Bill Text: IL SB3136 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force Act. Provides that it is the General Assembly's intent to require a coordinated, public health, and service-integrated response by various agencies within the State's health and child welfare systems to address the substance use treatment needs of infants born with prenatal substance exposure, as well as the treatment needs of their caregivers and families, by requiring the development, provision, and monitoring of family recovery plans. Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force within the Department of Human Services. Sets forth the duties of the Task Force, including reviewing models of family recovery plans that have been implemented in other states; and reviewing and developing recommendations to replace punitive policies with notification policies for health care professionals reporting a positive toxicology screen of a newborn. Contains provisions concerning Task Force membership, meetings, reporting requirements, and other matters. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a standardized CAPTA notification form that is separate and distinct from the form for written confirmation reports of child abuse or neglect. Provides that a CAPTA notification shall not be treated as a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, shall not be recorded in the State Central Registry, and shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any juvenile court or adoption proceeding unless the named party waives, in writing, his or her right to confidentiality. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to report to the State's Attorney every report of a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains a prohibited controlled substance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Removes newborn infants whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance from the list of children presumed neglected or abused under the Act. Makes corresponding changes to a provision listing the types of evidence that constitute prima facie evidence of neglect and to relevant provisions under the Adoption Act. Effective immediately, except that some parts take effect January 1, 2025.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 46-3)
Status: (Passed) 2024-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0941 [SB3136 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SB3136-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force Act. Provides that it is the General Assembly's intent to require a coordinated, public health, and service-integrated response by various agencies within the State's health and child welfare systems to address the substance use treatment needs of infants born with prenatal substance exposure, as well as the treatment needs of their caregivers and families, by requiring the development, provision, and monitoring of family recovery plans. Creates the Family Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force within the Department of Human Services. Sets forth the duties of the Task Force, including reviewing models of family recovery plans that have been implemented in other states; and reviewing and developing recommendations to replace punitive policies with notification policies for health care professionals reporting a positive toxicology screen of a newborn. Contains provisions concerning Task Force membership, meetings, reporting requirements, and other matters. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to develop a standardized CAPTA notification form that is separate and distinct from the form for written confirmation reports of child abuse or neglect. Provides that a CAPTA notification shall not be treated as a report of suspected child abuse or neglect, shall not be recorded in the State Central Registry, and shall not be discoverable or admissible as evidence in any juvenile court or adoption proceeding unless the named party waives, in writing, his or her right to confidentiality. Repeals a provision requiring the Department to report to the State's Attorney every report of a newborn infant whose blood, urine, or meconium contains a prohibited controlled substance. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Removes newborn infants whose blood, urine, or meconium contains any amount of a controlled substance from the list of children presumed neglected or abused under the Act. Makes corresponding changes to a provision listing the types of evidence that constitute prima facie evidence of neglect and to relevant provisions under the Adoption Act. Effective immediately, except that some parts take effect January 1, 2025.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 46-3)
Status: (Passed) 2024-08-09 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0941 [SB3136 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2023-SB3136-Engrossed.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning children.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Family | ||||||
5 | Recovery Plans Implementation Task Force Act.
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6 | Section 5. Purpose and policy. It is the policy of this | ||||||
7 | State to serve and advance the best interests and secure the | ||||||
8 | safety and well-being of an infant with prenatal substance | ||||||
9 | exposure, while preserving the family unit whenever the safety | ||||||
10 | of the infant is not jeopardized. | ||||||
11 | It is the intent of the General Assembly to require a | ||||||
12 | coordinated, public health, and service-integrated response by | ||||||
13 | various agencies within this State's health and child welfare | ||||||
14 | systems to address the substance use treatment needs of | ||||||
15 | infants born with prenatal substance exposure, as well as the | ||||||
16 | treatment needs of their caregivers and families, by requiring | ||||||
17 | the development, provision, and monitoring of family recovery | ||||||
18 | plans.
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19 | Section 10. Findings. The General Assembly finds the | ||||||
20 | following: | ||||||
21 | (1) During pregnancy, substance use is a leading cause | ||||||
22 | of maternal death and is associated with poor birth |
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1 | outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, fetal death, | ||||||
2 | and preterm labor. | ||||||
3 | (2) Pregnant people with substance use disorders are | ||||||
4 | less likely to seek treatment or report substance use due | ||||||
5 | to fear of criminalization, shame, and judgment; they may | ||||||
6 | also avoid seeking care within the health care system due | ||||||
7 | to fear of being reported to the child welfare system and | ||||||
8 | subsequent removal of their children. | ||||||
9 | (3) The American College of Obstetrics and | ||||||
10 | Gynecologists and the Illinois Perinatal Quality | ||||||
11 | Collaborative recommend identifying pregnant people with | ||||||
12 | substance use disorders through universal self-reporting | ||||||
13 | screening, brief intervention, and referral to specialized | ||||||
14 | care for treatment. | ||||||
15 | (4) Pregnant and parenting individuals with a | ||||||
16 | substance use disorder should be encouraged to receive | ||||||
17 | evidence-based treatment and not suffer punitive actions | ||||||
18 | for starting or continuing treatment, including when | ||||||
19 | medications for opioid use disorder are part of the | ||||||
20 | treatment protocol. | ||||||
21 | (5) There is a pressing need for increasing access to | ||||||
22 | evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders and | ||||||
23 | supportive care for families, including the appropriate | ||||||
24 | use of family needs assessments and family recovery plans. | ||||||
25 | (6) The cooperation and coordination of supportive | ||||||
26 | services for pregnant, peripartum, and postpartum |
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1 | individuals and families are essential to help newborns | ||||||
2 | and children and to encourage and support treatment, | ||||||
3 | recovery, and a safe and healthy environment for children | ||||||
4 | and the family. | ||||||
5 | (7) There is a need for a coordinated, public health, | ||||||
6 | and service-integrated response by various agencies in | ||||||
7 | this State's health and child welfare systems to work | ||||||
8 | together to ensure the safety and well-being of infants | ||||||
9 | with prenatal substance exposure and pregnant and birthing | ||||||
10 | people with substance use disorders by developing, | ||||||
11 | implementing, and monitoring a family recovery plan | ||||||
12 | approach that addresses the health and substance use | ||||||
13 | treatment and recovery needs of the infant and affected | ||||||
14 | family or caregiver.
