Bill Text: IL SB1946 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Removes a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to inform a school employee who is the subject of a child abuse or neglect investigation that the school employee has the right to confront the accuser, if the accuser is 14 years of age or older, or the right to review the specific allegations which gave rise to the investigation, and the right to review all materials and evidence that have been submitted to the Department in support of the allegation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-20 - Referred to Assignments [SB1946 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-SB1946-Introduced.html

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99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2015 and 2016 SB1946 Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Mattie Hunter SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
325 ILCS 5/7.4 from Ch. 23, par. 2057.4
Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Removes a provision requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to inform a school employee who is the subject of a child abuse or neglect investigation that the school employee has the right to confront the accuser, if the accuser is 14 years of age or older, or the right to review the specific allegations which gave rise to the investigation, and the right to review all materials and evidence that have been submitted to the Department in support of the allegation.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning children.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act is
amended by changing Section 7.4 as follows:
(325 ILCS 5/7.4) (from Ch. 23, par. 2057.4)
Sec. 7.4. (a) The Department shall be capable of receiving
reports of suspected child abuse or neglect 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. Whenever the Department receives a report alleging
that a child is a truant as defined in Section 26-2a of The
School Code, as now or hereafter amended, the Department shall
notify the superintendent of the school district in which the
child resides and the appropriate superintendent of the
educational service region. The notification to the
appropriate officials by the Department shall not be considered
an allegation of abuse or neglect under this Act.
(a-5) Beginning January 1, 2010, the Department of Children
and Family Services may implement a 5-year demonstration of a
"differential response program" in accordance with criteria,
standards, and procedures prescribed by rule. The program may
provide that, upon receiving a report, the Department shall
determine whether to conduct a family assessment or an
investigation as appropriate to prevent or provide a remedy for

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child abuse or neglect.
For purposes of this subsection (a-5), "family assessment"
means a comprehensive assessment of child safety, risk of
subsequent child maltreatment, and family strengths and needs
that is applied to a child maltreatment report that does not
allege substantial child endangerment. "Family assessment"
does not include a determination as to whether child
maltreatment occurred but does determine the need for services
to address the safety of family members and the risk of
subsequent maltreatment.
For purposes of this subsection (a-5), "investigation"
means fact-gathering related to the current safety of a child
and the risk of subsequent abuse or neglect that determines
whether a report of suspected child abuse or neglect should be
indicated or unfounded and whether child protective services
are needed.
Under the "differential response program" implemented
under this subsection (a-5), the Department:
(1) Shall conduct an investigation on reports
involving substantial child abuse or neglect.
(2) Shall begin an immediate investigation if, at any
time when it is using a family assessment response, it
determines that there is reason to believe that substantial
child abuse or neglect or a serious threat to the child's
safety exists.
(3) May conduct a family assessment for reports that do

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not allege substantial child endangerment. In determining
that a family assessment is appropriate, the Department may
consider issues including, but not limited to, child
safety, parental cooperation, and the need for an immediate
response.
(4) Shall promulgate criteria, standards, and
procedures that shall be applied in making this
determination, taking into consideration the Child
Endangerment Risk Assessment Protocol of the Department.
(5) May conduct a family assessment on a report that
was initially screened and assigned for an investigation.
In determining that a complete investigation is not
required, the Department must document the reason for
terminating the investigation and notify the local law
enforcement agency or the Department of State Police if the
local law enforcement agency or Department of State Police is
conducting a joint investigation.
Once it is determined that a "family assessment" will be
implemented, the case shall not be reported to the central
register of abuse and neglect reports.
During a family assessment, the Department shall collect
any available and relevant information to determine child
safety, risk of subsequent abuse or neglect, and family
strengths.
Information collected includes, but is not limited to, when
relevant: information with regard to the person reporting the

