Bill Text: IL SB1751 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that by January 1, 2016, the Department of Children and Family Services shall convene a multi-disciplinary workgroup to review treatment programs for youth in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking and to make recommendations regarding a continuum of care for these vulnerable youth. Requires the workgroup to: (1) review existing models of treatment programs available in the State and outside the State for youth in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking and consider whether the programs have been subject to evaluation; (2) evaluate the need for new programs in the State; (3) review existing State laws and rules that permit children to be placed in secured therapeutic residential care; and (4) make recommendations regarding a continuum of care for children in the Department's care who are victims of sex trafficking. Contains provisions concerning the composition of the workgroup and the workgroup's access to certain records and information held by the Department. Requires the workgroup to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by January 1, 2017. Requires the Department to implement the workgroup's recommendations, as feasible and appropriate, by March 1, 2017 and to submit a report to the General Assembly explaining its decision to implement or to not implement each of the workgroup's recommendations.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-01-03 - Rule 19(b) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [SB1751 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-SB1751-Engrossed.html

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AN ACT concerning State government.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. The Children and Family Services Act is amended
by adding Section 5.05 as follows:
(20 ILCS 505/5.05 new)
Sec. 5.05. Victims of sex trafficking.
(a) Legislative findings. Because of their histories of
trauma, youth in the care of the Department of Children and
Family Services are particularly vulnerable to sex
traffickers. Sex traffickers often target child care
facilities licensed by the Department to recruit their victims.
Foster children who are victims of sex trafficking present
unique treatment needs that existing treatment programs are not
always able to address. The Department of Children and Family
Services needs to develop a comprehensive strategy and
continuum of care to treat foster children who are identified
as victims of sex trafficking.
(b) Multi-disciplinary workgroup. By January 1, 2016, the
Department shall convene a multi-disciplinary workgroup to
review treatment programs for youth in the Department's care
who are victims of sex trafficking and to make recommendations
regarding a continuum of care for these vulnerable youth. The

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workgroup shall do all of the following:
(1) Conduct a survey of literature and of existing
treatment program models available in the State and outside
the State for youth in the Department's care who are
victims of sex trafficking, taking into account whether the
programs have been subject to evaluation.
(2) Evaluate the need for new programs in the State,
taking into account that youth in the Department's care who
are victims of sex trafficking can present a variety of
additional needs, including mental illness, medical needs,
emotional disturbance, and cognitive delays.
(3) Review existing State laws and rules that permit
children to be placed in secured therapeutic residential
care and recommend (i) whether secured residential care
should be part of a continuum of care in the State for
foster youth who have been sexually trafficked and who
repeatedly run away from treatment facilities, and if so,
whether any amendments to existing State laws and rules
should be made; and (ii) the circumstances under which
youth should be considered for placement in secured
therapeutic residential care.
(4) Make recommendations regarding a continuum of care
for children in the Department's care who are victims of
sex trafficking.
(c) Composition of workgroup. The workgroup shall consist
of a minimum of:

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(1) two representatives of the Department, including
at least one who is familiar with child care facilities
licensed by the Department under the Child Care Act of 1969
that provide residential services;
(2) one representative of a child advocacy
organization;
(3) one licensed clinician with expertise in working
with youth in the Department's care;
(4) one licensed clinician with expertise in working
with youth who are victims of sex trafficking;
(5) one board-certified child and adolescent
psychiatrist;
(6) two persons representing providers of residential
treatment programs operating in the State;
(7) two persons representing providers of adolescent
foster care or specialized foster care programs operating
in the State;
(8) one representative of the Department of Children
and Family Services' Statewide Youth Advisory Board;
(9) one representative of an agency independent of the
Department who has experience in providing treatment to
children and youth who are victims of sex trafficking; and
(10) one representative of a law enforcement agency
that works with youth who are victims of sex trafficking.
(d) Records and information. Upon request, the Department
shall provide the workgroup with all records and information in

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the Department's possession that are relevant to the
workgroup's review of existing programs and to the workgroup's
review of the need for new programs for victims of sex
trafficking. The Department shall redact any confidential
information from the records and information provided to the
workgroup to maintain the confidentiality of persons served by
the Department.
(e) Workgroup report. The workgroup shall provide a report
to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2017 with its
findings and recommendations.
(f) Department report. No later than March 1, 2017, the
Department shall implement the workgroup's recommendations, as
feasible and appropriate, and shall submit a written report to
the General Assembly that explains the Department's decision to
implement or to not implement each of the workgroup's
recommendations.