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A publication of the DCFSHispanic Advisory Committee NNNNNoooootttttiiiiiciaciaciaciaciasssssRod R. Blagojevich, Governor Fall Edition, 2005Bryan Samuels, Director

CCCCCeeeeellllleeeeebrbrbrbrbraaaaatttttingingingingingHispanic Heritage Month!Hispanic Heritage Month!Hispanic Heritage Month!Hispanic Heritage Month!Hispanic Heritage Month!

Hispanic Advisory Committee Members: Front Row: Maria Calderon, Yolanda Capriles,Miriam Mojica, and Dahlia Roman; Second Row: Cecilio Perez, Julia Camacho de Monzon,Slyvia Fonseca, Carmen Alvarez, and Hector Vazquez; Back Row: Evelyn Martinez, KennethMartin-Ocasio and Asela Paredes

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Welcome to the Fall 2005 Edition of Noticias. I am excited to bethe Chair of the Hispanic Advisory Committee (HAC). WhenI started attending HAC meetings back in 2001, I did notrealize how much work this group of Latinos puts into ourorganization. With my personal participation, I learned howpeople could come together to a make a difference. Now Iunderstand and realize that as child welfare professionals, wesometimes are so busy helping our own families, working atour desks, doing paperwork, and attending mandated trainingsand staffings, we don’t realize how much our job impactsothers. We must continue to thrive here in the Department.The Hispanic Advisory Committee is an advisory entity to ourDirector Samuels. We take pride in conveying your concernsto him. Additionally, you already know we are continuouslyfacing many challenges in assuring that our Latino familiesand their children receive the appropriate services to which theyare entitled. I take my hat off to all of you whom are theconcerned workers that on a daily basis are constantly workingto help the Latino families and children we serve. To that end,I leave with these words to reflect on:

Oliver Wendell Holmes stated: “I find the great thing in this world isnot so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving. Toreach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind andsometimes against it, but we must sail and not drift, nor lie at the anchor.”

Como presidenta de este comité, me siento orgullosa derepresentarles. Nosotros somos un comité que trabajamosarduamente para presentarle a nuestro Director Samuels todoslos asuntos concernientes a las familias y niños latinos queservimos. Yo tomo, seriamente mi responsabilidad comopresidenta y quisiera exhortarlos a que participen de lasactividades que propiciamos. Cualquier inquitud ó si deseanpueden comunicarse al número 1- 708-338-6692 ó a mi correoelectrónico a MMojica@idcfs.state.il.us.

Cordialmente,Miriam Mojica, MSWHispanic Advisory Commitee Chairperson

Welcome from theChairperson

Miriam Mojica

Inside this issue:Page 2Welcome from the Chairperson

Page 3The correlation between domesticviolence and child neglect and abuse

Page 4The focus is on you

Page 5Consent procedures for foregoing life-sustaining treatment

Page 6HAC/AAAC biannual meeting

Arden Shore “Run for the Kids”

Page 7Upcoming community events

Page 8Substance abuse increases amongHispanics in Illinois

Page 9The long-term impact of child abuse

Page 10Office of Affirmative Action

Page 11Immigration services forundocumented children

SAVE THEDATE!

DCFS Hispanic FamilyInstitute Days

November 9-10,2005

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Responding to research revealing thecorrelation between domestic violenceand child welfare, the Department ofChildren and Family Services nameddomestic violence as one of fiveunderlying conditions often present inlives of families who come to theattention of child welfare services. Onesurvey of 6,000 families found that 50%of the men who abused their wivesfrequently abused their children.* Astudy done by a Boston City Hospitalreported that 59% of mothers of abusedand neglected children had medicalrecords that suggested that their partnershad battered them.**

In developing an awareness of domesticviolence as a child welfare concern,DFCS took significant steps to securestaff readiness:• A Statewide Domestic Violence

Administrator was hired.• The Domestic Violence Screening

Tool was developed and routine useby investigators is required.

• Basic information incorporating thedefinition, myths, causation, andvictim interview skills among otherfactors was integrated into the five-week clinical practice training. Thistraining was delivered to directservice staff and their supervisors.

The Department’s continued commit-ment to serving this particularpopulation has not diminished. Since itsearlier response to this issue, theDepartment has:• Worked with members of the

domestic violence community todevelop a much-needed domesticviolence policy and practice guide.Both documents will provide thebasis for a statewide training ondomestic violence in which directservice staff will be required to screenfor domestic violence throughoutthe life of a case. The training willhighlight the initial assessment

The Department responds to the correlation between domestic violence andchild neglect and abuseBy Marian Houston

process, child trauma symptoms,safety and service plans that aresensitive to the needs of victims ofdomestic violence, and inter-ventions. This training will beoffered to POS staff as well.

