Please direct all program related information and questions to:

Andrea Palmer
401 South Clinton, 4th Floor
Chicago, IL  60607
Phone:  312-793-7957
Fax:  312-793-4666
Email:  andrea.palmer@illinois.gov

I. Introduction/Definition

The Youth Opportunity Program assists low-income youth in selected Chicago high schools to complete high school, develop career interests and employment skills through job placement. These goals will be accomplished through intensive case management/counseling in the schools, career awareness programs, job readiness training and ultimately job placement.

II. Policies & Procedures

Maternal and Child Health Services Code, 77 Illinois Administrative Code 630 (77 Ill. Adm. Code 630)

III. Contract and Amendment Process

Contract Process

The contract between the Department and the Provider is generally referred to as the Agreement and consists of several parts:

  1. Community Service Agreement, containing the standard contract language used for all Department contracts
  2. Exhibit A, containing Scope of Services/Purpose of Grant
  3. Exhibit B, containing Deliverables
  4. Exhibit C, containing Payment Information
  5. Exhibit D, containing Contact Information
  6. Attachment E
  7. The Program Manual, attached by reference to the Agreement, contains the program service provisions.

The Department will initiate the contract by having it online for the Provider to obtain and sign. The Provider will fax signature page to the Department to obtain the Secretary's signature and the Department will return a copy of the executed signature page of the contract to the Provider via pdf email.

Amendment Process

There are two types of amendments to an executed Community Service Agreement.

  1. Letters of increase or decrease - A letter is sent to the Provider stating the intent to increase or decrease dollars to specific program services existing in the Community Service Agreement. There is no need for the Provider to sign and return this document.
  2. Formal amendments - A two-party signed agreement to an executed Agreement is a formal amendment. The following process is required for a formal amendment to be processed:
    1. Adding new program services - An amendment to add a new program service must contain a detailed summary of services to be provided under the executed Community Services Agreement and a method of payment.
    2. Extending the service dates of the Community Services Agreement* - An amendment to extend the service dates of the Community Services Agreement must contain the following information: Agreement number as it appears on the original Community Services Agreement; Provider name; clause stating the new term of the Agreement; signatures of the Provider and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.

      *NOTE: A Community Services Agreement end date should only be June 30 due to mandates in the State Finance Act regarding audit period. Language on pages one through nine in the Community Services Agreement may not be changed.

    3. Extending the service dates of an existing program attachment - An amendment to extend the date of a specific attachment in the existing Community Services Agreement must contain the following information: Agreement number as it appears on the original Community Services Agreement; Provider name; clause stating the new term and the specific attachment name and number; signatures of the Provider and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.
    4. Changing language within an existing program attachment - An amendment to change language in an existing program attachment of the Community Services Agreement must contain the following information: Agreement number as it appears on the Community Services Agreement; Provider name; clause(s) stating the new language; signatures of the Provider and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.

IV. Deliverables/Costs/Payments

  1. Payments to the Provider will be made on a prospective basis, rounded to the nearest $100.00. The final prospective payment may be greater or lesser than the previous payments due to rounding.
  2. The Department will compare the amount of the prospective payments made to date with the documented expenditures provided to the Department by the Provider. In the event the documented services provided by the Provider do not justify the level of award being provided to the Provider, future payments may be withheld or reduced until such time as the services documentation provided by the Provider equals the amounts previously provided to the Provider. Failure of the Provider to provide timely documentation may result in a reduction to the total award.
  3. Donated Funds Initiative - For schools funded under the Donated Funds Initiative, the Provider is required to provide matching funds in the amount of 25% of the grant amount allocated for the Provider. Such matching funds must be paid from private funds donated to the Provider and certified and reported to the Department. By accepting this grant, and executing this agreement, the Provider hereby certifies that the required matching funds can be secured and will be made available for the support of the activities described in this exhibit.
  4. Donated Funds Initiative funded providers are subject to the following fiscal penalties:
    1. If, after the third quarter of the school year, the active Youth Opportunity students have not maintained an average of 85% school attendance rate for the three previous quarters, the fourth quarter reimbursement amount will be reduced by 2 percent.
    2. If, at the third quarter reporting, less than 80% of the active Youth Opportunity seniors are expected to graduate on time, the fourth quarter amount will be reduced by 2 percent.
    3. If, at the third quarter reporting, less than 60% of the active job pool Youth Opportunity students age 16 and above are expected to be placed in employment by the close of the fourth quarter, the fourth quarter disbursement amount will be reduced by 2 percent.
    4. If, at the third quarter reporting, 80% of the active Youth Opportunity students are not expected to receive Job Readiness Training by the close of the fourth quarter, the fourth quarter disbursement amount will be reduced by 2 percent.
    5. If at the third quarter reporting, 80% of the active Youth Opportunity students are not expected to receive Career Awareness Training by the close of the fourth quarter, the fourth quarter disbursement amount will be reduced by 2 percent.
    6. If 90% of the active Youth Opportunity students do not complete the Career Inventory Assessment, the final disbursement amount will be reduced by 2 percent.