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15 | Section 15. Composition. The Family Recovery Plan | ||||||
16 | Implementation Task Force is created within the Department of | ||||||
17 | Human Services and shall consist of members appointed as | ||||||
18 | follows: | ||||||
19 | (1) The President of the Senate, or his or her | ||||||
20 | designee, shall appoint: one member of the Senate; one | ||||||
21 | member representing a statewide organization that | ||||||
22 | advocates on behalf of community-based services for | ||||||
23 | children and families; and one member from a statewide | ||||||
24 | organization representing a majority of hospitals. | ||||||
25 | (2) The Senate Minority Leader, or his or her |
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1 | designee, shall appoint: one member of the Senate; one | ||||||
2 | member from an organization conducting quality improvement | ||||||
3 | initiatives to improve perinatal health; one member with | ||||||
4 | relevant lived experience, as recommended by a | ||||||
5 | reproductive justice advocacy organization with expertise | ||||||
6 | in perinatal and infant health and birth equity. | ||||||
7 | (3) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, or | ||||||
8 | his or her designee, shall appoint: one member of the | ||||||
9 | House of Representatives; one member who is a licensed | ||||||
10 | obstetrician-gynecologist, as recommended by a statewide | ||||||
11 | organization representing obstetricians and | ||||||
12 | gynecologists; one member with relevant lived experience, | ||||||
13 | as recommended by a reproductive justice advocacy | ||||||
14 | organization with expertise in perinatal and infant health | ||||||
15 | and birth equity. | ||||||
16 | (4) The House Minority Leader, or his or her designee, | ||||||
17 | shall appoint: one member of the House of Representatives; | ||||||
18 | one member who is a licensed physician specializing in | ||||||
19 | child abuse and neglect, as recommended by a statewide | ||||||
20 | organization representing pediatricians; and one member | ||||||
21 | who is a licensed physician specializing in perinatal | ||||||
22 | substance use disorder treatment, as recommended by a | ||||||
23 | statewide organization representing physicians. | ||||||
24 | (5) The Director of Children and Family Services, or | ||||||
25 | the Director's designee. | ||||||
26 | 6) The exclusive collective bargaining representative |
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1 | of the majority of front-line employees at the Department | ||||||
2 | of Children and Family Services, or the representative's | ||||||
3 | designee. | ||||||
4 | (7) The Secretary of Human Services, or the | ||||||
5 | Secretary's designee. | ||||||
6 | (8) The Director of Public Health, or the Director's | ||||||
7 | designee. | ||||||
8 | (9) The Cook County Public Guardian, or the Cook | ||||||
9 | County Public Guardian's designee.
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10 | Section 20. Meetings; co-chairs; administrative support. | ||||||
11 | All members appointed under Section 15 shall serve without | ||||||
12 | compensation. Task Force members shall be appointed within 60 | ||||||
13 | days after the effective date of this Act. The Task Force shall | ||||||
14 | hold its initial meetings within 90 days after the effective | ||||||
15 | date of this Act. The Task Force shall meet at least 4 times a | ||||||
16 | year. A majority of the members of the Task Force shall | ||||||
17 | constitute a quorum. The following individuals shall serve as | ||||||
18 | co-chairs of the Task Force: (i) the physician specializing in | ||||||
19 | perinatal substance use disorder treatment; and (ii) the | ||||||
20 | physician specializing in child abuse and neglect. The | ||||||
21 | Department of Human Services shall provide staff and any | ||||||
22 | necessary administrative and other support to the Task Force. | ||||||
23 | Any data provided by the Departments of Children and Family | ||||||
24 | Services, Human Services, and Public Health to the Task Force | ||||||
25 | shall not contain any personally identifiable information of |
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1 | any clients or families in accordance with applicable | ||||||
2 | confidentiality laws. The Departments shall facilitate the | ||||||
3 | prompt and timely collection and provision of data as | ||||||
4 | requested by or on behalf of the Task Force. | ||||||
5 | The Task Force shall consult with an organization that | ||||||
6 | provides technical assistance to State child welfare systems | ||||||
7 | in developing and implementing the family recovery plans | ||||||
8 | requirement of the federal Child Abuse and Prevention | ||||||
9 | Treatment Act.