• A Domestic Violence Handbook forClients has been developed andtranslated into Spanish. In an effortto further a collaborative responseto domestic violence, the handbookencourages client disclosure. Whenresponding to household inquiriesthis handbook will be routinelydistributed to clients upon firstcontact.

• The Department’s Division ofClinical Services, under whoseumbrella Domestic ViolenceIntervention is housed, hopes tosupport the new domestic violenceprotocol by placing a domesticviolence specialist in every region.Currently there is one specialist whois housed at the Cook CentralMaywood Office—Nisha Patel, (708)338-6691. Upon request, thedomestic violence specialist willprovide case consultation andcontinued education.

• A second specialist will be hired andpossibly housed at Cook South’sEmerald office.

The Department continues to makeadvances in addressing this verycomplicated issue. Yet there is muchwork before us. Developing a statewidetracking system that will allow us totrack the number of cases and anyfactors that would speak to the needs ofa particular population such as teens,women of color, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexualor Transgender concerns, and batterersprograms. Identifying domestic violencein our foster homes and/or training ourfoster parents to better serve the needsof children who are secondary or evenprimary victims of domestic violence isalso critical.

In short, strengthening our response tovictims of domestic violence is a long-term commitment that will cause theDepartment to knock on many doors,and it is an endeavor that is filled withall kinds of unexpected challenges. Buteach day we face those challenges, wemove a little closer to eradicating domes-tic violence from our communities.

* Schechter, S., & Edelson, J.L. (1994). Inthe Best Interest of Women andChildren: Call Collaboration BetweenChild Welfare and Domestic ViolenceConstituencies. Briefing paper presentedat the conference on “Domestic violenceand Child Welfare: Integrating Policyand Practice for Families,” Racine,Wisconsin. June 8-10, 1994.

** SAME AS ABOVE.

The Domestic Violence Handbookis available to order through Chicagoand Springfield Stores in English and

Spanish.The order numbers areCFS 1050-85 (English) andCFS 1050-85-S (Spanish).

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importantly, I remember your concernfor children and families and yourdevotion that comes from “El Corazón.”Although I may not have seen some ofthe families or children you work with,your investment and hard work isreflected in the case review process.

SACWIS presented chal-lenges, but this did not alteryour commitment or yourbelief that the best way tohonor a child’s history isthrough maintaining theconnection with his/her“familia” and the continuityof their culture. I have seenthe pride in many of you fordoing what is best for thechildren, and your belief in

the work you do irrespective of systemicbarriers. We all have stories to share andlessons learned, and as a reviewer I canremember the parent who doesn’t giveup regardless of their limitations and theworker who trusts their instincts andachieves what is best for the family.Those special moments in a child’s lifemay not be articulated in a service planbut have been recognized andremembered. These are the momentswhich have inspired me to believe in thework that we do. Some experiencesinclude the worker who proudly talkedabout a child’s father who took a leadrole in his daughter’s “quinceañera” inspite of the adolescent being in care; theworker who believed in her adolescentclient who struggled with anunimaginable traumatic past, and withcompassion and support helped her toovercome many obstacles; and theworker who never gave up on returninga child home amidst a lengthy courtprocess. These things may not becaptured in a service plan, and multipledocuments may overshadow the essenceof these moments, but most importantlywe have instilled in that child a sense ofwho they are and where they belong.

“ The test of the morality of a society iswhat it does for its children.”Dietrich Bonhoeffer

In every issue of Noticias we will befocusing on a different Spanish Speakingbilingual employee. In this issue we wouldlike to introduce you to our Chairperson,Maria Calderón. If you know of someonewe should highlight, please send an emailto Julia Camacho, adelante!

Hi, I’m Maria. I am currentlya Case Review Administratorat Cook North, Bradley andhave been with DCFS foralmost 24 years, working invarious departments fromfollow-up to adoptions andnow in ACR.

Twenty-three years seems likea long time, and indeed it is,but new technological innovations andchanges within the social services arenahave greatly influenced child welfarepractices. One major change has been theshift from paper to our reliance oncomputer-generated forms. I rememberdoing service plans by hand, and if youdidn’t press hard enough, you mighthave the misfortune of having illegiblecarbon copies. Imagine having to correctplans without the click of a mouse, spellcheck, etc. Cell phones were nonexistentin those days, and guess what, we were atthe mercy of a local phone, andhopefully we had enough change in ourpockets to call a supervisor for supportor a co-worker for assistance. Not-withstanding, even with the antiquity ofthese means in performing our jobs andwith the dread of changes, ourcommitment to our children andfamilies has always been certain.

