Instructions
Provide sufficient detail to ensure that the Secretary and the public are informed of and understand the State's systems designed to drive improved results for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families and to ensure that the Lead Agency (LA) meets the requirements of Part C of the IDEA. This introduction must include descriptions of the State's General Supervision System, Technical Assistance System, Professional Development System, Stakeholder Involvement, and Reporting to the Public.
Intro - Indicator Data
Executive Summary
Illinois is pleased to indicate with the submission of the FFY20/SFY21 State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report that in this reporting year, the state continues to move forward in ensuring the citizens are afforded appropriate and viable services with a focus on those required by law. Illinois continues to engage stakeholders in reviewing APR data and planning for improvement. Illinois has also received much needed technical assistance and support from the Office Special Education Program (OSEP) State Lead and our Early Childhood Technical Assistance partners to develop strategies for addressing our longstanding non-compliance. Attached is the FFY20/SFY21 Prior Indicator 09 Findings document with our progress. We have also worked with the OSEP funded technical assistance centers, the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA), to improve data quality and the child outcomes summary process. We are also working with them to identify specific strategies for correcting longstanding noncompliance at several Child and Family Connections (CFC) offices. Illinois continues to enhance systems and practices to address the compliance indicators and has dedicated efforts to supporting practice in Illinois' Early Intervention (EI) system which will be demonstrated in future APRs.
Additional information related to data collection and reporting
Unlike last year, Illinois' decision to utilize October data as our representative month for most indicators was impacted by COVID-19. The ongoing uncertainty of conditions and staffing limitations impacted both the completeness and reliability of our data. As anticipated, COVID-19 impacted both the indicators that use October 2020 as a representative month as well as those that use a full year of data (Indicators 3 and 4). While we had moments of opportunity, COVID-19 once again impacted our ability to provide support to local programs related to the correction of longstanding noncompliance. We continued meeting with technical assistance providers from DaSy and ECTA to refine and further develop a process for investigating and addressing longstanding noncompliance for the three compliance indicators. We also involved the CFC with the longest standing noncompliance in a technical assistance opportunity. While we were able to implement portions of the plan, e.g. subsequent reviews of data subsets and initial reviews of program requirements, we were not able to engage CFCs in the enhanced level of support we had hoped to provide. Both lead agency staff and program resources were instead devoted to addressing the changing needs of the program due to the pandemic. Program staff reported high levels of stress and challenges with staff recruitment. For these reasons, we were concerned about the additional activities/responsibilities that would be necessary in order to move our process forward in the way we had anticipated and delayed certain activities.
General Supervision System
The systems that are in place to ensure that IDEA Part C requirements are met, e.g., monitoring systems, dispute resolution systems.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (Department) serves as Illinois' Lead Agency. The Bureau of Early Intervention (Bureau) has staff allocated for general administration and supervision for compliance with the requirements set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C. Illinois enacted the Early Intervention Services System Act (Act) (325 ILCS20 et. seq.) which establishes a statewide system of coordinated, comprehensive, interagency and interdisciplinary programs to be used in planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation of the statewide system of locally based early intervention services. As authorized and required by the Act, the Department promulgated detailed rules and regulations to reflect the intent of federal regulations contained in IDEA Part C. They are set forth in the Illinois Administrative Code (89 IL Admin. Code 500 et. seq.).
The Department, through its EI Bureau, sets and disseminates policies and procedures for the provision of EI services through administrative rule, the Child and Family Connections Procedure Manual, the EI Provider Handbook, administrative contracts and payee agreements, and the State of Illinois Infant/Toddler & Family Rights under IDEA booklet. Again, in FFY20, there were no substantive changes to policy or procedure. However, legislation was passed to support extend EI services past children's third birthday for a subset of children. We know that this will require the development of new policies and procedures in FFY21.