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10 | Section 25. Duties. The Task Force shall: | ||||||
11 | (1) review models of family recovery plans that have | ||||||
12 | been implemented in other states; | ||||||
13 | (2) review research regarding implementation of family | ||||||
14 | recovery plans care; | ||||||
15 | (3) develop recommendations regarding the | ||||||
16 | implementation of a family recovery plan model in | ||||||
17 | Illinois, including developing implementation, | ||||||
18 | monitoring, and reporting plans and identifying any | ||||||
19 | necessary policy, rule, or statutory changes, and | ||||||
20 | identifying any additional healthcare service coverage and | ||||||
21 | reimbursement that would facilitate access to care; | ||||||
22 | (4) review and develop recommendations to replace | ||||||
23 | punitive policies with notification policies requiring | ||||||
24 | health care professionals to notify the Department of | ||||||
25 | Children and Family Services in accordance with Section 7 |
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1 | of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and | ||||||
2 | Section 106(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Child Abuse Prevention and | ||||||
3 | Treatment Act (Public Law 93-247) based solely on a | ||||||
4 | positive toxicology screen of the newborn; | ||||||
5 | (5) solicit feedback from stakeholders and advocates | ||||||
6 | to inform Task Force recommendations as necessary, | ||||||
7 | including soliciting feedback from members with experience | ||||||
8 | working in a hospital with licensed obstetrical beds and | ||||||
9 | members with experience from a small and rural or critical | ||||||
10 | access hospital with licensed obstetrical beds.
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11 | Section 30. Report. The Task Force shall produce and | ||||||
12 | submit its recommendations to the General Assembly and the | ||||||
13 | Governor within one year after the first meeting of the Task | ||||||
14 | Force.
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15 | Section 35. Repeal. The Task Force is dissolved, and this | ||||||
16 | Act is repealed on, January 1, 2027.
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17 | (325 ILCS 5/4.4 rep.) | ||||||
18 | Section 110. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act | ||||||
19 | is amended by repealing Section 4.4.
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20 | Section 120. The Adoption Act is amended by changing | ||||||
21 | Section 1 as follows:
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1 | (750 ILCS 50/1) (from Ch. 40, par. 1501) | ||||||
2 | Sec. 1. Definitions. When used in this Act, unless the | ||||||
3 | context otherwise requires: | ||||||
4 | A. "Child" means a person under legal age subject to | ||||||
5 | adoption under this Act. | ||||||
6 | B. "Related child" means a child subject to adoption where | ||||||
7 | either or both of the adopting parents stands in any of the | ||||||
8 | following relationships to the child by blood, marriage, | ||||||
9 | adoption, or civil union: parent, grand-parent, | ||||||
10 | great-grandparent, brother, sister, step-parent, | ||||||
11 | step-grandparent, step-brother, step-sister, uncle, aunt, | ||||||
12 | great-uncle, great-aunt, first cousin, or second cousin. A | ||||||
13 | person is related to the child as a first cousin or second | ||||||
14 | cousin if they are both related to the same ancestor as either | ||||||
15 | grandchild or great-grandchild. A child whose parent has | ||||||
16 | executed a consent to adoption, a surrender, or a waiver | ||||||
17 | pursuant to Section 10 of this Act or whose parent has signed a | ||||||
18 | denial of paternity pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital | ||||||
19 | Records Act or Section 12a of this Act, or whose parent has had | ||||||
20 | his or her parental rights terminated, is not a related child | ||||||
21 | to that person, unless (1) the consent is determined to be void | ||||||
22 | or is void pursuant to subsection O of Section 10 of this Act; | ||||||
23 | or (2) the parent of the child executed a consent to adoption | ||||||
24 | by a specified person or persons pursuant to subsection A-1 of | ||||||
25 | Section 10 of this Act and a court of competent jurisdiction | ||||||
26 | finds that such consent is void; or (3) the order terminating |
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1 | the parental rights of the parent is vacated by a court of | ||||||
2 | competent jurisdiction. | ||||||
3 | C. "Agency" for the purpose of this Act means a public | ||||||
4 | child welfare agency or a licensed child welfare agency. | ||||||
5 | D. "Unfit person" means any person whom the court shall | ||||||
6 | find to be unfit to have a child, without regard to the | ||||||
7 | likelihood that the child will be placed for adoption. The | ||||||
8 | grounds of unfitness are any one or more of the following, | ||||||
9 | except that a person shall not be considered an unfit person | ||||||
10 | for the sole reason that the person has relinquished a child in | ||||||
11 | accordance with the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act: | ||||||
12 | (a) Abandonment of the child. | ||||||
13 | (a-1) Abandonment of a newborn infant in a hospital. | ||||||
14 | (a-2) Abandonment of a newborn infant in any setting | ||||||
15 | where the evidence suggests that the parent intended to | ||||||
16 | relinquish his or her parental rights. | ||||||
17 | (b) Failure to maintain a reasonable degree of | ||||||
18 | interest, concern or responsibility as to the child's | ||||||
19 | welfare. | ||||||
20 | (c) Desertion of the child for more than 3 months next | ||||||
21 | preceding the commencement of the Adoption proceeding. | ||||||
22 | (d) Substantial neglect of the child if continuous or | ||||||
23 | repeated. | ||||||
24 | (d-1) Substantial neglect, if continuous or repeated, | ||||||
25 | of any child residing in the household which resulted in | ||||||
26 | the death of that child. |
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1 | (e) Extreme or repeated cruelty to the child. | ||||||
2 | (f) There is a rebuttable presumption, which can be | ||||||
