Please direct all program related information and questions to:

Bureau of Youth Services and Delinquency Prevention
815-823 East Monroe Street
Springfield, IL  62701
Phone: 217-557-2943
Fax: 217-558-5408
Email: karrie.rueter@illinois.gov

I. Introduction/Definition

Illinois' Mentoring Children of Prisoners (IMCOP) project seeks to foster positive, long term, one-on-one relationships between mentors over age 18 and school-age children (ages 5 - 17) of incarcerated parents, in an effort to promote positive childhood/adolescent development and, thereby, reduce risk-taking behaviors and potential involvement in the criminal justice system. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to afford children relationships that have the capacity to build trust, promote positive self-regard, and enhance their capacity for attachment.

II. Policies & Procedures

The Provider will provide the following services and agrees to act in accordance with all state and federal statutes and administrative rules applicable to the provision of services pursuant to this Agreement.

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 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. The final payment from the Department under this Agreement shall be made upon the Department's determination that all requirements under this Agreement have been completed, which determination shall not be unreasonably withheld. Such final payment will be subject to adjustment after the completion of a review of the Provider's records as provided in the Agreement.

V. Provider Responsibilities

The Provider shall provide an Illinois' Mentoring Children of Prisoners (IMCOP) project in accordance with the Statutes, Rules and as outlined in Section II Policies & Procedures herein. The Provider shall establish program policies/procedures that will address the services required of the program that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Services

  1. Implement an Illinois' Mentoring Children of Prisoners project (IMCOP) that will serve 80 children of incarcerated parents per year who live in or near the Chicago Community Areas of Humboldt Park, on the city's near northwest side, and Roseland, on the city's south side.
  2. Foster positive, long term, one-on-one relationships between mentors over age 18 and school-age children (ages 5 - 17) of incarcerated parents, in an effort to promote positive childhood/adolescent development and, thereby, reduce risk-taking behaviors and potential involvement in the criminal justice system. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to afford children relationships that have the capacity to build trust, promote positive self-regard, and enhance their capacity for attachment.
  3. Employ a full-time Project Manager, a full-time Administrative Support Staff and two full-time Mentoring Specialists.
  4. Ensure that project staff participate in meetings and training programs as required by the Department or the federal Family and Youth Services Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.
  5. Recruit mentors through contacts and presentations to community-based and faith-based organizations in the targeted communities of Humboldt Park and Roseland and the surrounding neighborhoods. Recruit a sufficient number of mentors to match them with 80 children of prisoners.
  6. Screen and select mentors through an application, personal interview and criminal and child maltreatment background check (also see "Background Checks," below).
  7. Provide a minimum of 25 hours of pre-service and in-service training to mentors.
  8. Recruit children of prisoners through contacts with community-based and faith-based organizations in the targeted communities of Humboldt Park and Roseland and the surrounding neighborhoods. Recruit a sufficient number of children between five and 17 years-of-age to match at least 80 of them with qualified mentors.
  9. Utilization of the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated (NRC) and the Search Institute to provide training in the following areas:
    1. General Training: "Who are the Children of Incarcerated Parents?"
    2. Policies and Procedures - Structuring Your Program for Success.
    3. Sustaining Matches: Match Support Technical Assistance Training for Mentoring Children of Prisoner Program Staff.
    4. Responding to the needs of preschoolers with an incarcerated parent.
    5. Responding to the needs of Pre-Teens with an incarcerated parent.
    6. Responding to the needs of Teens with an incarcerated parent.
    7. Incarcerated Mothers: Custody issues and keeping in touch.
    8. Key Skills for Working with Children of Prisoners
    9. Prison and Jail Visiting - Preparation and Follow Up
    10. Mentoring Children Of Prisoners: Issues, Concerns And Strategies
    11. When the Parent Comes Home - The impact of parental parole on mentoring
    12. Positive Youth Development
    13. Developmental Asset framework
  10. Match at least 80 qualified mentors and eligible children of prisoners, considering
    1. preferences of the caregiver, child, incarcerated parent, and mentor;
    2. common interests of the mentor and child;
    3. personality/temperament of mentor and child;
    4. the child's age, gender, and primary language;
    5. geography proximity;
    6. the mentor's ability to understand or share in the child's culture/values; and
    7. the mentor's ability to make a sustained commitment to the relationship. Matching should be completed within 90 days of enrollment in the program.
  11. Ensure that mentors have weekly contact with their assigned child and at least four hours of contact each month for 12 months.
  12. Meet with each mentor at least twice a month (either in person or via telephone, with at least one in-person contact per month) to ensure that the mentor and child are having weekly contact and are spending regular face-to-face time together, to address any concerns or problems that may be arising in the relationship with the child or the child's custodial parent, discuss the mentoring activities undertaken, their appropriateness, ensure that the principles of positive youth development are being implemented and discuss any issues or concerns that the mentor may have identified with either the mentor-mentee relationship or things that may be going on in the youth's personal life.
  13. Facilitate the first meeting of the mentor, custodial parent and the child and have at least monthly contact with the custodial caregiver.
  14. Offer incentives for both mentors and mentees that will be meaningful to each and are delivered at key milestones such as 3, 6, and 12 months of participation. Such incentives might include the hosting of appreciation ceremonies and celebratory outings, awarding tokens of appreciation such as a small plaque in recognition of their efforts and achievement, and/or arranging for the mentor and mentee to be photographed with their representatives on the City Council, General Assembly or Congress.
  15. When a mentor must withdraw from the program before completing 12 months with his or her assigned child, support to participating families and match these children with a new mentor as quickly as possible to minimize the disruption in service.
  16. Ensure mentoring activities occur in the community and not in the Provider facilities.
  17. Ensure youth and the parent/guardian completes a Relationship Quality Survey Instrument (RQS) following involvement in the program.
  18. Data collection and reporting
    1. Weekly IMCOP Project updates will be submitted via email to the Project Director.
    2. Monthly fiscal reports will be submitted to the Department.
    3. Quarterly program reports will be submitted to the Department. These will include but not be limited to: Quantitative Data on Program Progress; Performance Progress Report, and the results of the Relationship Quality Surveys.
    4. Annual end of year summary report in the format provided by the Department.
  19. The Provider must use the IMCOP funds to support IMCOP services as described in the approved program plan.
  20. Background Checks - Background checks are required for all program staff and volunteers (Mentors) who may have one-on-one contact with children and youth. Funded programs are required to have a written protocol on file requiring background checks, as well as evidence of their completion. The result of each background check must be maintained on file at the Provider site.
    1. Each potential staff and/or mentor must submit a written application, a disclosure statement and references (to be developed by the Provider). Each applicant is required to give written consent for the IMCOP program Provider to obtain Illinois State Police criminal background checks and a DCFS CANTS report (No person will be hired or allowed to serve in the capacity of a volunteer or intern without this written consent).
    2. Each potential staff and/or mentor for the IMCOP program will undergo a comprehensive personal interview by the Provider.
    3. Anyone with criminal convictions related to harm of a child, including, but not limited to: murder, kidnapping, sexual abuse, stalking, battery, as well as other sex offenses will not be allowed to participate in the program. Other arrests, convictions and indicated child abuse reports must be reviewed by a committee of the Provider to determine participation in the Project. Additional information may be requested to assist in making a determination.
    4. The results of the Illinois State Police Criminal Background check and the DCFS CANTS reports will be kept in the staff's or mentor's file maintained at the Provider site.