There are 25 Child & Family Connections (CFC) offices covering all geographic areas of Illinois, and Cornerstone remains the statewide data system that collects and stores child and family information, generates authorizations for services, and interfaces with other systems to track and produce payments. The Bureau relies extensively on this data system to monitor the performance of the 25 CFC offices. The monthly review of performance measures are, in turn, shared back with the CFC offices. Annually, based on the review of these performance measures, the Bureau issues a letter of Findings of Noncompliance and Determinations to each CFC. Additionally, each CFC office has a Determination Scorecard based on their performance. The CFC's scorecard guides monitoring, technical assistance, training and CAP reporting. Dispute Resolution is handled by staff in the Bureau. Resources are provided to parents both as they enter and while they are engaged in Early Intervention to assist them in understanding their rights for Dispute Resolution. Online forms and contact information are part of the process that makes information available through various avenues. Translation for Spanish-speaking families is also available. The Bureau accepts and dispositions all Dispute Resolutions, including Mediation and Due Process Hearings. The Bureau has an inter-agency agreement with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for impartial and unbiased officials to organize the Due Process Hearings when needed. The State adopted Mediation and Due Process procedures in 34 CFR §300.506 through §300.512 and developed procedures that meet the requirements of §303.440. Several Legal staff within the Department are available to facilitate the development and negotiation of all resolution session agreements. An electronic database is in place to track Due Process complaints.
Multiple other functions of supervising the Early Intervention system are performed through contracted partners. There are five contracts covering the Illinois Early Intervention Monitoring, Credentialing, Clearinghouse, Training/Professional Development and Centralized Billing/Family Fees components.
The Illinois EI Monitoring Program (http://www.earlyinterventionmonitoring.org/) conducts monitoring activities of the CFC offices and EI direct service providers. During FFY20, CFC offices and credentialed and/or enrolled service providers were monitored through offsite file reviews. All 25 CFC offices and 65 percent of the approximately 2000 EI payees that billed for services during the preceding fiscal year were subject to the compliance monitoring process. EI Monitoring additionally provides each CFC office a focused verification monitoring review at a minimum of once every three years or upon the request of the Bureau. The focused verification monitoring review includes 1) an in-depth file review; 2) CFC Program Manager and CFC Service Coordinator interviews; and 3) Family, Service Provider, and Stakeholder surveys. Through file reviews (offsite only for FFY20) and annual monitoring visits, the EI Monitoring Program assesses compliance with determinations relating to administrative processes and procedures. During this review, the EI Monitoring Program identifies any areas of noncompliance, documents the correction of noncompliance, and provides technical assistance as necessary. The provision of technical assistance is an integral part of this monitoring process, and issues are addressed immediately upon the completion of an onsite monitoring visit. Annually, 65% of EI payees receive a compliance monitoring review. Payees who were previously monitored could be scheduled for subsequent compliance monitoring based upon the outcome of the previous review. The EI Monitoring Program randomly selects a percentage of the EI payee's caseload for file reviews. The EI Monitoring Program also safeguards the rights of families to receive appropriate services and supports by investigating parent billing complaints submitted to the Bureau or to the EI Central Billing Office, who is our contracted billing agent, regarding the appropriate billing of services. The EI Monitoring Program continues to be a major stakeholder in the work of the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) as outlined in Indicator 11.
The Department contracts with the EI Central Billing Office, CBO, (http://www.eicbo.info/) to process paper and electronic service provider claims and to create provider claim summaries as part of the fee-for-service delivery system; generate vouchers; submit Medicaid claims to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS); and, prepare and forward claims for federal matching funds. In addition, the CBO maintains insurance coverage information, including waivers and exemptions, provides insurance billing services, and invoices, collects and updates the family participation fee accounts (which has included issuing all families fee credits during the pandemic). They also provide the family with an Explanation of Benefits (EOB), which accounts for all monthly provider claims to families. The CBO maintains the linkage between EI data systems and Cornerstone for direct service authorizations.
Technical Assistance System:
The mechanisms that the State has in place to ensure the timely delivery of high quality, evidenced based technical assistance and support to early intervention service (EIS) programs.
