Childhood Development Program Manual

Bureau of Childhood Development
Program Manual FY20

I. Introduction/Definition

The Bureau of Childhood Development administers community-based prevention and intervention programs to strengthen capacity of children, adolescents, women and men to make healthy decisions, utilize support systems, access opportunities, and achieve self-sufficiency. Program definitions are as follows:

All Our Kids Early Childhood Network (AOK Networks) -The All Our Kids Early Childhood Networks program is an initiative to promote healthy pregnancies and the positive growth and development of all children birth to five and their parents/caregivers by assuring a high quality, well-coordinated, easily accessible system of services and supports. AOK Networks use a data-driven approach to understand disparities and root causes of locally identified priority issues. The goal of the initiative is to improve outcomes for children and families through the implementation of evidence-based strategies that promote an effective local early childhood system. 

Prevent Child Abuse- The purpose and scope of services for this program is to support the development and effectiveness of new parent home visitation in Illinois by:  participating in the Healthy Families Illinois planning and governance structure, managing funds to assist specific HFI programs with accreditation, providing staff support to the regional HFI program clusters, planning and hosting the annual Statewide Conference on Child Abuse Prevention to include a home visitor sessions track and recognition program and sponsoring an annual HFI Summit training event in conjunction with the annual statewide conference on child abuse prevention.

Parents Care and Share - The mission of the Parents Care and Share program is to prevent child abuse and neglect through a statewide network of semi-self help support groups for parents and caregivers of children. The Provider will maintain Parents Care and Share chapters across the state; recruit, train and maintain program volunteers; conduct outreach activities; and conduct other activities as negotiated with the Department.

Responsible Parenting - The Responsible Parenting program helps adolescent mothers to delay subsequent pregnancies, consistently and effectively practice birth control, continue their schooling to high school graduation, develop parenting skills and cope with the social and emotional problems related to pregnancy and parenting and to ensure that the teen and her child are healthy and prepared for school.

Youth Opportunity - The Youth Opportunity Program assists low-income youth in selected Chicago high schools to complete high school, and to 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 and Procedures

Subject to Department review and approval, providers will maintain and adhere to written policies and procedures as appropriate to the program, as detailed in the sections below.

III. Contact 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. Exhibit E, containing Performance Measures
  7. Exhibit F, containing Performance Standards
  8. Exhibit G, containing State Agency Contracts

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 once executed, will be able to download the signed contract.

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.
  4. The Department may provide a staffing formula for the program.

V. Provider Responsibilities

All Our Kids Early Childhood Networks

Program Description

The All Our Kids Early Childhood Networks (AOK Networks) is a community system development initiative that aims to ensure the healthy growth and optimal development of young children in the context of their families. It recognizes the value of cross-system collaboration to increase collective benefits by focusing on shared goals. With the understanding that coordinated efforts around a shared purpose yield greater benefits and wider reaching impact. AOK Networks develop coordinated and integrated local service delivery across health, early care and education, human service and other service systems. AOK Networks create and implement collaborative strategies and activities that address the unique needs, cultures, and strengths of local communities. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois State Board of Education, local health departments and local agencies serving pregnant women, children birth to five and their parent/caregivers. The overall goal of the AOK Networks is to ensure locally that babies are born healthy, children maintain physical and emotional health and wellbeing and enter school ready to learn. AOK Networks consist of a network coordinator and a wide range of stakeholders representing health, mental health, early learning, human services, family support, faith-based organizations, families and more.

The objectives of the initiative are a) to establish and maintain a community collaboration (the AOK Network) representing early childhood development system partners and individuals with interests and services for families with young children to work on improving access, equity, quality, coordination and consumer satisfaction of local service delivery; b) to conduct, a community assessment utilizing primary and secondary data sources to identify local early childhood system strengths and priority issues to be addressed through the development and implementation of strategic initiatives that incorporate system-change approaches, system building strategies and include a user-centered design; and c) to engage parents/caregivers as Network partners through participation in Network meetings, parent workgroups, community events, written surveys, periodic parent cafés, and/or public education campaigns. Grantees will work with the Department to develop a community-based system of health and human services for pregnant women, children birth to five years old and their parents/caregivers.

