Section 2603.10  Admission Policy

a)         Introduction

The decision to admit a youth to a county shelter care facility is the responsibility of the court.  These facilities are designed for those youth taken into custody under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 [705 ILCS 405/5-410] who do not require or are not authorized by law to be detained in a secure facility.

b)         Minimum Standards

1)         Statement of Admission Policy

The Chief Judge of the circuit court of the county maintaining a shelter care home or his designee shall define, in writing, the shelter care admission policies.

A)        A qualified intake person shall be appointed to screen court placements and monitor shelter care admissions.

B)        Twenty-four hour intake coverage shall be provided.

C)        No child shall be accepted in a county shelter care home without authorization of a judge or person designated by a judge.

D)        The person presenting a child for shelter care admission shall submit a detailed, written report of circumstances to the intake person.

E)        No child shall be admitted to a shelter care home when such admission will result in exceeding the rated capacity.

2)         Acceptable Age Group

Only those youth 9 years of age to those under 18 years of age shall be accepted for admission.

3)         Shelter Care Hearing

A)        The Juvenile Court Act of 1987 [705 ILCS 405/3-11, 4-8 and 5-415] provides:  

i)          Unless sooner released, a minor as defined in Section 2-2 of this Act, taken into temporary custody must be brought before a judicial officer within 36 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and court-designated holidays, for a shelter care hearing to determine whether the youth shall be further held.

ii)         Unless sooner released, a minor as defined in Section 2-3, 2-4 or 2-5 of this Act, taken into temporary custody must be brought before a judicial officer within 48 hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, for a shelter care hearing to determine whether he/she shall be further held in custody.

iii)        The minor must be released from custody at the expiration of the 36 or 48-hour period, as the case may be, if not brought before a judicial officer within that period.

B)        If a youth is further sheltered, a petition issued by a judge or person designated by a judge must be on file.

4)         Situation Change

A child shall be released by the court from shelter care when a change in the situation which necessitated such care occurs and the need for such care is no longer justified.

5)         Acceptance of Children

The admission criteria shall stipulate that children must be accepted, regardless of race, creed, national origin or handicap.

(Source:  Amended at 12 Ill. Reg. 12405, effective October 1, 1988)