Bill Text: IL SR0248 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares May 15, 2019 as the fourth Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-05-31 - Resolution Adopted [SR0248 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-SR0248-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate recognize that
foster youth and alumni are some of the State's most precious,
valuable, and vulnerable citizens; and
WHEREAS, The mission of the Foster Care Alumni of America
(FCAA) is to connect the alumni community and to transform
policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and
from foster care; it seeks to serve and act on behalf of the
rights, needs, and well-being of current and former foster
youth; and
WHEREAS, FCAA-IL is one of 23 state chapters that the FCAA
has around the country with members dedicated to its mission;
and
WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Children and Family
Services (DCFS) protects children who are reported to be abused
or neglected; it works to increase their families' capacity to
safely care for them and provides for the well-being of
children in DCFS care; they provide appropriate, permanent
families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot
safely return home; they support early intervention and child
abuse prevention activities, and they work in partnerships with
communities to fulfill this mission; and

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WHEREAS, The services that DCFS provides include a
Statewide Youth Advisory Board whose mission is to advocate and
educate all youth in care; the Statewide Youth Advisory Board
is committed to youth empowerment, development, leadership,
and achievement across the State of Illinois;; and
WHEREAS, FCAA-IL, working together with DCFS and their
Statewide Youth Advisory Board, are proud to host the fourth
Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day
on May 15, 2019; and
WHEREAS, The purpose of this day is to connect current and
former foster children with a State legislator to educate them
on the legislative process; the legislators spend their day
mentoring them; this process helps reshape the impression of
who youth in foster care and alumni are and connects
legislators to the youth that they impact directly and
indirectly; and
WHEREAS, The actions of founding FCAA-IL Chapter President
James McIntyre, National Board Chair April Curtis, and current
and former DCFS Statewide Youth Advisory Board members
represent shining examples of those in our communities doing
positive things for foster children, past and present, and are
responsible for the creation of the Annual Illinois Foster

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Youth and Alumni Legislative Shadow Day; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 15, 2019
as the fourth Annual Illinois Foster Youth and Alumni
Legislative Shadow Day and acknowledge the dedication, hard
work, and significant contributions made to the well-being of
current and former foster children; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to all participants in recognition of their efforts.