DOOR OF LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE'S TROUBLED DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.

>> IN FEBRUARY, GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER APPOINTED HEIDI MILLER AS HEAD OF THE AGENCY MAKING HER THE 13TH DIRECTOR IN THE PAST 14 YEARS AND REPAIRING THE AGENCY WILL BE A TALL ORDER.

THE DEPARTMENT HAS FREQUENTLY COME UNDER FIRE FOR THE HANDLING OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO ABUSE AND FOR LEAVING CHILDREN'S IN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS FOR EXTENDED PERIODS AFTER THEY WERE GIVEN MEDICAL APPROVAL TO BE RELEASED.

BUT MILLER IS LOOKING TO TURN THINGS AROUND, PROMISING SOME IMPROVEMENTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND JOINING US NOW IS HEIDI MILLER, DIRECTOR OF DCFS.

WE'RE GLAD YOU MADE IT DESPITE THE PRESIDENT'S AFFIX.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS FOR YOU.

COME TO THIS HAVING PREVIOUSLY JUST SERVED AS HEAD OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THIS POSITION?

>> WELL, I WILL BE HONEST THAT WHEN I FIRST WAS CONSIDERING TAKING ON THIS POSITION, I WONDERED IF I WAS CRAZY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TRUST ABOUT IT.

AND THEY SAID, YEAH, YOU ARE CRAZY BUT YOU HAVE TO DO IT.

I'M REALLY THE REASON I WANTED TO DO THIS WAS BECAUSE IN MY ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF DJJ, I REALLY GOT TO KNOW A LOT OF KIDS AND I GOT TO KNOW THEIR STORIES AND I REALIZE THAT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAD TOUCHED THE DCFS SYSTEM BEFORE THEY ENDED UP AT DJJ.

AND I REALLY WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FURTHER UPSTREAM AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP KIDS AND FAMILIES GET WHAT THEY NEED BEFORE THEY END UP IN OUR CAR CIRYL SYSTEMS.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE 2 IT CAN CERTAINLY LINKED OR RELATED.

HAVE SOME INSTANCES.

>> AS WE MENTIONED, AS WE KNOW, IT IS AN AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY SOME CONTROVERSY FOR BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD COOK COUNTY PUBLIC GUARDIAN CHARLES COLBERT HERE ON THE SHOW AND HE DETAILED SOME OF HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THE WORSENING CONDITIONS OF MINORS UNDER THE CARE OF DCFS.

>> LAST YEAR ALONE, THERE WAS MORE THAN 1000 TIMES WERE TO SPOUSES, KIDS WERE PLACED OFFICES.

I'M IN THE EMERGENCY ROOMS IN WALKED PSYCHIATRIC WARDS IN JAILS BECAUSE THE SERVICE NO PLACE FOR THEM.

CHILDREN YOUNG AS 4 AND THOSE 5 YEARS OLD.

AND WE HAVE STATS GOING BACK SEVERAL YEARS AND GETTING WORSE AND WORSE EVERY YEAR MORE CHILDREN INVOLVED LONGER WINDS WILL STAY IN THESE HARMFUL PLACEMENTS AND THE CHILDREN KEEP GETTING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER EVERY YEAR.

>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO WHAT YOU JUST HEARD FROM CHARLES CALVERT?

WELL, I WATCHED THAT INTERVIEW IN AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO CLARIFY.

SOME OF THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT HE SAID.

THAT DCFS DOES NOT PLACE KIDS IN JAILS.

WE DON'T DO THAT.

GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS AND ADJUDICATE KIDS AND THEN COMMIT THEM JAILS AND PRISONS.

SO THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT DCFS DOES.

BUT WHAT HE'S REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS WHEN WE HAVE KIDS WHO HAVE VERY, VERY HIGH NEEDS ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC NEEDS OR COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS.

AND WE LOOK FOR PLACES FOR THEM TO THE PLACE AND HE'S TALKING HISTORICALLY THE AGENCY HAVING DIFFICULTIES FINDING APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT FOR THOSE KIDS?

I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF TAKE A STEP BACK AND FOR ME, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

ONE OF MY CORE GOALS IS REALLY BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT OUR KIDS IN CARE.

AND SO ONE THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THERE ARE 24,000 KIDS IN CARE, IN DCFS AND OF THOSE KIDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY LIVE IN HOMES.

THEY LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

THEY LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

THEY GO TO SCHOOL WITH OUR KIDS.

THEY PLAY ON THE SOFTBALL TEAM WITH MY DAUGHTER AND I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T PORTRAY OUR KIDS IN CARE AS A MONOLITH BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.

ALL THOSE 24,000 KIDS, WE HAVE LESS THAN 5% WHO HAVE REALLY, REALLY HIGH ACUITY NEEDS PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS COMPLEX.