3 | overcome only by clear and convincing evidence, that a | ||||||
4 | parent is unfit if: | ||||||
5 | (1) Two or more findings of physical abuse have | ||||||
6 | been entered regarding any children under Section 2-21 | ||||||
7 | of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, the most recent of | ||||||
8 | which was determined by the juvenile court hearing the | ||||||
9 | matter to be supported by clear and convincing | ||||||
10 | evidence; or | ||||||
11 | (2) The parent has been convicted or found not | ||||||
12 | guilty by reason of insanity and the conviction or | ||||||
13 | finding resulted from the death of any child by | ||||||
14 | physical abuse; or | ||||||
15 | (3) There is a finding of physical child abuse | ||||||
16 | resulting from the death of any child under Section | ||||||
17 | 2-21 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | ||||||
18 | No conviction or finding of delinquency pursuant to | ||||||
19 | Article V of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 shall be | ||||||
20 | considered a criminal conviction for the purpose of | ||||||
21 | applying any presumption under this item (f). | ||||||
22 | (g) Failure to protect the child from conditions | ||||||
23 | within his environment injurious to the child's welfare. | ||||||
24 | (h) Other neglect of, or misconduct toward the child; | ||||||
25 | provided that in making a finding of unfitness the court | ||||||
26 | hearing the adoption proceeding shall not be bound by any |
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1 | previous finding, order or judgment affecting or | ||||||
2 | determining the rights of the parents toward the child | ||||||
3 | sought to be adopted in any other proceeding except such | ||||||
4 | proceedings terminating parental rights as shall be had | ||||||
5 | under either this Act, the Juvenile Court Act or the | ||||||
6 | Juvenile Court Act of 1987. | ||||||
7 | (i) Depravity. Conviction of any one of the following | ||||||
8 | crimes shall create a presumption that a parent is | ||||||
9 | depraved which can be overcome only by clear and | ||||||
10 | convincing evidence: (1) first degree murder in violation | ||||||
11 | of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of Section 9-1 of | ||||||
12 | the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or | ||||||
13 | conviction of second degree murder in violation of | ||||||
14 | subsection (a) of Section 9-2 of the Criminal Code of 1961 | ||||||
15 | or the Criminal Code of 2012 of a parent of the child to be | ||||||
16 | adopted; (2) first degree murder or second degree murder | ||||||
17 | of any child in violation of the Criminal Code of 1961 or | ||||||
18 | the Criminal Code of 2012; (3) attempt or conspiracy to | ||||||
19 | commit first degree murder or second degree murder of any | ||||||
20 | child in violation of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the | ||||||
21 | Criminal Code of 2012; (4) solicitation to commit murder | ||||||
22 | of any child, solicitation to commit murder of any child | ||||||
23 | for hire, or solicitation to commit second degree murder | ||||||
24 | of any child in violation of the Criminal Code of 1961 or | ||||||
25 | the Criminal Code of 2012; (5) predatory criminal sexual | ||||||
26 | assault of a child in violation of Section 11-1.40 or |
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1 | 12-14.1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code | ||||||
2 | of 2012; (6) heinous battery of any child in violation of | ||||||
3 | the Criminal Code of 1961; (7) aggravated battery of any | ||||||
4 | child in violation of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the | ||||||
5 | Criminal Code of 2012; (8) any violation of Section | ||||||
6 | 11-1.20 or Section 12-13 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or | ||||||
7 | the Criminal Code of 2012; (9) any violation of subsection | ||||||
8 | (a) of Section 11-1.50 or Section 12-16 of the Criminal | ||||||
9 | Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012; (10) any | ||||||
10 | violation of Section 11-9.1 of the Criminal Code of 1961 | ||||||
11 | or the Criminal Code of 2012; (11) any violation of | ||||||
12 | Section 11-9.1A of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the | ||||||
13 | Criminal Code of 2012; or (12) an offense in any other | ||||||
14 | state the elements of which are similar and bear a | ||||||
15 | substantial relationship to any of the enumerated offenses | ||||||
16 | in this subsection (i). | ||||||
17 | There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is | ||||||
18 | depraved if the parent has been criminally convicted of at | ||||||
19 | least 3 felonies under the laws of this State or any other | ||||||
20 | state, or under federal law, or the criminal laws of any | ||||||
21 | United States territory; and at least one of these | ||||||
22 | convictions took place within 5 years of the filing of the | ||||||
23 | petition or motion seeking termination of parental rights. | ||||||
24 | There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is | ||||||
25 | depraved if that parent has been criminally convicted of | ||||||
26 | either first or second degree murder of any person as |
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1 | defined in the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code | ||||||
2 | of 2012 within 10 years of the filing date of the petition | ||||||
3 | or motion to terminate parental rights. | ||||||
4 | No conviction or finding of delinquency pursuant to | ||||||
5 | Article 5 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 shall be | ||||||
6 | considered a criminal conviction for the purpose of | ||||||
7 | applying any presumption under this item (i). | ||||||
8 | (j) Open and notorious adultery or fornication. | ||||||
9 | (j-1) (Blank). | ||||||
10 | (k) Habitual drunkenness or addiction to drugs, other | ||||||
11 | than those prescribed by a physician, for at least one | ||||||
12 | year immediately prior to the commencement of the | ||||||
13 | unfitness proceeding. | ||||||
14 | There is a rebuttable presumption that a parent is | ||||||
15 | unfit under this subsection with respect to any child to | ||||||
