Bill Text: IL HJR0053 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizes May 10, 2017 as the second Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HJR0053 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HJR0053-Introduced.html

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois General Assembly
recognize that foster youth are some of the State's most
precious, valuable, and vulnerable citizens; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the Foster Care Alumni of America
(FCAA) is to connect the alumni community and to transform
policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and
from foster care; it seeks to serve and act on behalf of the
rights, needs, and well-being of current and former foster
youth; and
WHEREAS, FCAA-IL is one of 23 state chapters that the FCAA
has around the country with members dedicated to its mission;
and
WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services (DCFS) protects children who are abused or neglected
and tries to help their families safely care for them and
provide for their well-being; they provide appropriate,
permanent families as quickly as possible for those children
who cannot safely return home; they support early intervention
and child abuse prevention activities, and they work in
partnerships with communities to fulfill this mission; and

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WHEREAS, The services that DCFS provide include a Statewide
Youth Advisory Board whose mission is to advocate and educate
all youth in its care; the Statewide Youth Advisory Board is
committed to youth empowerment, development, leadership, and
achievement across the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, FCAA-IL, working together with DCFS and their
Statewide Youth Advisory Board, are proud to host the second
Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
on May 10, 2017; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of this day is to connect current and
former foster children with a state legislator to educate them
on the legislative process; the legislators spend their day
mentoring them and helping reshape the impression of who youth
in foster care and alumni are; this process connects
legislators to the youth that they impact directly and
indirectly; and
WHEREAS, The actions of founding FCAA-IL members April
Curtis, Jeremy Harvey, and James McIntyre, DCFS Director George
Sheldon, and current and former DCFS Statewide Youth Advisory
Board members represent shining examples of those in our
communities doing positive things for foster children, past and
present, and are responsible for the creation of the Annual
Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day;

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therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE
CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize May 10, 2017 as the second
Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
and the dedication, hard work, and significant contributions to
the well-being of current and former foster children; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts.