SPRINGFIELD – With continued high-profile failures at the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) is continuing her efforts to reform the agency that is tasked with protecting neglected and abused Illinois children.

Morrison, who is chairwoman of the Senate Human Services Committee, recently passed new initiatives into law that would help turn around the troubled agency including:

• Senate Bill 293, which requires DCFS to maintain a central register of all unfounded reports for five years following the date of the final finding.
  
  
• Senate Bill 2461, which requires DCFS to enter into contracts with agencies or to complete development for specialized placements for youth in the Department’s care who victims are of sex trafficking.
  
  
• House Bill 4887, which requires DCFS to assist youth in care in identifying and obtaining documents necessary to function as an independent adult prior closing the court case ending the youth’s time as a ward of the state under the Juvenile Court Act.

“We owe it to all the children who rely on DCFS to do everything in our power to keep them safe,” Morrison said. “These new laws are a step in the right direction, but there is still work to be done to ensure that DCFS has all the policies and practices in place to protect children in Illinois.”

The governor signed these bills last week. They take effect Jan. 1, 2019.