Illinois' system for technical assistance encompasses the Bureau and its contract entities. These vital partners support the delivery of high quality and evidence-based technical assistance. Monthly meetings with the EI Contracted Partners provide current and informed supports to the various partners to disseminate within their interactions with EI participants, providers, local community partners and families currently being served or those interested in the program. Illinois benefits from its relationship with state and national recognized leaders in early childhood development and education that contribute a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
The Bureau supports technical assistance as a key function described in the contracts with the local CFC offices, the EI Training Program, the EI Monitoring Program, the EI Clearinghouse, the EI Central Billing Office, and the EI Credentialing program. The Bureau's website and its contractual partners' websites ensure the availability of Illinois-specific as well as national information and resources to EI providers, the CFCs, stakeholders and families.
Each CFC office houses Local Interagency Council (LIC) activities to provide technical assistance to its provider community. The needs are assessed through current events and/or needs assessments. The technical assistance is supported through responses to phone calls and emails, provider meetings, and activities of the LIC. In addition, each CFC office has a required contract with a developmental pediatric consultant for specific services to implement quality assurance activities such as periodic participation in IFSP meetings, consultation on requests for IFSP service changes, technical assistance and training to EI providers and services coordinators to address local system needs, specific disabilities, specific family situations, and outreach to primary referral sources. Each CFC also houses a social emotional consultant for the purposes of reflective consultation to the CFC Program Manager, individuals or groups consultation as well as coordination of components including overseeing the implementation of social emotional screening and specialized assessment and/or offering support to IFSP teams when needed.
Most functions of the EI Monitoring Program and the EI Central Billing Office are described in the General Supervision System section. Other partners, such as the EI Training Program, the EI Clearinghouse, and Provider Connections are described in the Professional Development section. All are very important sources of technical assistance for the Illinois EI system. In addition, the EI Training Program's contract includes an EI Ombudsman position. The Ombudsman works with the Bureau, CFC offices and EI providers to ensure fidelity with EI laws, rule, policies, practice and procedures, and promotes the highest attainable evidence-based practices that support the key principles of Illinois' Early Intervention Program. Illinois' EI Ombudsman is also thoroughly involved in multiple, national activities centered on early childhood development including such activities as the workgroup for establishing the DEC's Recommended Practices and the aRPy Ambassador program through the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center!
To best support our CFCs, Bureau staff meet monthly with CFC managers to provide clarification to policies and procedures and address questions and concerns. During the pandemic, an additional monthly meeting has been added for additional support to the CFCs. EI contract partners are also welcome to help support the CFCs as well during these monthly calls. EI contractual administrative entities (outside of the CFCs) and Bureau staff also meet monthly to leverage resources, coordinate efforts, and identify additional strategies to meet system needs for technical assistance. Designated Bureau staff provide responses to all inquiries from CFC offices and EI Providers usually via the telephone or email. Informational memos are posted on all available EI websites (DHS and contractual partners) and distributed via email to CFC managers. Updates to manuals and/or documents are provided to all partners and posted on partners' websites to help support the population we serve. During the pandemic, frequent updates were posted on Partners' websites to keep stakeholders informed about changing conditions and system responses.
The Bureau continues to request and receive technical assistance from a number of national and regional resources, including the ECTA, DaSy, and OSEP. The Bureau staff have participated in several cross-state learning collaboratives and other learning communities and have also benefited from technical assistance partners' assistance in the development and implementation of the SSIP.
The Bureau has continued to receive technical assistance from their OSEP State Lead to support resolution of long standing noncompliance. The attachment (il-c-ffy2020prior09findings) outlines the historical correction with a narrative of the practices Illinois has chosen to address noncompliance and ensure quality services are delivered in accordance with Part C regulations to all eligible Illinois children and families.
