2.  Would you support changes in licensing and/or certification that would permit new types of competent licensed professionals (i.e. licensed social workers, psychiatric nurses)  to provide a broader range of mental health services to increase the level of mental health services available, particularly in those areas of the state where shortages exist?

______YES                             ______NO

Comments:________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

ISSUE:  The Children�s Mental Health Partnership Act has identified the need for earmarked resources to provide transitional services for 18-21 year old youth transitioning out of public systems; trauma services for children exposed to childhood trauma; and aftercare services for identified youth in need. 

3.  Would you support the earmarking of the estimated $10 million needed in the Department of Human Services budget in order to meet this need?

_______YES                                 ______NO

Comments:_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

ISSUE:  For the past 6 years, the State of Illinois has purchased human services from nonprofit agencies to care for neglected, abused, mentally and physically ill Illinois citizens and has failed to provide a cost of living increase for the provision of those services.

4.  Would you support legislation that provides annual adjustments linked to the Employment Cost Index for social services purchase of care contracts?

            _______YES                           ______NO

Comments:________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

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ISSUE:  The U.S. Department of Education cited Illinois school districts for non-compliance in the provision of appropriate mental health services for youth whose identified disabilities required such services.  The Illinois Children�s Mental Health Partnership has proposed earmarking $6 million for the purchase of community mental health services for students in Illinois districts.

5.  Would you support this appropriation to the Illinois State Board of Education for this purpose?

            _______YES                           _______NO

Comments:______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

ISSUE:  Recent legislation has created a new Department of Juvenile Justice partly because of the concern about the high rate of repeat juvenile offenders in Illinois.

Child Care Association of Illinois agencies note that there are few funded transition services in communities once the youth are released from corrections facilities, and that our current system of youth services and delinquency prevention services has eroded and is underfunded.

6.  Would you support legislation that creates new community programs for transitioning of juvenile offenders and assures annual adjustments for existing youth programs?

            _______YES                           _______NO

Comments: ________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Please direct questions to:

 
Bridget Helmholz
Associate Director
Child Care Association of Illinois
300 E. Monroe Street, Suite 202
Springfield IL  62701
(217) 528-4409, ext. 24
[email protected]

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