What are some of the most gratifyingaspects of your job?As a Case Review Administrator, I amaware that the review process entailsmuch preparation, not only in thedevelopment of plans, but also in thecoordination of services, mandatoryattendance, and the presentation ofmultiple documents. I want to say tomany of the workers I have worked withthat I recognize your hard work. Most

The focus is on you

Hispanic AdvisoryCommitteeMembers

Executive Committee

Miriam Mojica, Chairwoman

Dahlia Román, Chair-Elect

Héctor Vázquez, Secretary

Members At-Large

Carmen Alvarez

Maria Calderon

Julia Camacho

Yolanda Capriles

Luis Carrión

Angela M. Fadragas

Sylvia Fonseca

Victor M. Flores

Madeline González-García

Juana Haywood

Kenneth Martín-Ocasio

Dora Maya

Asela Paredes

Cecilio Perez

Milagros Rivera

Ex Officio Members

José Candelas

D. Jean Ortega Piron

Maria Calderón

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As the Guardian (“legal parent”) of ourchildren in foster care, I have the legalresponsibility to make all those decisionsthat a parent would normally make onbehalf of his/her child to ensure thechild’s health, safety, security, and wellbeing. Much of this work is deliveredthrough the consent process.Fortunately for me, I have manyauthorized agents in the field that helpme in carrying out my responsibilities.

While I have delegated the processing ofmany requests for consents to myauthorized agents, there are a few typesof consents that I have not. One of thoseis a request for consent for Do NotResuscitate/Do Not Intubate/Removalof Life Support orders (DNR/DNI). Iconsider these requests to be the mostserious of the work that we perform forchildren, and as their court-appointedguardian this decision is my ultimateresponsibility.

Often caseworkers are the firstindividuals that are approached byhealth care providers to discuss the needfor DNR/DNI removal orders. It is adifficult discussion and one that manycaseworkers may have only once in theircareers. Because of the seriousness of thedecision, I insist that all requests forconsent for the removal of life support,limiting medical treatment, foregoinglife-sustaining treatments, and/or theentry of a Do Not Resuscitate Orderimmediately be referred to the Divisionof Guardian and Advocacy. Only I, theGuardian, or in my absence, theAssistant Guardian, TheresaMatthews, may provide consent forthese types of requests. Authorizedagents cannot provide consent for theremoval of life support, entry of a DNRorder, or limiting medical treatmenton behalf of our wards.

Before I consent, I consult with theDepartment’s Medical Director, Dr.Paula Jaudes, meet with biological andfoster parents, visit the child, and have

Consent procedures for foregoing life-sustaining treatmentBy Jeanie Ortega-Piron

discussions with the treating physician,the caseworker, the supervisor, andanyone else I think is necessary. Myauthority to consent must be given inaccordance with the Health CareSurrogate Act.

The Health Care Surrogate Act isintended to define the circumstancesunder which private decisions toterminate life-sustaining treatment maybe made by surrogate decision makerson behalf of patients lacking decision-

making capacity without judicialinvolvement. The attending physicianmust certify that a patient is sufferingfrom a “qualifying condition” withinthe meaning of the Act. The threeconditions are: terminal condition,permanent unconsciousness, andincurable or irreversible condition.

It is when the physician determines thata child’s medical condition falls underthe Health Care Surrogate Act that Ineed the caseworker’s help in gatheringinformation. First, immediately contactmy office at (312) 814-8600 and state thatyou are calling to notify me about aphysician’s request for consent for DNR,removal of life support, or foregoing life-sustaining treatment. Someone from myoffice will then help you with theinformation I will need. Pursuant toDepartment Policy Guide 2001.4 you willbe asked to gather the following:• Copy of the Dispositional Order

appointing the DCFS GuardianshipAdministrator legal guardian of the

child. I must have guardianship; if Ido not, the biological parents are theindividuals with the legal authorityto consent. The Department isstrictly prohibited from seekingguardianship in order to consent toforegoing life-sustaining treatment.

• Names, addresses, and telephonenumbers of the child’s birth oradoptive parents, other interestedrelatives, and substitute caregivers.Though I have the legal authority toconsent to these types of requests, Istrongly consider the wishes of thebirth/adoptive parents, interestedrelatives, and substitute caregivers.

• A letter from the child’s attendingphysician requesting the consent,including a statement of what thequalifying condition is, brief medicalhistory, and diagnosis and basis forhis/her treatment recommendation.

• Letters from two physicians (withspecialized training, knowledge, orexperience in the medical disciplineof the child’s disease and/ordisability who are not professionallyassociated with the child’s attendingphysician) providing their reasonsfor recommending the treatment.

• Written statement from the medicalprovider’s ethics committeeproviding the committee’s reasonsfor recommending the treatment.

After I receive all of the information, Iwill begin my discussions and meetingsin order to make the most appropriatedecision for the child. I do not alwaysconsent, as there have been times whendoctors have requested consents that donot fall within the Health Care SurrogateAct, or the family members have re-quested that I do not consent. I will keepthe field informed of whatever I decide.

I recognize that this process is not onlydemanding of time but also of ouremotions. I thank all of you who haveassisted me in the past and all who willassist me in the future in making thesemost critical decisions for our children.

