{"data":{"id":"us-il/20-ilcs-505-6a","jurisdiction":"us-il","citation":"20 ILCS 505/6a","heading":"Case plan.","body":"(a) With respect to each Department client for whom the Department is providing placement service, the Department shall develop a case plan designed to stabilize the family situation and prevent placement of a child outside the home of the family when the child can be cared for at home without endangering the child's health or safety, reunify the family if temporary placement is necessary when safe and appropriate, or move the child toward an appropriate permanent living arrangement and permanent legal status, consistent with the child's best interest, using the factors set forth in subsection (4.05) of Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Such case plan shall provide for the utilization of family preservation services as defined in Section 8.2 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Such case plan shall be reviewed and updated every 6 months. The Department shall ensure that incarcerated parents are able to participate in case plan reviews via teleconference or videoconference. Where appropriate, the case plan shall include recommendations concerning alcohol or drug abuse evaluation.\nIf the parent is incarcerated, the case plan must address the tasks that must be completed by the parent and how the parent will participate in the administrative case review and permanency planning hearings and, wherever possible, must include treatment that reflects the resources available at the facility where the parent is confined. The case plan must provide for visitation opportunities, unless visitation is not in the best interests of the child.\n(a-5)(1) As used in this subsection:\n\"Protected characteristic\" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 7.29.\n\"Supportive care\" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 7.29.\n(2) The case plan shall include tasks addressing the responsibilities of a youth in care's caregiver and service providers, as defined in Section 7.29, regarding safe, proper, and supportive care based on the youth in care's needs and consistent with the youth in care's best interests, including, but not limited to, the youth in care's protected characteristics, and in alignment with the requirements of Sections 7, 7.29, and 7.30.\n(3) These caregiver and service provider responsibilities shall include, at a minimum, the duty to:\n(A) ensure that the youth in care's daily physical, emotional, developmental, educational, cultural, and social needs are met;\n(B) maintain an environment providing supportive care to treat the youth in care in a manner that meets the youth in care's need for safety and security and is free from harassment and abuse;\n(C) collaborate with the youth in care's parents, the Department, and relevant service providers, when appropriate and consistent with the youth in care's safety, best interests, as determined by the Department, court, and permanency plan, to promote the youth in care's well-being and connection to family and community; and\n(D) maintain the youth in care's privacy.\nAs needed, the youth in care's case plan shall identify specific actions the caregiver and service providers must take to fulfill these responsibilities.\n(4) Case plans shall address each youth in care's health care needs and specify steps the Department, service providers, and caregivers shall take to ensure timely provision of health care, including, but not limited to, arranging transportation and ensuring the youth in care can attend appointments. If the Department is placing or has placed a youth in care in a jurisdiction outside the State of Illinois, and that jurisdiction exposes a youth in care to risk of adverse action as defined in subsection (b) of Section 7.30 and as determined by the Department, the case plan shall, consistent with Department policy regarding documentation of sensitive identity information, include steps the Department is taking to mitigate any identified risk of adverse action and ensure that the youth in care continues to receive the full protections and benefits guaranteed by the laws of this State, as required under Sections 7, 7.29, and 7.30. This includes, but is not limited to, coordination with out-of-state providers or Illinois-based providers to ensure that a youth in care can access and receive health care, including mental health care, lawful in the State of Illinois and with the privacy and confidentiality protections that Illinois law affords. The Department shall document in the case plan the steps the Department has taken to fulfill the obligations under this subsection and Sections 7, 7.29, and 7.30 and report this information to the court as part of the Department's required efforts under Section 2-28 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, in a manner consistent with Department policy regarding documentation of sensitive identity information.\n(5) The Department shall provide guidance and support to caregivers to ensure they have the resources necessary to meet the responsibilities described in this subsection, including culturally responsive and trauma-informed care practices. The Department shall monitor the caregiver's and service providers' fulfillment of the responsibilities under this subsection, document this information as part of the youth in care's case review and permanency hearing process required under this Act and report this information to the court as part of the Department's required efforts under Sections 2-27.2, 2-27.4, and 2-28 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, in a manner consistent with the Department's policy regarding documentation of a youth's sensitive identity information.\n(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or diminish:\n(A) the rights of a youth in care to be free from discrimination or to receive care consistent with the protections guaranteed under State and federal law;\n(B) the Department's obligation to act in the best interest of a youth in care; or\n(C) the Department's obligation to pursue reunification with a parent when the permanency goal is return home.\n(b) The Department may enter into written agreements with child welfare agencies to establish and implement case plan demonstration projects. The demonstration projects shall require that service providers develop, implement, review and update client case plans. The Department shall examine the effectiveness of the demonstration projects in promoting the family reunification or the permanent placement of each client and shall report its findings to the General Assembly no later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year in which any such demonstration project is implemented.\n(c) The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly apply on and after January 1, 2028.","path":["CHAPTER 20 EXECUTIVE BRANCH","Children and Family Services Act."],"source_url":"https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?ActID=242\u0026ChapterID=5\u0026ChapAct=FullText\u0026Print=True","current_through":"at least Public Act 104-790","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-15T04:46:13Z","sha256":"e62d70bc4903cc21e6be72312c96ab78606a859e7f59f22afbe32106c72b1a08","source_id":"us-il","stale":false,"prev":"us-il/20-ilcs-505-6.5","next":"us-il/20-ilcs-505-6b"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}