Reporting Requirements

  1. Data collection and reporting
    1. Required data will be collected and maintained on all mentors and youth enrolled in the IMCOP program. This will include recording mentor and mentee match information as well as basic demographic data.
    2. The Provider will submit required monthly fiscal reports in the format designated by the Department.
    3. The Provider will submit required program reports in the format designated by the Department. These will include but not be limited to: Quantitative Data on Program Progress; Performance Progress Report, and the results of the Relationship Quality Survey.
    4. The Provider will participate in data collection and outcome evaluation activities as designated by the Department. This will include but not be limited to: Implementation of the Relationship Quality Survey.
    5. Weekly IMCOP Project updates will be submitted via email to the Project Director.
  2. Failure to submit the required data, reports and forms timely may result in the Department withholding or suspending funds.
  3. The Provider will ensure representation at mandatory program meetings and trainings convened by or in behalf of the Department.
  4. The Provider will send identified staff to mandatory federal training.
  5. Program reports shall be provided 15 days after the end of each reporting period to:

    Illinois Department of Human Services
    Bureau of Youth Services and Delinquency Prevention
    815-823 East Monroe Street
    Springfield, IL  62701
    ATTN: IMCOP

  6. Fiscal reports shall be provided 30 days after the end of each reporting period to:

    Illinois Department of Human Services
    ATTN:  Fiscal Support Services
    815-823 East Monroe Street
    Springfield, IL  62701

Program Plan & Deliverables

  1. The Provider will submit Weekly IMCOP Project updates submitted via email to the Project Director.
  2. The Provider will submit quarterly program reports as described herein, in the format provided by the Department.
  3. The Provider will submit monthly fiscal reports in the format provided by the Department.
  4. The Provider will submit an annual end of year summary report in the format provided by the Department.
  5. The Provider will submit an annual program plan and an annual program spending plan in a format designed by the Department.
  6. The Provider will ensure all required data is entered into the eCornerstone system in a timely manner.

Performance Measures

Performance measures will be assessed utilizing data from the eCornerstone system. Reports will be run monthly on the 15th of each month. It is imperative that data be entered in a timely manner to ensure the accurate assessment of these performance measures.

  1. 80% of all youth on a first-time waiting list will be matched in 45 days or less.
  2. 80% of all matches last 12 months or more.
  3. 90% of youth whose matches have failed will be rematched in 45 days or less.
  4. 100% of all matches demonstrate a minimum of 4 hours of contact per month.
  5. Relationship Quality Surveys are administered to 100% of all matches.

Special Conditions

Exceptions: There will be no exceptions to the contract requirements without prior written approval from program staff.

Subcontractors

  1. Subcontractor Agreement must be pre-approved by the Department.
  2. Any subcontractors shall be subject to all provisions of this Agreement.
  3. The Provider shall retain sole responsibility for the performance of the subcontractor.
  4. The Provider will establish a policy for regular monitoring of all approved subcontractors. This policy must be approved by the Department.

VI. Department Responsibilities

The Department will respond to the needs of the Provider as required within the full scope of the Agreement.

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. Illinois Department of Corrections Juvenile Division
  2. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
  3. Local probation departments
  4. Local mental health agencies
  5. Local schools
  6. Local substance abuse providers
  7. Other related social services agencies
  8. Local law enforcement agencies

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 monthly basis, within 30 days after the end of each calendar month.
  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

The service, sub-grantee and fiscal agent will make available to the Secretary of the Department of Human Services or the Secretary's designee, access to data, records and all facilities in which service or administrative operations are performed to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement.

X. Program Budget

All spending must be in accordance with a budget approved and on file at the Department. Funds are intended to be used for services directly related to the IMCOP program.

XI. Appendices/Forms

Not applicable.