16 | which that parent gives birth where there is a confirmed | ||||||
17 | test result that at birth the child's blood, urine, or | ||||||
18 | meconium contained any amount of a controlled substance as | ||||||
19 | defined in subsection (f) of Section 102 of the Illinois | ||||||
20 | Controlled Substances Act or metabolites of such | ||||||
21 | substances, the presence of which in the newborn infant | ||||||
22 | was not the result of medical treatment administered to | ||||||
23 | the mother or the newborn infant; and the biological | ||||||
24 | mother of this child is the biological mother of at least | ||||||
25 | one other child who was adjudicated a neglected minor | ||||||
26 | under subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court |
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1 | Act of 1987. | ||||||
2 | (l) Failure to demonstrate a reasonable degree of | ||||||
3 | interest, concern or responsibility as to the welfare of a | ||||||
4 | new born child during the first 30 days after its birth. | ||||||
5 | (m) Failure by a parent (i) to make reasonable efforts | ||||||
6 | to correct the conditions that were the basis for the | ||||||
7 | removal of the child from the parent during any 9-month | ||||||
8 | period following the adjudication of neglected or abused | ||||||
9 | minor under Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 | ||||||
10 | or dependent minor under Section 2-4 of that Act, or (ii) | ||||||
11 | to make reasonable progress toward the return of the child | ||||||
12 | to the parent during any 9-month period following the | ||||||
13 | adjudication of neglected or abused minor under Section | ||||||
14 | 2-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 or dependent minor | ||||||
15 | under Section 2-4 of that Act. If a service plan has been | ||||||
16 | established as required under Section 8.2 of the Abused | ||||||
17 | and Neglected Child Reporting Act to correct the | ||||||
18 | conditions that were the basis for the removal of the | ||||||
19 | child from the parent and if those services were | ||||||
20 | available, then, for purposes of this Act, "failure to | ||||||
21 | make reasonable progress toward the return of the child to | ||||||
22 | the parent" includes the parent's failure to substantially | ||||||
23 | fulfill his or her obligations under the service plan and | ||||||
24 | correct the conditions that brought the child into care | ||||||
25 | during any 9-month period following the adjudication under | ||||||
26 | Section 2-3 or 2-4 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. |
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1 | Notwithstanding any other provision, when a petition or | ||||||
2 | motion seeks to terminate parental rights on the basis of | ||||||
3 | item (ii) of this subsection (m), the petitioner shall | ||||||
4 | file with the court and serve on the parties a pleading | ||||||
5 | that specifies the 9-month period or periods relied on. | ||||||
6 | The pleading shall be filed and served on the parties no | ||||||
7 | later than 3 weeks before the date set by the court for | ||||||
8 | closure of discovery, and the allegations in the pleading | ||||||
9 | shall be treated as incorporated into the petition or | ||||||
10 | motion. Failure of a respondent to file a written denial | ||||||
11 | of the allegations in the pleading shall not be treated as | ||||||
12 | an admission that the allegations are true. | ||||||
13 | (m-1) (Blank). | ||||||
14 | (n) Evidence of intent to forgo his or her parental | ||||||
15 | rights, whether or not the child is a ward of the court, | ||||||
16 | (1) as manifested by his or her failure for a period of 12 | ||||||
17 | months: (i) to visit the child, (ii) to communicate with | ||||||
18 | the child or agency, although able to do so and not | ||||||
19 | prevented from doing so by an agency or by court order, or | ||||||
20 | (iii) to maintain contact with or plan for the future of | ||||||
21 | the child, although physically able to do so, or (2) as | ||||||
22 | manifested by the father's failure, where he and the | ||||||
23 | mother of the child were unmarried to each other at the | ||||||
24 | time of the child's birth, (i) to commence legal | ||||||
25 | proceedings to establish his paternity under the Illinois | ||||||
26 | Parentage Act of 1984, the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015, |
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1 | or the law of the jurisdiction of the child's birth within | ||||||
2 | 30 days of being informed, pursuant to Section 12a of this | ||||||
3 | Act, that he is the father or the likely father of the | ||||||
4 | child or, after being so informed where the child is not | ||||||
5 | yet born, within 30 days of the child's birth, or (ii) to | ||||||
6 | make a good faith effort to pay a reasonable amount of the | ||||||
7 | expenses related to the birth of the child and to provide a | ||||||
8 | reasonable amount for the financial support of the child, | ||||||
9 | the court to consider in its determination all relevant | ||||||
10 | circumstances, including the financial condition of both | ||||||
11 | parents; provided that the ground for termination provided | ||||||
12 | in this subparagraph (n)(2)(ii) shall only be available | ||||||
13 | where the petition is brought by the mother or the husband | ||||||
14 | of the mother. | ||||||
15 | Contact or communication by a parent with his or her | ||||||
16 | child that does not demonstrate affection and concern does | ||||||
17 | not constitute reasonable contact and planning under | ||||||
18 | subdivision (n). In the absence of evidence to the | ||||||
19 | contrary, the ability to visit, communicate, maintain | ||||||
20 | contact, pay expenses and plan for the future shall be | ||||||
21 | presumed. The subjective intent of the parent, whether | ||||||
22 | expressed or otherwise, unsupported by evidence of the | ||||||
23 | foregoing parental acts manifesting that intent, shall not | ||||||
24 | preclude a determination that the parent has intended to | ||||||
25 | forgo his or her parental rights. In making this | ||||||
26 | determination, the court may consider but shall not |
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| |||||||