V. Provider Responsibilities

  1. The Provider shall conduct a Youth Opportunity Program including the following components:
    1. Counseling/Case Management
    2. Career Awareness (including a Career Inventory Assessment)
    3. Job Readiness Training
    4. Job Placement, Retention and Follow-up
    5. Life Skills Development (including pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, STI, and ATOD abuse prevention)
    6. Mentoring
  2. The Provider shall recruit and retain a minimum number of students as defined by the Department.
  3. The Provider shall submit a narrative progress report of its activities by component each quarter of the state fiscal year; and a quarterly report, for the school, of the number of students recruited for the program, entering the program, active in the program, dropped out of the program; and an unduplicated count of students for each school for each month of the year. Reports are due no later than 15 days following the close of each quarter. For the schools funded by the Donated Funds Initiative, the Provider shall also provide the monthly number of service units. Reports are due at least 15 days following the close of the quarter.
  4. When available, the Provider shall report the active Youth Opportunity student drop out rate compared to the School Report Card for all Youth Opportunity schools. The Provider rate is expected to be 25% lower than the combined school averages.
  5. The Provider shall provide annual statistical reports to document the number of students recruited and retained and the items in IV. D.
  6. The Provider shall be responsible for ensuring that adequate controls exist, which will ensure accuracy, completeness, and a separate accounting for all grant funds.
  7. The Provider shall maintain individual records on all persons served within the program.   
  8. The Provider shall submit a quarterly program report, a program spending plan quarterly, a program plan and an annual report to the Department no later than 30 days after then end of each quarter.  Report format to be determined by the Department.

VI. Department Responsibilities

The Department will provide technical assistance, and monitoring scheduled as determined by the Department for all programs operated under Community Health and Prevention.

VII. Support Services

Utilization of Community Resources

It shall be the responsibility of each project director to coordinate the services provided through the project with other sources of care in the community, such as:

  1. The Illinois Medical Assistance Program.
  2. Local Health Departments.
  3. Neighborhood Health Centers.
  4. Local Child Development Clinics.
  5. Division of Specialized Care for Children.
  6. Local Hospitals.
  7. Local Children and Family Services Programs.
  8. Local Schools.
  9. Vocational Rehabilitation Services.
  10. Regional Perinatal Centers.
  11. Local Early Intervention Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Handicaps.
  12. Other related social service agencies.

Please refer to 77 Ill. Adm. Code 630.160 and 630.170; Other Applicable Rules; and to the program-specific Exhibits for additional requirements.

VIII. Billing Instructions

Providers shall use the following methodology to document the use of these funds:

  1. The Provider shall provide summary documentation by line item of actual expenditures incurred for the purchase of goods and services necessary for conducting program activities. The Provider shall use generally accepted accounting practices to record expenditures and revenues as outlined in DHS Rule 509, Fiscal Administrative Recordkeeping and Requirements.
  2. Expenditures shall be recorded in the Provider's records in such a manner as to establish an audit trail for future verification of appropriate use of Agreement funds.
  3. Expenditure documentation shall be submitted in a format, defined by the Division of Community Health and Prevention, to the Department on a quarterly basis, within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. However, the Provider shall have the option to report monthly.
  4. The Provider shall submit expenditure documentation by one of the following means:
    1. Mailing Address
      Tina Finley
      815-823 East Monroe Street
      Springfield, IL 62701
      Phone: 217-785-2991
    2. Fax
      217-524-2491
    3. Email
      tina.finley@illinois.gov
  5. All financial record keeping on the part of the Provider shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

Expenditure Documentation Form Instructions

Expenditure Documentation Form

IX. Program Monitoring

Programs operated by the Provider under this contract will be monitored by the Department to review the program's progress according to stated goals, measurable objectives and administrative operations.

X. Program Budget

Providers agree to establish and utilize a budget approved by the Provider's Board of Directors.

XI. Appendices/Forms

Not applicable.