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alleged abuse or neglect, including the nature of the
reporter's relationship to the child and to the alleged
offender, and the basis of the reporter's knowledge for the
report; the child allegedly being abused or neglected; the
alleged offender; the child's caretaker; and other collateral
sources having relevant information related to the alleged
abuse or neglect. Information relevant to the assessment must
be asked for, and may include:
(A) The child's sex and age, prior reports of abuse or
neglect, information relating to developmental
functioning, credibility of the child's statement, and
whether the information provided under this paragraph (A)
is consistent with other information collected during the
course of the assessment or investigation.
(B) The alleged offender's age, a record check for
prior reports of abuse or neglect, and criminal charges and
convictions. The alleged offender may submit supporting
documentation relevant to the assessment.
(C) Collateral source information regarding the
alleged abuse or neglect and care of the child. Collateral
information includes, when relevant: (i) a medical
examination of the child; (ii) prior medical records
relating to the alleged maltreatment or care of the child
maintained by any facility, clinic, or health care
professional, and an interview with the treating
professionals; and (iii) interviews with the child's

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caretakers, including the child's parent, guardian, foster
parent, child care provider, teachers, counselors, family
members, relatives, and other persons who may have
knowledge regarding the alleged maltreatment and the care
of the child.
(D) Information on the existence of domestic abuse and
violence in the home of the child, and substance abuse.
Nothing in this subsection (a-5) precludes the Department
from collecting other relevant information necessary to
conduct the assessment or investigation. Nothing in this
subsection (a-5) shall be construed to allow the name or
identity of a reporter to be disclosed in violation of the
protections afforded under Section 7.19 of this Act.
After conducting the family assessment, the Department
shall determine whether services are needed to address the
safety of the child and other family members and the risk of
subsequent abuse or neglect.
Upon completion of the family assessment, if the Department
concludes that no services shall be offered, then the case
shall be closed. If the Department concludes that services
shall be offered, the Department shall develop a family
preservation plan and offer or refer services to the family.
At any time during a family assessment, if the Department
believes there is any reason to stop the assessment and conduct
an investigation based on the information discovered, the
Department shall do so.

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The procedures available to the Department in conducting
investigations under this Act shall be followed as appropriate
during a family assessment.
The Department shall arrange for an independent evaluation
of the "differential response program" authorized and
implemented under this subsection (a-5) to determine whether it
is meeting the goals in accordance with Section 2 of this Act.
The Department may adopt administrative rules necessary for the
execution of this Section, in accordance with Section 4 of the
Children and Family Services Act.
The demonstration conducted under this subsection (a-5)
shall become a permanent program on July 1, 2016, upon
completion of the demonstration project period.
(b)(1) The following procedures shall be followed in the
investigation of all reports of suspected abuse or neglect of a
child, except as provided in subsection (c) of this Section.
(2) If, during a family assessment authorized by subsection
(a-5) or an investigation, it appears that the immediate safety
or well-being of a child is endangered, that the family may
flee or the child disappear, or that the facts otherwise so
warrant, the Child Protective Service Unit shall commence an
investigation immediately, regardless of the time of day or
night. All other investigations shall be commenced within 24
hours of receipt of the report. Upon receipt of a report, the
Child Protective Service Unit shall conduct a family assessment
authorized by subsection (a-5) or begin an initial

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investigation and make an initial determination whether the
report is a good faith indication of alleged child abuse or
neglect.
(3) Based on an initial investigation, if the Unit
determines the report is a good faith indication of alleged
child abuse or neglect, then a formal investigation shall
commence and, pursuant to Section 7.12 of this Act, may or may
not result in an indicated report. The formal investigation
shall include: direct contact with the subject or subjects of
the report as soon as possible after the report is received; an
evaluation of the environment of the child named in the report
and any other children in the same environment; a determination
of the risk to such children if they continue to remain in the
existing environments, as well as a determination of the
nature, extent and cause of any condition enumerated in such
report; the name, age and condition of other children in the
environment; and an evaluation as to whether there would be an
immediate and urgent necessity to remove the child from the
environment if appropriate family preservation services were
provided. After seeing to the safety of the child or children,
the Department shall forthwith notify the subjects of the
report in writing, of the existence of the report and their
rights existing under this Act in regard to amendment or
expungement. To fulfill the requirements of this Section, the
Child Protective Service Unit shall have the capability of
providing or arranging for comprehensive emergency services to

