The Black Administrators in Child Welfare-Illinois (BACW-I) and the Chicago Association of Black Social Workers in partnership with Illinois State University Permanency Enhancement Project and the Department of Children and Family Services Office of Racial Equity Practice sponsored a series of Racial Healing Town Hall Meetings entitled: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are Now, and Where We Are Going. There were three Town Hall Meetings that took place in the Central Region during April and May 2024.
Each Town Hall covered cities in two counties:
- Bloomington and Peoria, held at Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.
- Decatur and Springfield, held at the Illinois Department of Agriculture-John R. Block Building. Illinois State Fairground in Springfield.
- Champaign and Danville, held at Cunningham Children’s Home.
The meetings focused on actively engaging communities across the above-mentioned geographical areas, particularly those disproportionately affected by racial disparities in child welfare. It was an opportunity for members of the community to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas, and contribute to promoting racial healing in Central Illinois.
Keynote Speaker: Lyman Legters, senior director of Casey Family Programs
Dialogue Facilitator: Sam Smith, MSW Community activist/director of Civic Engagement and Social Practice at the University of Illinois
There were approximately 145 individuals who attended the combined town hall meetings. They were representatives from DCFS, child welfare private agencies, juvenile courts, education, law enforcement, mental health service providers, and community and advocacy organizations. Under the DCFS Office of Racial Equity Practice Permanency Enhancement Project, there are local action teams that focus on disparities within the child welfare system. These action teams consist of representatives from the agencies and other organizations listed above. Many of them have been in existence for the past 18 years in the Central Region and across the State of Illinois. There are action teams located in the cities where the town hall meetings were held. Attendees to those town halls were encouraged to continue the work by joining the local action teams. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to join the teams on an ongoing basis.
The Healing Illinois Town Hall Meeting was made possible by the support of Healing Illinois, a racial healing initiative of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Field Foundation of Illinois. United Way of Champaign, Illinois was responsible for awarding the grant funds for the Central Region. Visit the Healing Illinois website for more information on grants.
Contact Michael Burns for any questions.
