Illinois § 10

§ 10.

Purpose. (a) In Illinois, and across the nation, some racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system. This disproportionality could occur at 5 different decision points during a family's child welfare involvement: (1) investigated child abuse/neglect (CAN) reports; (2) protective custodies; (3) indicated CAN reports; (4) post-investigation service provision; and (5) timely exits from substitute care. (b) The purpose of this Act is to: (1) Require the Department of Children and Family Services to establish a 3-year, Bias-Free Child Removal Pilot Program for the purpose of promoting unbiased decision making in the child removal process, while maintaining the safety of children and reducing risk, with the goal of decreasing the overrepresentation of BIPOC children in out-of-home placements. This goal would be achieved by convening a group of senior-level internal staff members from the Department of Children and Family Services who are from an area other than the pilot area to (i) review removal decisions, absent specific demographic information and (ii) determine whether removal of a child is necessary to avoid imminent risk to the child's safety, health, and well-being. (2) Establish a steering committee to: (A) develop and implement the Bias-Free Removal Pilot Program; (B) appoint members for the Bias-Free Case Review Team; and (C) appoint members for the Bias-Free Child Removal Advisory Board. (3) Establish a Bias-Free Case Review Team consisting of a child protection supervisor, an area administrator, and a regional administrator from an area other than the pilot area to: (i) review removal decisions absent specific demographic information as provided in paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Section 25; and (ii) determine whether removal of the child is necessary to avoid imminent risk to the child's safety, health, and well-being. (4) Establish a Bias-Free Child Removal Advisory Board to monitor and oversee the Bias-Free Case Review Team and ensure that the Bias-Free Case Review Team executes bias-free removals in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (Source: P.A. 102-1087, eff. 6-10-22.)