Section 316.50 Conduct and Participation at Administrative Case Reviews

Section 316

TITLE 89: SOCIAL SERVICES

CHAPTER III: DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES

SUBCHAPTER a: SERVICE DELIVERY

PART 316 ADMINISTRATIVE CASE REVIEWS AND COURT HEARINGS

SECTION 316.50 CONDUCT AND PARTICIPATION AT ADMINISTRATIVE CASE REVIEWS

Section 316.50  Conduct and

Participation at Administrative Case Reviews

Administrative case reviews

shall:

a)         be convened by a professional staff member from the Office of

Administrative Case Review;

b)         include the caseworker or supervisor from the Department or

the contributing agency that has case responsibility for both the youth in care

and the family; other service providers who are associated with the case;

c)         be open to the participation of the youth in care's parents and

their representatives.

1)         If parents are known to be violent and potentially dangerous

to other participants in the review, they will be excluded from any scheduled

in-person review.

2)         If a parent exhibits disruptive or inappropriate conduct

toward the reviewer or other participants on a telephonic or video review, the

Department reserves the right to terminate the parent from the review. Conduct

that may result in termination from the review includes, but is not limited to:

A)        Abusive or inappropriate language toward the reviewer or other

review participants;

B)        Threats of physical harm toward the reviewer or other review

participants;

C)        Disruptions and interruptions that prevent the review from

being able to move or forward such as excessive noise making or not allowing

the reviewer or other participants to speak.

3)         Before a parent is terminated from a telephonic or video

review, the reviewer shall follow the discipline procedures in the order outlined

below:

A)        verbal

warning;

B)        temporary

removal to the waiting room of the review;

C)        after consultation with the ACR Program Manager, termination

from the review

or not allowing

the reviewer or other participants to speak.

3)         Before a parent is terminated from a telephonic or video

review, the reviewer shall follow the discipline procedures in the order outlined

below:

A)        verbal

warning;

B)        temporary

removal to the waiting room of the review;

C)        after consultation with the ACR Program Manager, termination

from the review.

4)         If inappropriate conduct is directed repeatedly towards a

specific participant on the review, the reviewer shall consider conducting a

separate review with the parent who was terminated from the review.

5)         When a parent is terminated from a review, the reviewer shall

document the actions of the parent that led to termination and the steps the

reviewer took to maintain order on the review prior to termination.

6)         A parent terminated from a review shall be allowed to attend

the next review.  Discipline procedures shall start from the beginning if

disruptive or inappropriate conduct occurs.

7)         If a petition seeking the termination of parental rights has

been filed, these parents will be invited to the review until a final decision

has been made on the petition;

d)         be open to the participation of children 12 years of age or

older with consideration given to the material in the review and the benefits

of having the youth in care present.  Younger youth in care may attend if the

caseworker and supervisor determine the youth in care can benefit from

participation in the review process;

e)         be open to the participation of the substitute caregivers in

the section of the review for the youth in care in their care.  Substitute

caregivers may be able to participate in other segments of the review involving

the youth in care's family provided that the information being presented at the

review is essential for understanding the needs of and providing care to the youth

in care

be open to the participation of the substitute caregivers in

the section of the review for the youth in care in their care.  Substitute

caregivers may be able to participate in other segments of the review involving

the youth in care's family provided that the information being presented at the

review is essential for understanding the needs of and providing care to the youth

in care. When a positive relationship exists between the substitute caregiver

and the youth in care's family, the youth in care's family may consent to

disclosure of additional information in accordance with the consent provisions

of 89 Ill. Adm. Code 431 (Confidentiality of Personal Information of Persons

Served by the Department).  Disclosure of information concerning the youth in

care's family shall be limited to information that is essential for

understanding the needs of and providing care to the youth in care in order to

protect the rights of the youth in care's family;

f)         be open to the participation of the youth in care's guardian

ad litem, legal representative, and court appointed special advocate;

g)         be conducted via teleconferencing or video conferencing.  If

the reviewer agrees that an in-person review is necessary, the review will be

conducted in the office serving the  county of residence

of either the parent or youth in care depending on the goal.

However,

the parent may agree to travel to another office that is within

the State of Illinois;

h)         focus on the issues described in Section 316.30 of this Part;

and

i)          be recorded by a written feedback report of the findings.