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"The children who come into state custody have been through
incredible trauma -- from the neglect or abuse that led up to DCFS
intervention to the anxiety and stress of being separated from their
families," Blagojevich said. "It's imperative that our efforts to
help these kids includes a comprehensive mental health component.
With this law, Illinois is taking an unprecedented step to meet the
needs of children in our care -- a step that I hope other states
will follow. Our investment in these young people's health and
development now will pay off tenfold as they grow up and become
stable, productive adults."
House Bill 759, sponsored by state Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, and
state Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Highwood, puts into law a requirement
that the state provide children in its custody mental health
services in areas such as trauma, substance abuse, developmental
disabilities and integrated assessment -- areas the Department of
Children and Family Services has been working to address since last
year. The department currently provides services in several of these
areas or is planning to implement new initiatives under a Program
Improvement Plan, which has been approved by the federal government.
The funding in the fiscal 2006 budget dedicated to implementing the
plan, as well as the reallocation of existing funding, will enable
the department to continue enhancing this service delivery.
"The governor's approval of HB 759 demonstrates Illinois is
serious about improving the job we do for children," said Lang, who
sponsored the bill in the House. "Illinois is so committed to
meeting and surpassing our goals that we put it into legislation the
General Assembly approved unanimously, a step no other state has
taken."
"This is thoughtful, efficient legislation that puts into law the
state's goals and objectives regarding how we provide mental health
and other services for children in the custody of DCFS," said
Garrett, the Senate sponsor. "With the governor's approval of HB759,
Illinois takes significant strides in the effort to improve the
well-being of children in our care."
Last year the Department of Children and Family Services
introduced a "Lifetime Approach" initiative to move the child
welfare system in a new direction. For too long, child welfare
systems have treated children coming into care as if their stays
would be short. Research shows, however, that the average child in
Illinois remains in care for 4.5 years.
"The Lifetime Approach better reflects the reality that today we
care for fewer children whose average age is older than only a few
years ago," said Bryan Samuels, director of the Department of
Children and Family Services.
In fiscal 2006, the Department of Children and Family Services
projects it will care for 18,159 children, down significantly from
more than 50,000 in fiscal 1997 and the lowest total since fiscal
1989, when the department cared for 17,451 children.
"New policies and practices may have dramatically changed the
population of children in our care, but those initiatives have also
strengthened our commitment to do a better job for children who need
our help," Blagojevich said. "I am pleased to approve legislation
that reflects the progress we are making in Illinois."
"This legislation addresses a critical need for early
identification of mental disorders in children and adolescents,"
said Lora Thomas, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. "Early intervention helps to
avoid years of unnecessary suffering and reduces the risk of
illnesses becoming much more severe and resistant to treatment."
Thomas said the governor's approval of
House Bill 759 is especially timely with the release on June 6 of a
study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, "Mental
Illness Exacts Heavy Toll, Beginning in Youth." Findings from the
study related to children and adolescents included:
- Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14,
and three-quarters have begun by age 24.
- Anxiety disorders often begin in late childhood, mood
disorders in late adolescence and substance abuse in the early
20s.
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- Unlike heart disease or most cancers, young people with mental
disorders suffer disability when they are in the prime of life and
normally most productive.
- Despite effective treatments, there are long delays --
sometimes decades -- between the first onset of symptoms and
individuals seeking and receiving treatment.
- The study reveals that an untreated mental disorder can lead
to a more severe, more difficult to treat illness and to the
development of co-occurring mental illnesses.
- The study showed that the earlier in life a mental disorder
begins, the slower a person is to seek treatment and the more
persistent the illness becomes.
"The Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social
Workers commends Governor Blagojevich for signing HB 759 and
applauds the Illinois General Assembly, DCFS and Director Samuels
for moving forward with a vision to provide thorough integrated
assessment and behavioral health services for all DCFS wards," said
Joel Rubin, M.S.W., executive director of the National Association
of Social Workers-Illinois Chapter.
"As social workers we are prepared to work with DCFS and other
providers to meet the significant challenge of assuring that
eligible children have access to quality behavioral health services
to help them maintain and improve their mental health to ensure
their optimal development," Rubin said.
House Bill 759 is effective Jan. 1, 2006, and formalizes the
Lifetime Approach initiatives the Department of Children and Family
Services has launched in the last year in mental health service
areas such as trauma, substance abuse and developmental
disabilities. More specifically, the department provides services in
several areas that comply with the legislation, including:
Integrated assessment: Integrated assessment provides a
comprehensive clinical understanding of the child from the moment he
or she enters care. Service plans are developed for each child and
are directly related to that understanding. The Department of
Children and Family Services has established partnerships with
universities and hospitals across the state to provide the clinical
and professional expertise required to conduct assessments. The
geographical distribution of this capacity is closely aligned with
state intake trends. Southern Illinois University, Northern Illinois
University, LaRabida Children's Hospital and Erikson Institute are
leading partners in the implementation of this reform.
Child and Youth Investment Teams: The Child and Youth
Investment Teams streamline the decision-making processes for
available services. The reconfiguration serves two primary
objectives: to deliver services to children and youth earlier and to
foster continuity and communication about the youth.
Trauma treatment: All components of the child welfare system
must recognize and respond to the comprehensive impact that trauma
has on the life of a child in care. Research presented at the
Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute meeting in February 2004
concluded, "The effects of trauma can be pervasive, impacting school
readiness and performance, diminishing cognitive abilities, and
leading to substance abuse, disabling mental disorders and costly
physical health problems." These problems often include depression,
anxiety, aggression, conduct disorder, sexualized behaviors and
eating problems. Reducing the negative childhood and adult
consequences is possible with early and rapid identification of
traumatized children.
[News release from the governor's
office]
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