In response to our Needs Assistance determination, Illinois has availed itself of many technical assistance opportunities. Given our historical difficulties resolving longstanding noncompliance, Illinois participated in a cross-state technical assistance (TA) effort through DaSy, ECTA, and NCSI that addressed establishing effective monitoring for compliance and results. For this TA effort, we included system partners as well as program staff from the CFC with the longest standing noncompliance. The TA offering helped us examine many aspects of our transition process, including local program's staff understanding of system requirements, written program guidance about requirements, available data for monitoring compliance with requirements, incentives/penalties tied to performance, and this particular program's detailed performance data across the past few years. This technical assistance allowed us to develop a process for examining noncompliance not only for the transition indicators, but also for other compliance indicators. In general, this process will involve: beginning with program understanding of tasks/responsibilities, understanding what has been tried to address the issue, discussing what has or has not been successful and why, reviewing contributing factors resources, conducting root cause analyses, and considering available system supports to address the root causes. The state also received IL-specific TA from ECTA/DaSy to continue our ongoing work around addressing longstanding non-compliance. Technical assistance has been critical in improving our understanding of how to assess the current status of findings, the general supervision components that exist to support improved practice, the options for addressing individualized needs to help support best practice, and the importance of consistent approaches for developing and monitoring improvement plans at the effected CFCs. This past year's technical assistance supported our capacity to address longstanding noncompliance, particularly in regard to the transition indicator.
Professional Development System:
The mechanisms the State has in place to ensure that service providers are effectively providing services that improve results for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.
The Early Intervention Services System Act (Act) (325 ILCS20 et. seq.) and the Illinois Administrative Code (89 IL Admin. Code 500 et. seq.) require and define a system of personnel development and personnel standards to ensure that EI providers are effectively providing services that improve results for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. EI families, service providers, and primary referral sources have access to a wealth of information provided through various EI specific websites as well as through online (both synchronous and asynchronous) and face-to-face training opportunities (pre-pandemic).
For credentialing matters, Illinois contracts with the EI Provider Connections office (http://www.wiu.edu/ProviderConnections/) to coordinate the credentialing process and the enrollment of service providers in compliance with state and federal requirements. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), our Medicaid state lead, implemented an enrollment system for all Medicaid providers in Illinois. This system greatly impacted the EI providers and CFC offices who provide services to Medicaid-eligible children. This system continues to evolve and is intended to support EI's ability to maximize reimbursements and provider compliance. The EI CBO submits reimbursement claims on their behalf as part of our fee-for-service practice. A dedicated Bureau staff member and EI Provider Connections staff meet quarterly to address system issues and support the smoothest transition to the new system for EI providers.
EI Provider Connections processes credential and enrollment applications to comply with the HFS system and maintains a system of credentialing which ensures new providers are qualified and prepared with appropriate pediatric experience and education to provide services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. This office ensures that individuals providing EI services have documentation on file of all applicable licenses, degrees, education and/or certification, EI systems overview training, background checks, documentation of consultation, and all other requirements. In addition, they provide technical assistance on the credentialing and enrollment process and verify that the individuals maintain competencies through documentation of continuing professional education and ongoing professional development at credential renewal every three years.
Illinois also contracts with the University of Illinois Early Intervention Training Program (EITP) (http://eitp.education.illinois.edu/) to provide a comprehensive system of personnel development, using a variety of methodologies that has included face-to-face, virtual, and online training modules, and to coordinate with other entities to offer a broad calendar of EI training events. These efforts ensure that service providers and CFC staff enter the EI system with an understanding of the basic components of the EI services system, evidence-based practices and Illinois' EI key principles. Additional and ongoing efforts are in place to focus on continually expanding competencies and to provide information on evidence-based practices, specifically in four core knowledge areas: development of young children, working with families of young children with developmental disabilities and delays, intervention strategies and activities for young children with special needs, and assessment of young children with special needs. The EITP also works to coordinate with other professional entities to provide training on transition services for children exiting the EI system. The EITP develops, publishes and distributes a quarterly newsletter for EI service providers and uses social media to reinforce important system messages/information.
The EITP coordinates the family outcomes process which includes a project coordinator that oversees the survey process for all families who have exited the EI program. The coordinator also facilitates the Child and Family Outcomes Workgroup and represents the EI program on all child and family outcomes activities. The EITP is a major stakeholder in the work of SSIP.