AOK Network Provider Responsibilities

  1. The Provider will work with the Department to develop a local comprehensive early childhood service and support system to meet the needs of pregnant women, children birth to five years old and their parents/caregivers. 
  2. The Provider will hire one (1.0) FTE highly qualified local coordinator to develop and maintain a community collaboration (the AOK Network) representing parents, local agencies/organizations, and community stakeholders with interests and supports for pregnant women and families with young children within the geographically assigned area. 
  3. The Provider will promote the professional development and provide support to the local AOK Network coordinator in any of the following ways:
    1. Attend training together
    2. Respond to funder requests for information
    3. Provide assessment and planning support
    4. Manage the local coordinator's responsibilities during any leaves of absence or staff transitions 
  4. The Provider will furnish monthly financial reports, by completing and submitting the Periodic Financial Report (PFR) - to the Department and a copy to the AOK Networks State Administrator in alignment with the approved budget by the 15th of the month following the reporting period.
  5. The Provider will record all efforts completed toward identified objectives in the AOK Connect reporting database monthly, submitting semi-annual Periodic Performance Reports (PPR) to update the Department on the Network's progress. The provider will also submit any additional documentation of efforts as request by the state administrator.
  6. The Provider will participate in process and outcome evaluation services provided by the designated contractor as determined necessary by the Department.
  7. It is an expectation of the grant that health department Administrators/ Directors and on-site supervisors of AOK local coordinators attend an annual AOK Networks update meeting.

Local AOK Networks Coordinator's Qualifications

The AOK Network Coordinator is charged with leading the local birth to five community through a planning and implementation process to improve the system of services and supports that gives equitable access to high-quality programs for all young children. The grantee should seek to hire a local coordinator that possesses the following qualifications and experiences:

  1. Understanding and familiarity with the various sectors of the birth to five service community (i.e., maternal and child health, early intervention, early care and education, mental health, family supports and prevention services)
  2. Understanding of local community assessment processes
  3. Strategic planning experience
  4. Data collection and analysis experience
  5. Ability to lead in a collaborative environment
  6. Group facilitation skills and experience
  7. Leadership development skills and experience
  8. Understanding of systems development
  9. Network/collaboration development and management experience
  10. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  11. Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Education, or Public Health Administration preferred

Local AOK Network Coordinator's Responsibilities

The local Coordinator's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following activities:

  1. Establish and maintain a community collaboration (the AOK Network) representing early childhood development sectors and individuals with interests and services for families with young children to work on improving access, equity, quality, coordination and consumer satisfaction of local service delivery.
  2. Conduct an early childhood community assessment utilizing primary and secondary data sources to determine community strengths and identify priority child and family outcome issues.
  3. Represent the early childhood sector in the development of the local IPLAN/MAPP to provide insight on the identified early childhood outcome and system issues.
  4. Incorporate system building strategies, system-change approaches, and a user-centered design in the development and implementation of three initiatives focused on:
    • Network Capacity
    • Identified Child or Family Outcome Issue
    • Information and Referral
  5. Utilize local primary and secondary data to monitor and evaluate progress on initiatives' strategic plan.
  6. Conduct self-assessments to include but not limited to the Wilder survey, local coordinator questionnaire, parent and provider surveys provided by Department and submit as indicated.
  7. Engage parents/caregivers as Network partners through participation in Network meetings, parent workgroups, community events, written surveys, periodic parent cafés, and/or public education campaigns.
  8. Participate in all mandatory statewide meetings with the Department held three times a year; attend AOK-sponsored regional trainings, teleconferences and webinars; promote the experience and lessons learned of the AOK initiative at state or national conferences; and attend professional development opportunities recommended by the Department.
  9. Develop and maintain resource directories/cards with an inventory of local early childhood services (and related services to families with children from birth to five) updating this information annually and posting on the Network's local webpage at www.aoknetworks.org .
  10. Participate in a statewide AOK Network effort to promote children's mental health public awareness by connecting with the National SAMHSA website at www.samhsa.gov/children  for resources and conducting local events to address children's mental health issues/topics that are specific to the community.
  11. Update quarterly the Network's local webpage on the AOK website at www.aoknetworks.org  by providing information such as Network accomplishments, community events and resources, and posting meeting dates on the AOK website calendar.

