A. Services shall be provided in family homes for children who have been placed in foster care in compliance with the Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Welfare Agencies (Attachment I) and DCFS policies and procedures. Only children and youth referred by DHS/DCFS shall be accepted into a DCFS slot. B. Contractors shall provide services including, without limitation, the following: 1. Recruitment, training, licensing compliance, support, and retention of foster homes. 2. Recruitment efforts focused on families who will accept children and adolescents in foster care, sibling groups, and older youth. 3. All necessary background checks, training, and SAFE home studies. 4. Monitoring all re-evaluations of the home, including quarterly visits, and meeting Minimum Licensing Requirements. 5. Conduct training for resource families as specified by DCFS. 6. Electronic reporting. C. Contractors shall have a network of resources to provide services and shall be responsible for monitoring to ensure all requirements are met and services are provided independent of DCFS. D. PLPAs shall support DCFS in the mission of reunification and achieving permanency for children and youth: 1. By working with DCFS to follow policy to ensure siblings who have been separated are placed together. 2. By assisting DCFS in weekly visitation of siblings who have been separated. 3. By assisting DCFS with transportation to weekly visits for siblings who have been separated. 4. By following guidelines established by the Contractor’s program description, child welfare licensing, and DCFS policy as it relates to the Alternate Care Policy. 5. By supporting DCFS in reunification efforts. 6. By supporting DCFS in relative placements for the children and youth in the PLPA setting.