1 | require a showing of diligent efforts by an authorized | ||||||
2 | agency to encourage the parent to perform the acts | ||||||
3 | specified in subdivision (n). | ||||||
4 | It shall be an affirmative defense to any allegation | ||||||
5 | under paragraph (2) of this subsection that the father's | ||||||
6 | failure was due to circumstances beyond his control or to | ||||||
7 | impediments created by the mother or any other person | ||||||
8 | having legal custody. Proof of that fact need only be by a | ||||||
9 | preponderance of the evidence. | ||||||
10 | (o) Repeated or continuous failure by the parents, | ||||||
11 | although physically and financially able, to provide the | ||||||
12 | child with adequate food, clothing, or shelter. | ||||||
13 | (p) Inability to discharge parental responsibilities | ||||||
14 | supported by competent evidence from a psychiatrist, | ||||||
15 | licensed clinical social worker, or clinical psychologist | ||||||
16 | of mental impairment, mental illness or an intellectual | ||||||
17 | disability as defined in Section 1-116 of the Mental | ||||||
18 | Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, or | ||||||
19 | developmental disability as defined in Section 1-106 of | ||||||
20 | that Code, and there is sufficient justification to | ||||||
21 | believe that the inability to discharge parental | ||||||
22 | responsibilities shall extend beyond a reasonable time | ||||||
23 | period. However, this subdivision (p) shall not be | ||||||
24 | construed so as to permit a licensed clinical social | ||||||
25 | worker to conduct any medical diagnosis to determine | ||||||
26 | mental illness or mental impairment. |
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| |||||||
1 | (q) (Blank). | ||||||
2 | (r) The child is in the temporary custody or | ||||||
3 | guardianship of the Department of Children and Family | ||||||
4 | Services, the parent is incarcerated as a result of | ||||||
5 | criminal conviction at the time the petition or motion for | ||||||
6 | termination of parental rights is filed, prior to | ||||||
7 | incarceration the parent had little or no contact with the | ||||||
8 | child or provided little or no support for the child, and | ||||||
9 | the parent's incarceration will prevent the parent from | ||||||
10 | discharging his or her parental responsibilities for the | ||||||
11 | child for a period in excess of 2 years after the filing of | ||||||
12 | the petition or motion for termination of parental rights. | ||||||
13 | (s) The child is in the temporary custody or | ||||||
14 | guardianship of the Department of Children and Family | ||||||
15 | Services, the parent is incarcerated at the time the | ||||||
16 | petition or motion for termination of parental rights is | ||||||
17 | filed, the parent has been repeatedly incarcerated as a | ||||||
18 | result of criminal convictions, and the parent's repeated | ||||||
19 | incarceration has prevented the parent from discharging | ||||||
20 | his or her parental responsibilities for the child. | ||||||
21 | (t) (Blank). A finding that at birth the child's | ||||||
22 | blood, urine, or meconium contained any amount of a | ||||||
23 | controlled substance as defined in subsection (f) of | ||||||
24 | Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or | ||||||
25 | a metabolite of a controlled substance, with the exception | ||||||
26 | of controlled substances or metabolites of such |
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| |||||||
1 | substances, the presence of which in the newborn infant | ||||||
2 | was the result of medical treatment administered to the | ||||||
3 | mother or the newborn infant, and that the biological | ||||||
4 | mother of this child is the biological mother of at least | ||||||
5 | one other child who was adjudicated a neglected minor | ||||||
6 | under subsection (c) of Section 2-3 of the Juvenile Court | ||||||
7 | Act of 1987, after which the biological mother had the | ||||||
8 | opportunity to enroll in and participate in a clinically | ||||||
9 | appropriate substance abuse counseling, treatment, and | ||||||
10 | rehabilitation program. | ||||||
11 | E. "Parent" means a person who is the legal mother or legal | ||||||
12 | father of the child as defined in subsection X or Y of this | ||||||
13 | Section. For the purpose of this Act, a parent who has executed | ||||||
14 | a consent to adoption, a surrender, or a waiver pursuant to | ||||||
15 | Section 10 of this Act, who has signed a Denial of Paternity | ||||||
16 | pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital Records Act or Section 12a | ||||||
17 | of this Act, or whose parental rights have been terminated by a | ||||||
18 | court, is not a parent of the child who was the subject of the | ||||||
19 | consent, surrender, waiver, or denial unless (1) the consent | ||||||
20 | is void pursuant to subsection O of Section 10 of this Act; or | ||||||
21 | (2) the person executed a consent to adoption by a specified | ||||||
22 | person or persons pursuant to subsection A-1 of Section 10 of | ||||||
23 | this Act and a court of competent jurisdiction finds that the | ||||||
24 | consent is void; or (3) the order terminating the parental | ||||||
25 | rights of the person is vacated by a court of competent | ||||||
26 | jurisdiction. |
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| |||||||
1 | F. A person is available for adoption when the person is: | ||||||
2 | (a) a child who has been surrendered for adoption to | ||||||
3 | an agency and to whose adoption the agency has thereafter | ||||||
4 | consented; | ||||||
5 | (b) a child to whose adoption a person authorized by | ||||||
6 | law, other than his parents, has consented, or to whose | ||||||
7 | adoption no consent is required pursuant to Section 8 of | ||||||
8 | this Act; | ||||||
9 | (c) a child who is in the custody of persons who intend | ||||||
10 | to adopt him through placement made by his parents; | ||||||
11 | (c-1) a child for whom a parent has signed a specific | ||||||
12 | consent pursuant to subsection O of Section 10; | ||||||
13 | (d) an adult who meets the conditions set forth in | ||||||
14 | Section 3 of this Act; or | ||||||
