Gov. JB Pritzker to propose $147 million increase in DCFS budget

On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will propose a $147 million budget increase - about a 20% boost from the previous fiscal year - for the Department of Children and Family Services.

As a part of his budget address, the governor's proposal includes about an 11% increase in staffing, bringing the total department employees to 3,056. The budget document includes an increase in 100 staff members to cover investigations, intact family services and case supervisors for hotline calls.

The increase will bring the total DCFS budget to $1.46 billion.

The budget increase also includes $21.2 million for cost of living adjustment raises for private agency partners, with the hope of retaining and attracting more quality workers.

The proposal also includes $44 million from the general revenue fund for increases in foster care, adoption and family services.

"I am also pleased that money is being allocated for both more personnel and more placements," Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said in a statement. "The money to make drug kits available for workers in the field is long overdue and will save the state money in the long run in addition to improving child safety outcomes.

"I’m also pleased that private agency workers will see a 3% COLA to allow their salaries to keep place with the minimum wage. However, a bare minimum wage salary is not nearly enough to reduce the 40% turnover rate for private agency workers, which is key because 85% of DCFS’s caseload is privatized. These are incredibly important, high stress jobs with educational requirements that should be compensated well above minimum wage."