The Guardian has thelegal responsibility tomake all the decisionsthat a parent wouldnormally make on behalfof his/her child to ensurethe child’s health, safety,security, and well being.

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Hispanic AdvisoryCommittee (HAC) andAfrican AmericanAdvisory Council(AAAC) biannualmeetingBy Dahlia Roman

On May 19, 2005, the Hispanic AdvisoryCommittee (HAC) and African AmericanAdvisory Council (AAAC) met for theirbiannual joint meeting hosted by theAAAC at 1911 S. Indiana. The mostsignificant accomplishment was the finaldraft report presented by the sub-committee on “Incarcerated Youth.” Allmembers present reviewed and finalizedthe report for distribution to DirectorSamuels and his key staff members.

The catalyst for organizing thiscommittee came from the growingconcerns by both groups regarding theservice provisions for our incarceratedyouth population. Our self-imposedmandate was to form a subcommitteeto develop a report that would highlightthe issues and concerns of thispopulation of wards, and utilize theinformation gathered to provide theDepartment with concrete recom-mendations for servicing this vulnerablepopulation.

Our hope is that the report will serve as atool to aide in the development of policyso the Department Of Children andFamily Services and the Department OfCorrections ensure appropriate servicesand planning for these youth.

HAC and AAAC continue to workcohesively in an effort to address issuesand concerns that have an impact in bothour communities, affecting our childrenand families. The groups have beenmeeting biannually (in May andDecember) for the past five years. Welook forward to working collaborativelyand having a positive impact on our childwelfare system as we are confronted withnew challenges in the future.

Arden Shore “Run for the Kids” fundraising event

Arden Shore Child and FamilyServices, Lake County’s oldestnonprofit agency, has been servingthe individual needs of abused andneglected children and theirfamilies for 106 years. ArdenShore’s latest fund raising event,“Run for the Kids,” was held at theArlington Park Race Track on June12, 2005. The event raised necessaryfunds in support of Arden Shore’slong-standing mission of re-building children’s lives and raisedmore than $20,000 to benefitchildren and families.

The leadership of Arden Shore’sBoard of Directors co-chairs, BobPayton and Dottie Rzeszutko,rallied local corporate support todrive the event’s success.

The lead sponsors were the BarringtonCommittee of Arden Shore, LaSalleBank, Mowery and Schoenfeld LLC,Payton Floral Company, BaxterCorporation, Robert & Marcia Gilbreth,and Ken and Dottie Rzeszutko. Festivities included races throughout theday, a silent auction, a raffle, a buffetlunch, and an open bar.

Arden Shore prides itself on adapting itsprograms and services to the ever-changing social landscape and offeringa continuum of bilingual child welfareservices notable for their excellence:Boys’ Group Home (ages 15-21 years);Waukegan Group Home (boys/girls ages5-15 years); Relative and TraditionalFoster Care and Adoption Services;Family Centered Group Services; Intact

Family Services (FamilyPreservation); CulturallySensitive LanguageAppropriated Milieu and CaseManagement Services to Latinochildren and adolescents; andOutpatient Counseling/In-Home Counseling &Assessment. For moreinformation and other ArdenShore services, contact them onthe web at www.ardenshore.orgor call (847) 549-1730.

Left to right: Laura Becerra, Joe Becerra, CarmenAlvarez, Mario Barrales, Maria Calderon

Dottie Rzeszutko, Co-chair of the event andArden Shore Board of Directors member, andDora Maya, CEO of Arden Shore, address the

crowd at the “Run for Kids” fundraising event.

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Family structures in the Hispaniccommunity continue to deteriorate asthe levels of poverty and substance abuseincreases. Hispanic children are enteringthe child welfare systems at alarmingrates. Rural areas in Illinois such asBeardstown cannot keep up with thegrowing demand of the Hispaniccommunity making Hispanic familiessusceptible to human and mental healthproblems.

According to the Children’s HomeSociety of Washington, children whoseparents abuse drugs and alcohol arealmost three times more likely to beabused and four times more likely to beneglected than children of parents whoare not substance abusers. Social workersmust understand the strong relationshipbetween substance abuse and child mis-treatment and effective ways to deal withthem.

It is difficult to find accurate data onlevels of substance abuse among theHispanic population since national andstate surveys do not sample adequatenumbers of Hispanics. The Division ofAlcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA)is responsible for the licensing,monitoring, and develop-ment ofsubstance abuse treatment programs inthe state of Illinois.

In March of 2004, DASA produced theFiscal Year 2003 Data Book. DASA requiresthe reporting of service data for allfunded providers via the DivisionsAutomated Reporting and TrackingSystem (DARTS). Licensed substanceabuse treatment providers who do notreceive state or federal funds are notrequired to report services provided; as aresult, the data represented in the FiscalYear 2003 Data Book only provides us witha snapshot of the current system of carein the state of Illinois.