Parents Care and Share

  1. Services - The Provider will maintain Parents Care and Share chapters across the state; recruit, train and maintain program volunteers; conduct outreach activities; and conduct other activities to be negotiated with the Department.
  2. Reports - Within six months after the inception and within 45 calendar days after the end of the Attachment period, the Provider will submit to the Department a narrative report of the activities provided by the Provider. Such reports shall include, but not be limited to:
    1. a description of activities related to volunteer recruitment, training and maintenance
    2. a summary of the number of local chapters and the number of participants, and
    3. a description of outreach activities completed.

Responsible Parenting

  1. Services - The Provider shall provide the following services year round, including, but not limited to:
    1. weekly parent group meetings and/or individual contacts
    2. parenting and coping skills education
    3. immunization, EPSDT, and screening for developmental delay compliance
    4. education on family planning including abstinence education, and reduction of sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, delay subsequent pregnancy
    5. activities to develop positive parent/child interaction
    6. monitoring of below post-secondary school progress, and
    7. career planning services
  2. Reports
    1. The Provider shall submit both a quarterly program report and the "Teen Parent Program Common Outcomes Reporting Tool" to the Department no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter. A program plan and spending plan must also be submitted.  Report format and due date for submission will be determined by the Department.
    2. The Provider must report to the program manager all staff, service site address, phone, fax or any e-mail address changes within five (5) days of occurrence.
  3. Performance Standards - The Provider must meet performance standards which will be established by the Department and sent to Providers in a separate document.

Youth Opportunity

  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 within 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 the end of each quarter. Report format to be determined by the Department.

For Programs Using Cornerstone

  1. The agency must purchase and maintain a business class contract with an Internet  Provider Service (ISP).
  2. Interruption of communication and/or connectivity must be reported within 24 hours to the agency's ISP and the Cornerstone Service Desk.
  3. Cornerstone User access must be approved and terminated by an appropriate section manager responsible for Cornerstone security management within the Cornerstone agency.
  4. Security training is required before Cornerstone users are allowed access to the system and annually thereafter.
  5. Reasonable action, due care, and due diligence must be taken to prevent inappropriate use, disclosure, destruction or theft of Cornerstone-designated IT resources. Reasonable actions include but are not limited to prevention, detective and corrective measures such as encryption, anti-viral software and application of security patches.
  6. Disclosure of Cornerstone information is restricted only to authorized parties and in a manner consistent with the form of data classification.
  7. Cornerstone-designated IT resources are for approved use only.  Approved use is limited to authorized users, sanctioned Cornerstone business and job responsibility.
  8. Only approved software and hardware are authorized to be loaded on Cornerstone-owned IT resources:
    • Users are not authorized to run software that has not been approved by Cornerstone technical staff.
    • Users are not authorized to attach hardware not approved by Cornerstone technical staff including but not limited to modems or non-Cornerstone-designated IT resources such as portable computers or other digital storage or writing devices.
    • Only approved software may be used to develop applications or to manipulate data.

VI. Department Responsibilities

The Department will provide technical assistance and monitoring for all programs operated under the Division of Family and Community Services.

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 Family and Community Services on a monthly basis, within fifteen days of the end of the month reported.
  4. The Provider shall submit expenditure documentation by email to: DHS.ECD@illinois.gov
  5. All financial record keeping on the part of the Provider shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.

IX. Program Monitoring

The Provider shall permit Department staff to conduct accompanied and unaccompanied site visits of service delivery providers for the purpose of observation and discussion of programmatic and operational content and understanding.

