Acting Cook County Public Guardian Sues Illinois’ Child Welfare Agency Over Unnecessary Length Of Youth Psychiatric Hospital Stays

On December 13, 2018, the Acting Public Guardian for Cook County, Illinois filed a class action complaint against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), filed on behalf of children in DCFS custody who have remained at psychiatric hospitals beyond medical necessity (BMN) due to a lack of community placements. The plaintiffs allege that DCFS was aware of its responsibility to create appropriate placements for children in DCFS custody ready for discharge from a psychiatric hospital, but over the past four years, the number of children held BMN has increased each year. The lawsuit characterized the problem as . . .