15 | (e) a child who has been relinquished as defined in | ||||||
16 | Section 10 of the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act. | ||||||
17 | A person who would otherwise be available for adoption | ||||||
18 | shall not be deemed unavailable for adoption solely by reason | ||||||
19 | of his or her death. | ||||||
20 | G. The singular includes the plural and the plural | ||||||
21 | includes the singular and the "male" includes the "female", as | ||||||
22 | the context of this Act may require. | ||||||
23 | H. (Blank). | ||||||
24 | I. "Habitual residence" has the meaning ascribed to it in | ||||||
25 | the federal Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 and regulations | ||||||
26 | promulgated thereunder. |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | J. "Immediate relatives" means the biological parents, the | ||||||
2 | parents of the biological parents and siblings of the | ||||||
3 | biological parents. | ||||||
4 | K. "Intercountry adoption" is a process by which a child | ||||||
5 | from a country other than the United States is adopted by | ||||||
6 | persons who are habitual residents of the United States, or | ||||||
7 | the child is a habitual resident of the United States who is | ||||||
8 | adopted by persons who are habitual residents of a country | ||||||
9 | other than the United States. | ||||||
10 | L. (Blank). | ||||||
11 | M. "Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children" is a | ||||||
12 | law enacted by all states and certain territories for the | ||||||
13 | purpose of establishing uniform procedures for handling the | ||||||
14 | interstate placement of children in foster homes, adoptive | ||||||
15 | homes, or other child care facilities. | ||||||
16 | N. (Blank). | ||||||
17 | O. "Preadoption requirements" means any conditions or | ||||||
18 | standards established by the laws or administrative rules of | ||||||
19 | this State that must be met by a prospective adoptive parent | ||||||
20 | prior to the placement of a child in an adoptive home. | ||||||
21 | P. "Abused child" means a child whose parent or immediate | ||||||
22 | family member, or any person responsible for the child's | ||||||
23 | welfare, or any individual residing in the same home as the | ||||||
24 | child, or a paramour of the child's parent: | ||||||
25 | (a) inflicts, causes to be inflicted, or allows to be | ||||||
26 | inflicted upon the child physical injury, by other than |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | accidental means, that causes death, disfigurement, | ||||||
2 | impairment of physical or emotional health, or loss or | ||||||
3 | impairment of any bodily function; | ||||||
4 | (b) creates a substantial risk of physical injury to | ||||||
5 | the child by other than accidental means which would be | ||||||
6 | likely to cause death, disfigurement, impairment of | ||||||
7 | physical or emotional health, or loss or impairment of any | ||||||
8 | bodily function; | ||||||
9 | (c) commits or allows to be committed any sex offense | ||||||
10 | against the child, as sex offenses are defined in the | ||||||
11 | Criminal Code of 2012 and extending those definitions of | ||||||
12 | sex offenses to include children under 18 years of age; | ||||||
13 | (d) commits or allows to be committed an act or acts of | ||||||
14 | torture upon the child; or | ||||||
15 | (e) inflicts excessive corporal punishment. | ||||||
16 | Q. "Neglected child" means any child whose parent or other | ||||||
17 | person responsible for the child's welfare withholds or denies | ||||||
18 | nourishment or medically indicated treatment including food or | ||||||
19 | care denied solely on the basis of the present or anticipated | ||||||
20 | mental or physical impairment as determined by a physician | ||||||
21 | acting alone or in consultation with other physicians or | ||||||
22 | otherwise does not provide the proper or necessary support, | ||||||
23 | education as required by law, or medical or other remedial | ||||||
24 | care recognized under State law as necessary for a child's | ||||||
25 | well-being, or other care necessary for his or her well-being, | ||||||
26 | including adequate food, clothing and shelter; or who is |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | abandoned by his or her parents or other person responsible | ||||||
2 | for the child's welfare. | ||||||
3 | A child shall not be considered neglected or abused for | ||||||
4 | the sole reason that the child's parent or other person | ||||||
5 | responsible for his or her welfare depends upon spiritual | ||||||
6 | means through prayer alone for the treatment or cure of | ||||||
7 | disease or remedial care as provided under Section 4 of the | ||||||
8 | Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. A child shall not be | ||||||
9 | considered neglected or abused for the sole reason that the | ||||||
10 | child's parent or other person responsible for the child's | ||||||
11 | welfare failed to vaccinate, delayed vaccination, or refused | ||||||
12 | vaccination for the child due to a waiver on religious or | ||||||
13 | medical grounds as permitted by law. | ||||||
14 | R. "Putative father" means a man who may be a child's | ||||||
15 | father, but who (1) is not married to the child's mother on or | ||||||
16 | before the date that the child was or is to be born and (2) has | ||||||
17 | not established paternity of the child in a court proceeding | ||||||
18 | before the filing of a petition for the adoption of the child. | ||||||
19 | The term includes a male who is less than 18 years of age. | ||||||
20 | "Putative father" does not mean a man who is the child's father | ||||||
21 | as a result of criminal sexual abuse or assault as defined | ||||||
22 | under Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 2012. | ||||||
23 | S. "Standby adoption" means an adoption in which a parent | ||||||
24 | consents to custody and termination of parental rights to | ||||||
25 | become effective upon the occurrence of a future event, which | ||||||
26 | is either the death of the parent or the request of the parent |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | for the entry of a final judgment of adoption. | ||||||
2 | T. (Blank). | ||||||