In 2002 a total of 12,217 Hispanicsreceived substance abuse services with

DASA-funded providers. In FY03 thenumbers increased to 14,898. Out ofthose 14,898 Hispanics served, 11,525were reported to be males and 3,373females: 132 of those females werereported pregnant; 3,218 were youth; 506were DCFS referred; and 133 were DCFSinvolved. In addition, 7,181 Hispanicsreported having 1 to 3 prior substanceabuse treatment episodes.

Every year alcohol is reported as thesubstance most used and/or abused byHispanics. This is understandable sincealcohol is a legal substance and widelyaccepted by everyone, includingHispanics.

In FY03 Hispanics reported their primarydrugs of choice as follows: 6,011 usedalcohol; 3,010 used marijuana/hashish;2,499 used heroin/Karachi; 1,552 usedcocaine; and 105 used hallucinogens.Many of these individuals had secondand third drugs of choice.

Numerous Hispanics seek community-based services and many do not seekservices at all. Examples of community-based programs are those established by

the faith-based organizations. Anothercommunity-based program is the 12-stepself help program such as AlcoholicsAnonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.Little is known about how or whenLatinos enter 12-step self-help groups.Since these groups are anonymous wecannot measure how many Hispanicsattend 12-step groups, how many sustainsobriety, and if this model is highlyeffective when working with Hispanicsrather than traditional structuredtreatment programs.

Throughout the country, governmentinstitutions, policy makers, and oureducational system are not meeting theneeds of the Hispanic community. This,in part, can be attributed to the fastgrowth in the population; however, it isequally due in part to the unavailabilityof services for Hispanics along with thelack of culturally competent services.

Community leaders and serviceproviders are limited in their tools toeffectively serve this changingpopulation primarily due to languagebarriers. The state of Illinois is notimmune to this dilemma. Theunavailability of human and healthcareservices for Hispanic families in Illinoisis prevalent. Substance AbuseIntervention and Treatment include thefollowing levels of care: EarlyIntervention, Outpatient, IntensiveOutpatient, Residential Extended Care,Detoxification, Residential, RecoveryHome, Community Intervention,Toxicology and Adjunctive Services.

Anyone in need of a substance abusereferral in the state of Illinois can contactDASA at (312) 814 3840 and request thename and number of a licensed providerwithin or near the person’s community.Once you contact the service provider,make sure they are qualified to deal witha Hispanic family.

Children whoseparents abuse drugsand alcohol arealmost three timesmore likely to beabused and fourtimes more likely tobe neglected thanchildren of parentswho are notsubstance abusers.

Substance abuse increases among Hispanics in the state of IllinoisBy Laura I. Garcia

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Regardless of the nature of child abuse,it is likely that the impact from the abusewill occur in three stages. The first stageis the initial reaction to the victimizationsuch as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,alterations to normal childhooddevelopment, painful affect, andcognitive distortions. The second stageis the attempt to accommodate ongoingabuse or integrate experiences of abusethrough coping behaviors intended toincrease safety (running away) anddecrease the pain of victimization (druguse). The last stage can be seen throughlong-term elaborations and secondaryaccommodations of the abuse. Thesecan manifest themselves through long-term effects of the initial impactreactions and later psychologicaldevelopment as well as the survivor’songoing coping responses to abuse-related dysphoria. The followingpsychological/behavioral disturbancescan result from child abuse: PostTraumatic Stress Disorder; CognitiveDisturbances; Altered Emotionality;Dissociation; Impaired Self-Reference;Disturbed Relatedness; and Avoidance.

Post Traumatic effects can includeenduring psychological symptoms as aresult of highly distressing disruptiveevents defined as: 1) aversive events thattranspire with sufficient severity thatwould evoke significant psychologicaldisturbance; 2) events frequently re-experienced via nightmares, intrusivethoughts or flashbacks (sudden sensorymemories that seem immediately realeven though the event is long past); 3)individual experiences such as numbingof general responsiveness to, oravoidance of, current events in his/herworld; and/or 4) persistent symptoms ofincreased arousal such as sleepdisturbance, heightened startle response,or poor concentration.

Cognitive Distortions can manifestthemselves through distortedperceptions of significant self-assumpti-ons, environment, and the future based

The long-term impact of child abuseBy Angela M. Fadragas, L.C.S.W.

upon childhood learning throughvictimization—examples would be theoverestimation of the amount of dangeror adversity in the world, or theunderestimation of his or her own self-efficacy and self-worth. These can leadto perceptions of helplessness, chronicdanger, hopelessness about the future,assumptions of inherent badness, hyper-vigilance of danger—not only forpotential danger to physical injury, butalso for psychological trauma such asbetrayal, abandonment, or injustice.Negative self-evaluation may arise as anattempt to make sense of the abuse. Thiscan lead to self-depreciating behaviorsuch as believing the abuse was deservedor having a sense of inherent badness.Cognitive reactions to child abuse are anattempt to draw logical conclusionsfrom what may appear to produce whatinitially seemed to be an illogicalresponse—passivity, self-blame, and/orlow self-esteem.