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children and families at all times of the day or night.
(4) If (i) at the conclusion of the Unit's initial
investigation of a report, the Unit determines the report to be
a good faith indication of alleged child abuse or neglect that
warrants a formal investigation by the Unit, the Department,
any law enforcement agency or any other responsible agency and
(ii) the person who is alleged to have caused the abuse or
neglect is employed or otherwise engaged in an activity
resulting in frequent contact with children and the alleged
abuse or neglect are in the course of such employment or
activity, then the Department shall, except in investigations
where the Director determines that such notification would be
detrimental to the Department's investigation, inform the
appropriate supervisor or administrator of that employment or
activity that the Unit has commenced a formal investigation
pursuant to this Act, which may or may not result in an
indicated report. The Department shall also notify the person
being investigated, unless the Director determines that such
notification would be detrimental to the Department's
investigation.
(c) In an investigation of a report of suspected abuse or
neglect of a child by a school employee at a school or on
school grounds, the Department shall make reasonable efforts to
follow the following procedures:
(1) Investigations involving teachers shall not, to
the extent possible, be conducted when the teacher is

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scheduled to conduct classes. Investigations involving
other school employees shall be conducted so as to minimize
disruption of the school day. The school employee accused
of child abuse or neglect may have his superior, his
association or union representative and his attorney
present at any interview or meeting at which the teacher or
administrator is present. The accused school employee
shall be informed by a representative of the Department, at
any interview or meeting, of the accused school employee's
due process rights and of the steps in the investigation
process. The information shall include, but need not
necessarily be limited to the right, subject to the
approval of the Department, of the school employee to
confront the accuser, if the accuser is 14 years of age or
older, or the right to review the specific allegations
which gave rise to the investigation, and the right to
review all materials and evidence that have been submitted
to the Department in support of the allegation. These due
process rights shall also include the right of the school
employee to present countervailing evidence regarding the
accusations.
(2) If a report of neglect or abuse of a child by a
teacher or administrator does not involve allegations of
sexual abuse or extreme physical abuse, the Child
Protective Service Unit shall make reasonable efforts to
conduct the initial investigation in coordination with the

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employee's supervisor.
If the Unit determines that the report is a good faith
indication of potential child abuse or neglect, it shall
then commence a formal investigation under paragraph (3) of
subsection (b) of this Section.
(3) If a report of neglect or abuse of a child by a
teacher or administrator involves an allegation of sexual
abuse or extreme physical abuse, the Child Protective Unit
shall commence an investigation under paragraph (2) of
subsection (b) of this Section.
(c-5) In any instance in which a report is made or caused
to made by a school district employee involving the conduct of
a person employed by the school district, at the time the
report was made, as required under Section 4 of this Act, the
Child Protective Service Unit shall send a copy of its final
finding report to the general superintendent of that school
district.
(d) If the Department has contact with an employer, or with
a religious institution or religious official having
supervisory or hierarchical authority over a member of the
clergy accused of the abuse of a child, in the course of its
investigation, the Department shall notify the employer or the
religious institution or religious official, in writing, when a
report is unfounded so that any record of the investigation can
be expunged from the employee's or member of the clergy's
personnel or other records. The Department shall also notify

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the employee or the member of the clergy, in writing, that
notification has been sent to the employer or to the
appropriate religious institution or religious official
informing the employer or religious institution or religious
official that the Department's investigation has resulted in an
unfounded report.
(e) Upon request by the Department, the Department of State
Police and law enforcement agencies are authorized to provide
criminal history record information as defined in the Illinois
Uniform Conviction Information Act and information maintained
in the adjudicatory and dispositional record system as defined
in Section 2605-355 of the Department of State Police Law (20
ILCS 2605/2605-355) to properly designated employees of the
Department of Children and Family Services if the Department
determines the information is necessary to perform its duties
under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Child
Care Act of 1969, and the Children and Family Services Act. The
request shall be in the form and manner required by the
Department of State Police. Any information obtained by the
Department of Children and Family Services under this Section
is confidential and may not be transmitted outside the
Department of Children and Family Services other than to a
court of competent jurisdiction or unless otherwise authorized
by law. Any employee of the Department of Children and Family
Services who transmits confidential information in violation
of this Section or causes the information to be transmitted in

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violation of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor
unless the transmittal of the information is authorized by this
Section or otherwise authorized by law.
(f) For purposes of this Section "child abuse or neglect"
includes abuse or neglect of an adult resident as defined in
this Act.
(Source: P.A. 98-1141, eff. 12-30-14.)