Prairie State Wire

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Institutional Review Board met April 22.

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

I. Call to Order

II. Acceptance of Minutes

• April 1, 2025

III. Follow-up / Updates

• Risser (FN+ Open Trial 2024-12 Amend 1): “Building Capacity for Youth Mental Wellness: Feasibility and Acceptability for a mental health Family Navigator Model for Foster Parents”

The amendment makes minor changes to the Protocol and Consent Form: 1) Indicated that they are recruiting both English and Spanish speaking foster parents, 2) Indicated that they are recruiting only foster parents living in Illinois, 3) Indicated that they may recruit via word of mouth, and 4) Indicated in the Protocol and Consent Form that they are sharing information with NIMH as this study is funded by the NIH.

POST MEETING UPDATES:

1) Researcher clarified that the translator is not certified. He is a native Spanish speaker, and fluent in both English and Spanish. He also has experience working with Spanish-speaking participants.

2) In addition to directing participants who want access to immediate resources for their child’s mental and behavioral health, to nationwide directories of providers and/or encourage them to contact their child’s caseworker, researcher indicated that they will also direct participants to contact their youth’s primary care physician if mental health symptoms are exacerbated. The consent form has been updated.

IV. New Proposals / Amendments

• Morsch (Wraparound 2023-01 Amend 1): “Evaluation of DCFS Immersion Sites /Wraparound Qualitative Study”

This amendment adds specific information about the qualitative study being conducted in the coming months. The qualitative study will include focus groups and interviews with Wraparound staff members, caregivers, and youth. The number of counties served by Wraparound in Illinois was increased; the anticipated members to be involved in the research was updated to reflect the qualitative study activities; the study title was updated to remove “Immersion Sites” as Immersion Sites ended and Wraparound has expanded since; new supporting documents are included (program participant contact form, recruitment documents, consent/assents documents, focus group and interview guides); the wraparound eligibility checklist has been updated.

• Pachecho-Applegate (2025-04 Private ECE Providers Response to Chicago's Public Preschool Expansion and Smart Start Grants)

The proposed study is conducted as part of the researcher’s dissertation in fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The study examines two interventions in the Chicago early childhood education (ECE) market: a citywide public preschool expansion and the Illinois Smart Start Workforce Grants (SSWG) initiative, and how ECE providers respond to these policies in terms of internal operations, decision-making, and strategies for sustaining their business. Additionally, it examines whether these policies influence providers' participation in the Illinois Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), a demand-side subsidy that provides vouchers to low-income families.

The candidate is requesting access to cross-sectional versions of DCFS longitudinal licensing data that is publicly available through DCFS’s Sunshine website and via the Day Care Provider Lookup database for private early childhood education providers. The specific information requested includes details on provider type, address, license status, license start and end dates, ages served, and capacity. The data requested is specific to Chicago providers. Chapin Hall has requested a letter of support from DCFS.

V. Manuscript Reviews – Nothing to report at this time

VI. On Hold – Nothing to report at this time

VII. Other

• Role & Boundaries of Institutional Review Board

▪ Responsibilities of the Reviewing Deputy – Continued discussions on role of the Deputy as it relates to research proposals and to the role of the IRB.

▪ New inquiries (Example – see Pachecho-Applegate)

▪ Flowchart approval process

▪ Website updates

▪ Evaluator Review Sheet

▪ Review alternate tool based on DCFS Rule 432.5 Criteria by Which Proposed Research Will be Evaluated of DCFS

• Rules of Procedure/Bylaws Workgroup: Draft Rule 428 Review –

Establishment of Rules of Procedure and/or Bylaws

• Partnership for Progress: Goals 1-5 (April 23-April 30)

• Next Meeting: May 27, 2025 at 2:00 pm

VIII. Adjourn

https://dcfs.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dcfs/documents/about-us/impact-public-policy/documents/irb/irb-agenda-042225.pdf