Altered Emotionality to the abuse canmanifest itself in the following ways, butnot exclusively: depression; anxiety;hypervigilance to danger in the environ-ment, whether objectively warranted ornot; preoccupations with control (withthe belief that even a slight loss of self-determination or self-protection couldlead to danger or catastrophe); and/ormisinterpretation of objectively neutralor positive interpersonal stimuli such asevidence of threat or danger.

Dissociation is a disturbance or alterationin the normal integrative functions ofidentity, memory, or consciousness.Dissociation can manifest itself throughdisengagement, detachment/numbing,observation, or amnesia. Disengagementis the cognitive separation from theenvironment at times of stress or trauma,often interpreted as “spacing out.”Detachment/numbing is the distractionor immobilization created by psycho-logical pain. Observation is theindividual experiencing themselves aswatching events in which they are

directly involved. Amnesia is theunconscious avoidance of anxiety anddistress arising from painful memoriesby banishing them from awareness.

Impaired Self- Reference is difficulties inhow the child relates to him or herself.The child does not have a strong senseof self-identity, who he or she is, or whatthey want, etc. This causes difficulty inattachments to others.

Disturbed Relatedness can be seen asdisturbances in intimacy—fear, distrust,or experience of ambivalence aboutinterpersonal closeness. Aggression inrelationships can develop by eitheravoiding interpersonal relationships alltogether or the acceptance of some levelof aggression in intimate relationships asnormal or appropriate. The way to getneeds met is either to trade or trick others.

Avoidance is a coping response at theunconscious level. This can manifest itselfthrough the use of substances in order toavoid difficult feelings or memoriesassociated with the abuse. Suicidality isthe ultimate avoidance of issues, used asan escape from extreme psychic pains,severe depression, crippling anxiety,overwhelming painful memories, orextreme hopelessness. Also manifestedmay be tension-reducing behaviors suchas acting out, poor impulse control, oraddictions. Self-mutilation may also beused as a strategy to avoid severe painfulfeelings. It is deliberate, non-lifethreatening, self-effected bodily harm, ordisfigurement of a socially unacceptablenature. Another manifestation ofavoidance can be seen in bingeing andpurging behaviors, eating disorders,starvation, hoarding food, vomiting, oreating too much.

It is important when working withchildren who have been abused to notlook at their behaviors as isolated orspecific to situations, but as part of amuch larger constellation of response toprevious victimization.

• 9 •

Affirmative Action is the third rail ofoffice culture. It can transform friendlydiscourse into a cynical, spiteful clash ina few short seconds. All too often, theunrest is fueled by the dearth ofinformation as well as misinformationhaunting the hallways. Nonetheless, thecharge of any Office of AffirmativeAction (OAA) is clear: to remedy past andcurrent injustices that are results ofparticular categories of discrimination.

While discrimination rears its ugly headin many guises, only some fall under thescrutiny of affirmative action. Forexample, a supervisor may unlawfullyprevent your just promotion because youroot for the Cubs, while she is a die-hardCardinals fan. Although this is indeedillegal, it will not trigger an affirmativeaction investigation. It falls squarelyunder the purview of labor relations.

Compelling affirmative action com-plaints within DCFS include discrimin-ation based on one or more of thefollowing:• Race• Color• Ethnicity• Sex (including sexual harassment)• National origin/Ancestry• Military discharge (Unfavorable)• Marital status• Citizenship• Arrest record/Aiding and abetting• Religion• Physical or mental disability• Age• Coercion• RetaliationAnd on January 1, 2006, a new categorywill be added—Sexual Orientation.

Employees who suspect they havesuffered one or more of these illegalforms of discrimination are urged by theOffice of Affirmative Action to speak totheir supervisors. All offices should haveblank complaint forms on file. If acomplaint is directed at one’s immediatesupervisor, an employee should eitherconsult that supervisor’s supervisor, or

contact us directly. The OAA phonenumber in Chicago is (312) 814-4692,and the number in Springfield is (217)524-1248. An investigation will notensue until we have an official complaintform on file that is signed by theemployee lodging the complaint. Anemployee has 150 days (five months)from the time of the alleged incident tofile a complaint with OAA. Once OAAhas received a complaint, it will conductan investigation and make a recom-mendation within 30 working days. Thisrecommendation will be sent to theDirector’s office and to the employee’ssupervisor. It will either recommendconciliation or find that the case lackssubstantial evidence.

In addition to OAA, which is an internalreview, an employee may choose to file agrievance at the state level with theIllinois Department of Human Rights(DHR) within 180 days (six months) ofthe incident(s) and/or at the federal levelwith the U.S. Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC)within 300 days (ten months) of theincident(s). You can reach the IllinoisDHR at (312) 864-6200 and the EEOC at(312) 353-2713.

