(730 ILCS 5/3-2.5-20)

Sec. 3-2.5-20. General powers and duties.

(a) In addition to the powers, duties, and responsibilities which are otherwise provided by law or transferred to the Department as a result of this Article, the Department, as determined by the Director, shall have, but is not limited to, the following rights, powers, functions, and duties:

(1) To accept juveniles committed to it by the courts of this State for care, custody, treatment, and rehabilitation.

(2) To maintain and administer all State juvenile youth centers previously under the control of the Juvenile and Women's & Children Divisions of the Department of Corrections, and to establish and maintain youth centers as needed to meet the needs of the youth committed to its care.

(3) To identify the need for and recommend the funding and implementation of an appropriate mix of programs and services within the juvenile justice continuum, including, but not limited to, prevention, nonresidential and residential commitment programs, day treatment, and conditional release programs and services, with the support of educational, vocational, alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health services where appropriate.

(3.5) To assist youth committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 with successful reintegration into society, the Department shall retain custody and control of all adjudicated delinquent juveniles released under Section 3-2.5-85 or 3-3-10 of this Code, shall provide a continuum of post-release treatment and services to those youth, and shall supervise those youth during their release period in accordance with the conditions set by the Department or the Prisoner Review Board.

(4) To establish and provide transitional and post-release treatment programs for juveniles committed to the Department. Services shall include, but are not limited to:

(i) family and individual counseling and treatment placement;

(ii) referral services to any other State or local agencies;

(iii) mental health services;

(iv) educational services;

(v) family counseling services; and

(vi) substance abuse services.

(5) To access vital records of juveniles for the purposes of providing necessary documentation for transitional services such as obtaining identification, educational enrollment, employment, and housing.

(6) To develop staffing and workload standards and coordinate staff development and training appropriate for juvenile populations.

(6.5) To develop policies and procedures promoting family engagement and visitation appropriate for juvenile populations.

(7) To develop, with the approval of the Office of the Governor and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, annual budget requests.

(8) To administer the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, with respect to all juveniles under its jurisdiction, and to cooperate with the Department of Human Services with regard to all non-offender juveniles subject to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles.

(9) To decide the date of release on aftercare for youth committed to the Department under Section 5-750 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(10) To set conditions of aftercare release for all youth committed to the Department under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(b) The Department may employ personnel in accordance with the Personnel Code and Section 3-2.5-15 of this Code, provide facilities, contract for goods and services, and adopt rules as necessary to carry out its functions and purposes, all in accordance with applicable State and federal law.

(c) On and after the date 6 months after August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-488), as provided in the Executive Order 1 (2012) Implementation Act, all of the powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities related to State healthcare purchasing under this Code that were transferred from the Department of Corrections to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services by Executive Order 3 (2005) are transferred back to the Department of Corrections; however, powers, duties, rights, and responsibilities related to State healthcare purchasing under this Code that were exercised by the Department of Corrections before the effective date of Executive Order 3 (2005) but that pertain to individuals resident in facilities operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice are transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(d) To maintain and administer all State youth centers and facilities under its control and to establish new ones as needed. Pursuant to its power to establish new youth centers and facilities, the Department may, with the written approval of the Governor, authorize the Department of Central Management Services to enter into an agreement of the type described in subsection (d) of Section 405-300 of the Department of Central Management Services Law. The Department shall designate those institutions which shall constitute the Youth Corrections System.

Pursuant to its power to establish new institutions and facilities, the Department may authorize the Department of Central Management Services to accept bids from counties and municipalities for the construction, remodeling or conversion of a structure to be leased to the Department of Juvenile Justice for the purposes of its serving as a youth center or facility. Such construction, remodeling or conversion may be financed with revenue bonds issued pursuant to the Industrial Building Revenue Bond Act by the municipality or county. The lease specified in a bid shall be for a term of not less than the time needed to retire any revenue bonds used to finance the project, but not to exceed 40 years. The lease may grant to the State the option to purchase the structure outright.

Upon receipt of the bids, the Department may certify one or more of the bids and shall submit any such bids to the General Assembly for approval. Upon approval of a bid by a constitutional majority of both houses of the General Assembly, pursuant to joint resolution, the Department of Central Management Services may enter into an agreement with the county or municipality pursuant to such bid.

(Source: P.A. 101-219, eff. 1-1-20; 102-350, eff. 8-13-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)