Family Support Program services from the Department of Children and Family Services, regardless of income or whether they are working or participating in Department-approved employment or education or training programs. Provides that beginning October 1, 2023, and every October 1 thereafter, the Department of Children and Family Services shall report to the General Assembly on the number of children who received child care via vouchers paid for by the Department of Children and Family Services during the preceding fiscal year. Requires the report to include the ages of children who received child care, the type of child care they received, and the number of months they received child care. Amends the Early Intervention Services System Act. Expands the definition of "eligible infants and toddlers" to include any child under the age of 3 who is the subject of a substantiated case of child abuse or neglect as defined in the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that the rates paid to day care providers by the Department of Children and Family Services shall match the rates paid to child care providers by the Department of Human Services under the child care assistance program, including base rates and any relevant rate enhancements. Effective immediately, except that certain provisions take effect on July 1, 2023.