OAA also investigates requests forreasonable accommodations. Theseaccommodations are granted to thosewho have qualifying physical or mentalhandicaps and when the accommo-dation does not create an unduehardship for DCFS. For example, anemployee who has significantly impairedeyesight may request and receive specialsoftware that will enlarge the font of alldocuments appearing on the computerscreen. That same employee, however,should not expect the agency to buy himor her a house nearby so that he or shecan walk to work.

Furthermore, a reasonable accommo-dation cannot compensate for theinability to accomplish a task essentialto the performance of one’s duties. Forexample, a clerical worker who lost the

use of her legs may request a parkingspace close to the entrance, as well as aramp into the facility. Nonetheless, ifthat same employee were a caseworker,her ability to gain access into somehomes would be hampered, if notimpeded altogether. In this scenario, herrequest to be assigned cases only inhomes that were wheelchair accessiblewould likely be deemed unreasonable.

OAA can counsel a grievant on the meritof a complaint. Moreover, a complainanthas the right to take Department timein order to consult an EEO officerprovided the employee has given thesupervisor reasonable notice. None-theless, the decision whether to file restssolely with the employee.

OAA does not limit its investigativescope to DCFS employee complaints,but will conduct inquiries of the samekind and magnitude with potentialhires, Purchase of Service (POS) agencies,DCFS clients, and subcontractors as well.

Currently, OAA is working with JudyZaleski of the Training Division to de-velop low-tech and high tech trainingsessions around affirmative action issues.Both are in their conceptual stages at themoment. Ms. Zaleski envisions a low-tech approach in which employ-ees would participate in conference callswhere trainers/facilitators lead discus-sions and answer questions. Partici-pants would also be engaged inPowerPoint presentations compliment-ed by workbooks and assessments.Anone with access to the D-Net and atelephone could participate. The hightech approach is in the pipeline. DCFShas a contract with Western Illinois Uni-versity to develop a high tech internet-based training package complete withstreaming video and sound. Participantswill look at scenarios unfolding in realtime as a trainer/webmaster follows theirprogress, facilitates discussion, and an-swers questions. Ms. Zaleski believes thistraining tool should be up and runningby September 2005.

Office of Affirmative ActionBy Roberto Sanabria

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How can our caseworkers determine ifundocumented children can receiveimmigration services?If the worker has an undocumentedchild/youth in his/her caseload, I suggestthat the caseworker answer five keyquestions. The answers to these ques-tions will provide a better determinationregarding the legal status of the child/youth:1. Do you provide services to a foreign-

born child/youth in a case (otherthan an intact family)?

2. Do you have proof that the foreign-born child/youth has legal status inthis country?

3. Does the Department have “court-ordered” guardianship of theforeign-born child/youth?

4. Does this foreign-born child/youthhave a permanency goal other thanReturn Home?

5. Does the foreign-born child/youthhave a social security card or socialsecurity number?

If the caseworker’s answer is affirmativeto three of the five questions, the child/youth may be undocumented and maybe eligible for status adjustment or otherimmigration services through theDepartment of Children and FamilyServices (DCFS).

What is the impact upon an undocumentedchild/youth who may be eligible forimmigration services but who is notreferred for an assessment to determinethe possibilities?There are several negative outcomes fora child or youth who is served by theDepartment and is in an undocumentedstatus. Perhaps the most important isrelated to achievement of certainpermanency goals, notably Adoption andIndependence. When a child/youth isundocumented or when there is noavailable proof that he/she has docu-mented status in the United States, he/she will not be able to:• Obtain a social security number• Access gainful employment• Access certain school funding for

higher education

Immigration services for undocumented childrenA Conversation with DCFS Immigration Services Coordinator

• Access a wide range of social servicesavailable to U.S. residents andcitizens

• Be assured of his/her continuedresidency in the U.S. without therisk of deportation

Additionally, the Department’s ability toclaim certain federal reimbursement maybe affected because there are someservices that are not reimbursable for achild/youth when he or she does nothave a social security number.

When should a child be referred for anassessment to determine if immigration orlegalization assistance is needed? Whatare the requirements that must be met forthe child/youth to qualify for theseservices?A foreign-born child/youth who has anopen case with DCFS and is undocu-mented may be referred to the Office ofImmigration Services to determine if thechild/youth is eligible for statusadjustment through the Department’sprogram for Immigration Services.Consideration of eligibility for immi-gration services is based upon at leasttwo primary factors: The undocument-ed child/youth must be under the legalguardianship and custody of theDepartment via a court order and residein a foster care placement. For purposesof federal regulations and eligibilitycriteria, a foster care placement isdefined as any approved placement viaDCFS or POS agencies—except for thehome of parent (HMP). This includestraditional and specialized foster care,group home placement, HMR, adopt-ion, and subsidized guardianship. Thecourt ordered permanency goal for theyouth/child has to be other than ReturnHome. It should be noted that the caseof a child/youth who has a goal of“subsidized guardianship” will requirespecial review to ensure that theDepartment’s court-ordered legalrelationship with the child/youth willremain in place during the timeframethat a case may be in the immigration/legalization process.