The EI Clearinghouse (http://www.eiclearinghouse.org/) collects research-based and best-practice early intervention information to share with families to support their children's growth and development. They provide current, up-to-date information and reference materials for parents to learn more about typical child development and specific disabilities, and for educators and EI professionals to improve competencies in the evaluation and treatment of children with developmental disabilities and delays. Additional resources in English and in Spanish are available to EI families, providers, stakeholders and primary referral sources. They are tasked with maintaining Illinois' EI Central Directory, operating and maintaining a free EI lending library, generating parent newsletters, information notes, podcasts, and resource links to support evidence-based practices, and general contact and program information. The EI Clearinghouse serves as a communication link between the EI Program and the families served by the program through a family friendly, bilingual (English-Spanish) website. This past year, the EI Clearinghouse received additional GEERS funding to make a large purchase of technology items to lend to families. This will allow more families to access services in a way that would not be possible without this technology. The Clearinghouse has also convened a Parent Advisory Council to provide input on system improvement activities. The EI Clearinghouse is also a stakeholder in the work of the SSIP.
Broad Stakeholder Input:
The mechanisms for soliciting broad stakeholder input on the State's targets in the SPP/APR and any subsequent revisions that the State has made to those targets, and the development and implementation of Indicator 11, the State's Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP).
Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention (IICEI): Pursuant to 34 CFR §300.600 - 300.605, the IICEI is a Governor-appointed advisory board that meets the federal requirements for a State Interagency Coordinating Council. The membership of the council includes parents, public and private service providers of the Early Intervention (EI) system, a member from the State legislature, a personnel preparation representative, and representatives from various designated State agencies and programs. Its membership also includes representatives from advocacy organizations, Child and Family Connections (CFC) managers, and a designee from the Illinois Early Learning Council. The IICEI discusses program and Bureau specific challenges and opportunities, reviews and approves the annual performance report (APR), helps determine the setting of State Performance Plan (SPP)/APR target values, and advises the Bureau in the overall performance of the program. The IICEI also, as needed, creates ad-hoc workgroups composed of both council and other subject-matter experts on a variety of subjects to help develop any potential recommendations for consideration by the Bureau. Current IICEI workgroups are exploring the continued use of tele-intervention, working to improve system communication and coordination with other statewide initiatives that impact birth to three year olds, addressing equity and access issues in early intervention, coordinating with the Governor's Office - Raising Illinois initiative which seeks to double the number of low income prenatal to three year olds served, and monitoring legislation and funding activities.
Child and Family Outcomes Workgroup: The Child and Family Outcomes workgroup is a stakeholder group formed years ago that is tasked with the goal of reviewing processes that improve outcomes for children and families, as well as the quality of child and family outcomes data. The workgroup includes representation from families, the EI Bureau, EI providers, CFC managers, EI Ombudsman and the EI Training Program (EITP). The Child and Family Outcomes Workgroup focuses its efforts to:
- Ensure that valid and reliable data are collected with consistency by field staff;
- Improve the validity of data reported on child and family outcomes;
- Improve response rates for Family Outcomes surveys, to increase representativeness and validity;
- Promote public awareness and training of child and family outcome measures;
- Explore options for linking child and family outcome data;
- Support data review and analysis;
- Set baseline and target values; and
- Develop and implement improvement activities.
CFC Managers: Illinois has 25 CFC offices that serve as the regional points of entry, and each CFC office is responsible for the implementation of the Early Intervention Services System within its specific geographic region. A CFC Program Manager is assigned to each CFC and they are the point of contact to disseminate information to be shared within the CFC staff and their community as appropriate. CFCs are responsible for ensuring all referrals to the Early Intervention Services System receive a timely response in a professional and family-centered manner. Other responsibilities of the CFCs include: child find activities; family-engaged intake; coordination of evaluation/assessment and eligibility determination activities for children; for eligible children- oversight of the development of timely individualized family service plans (IFSP); ongoing service coordination, and transitioning activities before a toddler exits the program or reaches three years of age and is potentially eligible for Part B. CFC managers meet monthly with EI Bureau staff to review policies and procedures, provide statewide and local perspectives, offer feedback to the APR and SSIP, identify system challenges, and provide input on improvement strategies.
