Bill Text: IL HB2983 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Creates the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee Act. Requires the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Youth to create the Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee to drive the State's strategic vision for preventing homelessness among youth leaving State systems of care. Sets forth the Subcommittee's duties including: (1) reviewing the discharge planning, services plans, and discharge procedures for youth leaving the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of Corrections to determine whether such discharge planning and procedures ensure housing stability for youth leaving State systems of care; and (2) collecting data on the housing stability of youth for one year after they are released from State custody or guardianship. Provides that the Subcommittee shall include specified members, including: (i) one representative from the Governor's office; (ii) 4 representatives from agencies serving homeless youth; and (iii) 4 youth who have a lived experience with homelessness. Contains provisions concerning a quorum, administrative support, subcommittee meetings, and reporting requirements.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 34-1)

Status: (Passed) 2019-07-19 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 101-0098 [HB2983 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB2983-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 101-0098
HB2983 Enrolled LRB101 08994 KTG 54087 b
AN ACT concerning homeless youth.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Youth
Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee Act.
Section 5. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
finds that 1 in 10 young people ages 18-25 experience a form of
homelessness over a 12-month period. Also 1 in 30 youths ages
13-17 experience a form of homelessness over a 12-month period.
Homelessness disproportionately impacts African-American youth
and mirrors the racial disparities in school suspensions,
incarceration rates, and foster care placement. Youth who have
interacted with State systems of care, such as the Department
of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile
Justice, the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental
Health, and the Department of Corrections, and youth who have
been hospitalized for mental health problems are
disproportionately overrepresented in the population of people
experiencing homelessness. The U.S. Department of Education
classifies youth living "doubled up" as homeless. "Doubled up"
is a term that refers to a situation where individuals are
unable to maintain their own housing situation and are forced
to stay with a series of friends or extended family members.

The individual has no right or authority over the housing. The
"homes" of such individuals are often unstable, not permanent,
and can be as dangerous as living on the streets. As a result,
doubled up housing situations are potentially detrimental to
the health and well-being of these homeless youth. A study
conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics found that
12% of prisoners were homeless at the time of their arrest.
Similarly, a national survey of jail inmates concluded that
more than 15% of the jail population had been homeless at some
point in the preceding year, a rate 8 to 11 times the national
average. Illinois needs a cohesive strategy across our child
welfare, mental health, corrections, and human services
agencies that is designed to reduce the rates of homelessness
among youth and to lessen the likelihood of youth experiencing
chronic homelessness into adulthood.
Section 10. Youth Homelessness Prevention Subcommittee. In
2016 the Governor, by Executive Order, created a Governor's
Cabinet on Children and Youth to ensure that all children and
youth in Illinois are healthy, safe, well-educated, and
successfully launched into self-sufficiency. To better serve
youth leaving State systems of care and to bring Illinois in
line with the national goal of ending youth homelessness by
2020, the Cabinet on Children and Youth shall create a
subcommittee to drive the State's strategic vision for
preventing homelessness among youth leaving State systems of

care. The subcommittee shall be known as the Youth Homelessness
Prevention Subcommittee.
Section 15. Duties. The Youth Homelessness Prevention
Subcommittee shall:
(1) Review the discharge planning, service plans, and
discharge procedures for youth leaving the custody or
guardianship of the Department of Children and Family
Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the
Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health,
and the Department of Corrections to determine whether such
discharge planning and procedures ensure housing stability
for youth leaving State systems of care.
(2) Collect data on the housing stability of youth for
one year after they are released from the custody or
guardianship of the Department of Children and Family
Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the
Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, or
the Department of Corrections.
(3) Based on data collected under paragraph (2)
regarding youth experiencing homelessness after leaving
State systems of care, create a plan to improve discharge
policies and procedures to ensure housing stability for
youth leaving State systems of care.
(4) Provide recommendations on community plans for
sustainable housing; create education and employment plans

for homeless youth; and create strategic collaborations
between the Department of Children and Family Services, the
Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Human
Services' Division of Mental Health, and the Department of
Corrections with respect to youth leaving State systems of
care.
Section 20. Membership. The Youth Homelessness Prevention
Subcommittee shall include the following members:
(1) One representative from the Governor's office.
(2) The Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services.
(3) The Director of the Department of Healthcare and
Family Services.
(4) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services.
(5) The Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
(6) The Director of the Department of Corrections.
(7) The Director of the Department of Public Health.
(8) The Director of the Guardianship and Advocacy
Commission.
(9) Four representatives from agencies serving
homeless youth.
(10) One representative from a homeless advocacy
organization.
(11) One representative from a juvenile justice
advocacy organization.

(12) Four youth who have a lived experience with
homelessness.
Section 25. Quorum. A majority of the members of the
Subcommittee shall constitute a quorum, and all
recommendations of the Subcommittee shall require approval of a
majority of the total members of the Subcommittee.
Section 30. Administrative support. The Governor's Office
shall provide administrative support to the Youth Homelessness
Prevention Subcommittee as needed, including with respect to
compliance with State ethics laws, the Open Meetings Act, and
the Freedom of Information Act.
Section 35. Meetings. The Youth Homelessness Prevention
Subcommittee shall hold at least 6 meetings each year, but
otherwise shall meet at the call of the chair.
Section 40. Reports. The Youth Homelessness Prevention
Subcommittee shall submit an interim report to the Governor
every 6 months and an annual report to the Governor and the
General Assembly.