I. PURPOSE

This Policy Guide is being issued to direct staff regarding required actions and documentation for placement holds on Foster Family Homes. Form CFS 597-FFH Foster Family Home Licensing Monitoring Record has been revised to include a section for the Licensing Representative to document if the Foster Family Home is on a voluntary or an involuntary hold.

This Policy Guide is effective immediately and shall remain in force pending future rulemaking and procedure revision.

II. PRIMARY USERS

The primary users of this Policy Guide are Department and POS licensing staff.

III. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This policy guide will require individuals authorized to place an involuntary placement hold on a foster family home to also make a licensing complaint subsequent to authorizing the involuntary hold. The licensing unit responsible for monitoring the Foster Family Home will investigate the complaint and come to resolution through corrective action or pursue enforcement. The Licensing Unit shall notify the Placement Clearance Desk to remove the hold as soon as resolution is reached.

IV. INSTRUCTIONS

• During the semi-annual licensing visits, the CFS 597-FFH with a revision date of 1/2021 shall be completed, including questions related to the home being on a voluntary or involuntary hold.
• When the licensed home is on an involuntary hold the licensing representative shall follow-up with the individual who authorized the hold to ensure a licensing complaint has been reported to the licensing unit.
• The supervising licensing unit shall write-up a complaint for investigation, if not already taken, and follow licensing complaint investigation Rules and Procedures 383 Licensing Enforcement.
• When a licensed home is on a voluntary hold, the supervising licensing unit shall ask the licensees to review why they requested to have their home placed on hold and if they want their license taken off of voluntary hold, or to have it remain.

V. NEW AND/OR REVISED FORMS

The CFS 597-FFH has been revised to capture if a licensed family foster home is on an involuntary or voluntary hold. The licensing representative will be required to follow-up on needed actions to come to a resolution.

Staff can access the revised form on the DCFS Website and on the Templates (T:) drive.

VI. QUESTIONS

Questions concerning this Policy Guide should be directed to the Office of Child and Family Policy by emailing the DCFS.Policy on Outlook. Persons and agencies not on Outlook can e-mail questions to DCFS.Policy@illinois.gov.

VII. FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Please file this Policy Guide immediately after Rule 402, Licensing Standards for Foster Family Homes.