Additionally, annual CFC Conferences are held to invite all CFC staff to network, learn from subject-matter experts and to meet directly with EI Partner contract entity staff. The CFC conferences are designed to respond to the specific needs conveyed by the Service Coordinators, CFC Managers, Social Emotional Consultants and others working in or with a CFC. Planning is organized through the EITP, but multiple stakeholders are involved in the annual event. This year's conference was held virtually and continued to respond to needs expressed by CFC staff.
Apply stakeholder input from introduction to all Part C results indicators (y/n) NO
Number of Parent Members: 3
Parent Members Engagement:
Describe how the parent members of the Interagency Coordinating Council, parent center staff, parents from local and statewide advocacy and advisory committees, and individual parents were engaged in setting targets, analyzing data, developing improvement strategies, and evaluating progress.
Family members are an integral part of most of the system-created workgroups. There are also parent members on the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC), the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP) large stakeholder group (and local leadership teams), Family Outcomes Topic Cohort, Reopen Illinois EI, and the Outcomes Workgroup. Family members have been involved in discussions about target-setting, data analysis, improvement strategies, and evaluation. For example, the ICC had two different discussions on target-setting, data analysis, improvement strategies, and evaluation. Minutes of these discussions can be found on the IDHS website. Since ICC meetings are open to the public, families who wish to provide input may contact the Bureau directly or reach out to their family representative on the ICC. The SSIP large stakeholder group has also been involved in target-setting, data analysis, improvement strategy generation, and evaluation. This group includes parents, parent center staff, and advocates. The Outcomes workgroup also participates in target setting, data analysis, improvement strategy generation and evaluation. The Reopen IL EI workgroup was involved in analyzing program data and developing improvement strategies during the pandemic. Our Family Outcomes Topic Cohort, which includes Parent Training and Information Staff and other parents, has helped with data analysis, improvement strategies, and evaluating progress. In addition, for the upcoming fiscal year, the EI Clearinghouse will convene a parent advisory body to ensure that materials prepared for families are meaningful and to solicit input on programmatic changes and activities.
Activities to Improve Outcomes for Children with Disabilities:
Describe the activities conducted to increase the capacity of diverse groups of parents to support the development of implementation activities designed to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.
The IDHS is currently engaging in agency-wide activities to address equity and inclusion. As part of these efforts, the Bureau of Early Intervention will be engaging national equity experts to examine system practices that may be contributing to inequities. This work will begin in the next fiscal year. It is hoped that families who engage in this examination will consider participating in future system activities. In addition, the Bureau has committed to diverse parent representation on any new workgroups that are convened and to examine membership of current workgroups with a focus on diversity when replacing members. As noted above, system workgroups (and the parents that serve on them) have an integral role in many aspects of our Annual Performance Report activities. In addition, the EI Clearinghouse is currently working to expand accessibility to system information by creating family videos and translating system materials into languages beyond English and Spanish.
Soliciting Public Input:
The mechanisms and timelines for soliciting public input for setting targets, analyzing data, developing improvement strategies, and evaluating progress.
The primary mechanism for soliciting public input for setting targets, analyzing data, developing improvement strategies, and evaluating progress occurred through the ICC meetings in October and January. These meetings are open to the public and included discussions of all of these elements. The public can submit direct comments/questions for consideration via the chat for the virtual meetings or can contact their representative on the ICC to share comments/questions/input.
Making Results Available to the Public:
The mechanisms and timelines for making the results of the target setting, data analysis, development of the improvement strategies, and evaluation available to the public.
The mechanisms and timelines for making these results publicly available are similar to general reporting to the public. The Illinois Annual Performance Report and the State Systemic Improvement Plan reports are used to annually report to the public on the targets, data, improvement strategies, and evaluation. The Illinois Interagency Council for Early Intervention participates in target-setting and improvement strategy discussions during their meetings, they also provide input to the draft report, and provide final approval prior to APR submission. The APR is posted on the Department's website no later than 120 days following the State's submission. A hard copy of the APR is also available for public review at each of the 25 CFC offices. The SSIP reports are also posted on the Department's and contractual partners' websites. Progress on the SSIP is communicated through a SSIP Quarterly Summary which is widely distributed to stakeholders. The SSIP work is also described in the contract partners' quarterly newsletters and discussed at each monthly CFC Manager's meeting. The Illinois APR, SSIP, 618 data, Annual Federal Grant Applications, and Monthly Statistical reports are available online at: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=36192.
