PLACEMENT-CHILDREN

Creates the Voluntary Placement for Children with Serious Mental Illnesses or Developmental Disabilities Act. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services, the Division of Mental Health within the Department of Human Services, the Division of Developmental Disabilities within the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall enter into an interagency agreement, the purpose of which is to prevent children in psychiatric lock-out from entering the child welfare system for a time-limited, out-of-home placement for treatment of the child's serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or developmental disability when there is no evidence of abuse or neglect of the child, and place the child in a time-limited out-of-home placement under the most appropriate State agency. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall establish a voluntary placement program, in which a child is voluntarily placed into the care of the Department of Children and Family Services under a voluntary placement agreement for the purpose of out-of-home placement of the child for the treatment of a serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or developmental disability. Provides that the out-of-home placement may not exceed 180 days without juvenile court approval. Provides that the Department of Children and Family Services shall refer all cases voluntarily placed under the Act to the Community and Residential Services Authority for review as soon as the child is voluntarily placed to enable the Authority to annually review why cases were voluntarily placed in the Department of Children and Family Services rather than routed to a more appropriate agency for treating the child's disability.