Does the process for immigration orlegalization services work the same for allof the DCFS regions?Yes, these services are available basedupon federal regulations, so the samefactors that are applicable in CookCounty will apply for southern Illinois.

Are there other factors to consider?Yes, here are two good examples:1. Sometimes, especially outside of

Cook County, the Court (Judge) willorder that the child/youth be placedunder the Guardianship of DCFSbut enter an order that the child/youth is to be returned to the homeof the parent for a given period oftime. Even though the Departmenthas legal Guardianship, the child/youth is still ineligible forlegalization services because both ofthe primary eligibility factors (listedabove) have not been met. The childcannot live in the home of a parent.

2. Eligibility for legalization services isapplicable for the child/youth only;it does not apply nor is it transferableto the biological parent, relative, orfoster parent who may also be in anundocumented status.

This is helpful information—so whatshould staff do when they have questionsor maybe just need information?Both DCFS and POS staff can call withany questions when he/she needsassistance in determining if a child isundocumented and whether that child/youth may be eligible for statusadjustment or other immigration servicethrough the Department.

Please contact Phyllis Robinson, DCFSImmigration Services Coordinator, at(217) 557-4663 or via Outlook email forinformation that may help you resolveissues when you have an undocumentedchild/youth in your caseload. If thechild/youth meets eligibility require-ments, Ms. Robinson can also assist youin the process of obtaining LegalPermanent Resident status.

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Office of Latino Services invites you to participatein community eventsBy Dahlia Roman

Jose Lopez, Acting Chief of the Office of Latino Services (OLS), has extended aninvitation to all Department staff and POS agencies to join him for some upcomingcommunity and agency-sponsored events. This would be a great opportunity torepresent the Department, other agencies, and to network. OLS also invites you tovolunteer and represent your agency! For volunteer opportunities and moreinformation please contact Jose Lopez at (773) 292-7868 or Jlopez2@idcfs.state.il.us.

DATE EVENT LOCATIONOctober 11-12 Bi-National Health Week Hyatt Regency

US-Mexico Bi-National Health ChicagoWeek Committee

October 14 18th Annual IAHSE Conference- Palmer HouseIllinois Association of 17 E. MonroeHispanic State Employees Chicago

November 2005 Annual Hispanic Book Fair Festival TBAEdward Olmos Sponsored Chicago

November 9 - 10, 2005 17th Annual DCFS Hispanic Family Sheraton HotelInstitute Days Northwest

3400 W. EuclidArlingtonHeights

December 2005 Illinois Latino Legislative Caucus TBAFoundation 3rd Annual Conference Chicago

January 13, 2006 Octavitas Annual Celebration for CasaDCFS bilingual staff Puertorriquena

Chicago

Meet our HAC Leadership

Dahlia Roman, Hector Vazques and Miriam Mojica

Congratulationsto our DCFS

Bilingual MSWGraduates!

2005

Martin AcevedoJane Adams School of

Social Work, Universityof Illinois

Jeanette CamarilloAurora University

Jose GarciaDominican University

2004

Rosa FriasAurora University

Noticias is brought to you by the Hispanic AdvisoryCommittee and the Illinois Department of Childrenand Family Services. It is distributed quarterly toDCFS, POS agencies, and agencies affiliated withDCFS. The newsletter includes articles pertinent tochild welfare, Latino welfare issues, and DCFS/POSprograms, and strives to be an informative source forstaff by providing updates on new child welfareinitiatives as well as upcoming events.

It is our hope to continue providing staff with avehicle for the sharing of information. In thisendeavor, we are looking for your input, submissionof articles, and suggestions for improving Noticias.

Hispanic Advisory CommitteeNoticiasMiriam Mojica1701 S. First Ave.Maywood, IL 60153708/338-6692

Articles related to your experiences with families andpersonal stories are also greatly appreciated. Pleasesubmit articles, information about upcoming eventsor news to:Maria CalderonHAC Newsletter ChairpersonDCFS2500 Bradley PlaceChicago, Illinois 60618MCaldero@idcfs.state.il.us

If you would like more information or would like toparticipate in one of the HAC subcommittees,contact Miriam Mojica at MMojica@idcfs.state.il.us.

Special thanks to the Newsletter Committee Members:Carmen Alvarez, Carol Bean, Julia Camacho and Dahlia Roman

Thanks to:Jenny Florent, DCFS Office of Communications; Jose Lopez, DCFS Office ofLatino Services; and Addie Hudson DCFS Division of External Affairs.