3 | T-5. "Biological parent", "birth parent", or "natural | ||||||
4 | parent" of a child are interchangeable terms that mean a | ||||||
5 | person who is biologically or genetically related to that | ||||||
6 | child as a parent. | ||||||
7 | U. "Interstate adoption" means the placement of a minor | ||||||
8 | child with a prospective adoptive parent for the purpose of | ||||||
9 | pursuing an adoption for that child that is subject to the | ||||||
10 | provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of | ||||||
11 | Children. | ||||||
12 | V. (Blank). | ||||||
13 | W. (Blank). | ||||||
14 | X. "Legal father" of a child means a man who is recognized | ||||||
15 | as or presumed to be that child's father: | ||||||
16 | (1) because of his marriage to or civil union with the | ||||||
17 | child's parent at the time of the child's birth or within | ||||||
18 | 300 days prior to that child's birth, unless he signed a | ||||||
19 | denial of paternity pursuant to Section 12 of the Vital | ||||||
20 | Records Act or a waiver pursuant to Section 10 of this Act; | ||||||
21 | or | ||||||
22 | (2) because his paternity of the child has been | ||||||
23 | established pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act, the | ||||||
24 | Illinois Parentage Act of 1984, or the Gestational | ||||||
25 | Surrogacy Act; or | ||||||
26 | (3) because he is listed as the child's father or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | parent on the child's birth certificate, unless he is | ||||||
2 | otherwise determined by an administrative or judicial | ||||||
3 | proceeding not to be the parent of the child or unless he | ||||||
4 | rescinds his acknowledgment of paternity pursuant to the | ||||||
5 | Illinois Parentage Act of 1984; or | ||||||
6 | (4) because his paternity or adoption of the child has | ||||||
7 | been established by a court of competent jurisdiction. | ||||||
8 | The definition in this subsection X shall not be construed | ||||||
9 | to provide greater or lesser rights as to the number of parents | ||||||
10 | who can be named on a final judgment order of adoption or | ||||||
11 | Illinois birth certificate that otherwise exist under Illinois | ||||||
12 | law. | ||||||
13 | Y. "Legal mother" of a child means a woman who is | ||||||
14 | recognized as or presumed to be that child's mother: | ||||||
15 | (1) because she gave birth to the child except as | ||||||
16 | provided in the Gestational Surrogacy Act; or | ||||||
17 | (2) because her maternity of the child has been | ||||||
18 | established pursuant to the Illinois Parentage Act of 1984 | ||||||
19 | or the Gestational Surrogacy Act; or | ||||||
20 | (3) because her maternity or adoption of the child has | ||||||
21 | been established by a court of competent jurisdiction; or | ||||||
22 | (4) because of her marriage to or civil union with the | ||||||
23 | child's other parent at the time of the child's birth or | ||||||
24 | within 300 days prior to the time of birth; or | ||||||
25 | (5) because she is listed as the child's mother or | ||||||
26 | parent on the child's birth certificate unless she is |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | otherwise determined by an administrative or judicial | ||||||
2 | proceeding not to be the parent of the child. | ||||||
3 | The definition in this subsection Y shall not be construed | ||||||
4 | to provide greater or lesser rights as to the number of parents | ||||||
5 | who can be named on a final judgment order of adoption or | ||||||
6 | Illinois birth certificate that otherwise exist under Illinois | ||||||
7 | law. | ||||||
8 | Z. "Department" means the Illinois Department of Children | ||||||
9 | and Family Services. | ||||||
10 | AA. "Placement disruption" means a circumstance where the | ||||||
11 | child is removed from an adoptive placement before the | ||||||
12 | adoption is finalized. | ||||||
13 | BB. "Secondary placement" means a placement, including but | ||||||
14 | not limited to the placement of a youth in care as defined in | ||||||
15 | Section 4d of the Children and Family Services Act, that | ||||||
16 | occurs after a placement disruption or an adoption | ||||||
17 | dissolution. "Secondary placement" does not mean secondary | ||||||
18 | placements arising due to the death of the adoptive parent of | ||||||
19 | the child. | ||||||
20 | CC. "Adoption dissolution" means a circumstance where the | ||||||
21 | child is removed from an adoptive placement after the adoption | ||||||
22 | is finalized. | ||||||
23 | DD. "Unregulated placement" means the secondary placement | ||||||
24 | of a child that occurs without the oversight of the courts, the | ||||||
25 | Department, or a licensed child welfare agency. | ||||||
26 | EE. "Post-placement and post-adoption support services" |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | means support services for placed or adopted children and | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | families that include, but are not limited to, mental health | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | treatment, including counseling and other support services for | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | emotional, behavioral, or developmental needs, and treatment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | for substance abuse. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | FF. "Youth in care" has the meaning provided in Section 4d | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | of the Children and Family Services Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 103rd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | General Assembly apply to a petition that is filed on or after | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | January 1, 2025. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | (Source: P.A. 101-155, eff. 1-1-20; 101-529, eff. 1-1-20; | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 102-139, eff. 1-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21 .)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Section 999. Effective date. This Section, Sections 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | through 35, and Section 110 take effect upon becoming law. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|