Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force

Board and Commission Details

Contact Name

Department of Children and Family Services

Function

The Task Force shall: (1) Examine the historical and current role of mandatory reporting and its impact on the racial and gender disparities of families involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. (2) Examine the underlying factors that bring families into contact with the Department of Children and Family Services and the factors that lead to child removal, including, but not limited to, suspected or known substance use or dependency, intergenerational child welfare system involvement, and lack of access to shelter, food, clothing, income or employment, and healthcare, and how these impact the length of time families remain involved in the child welfare system. (3) Review the Department of Children and Family Services' progress on the planning and implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act and determine what impact, if any, the plan may have on the current racial disparities of children and families in the child welfare system. (4) Examine the current processes and policies, data, and data collection methods for families involved simultaneously in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or criminal justice systems, including, but not limited to, youth who are dually involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems. (5) Explore policies and protocols that honor language, culture, and heritage in identity formation and familial relationships, including, but not limited to, race-blind child protection screenings and child removal reviews, as implemented in other jurisdictions around the United States, and make recommendations for implementation in Illinois. (6) Explore the development of a curriculum for a child welfare specific implicit bias training for all public and private direct service staff and supervisors who interact with children and families.

Senate Confirmation

No

Compensation

N/A

Composition

Composition. The Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare Task Force is created within the Department of Children and Family Services consisting of members appointed as follows: (1) Two members from the Senate, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Senate Minority Leader. (2) Two members from the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and one appointed by the House Minority Leader. (3) Two General Assembly members from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, appointed by the Joint Caucus Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. (4) Two General Assembly members from the Illinois Latino Caucus, appointed by the Chair of the Illinois Latino Caucus. (5) One member from the Office of the Governor appointed by the Governor. (6) The Director of Children and Family Services, or his or her designee. (7) The Secretary of Human Services, or his or her designee. (8) The Director of Healthcare and Family Services, or his or her designee. (9) One member from an organization with expertise in housing and the Continuum of Care Program that works with impacted populations or convenes advocates to prevent and end homelessness, appointed by the Governor's Office. (10) The Inspector General of the Department of Children and Family Services, or his or her designee. (11) One member from an organization with expertise in the child welfare system that advocates to preserve and reunify families, appointed by the Governor's Office. (12) One member who is an academic researcher who has studied the racialized history and impact of the child welfare system on children, families, and communities, appointed by the Governor's Office. (13) One member from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Children and Families Unit, Court Services Division, appointed by the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. (14) Three members who are parents directly impacted by the child welfare system, at least 2 of whom come from a disproportionately represented racial group, appointed by the Governor's Office. (15) The Cook County Public Guardian, or his or her designee. (16) One member who provides legal representation to children in child protection cases from outside of Cook County, appointed by the Governor's Office. (17) Two members who provide legal representation to parents in child protection cases, one from the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender, appointed by the Governor's Office, and one from outside of Cook County, appointed by the Governor's Office. (18) Two members who provide legal representation on behalf of the State of Illinois in child protection cases, one from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, appointed by the Governor's Office, and one from a State's Attorney's office outside of Cook County, appointed by the Governor's Office. (19) One member who provides legal services to parents impacted by gender-based violence during the investigation phase of child abuse or neglect cases, including services related to safety plans, intact services, and administrative appeals, appointed by the Governor's Office. (20) Three members who have experience as youth in the child welfare system, at least 2 of whom come from a disproportionately represented racial group, appointed by the Governor's Office. (21) One member from a statewide organization advocating for the advancement of civil liberties for at least 80 years in Illinois, appointed by the Governor's Office. (22) One member from an organization that advocates on behalf of children, youth, and families and the community-based providers that serve them, appointed by the Governor's Office.

Chair

Co-chairs: (i) member from org. with expertise in the child welfare system that advocates to preserve and reunify families; (ii) member from org. that advocates on behalf of children, youth, and families and the community-based providers that serve them

Authority

20 ILCS 4105


Member Names

Name Member Expiration Member Since Affiliation Appointed By Position Title County
Hunter, Sen. Mattie 05/12/2022 President of the Senate Member
Turner, Sen. Sally 02/18/2022 Minority Leader of the Senate Member
du Buclet, Kimberly 12/13/2023 Speaker of the House Member State Representative
Bos, Rep. Chris 05/25/2022 House Minority Leader Member State Representative
Lilly, Rep. Camille Joint Caucus Chair of Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Member General Assembly member from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus
Harper, Rep. Sonya Joint Caucus Chair of Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Member General Assembly member from the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus
Pacione-Zayas, Sen. Christina Chair of the Illinois Latino Caucus Member General Assembly member from the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus
Guerrero-Cuellar, Rep. Angelica Chair of the Illinois Latino Caucus Member General Assembly member from the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus
Edicola, Kaitlyn 03/24/2023 Governor Member Rep. of the Office of the Governor
Brown, Dagene Statute Member Director of Children and Family Services
Law, Latanya Statute Member Secretary of Human Services
McCullough-Starks, Kim Statute Member Director of Healthcare and Family Services
Esposito, David 03/03/2022 Governor Member Rep. organization with expertise in housing and the Continuum of Care Program
Ali, Mareema Statute Member Inspector General of the Department of Children and Family Services
Riley, Onie 01/31/2022 Governor Member Experience as youth in the child welfare system
Samuels, Bryan 03/03/2022 Governor Member Academic researcher
Dorsey, Heather 05/31/2022 Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts Member Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, Children and Families Unit, Court Services Division
Davis, Ronald 04/19/2022 Governor Member Parents directly impacted by the child welfare system
Williams, Cassandra 01/26/2024 Governor Member Parents directly impacted by the child welfare system Sangamon
VACANT Governor Member Parents directly impacted by the child welfare system
Barnes, Janet L. 05/31/2022 Statute Member Cook County Public Guardian
Kesler, Cheralyn 05/31/2022 Governor Member Provides legal representation to parents in child protection cases from outside of Cook County
Lewis, Tina Marie 04/19/2022 Governor Member Provide legal representation to parents in child protection cases, Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
Frydman, Melissa 03/03/2022 Governor Member Provide legal representation to children in child protection cases, outside Cook County
Rodemeyer, Robert 03/24/2022 Governor Member Provide legal representation on behalf of the State of Illinois in child protection cases, Cook County State's Attorney's Office
Bateman, Paris 08/26/2022 Governor Member Provide legal representation on behalf of the State of Illinois in child protection cases, State's Attorney's office outside of Cook County
Block, Sara 04/04/2022 Governor Member Provides legal services to parents impacted by gender-based violence during the investigation phase of child abuse or neglect cases
Jackson Wilson, Latanya Governor Member Rep. of organization with expertise in the child welfare system
Fourman, Clarissa 04/01/2022 Governor Member Experience as youth in the child welfare system
Hicks, Lettie 07/08/2022 Governor Member Experience as youth in the child welfare system
Collins-Mandeville, Nora 02/25/2022 Governor Member Statewide organization advocating for the advancement of civil liberties for at least 80 years in Illinois
Jones, Beverly 04/27/2022 Governor Member Organization that advocates on behalf of children, youth, and families