MEDICAL NEEDS AND ALL OF THOSE KIDS, EVEN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM CAN BE HOSPITALIZED AND RETURN HOME IN A TIMELY WAY.

SO THE KIDS WERE TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS, MISTER CULBERT IS TALKING ABOUT IS REALLY LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE AND THEIR KIDS WHO ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE ARE MOST HIGH NEEDS OUR MOST COMPLEX RIGHT NOW AS OF THE END OF APRIL STATEWIDE, THERE ARE 23 KIDS THAT FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

SO IT'S A REALLY, REALLY SMALL NUMBER OF KIDS.

BUT THOSE KIDS ARE VERY, VERY CHALLENGING FOR US TO TREAT AND TO FIND APPROPRIATE PLACES FOR THEM TO LIVE BUT IT IS.

YOU ASKED ME WHY I CAME TO DCFS AND ONE OF THE REASONS I IN ADDITION TO WANTING TO MOVE FURTHER UPSTREAM IS TO REALLY BE PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR THOSE KIDS BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR 24,000 KIDS DESERVES TO BE TREATED LIKE WE WOULD WANT KIDS TREATED.

HOW DO YOU EXPECT LAKE CHARLES COVERT OR SOMEONE IN HIS POSITION OTHER?

>> PUBLIC GUARDIAN'S?

I THINK THEY'RE NOT THAT MANY ACROSS THE STATE BUT OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ENGAGE WITH YOU AND TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR OFFICE AND DEVELOPING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS.

>> WELL, THAT'S REALLY MY GOAL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID IMMEDIATELY UPON TAKING THIS ROLE WAS TO START REACHING OUT TO OUR STAKEHOLDER PARTNERS BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT DCFS.

IS NOT THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IN AND OF ITSELF.

OUR CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IS BROAD AND COMPLEX AND IT INCLUDES THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN GUARDIANS AD LITEM.

IT INCLUDES THE COURTS.

IT INCLUDES PROVIDERS, THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND THE MORE THAN 280,000 MANDATED REPORTERS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SO IT'S REALLY A HUGE AND COMPLEX NETWORK.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FIRST PRIORITIES WAS TRYING TO OPEN UP COMMUNICATION WITH THAT AS MANY STAKEHOLDERS AS POSSIBLE.

THAT INCLUDES MISTER GOBER.

WE MET RIGHT AWAY AND WE'VE ACTUALLY MET AGAIN.

WE'RE TRYING TO ESTABLISH REGULAR MEETING SO THAT WE CAN REALLY COLLABORATE AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO ME THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS SYSTEM MAKES PROGRESS AND MOVES FORWARD.

WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.

WE KNOW THAT IT REQUIRES COLLABORATION WITH THE COURTS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THESE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT MAKE UP A PART OF THE SYSTEM.

AND SO WE REALLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.

AVOID FINGER-POINTING DECIDE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THESE KIDS THAT ARE ENTRUSTED TO OUR CARE?

YOUR PREDECESSOR WAS HELD IN CONTEMPT OF SEVERAL OVER THIS ISSUE.

PLACEMENT SHORTAGES AND SOME MINOR STAYING IN HOSPITALS.

AS WE SAID.

>> LONGER THAN MEDICALLY BUT, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THAT, JUST ENSURING THAT YOU DO HAVE ENOUGH PLACEMENT FOR FOR THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN YOUR CARE HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PLAN ON FIXING THAT?

I THINK A COOK COUNTY JUDGE EVEN ASKED YOU COME AND TESTIFY IN COURT ABOUT THIS AS WELL.

WHAT IS WHAT IS THE PLAN?

>> WELL, IT IS A CORE PRIORITY OF MINE TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS HAVE THE RIGHT PLACEMENT.

AND WE'RE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE.

CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST HAVING BEDS AND SHOVING KIDS INTO ANY OLD BED.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING CAREFUL CLINICAL DECISIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT KIDS HAVE THE RIGHT TREATMENT TO MEET THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED MEATS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY PREDECESSOR DID THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.

HE RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO REPLENISH A LOT OF THE RESOURCES THAT HAD BEEN DIMINISHED IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS.

AND SO EVEN BEFORE I GOT THERE, HE HAD ALREADY STARTED INVESTING IN INCREASING THE SORT OF SPECIALIZED INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING.

AND THEN TO INCREASE INVESTMENT SO THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES AND CARE FOR KIDS.

BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST FOCUS ON THIS IDEA OF RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENT IN BETS.

A LOT OF KIDS IN OUR CARE CAN BE SERVED AT HOME WITH THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT WRAPPED AROUND THEM.

AS LONG AS WE'RE SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES.

AS LONG WE'RE SUPPORTING THEIR CAREGIVERS APPROPRIATELY, THEY CAN BE AT HOME AND RECEIVED THE TREATMENT WE NEED.

AND SO.