Reporting to the Public:
How and where the State reported to the public on the FFY 2019 performance of each EIS Program located in the State on the targets in the SPP/APR as soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days following the State's submission of its FFY 2019 APR, as required by 34 CFR §303.702(b)(1)(i)(A); and a description of where, on its website, a complete copy of the State's SPP/APR, including any revision if the State has revised the targets that it submitted with its FFY 2019 APR in 2021, is available.
The Illinois Annual Performance Report and the State Systemic Improvement Plan reports are used to annually report to the public on the EI performance targets. The Illinois Interagency Council for Early Intervention is the principle stakeholder group that reviews and provides final approval to the APR. The APR is posted on the Department's website no later than 120 days following the State's submission. A hard copy of the APR is also available for public review at each of the 25 CFC offices. Most APR indicators include a table that compares the performance of each CFC office with statewide performance and target values.
The SSIP reports (Phases I, II and III (in progress)) are also posted on the Department's and contractual partners' websites. Progress on the SSIP is communicated through a SSIP Quarterly Summary which is widely distributed to stakeholders. The SSIP work is also described in the contract partners' quarterly newsletters and discussed at each monthly CFC Manager's meeting.
Document Posting: The Illinois APR, SSIP, 618 data, Annual Federal Grant Applications, and Monthly Statistical reports are available online at: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=36192. The EI Training Program website has links to the EI Reports and informational notices located at https://uofi.illinois.edu/blog/view/6039/114615?count=1&ACTION=DIALOG&sort=asc.
Intro - Prior FFY Required Actions
While the State has publicly reported on the FFY 2018 (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019) performance of each EIS program or provider located in the State on the targets in the State's performance plan as required by sections 616(b)(2)(C)(ii)(I) and 642 of IDEA, those reports did not, as specified in the OSEP Response, contain all of the required information. With its FFY 2020 SPP/APR, the State must provide a Web link demonstrating that the State has fully reported to the public on the performance of each early intervention service program or provider located in the State on the targets in the SPP/APR for FFY 2018. In addition, the State must report with its FFY 2020 SPP/APR, how and where the State reported to the public on the FFY 2019 performance of each early intervention service program or provider located in the State on the targets in the SPP/APR.
The State's IDEA Part C determination for both 2020 and 2021 is Needs Assistance. In the State's 2021 determination letter, the Department advised the State of available sources of technical assistance, including OSEP-funded technical assistance centers, and required the State to work with appropriate entities. The Department directed the State to determine the results elements and/or compliance indicators, and improvement strategies, on which it will focus its use of available technical assistance, in order to improve its performance. The State must report, with its FFY 2020 SPP/APR submission, due February 1, 2022, on: (1) the technical assistance sources from which the State received assistance; and (2) the actions the State took as a result of that technical assistance.
OSEP notes that the State submitted verification that the attachment complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 508). However, one or more of the attachments included in the State's FFY 2019 SPP/APR submission are not in compliance with Section 508 and will not be posted on the U.S. Department of Education's IDEA website. Therefore, the State must make the attachment(s) available to the public as soon as practicable, but no later than 120 days after the date of the determination letter.
Response to actions required in FFY 2019 SPP/APR
The web link demonstrating that the State has fully reported to the public on the performance of each early intervention service program on the targets in the SPP/APR for FFY19 is: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/EI/APRs/FFY2019StatePerformancePlanAnnualPerformancePlan.pdf and for FFY18 is: http://www.wiu.edu/coehs/provider_connections/pdf/ILSPPAPRPARTCFFY201819FINALwcharts.pdf. The link to the FFY19 APR includes all charts, even those not able to be posted to the OSEP website due to 508 noncompliance.
Intro - OSEP Response
N/A
Intro - Required Actions
N/A