X. Program Budget

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

XI. Applicable Rules and Statutes

The Provider shall provide services as set forth in the pertinent portions of the FCS Program Manual and shall act in accordance with all state and federal statutes and administrative rules applicable to the provision of the services, including, but not limited to the following:

Federal Rules:

  1. 42 CFR 430 et seq.: Medicaid provisions of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and its rules
  2. 42 CFR 431.300 - 431.307: Medicaid provisions of Title XIX of the Social Security Act and its rules, specifically provisions regarding "Safeguarding Information on Applicants and Recipients"
  3. 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart C: Policies of General Applicability, Abortions and Related Medical Services in Federally Assisted Programs of the Public Health Service
  4. 42 CFR 54.1 et seq.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provisions regarding Charitable Choice
  5. 45 CFR Part 16: Procedures of the Departmental Grant Appeals Board
  6. 45 CFR 74 and 45 CFR 75: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provisions regarding Administration of Grants
  7. 45 CFR 260: General Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Provisions

Federal Statutes:

  1. 22 U.S. Code 7102 et seq.: Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act
  2. 42 U.S. Code 290aa et seq.: Public Health Service Act
  3. 42 U.S. Code 701 et seq.: Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant
  4. 42 U.S. Code 5101 et seq.: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1996
  5. 42 U.S. Code 5601 et seq.: Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act
  6. 42 U.S. Code 10401 et seq.: Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
  7. 42 U.S. Code 12501 et seq.: National and Community Service Act of 1990 as amended by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993
  8. 42 U.S. Code 13701 et seq.: Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
  9. 42 U.S. Code Chapter 7, Subchapter V, Section 701: Authorization of Appropriations

State Rules: Title 77 Illinois Administrative Code

  1. Part 630: Maternal and Child Health Services Code
  2. Part 2030: Award and Monitoring of Funds

State Rules: Title 89 Illinois Administrative Code

  1. Part 130.200: Administration of Social Service Programs, Domestic Violence Shelter and Service Programs
  2. Part 310: Delivery of Youth Services Funded by the Department of Human Services
  3. Part 313: Community Services
  4. Part 334: Administration and Funding of Community-Based Services to Youth
  5. Part 507: Audit Requirements of DHS
  6. Part 509: Fiscal/Administrative Recordkeeping and Requirements
  7. Part 511: Grants and Grant Funds Recovery

State Statutes:

  1. 5 ILCS 420/1-101 et seq: Illinois Governmental Ethics Act
  2. 5 ILCS 430 et seq: State Officials and Employees Ethics Act
  3. 20 ILCS 405/405-300 Civil Administrative Code of Illinois
  4. 20 ILCS 505/17: Children and Family Services Act
  5. 20 ILCS 710: Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Services Act
  6. 20 ILCS 1305: Department of Human Services Act
  7. 20 ILCS 2310/55.05: Civil Admin. Code of Illinois
  8. 30 ILCS 105/9.04: State Finance Act
  9. 30 ILCS 105/15a: State Finance Act
  10. 30 ILCS 50/1-1 et seq: Illinois Procurement Code
  11. 30 ILCS 435/15: Human Services Provider Bond Reserve Payment Act
  12. 30 ILCS 500/1-15.60: Illinois Procurement Code
  13. 30 ILCS 500/20-80: Illinois Procurement Code
  14. 30 ILCS 540/1 et seq: State Prompt Payment Act
  15. 30 ILCS 575/0.01 et seq: Business Enterprise Program for Minorities, Females and Persons with Disabilities
  16. 30 ILCS 590/1 et seq: State Agency Employees Child Care Services Act
  17. 30 ILCS 705/1: Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act
  18. 225 ILCS 10: Child Care Act of 1969
  19. 225 ILCS 460/1: Solicitation for Charity Act
  20. 305 ILCS 5/4-12, 9-1, 12-4.5 through 12-4.7, and 12-13: Illinois Public Aid Code
  21. 325 ILCS 5: Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act
  22. 410 ILCS 213: Hearing Screening for Newborns Act
  23. 750 ILCS 30: Emancipation of Minors Act
  24. 750 ILCS 60/227: Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986
  25. 760 ILCS 55/1: Charitable Trust Act
  26. 805 ILCS 5: Business Corporation Act

Note on Provider Audit Requirements

The State General Revenue Funds disbursed through the Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Community Services, are usually Maintenance of Effort (MOE) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) matching funds. Therefore, these funds are generally treated as FEDERAL FUNDS at the end of the fiscal year. Such treatment of State General Revenue Funds as Federal Funds may cause the Provider to fall under the audit requirements of OMB Circular A-133. This knowledge can be used to avoid unnecessary additional costs when requesting year-end fiscal audits. The Provider is therefore advised to notify their independent auditor (CPA) of this possibility.