I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS SOLELY ON RESIDENTIAL BEDS.

DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SPECIALIZED TREATMENT.

FOSTER CARE INTENSIVE WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND CARE AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES TO KEEP KIDS FROM ESCALATING INTO HOSPITALIZATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> GOVERNOR PRITZKER IS PROPOSING TO INVEST 100 MILLION DOLLARS INTO DCFS IN HIS 2025 BUDGET PROPOSAL.

HOW MUCH OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE CHALLENGES AND SHORTCOMINGS THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GRAPPLING CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO LACK OF FINANCIAL INVESTMENT PREVIOUSLY.

AND DO YOU YOU KNOW, HOW FAR WILL ALL OF THIS INVESTMENT GO TO SOLVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE'VE GOT?

>> THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK THE LACK OF INVESTMENT HISTORICALLY WAS CRITICAL.

IT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR THE AGENCY.

AND I THINK GOVERNOR PRITZKER RECOGNIZING AND PRIORITIZING INVESTMENT IN DCFS IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP TO U.S. BUILDING THE KIND OF SYSTEM THAT WE REALLY WANT FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS IN ILLINOIS.

WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO USING THAT 100 MILLION DOLLARS TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE TYPES OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES THAT WE REALLY NEED AND USE DATA TO KIND OF DRIVE THAT DEVELOPMENT.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS THERE'S A REAL LACK OF CARE FOR KIDS WHO HAVE DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS OR WHO ARE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM IN ILLINOIS.

THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR THAT.

THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD INVESTMENT IN PREVIOUSLY.

AND SO WE ARE REALLY WORKING TO INVEST IN A NUMBER OF PROVIDERS WHO ARE DEVELOPING SMALL HOME LIKE THERAPEUTIC CARE SETTINGS FOR THOSE KIDS AND YOU WILL ACTUALLY SEE OVER THE NEXT 6, 12, 18 MONTHS.

A LOT OF THOSE RESOURCES START TO BECOME AVAILABLE.

6, 12, 18 MONTHS AS HE TOLD TO LAWMAKERS FOR AND JUDGED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> SO WE HAVE TO HAVE TO ASK ABOUT A LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED THIS WEEK.

IT WAS AGAINST THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE AND THE STATE AND IT ALLEGES ABUSE AND ASSAULT AT CENTERS FROM 1996, TO 2017 AT THE HANDS OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND OTHER STAFFERS.

YOU ARE OF COURSE NOT NAMED IN THAT LAWSUIT.

BUT YOU DID SERVE AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR PROGRAMS THAT I DJJ FROM 2014 TO 2016 BEFORE TAKING ON TAKING OVER AS DIRECTOR IN 2016.

WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THIS LAWSUIT?

>> WELL, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT I CAN SAY.

I AM NO LONGER DIRECTOR OF DJJ AND SO REALLY YOU HAVE TO TALK TO THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF DJJ FOR COMMENT.

I KNOW THAT THAT TEAM IS TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO ENSURE NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT MUCH I CAN SAY ABOUT IT OTHER THAN THAT EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I'M AWARE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE MADE WHEN DJJ WAS NOT EVEN A STAND-ALONE AGENCY YET, BUT WAS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

AND THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS THAT LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF THE AGENCY IN THE FIRST AND A LOT OF THE REFORMS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS THERE, I WAS CHARGED AND PUT IT UP.

CHARGED WITH PUTTING IN PLACE.

AND WHILE WE'RE WHILE WE'RE ON JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE AT THE TIME ON THE TAIL END OF THE RANGE SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE PARENTS WHO MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN'S SAFETY IN AND I DJJ AGENCY OFFICE FACILITY?

WELL, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE PARENTS, BUT ALL OF US IN ILLINOIS SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF KIDS IN CARE.

>> ANYWHERE.

AND THAT INCLUDES DJJ.

AND I THINK I AM VERY THAT THE TEAM THAT'S IN PLACE AT I DJJ NOW IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF KIDS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS WHERE THEY'RE SAFE.

>> ALMOST OUT OF TIME MAY IS FOSTER CARE MONTH.

SOME ADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR RELATIVES OF CHILDREN IN YOUR CARE WHO TAKE PLACEMENT OF THOSE CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PAYMENT AS FOSTER FAMILIES WHO'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION 30 SECONDS.

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT?

OH, MY GOSH.

ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

I THINK IT COSTS THE SAME TO RAISE A CHILD NO MATTER WHO'S DOING IT, NO MATTER HOW YOUR CATEGORIZED.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE REQUESTED IN OUR FY 25 BUDGET IS THE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO CREATE EQUITY IN THE PAYMENTS FOR.

>> FOSTER PARENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE TRADITIONAL FOSTER PARENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE GUARDIANS, ARE KINSHIP CAREGIVERS.

SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING AND IT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR KIDS AND LETTING