Illinois Department of Children and Family Services CERAP Advisory Committee Met April 9.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
In attendance via WebEx videoconference: Diane Moncher, Brenda Lindsey, Dianne Scruggs, Janet Ahern, Tamara Fuller, Joan Pernecke, Dustin Frevert
Meeting called to order at 1:03 PM with reading and approval of minutes from the February 26th meeting. Janet Ahern motioned to accept the minutes and seconded by Diane Moncher. The group voted to accept the minutes.
Dianne Scruggs asked the group for suggestions for new members to this committee. This prompted discussion and questions regarding this committee’s purpose with the Department going forward.
The group asked why the Department did not ask for this committee’s involvement in the replacement of the CERAP tool. What is this committee’s role going forward? What is the relationship between DCFS and Chapin Hall going to be? Does this committee have a use going forward? Should this committee be recruiting new members until these questions are answered by the Department?
It was decided to that anyone that has potential candidates to send those persons contact information to Dianne Scruggs and copied to Dustin Frevert and Tamara Fuller. Tamara suggested that this group needs members form POS agencies. Janet Ahern suggested a need for members that are a current state’s attorney or public defender.
Tamara Fuller provided an update on the group’s annual research project. Tamara and her team have begun analyzing available SACWIS data confirming initial unsafe CERAPs have increased by fifty 50% after February 2017. Tamara will use this data and combine census data for poverty and other demographics to build a statistical model in order to help understand the reasons for the increase in unsafe CERAPs.
Dianne Scruggs and Tamara Fuller both told the group of their intentions to step down as co-chairs of this committee and asked that this be put on the agenda for the July meeting. The group gave both Dianne and Tamara commendations on their work and effort they have put into this committee since its inception.
The group has decided to add a meeting to the calendar for May 27th, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM via videoconference to review and approve of the final draft of the committee’s annual report.
The committee would like to know if the Department has chosen another tool to replace the CERAP. If so, what has the Department chosen. The group would also like to know what the Department’s plan for this committee is going forward. This committee asks that Maria Miller commit to attending the May 27th meeting in order to provide this committee with answers to the above questions and guidance with this committee’s purpose going forward.
Joan Pernecke offered a motion to adjourn with a second from Janet Ahern. Meeting adjourned at 1:42 PM.
https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/aboutus/policy/Documents/cerap/CERAP_Minutes_040921.pdf
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