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Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

The DCFS ​Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the department complies with civil rights rules and regulations and that the rights of all DCFS employees, applicants and service recipients are protected against unlawful discrimination.

Unlawful areas of discrimination include: 

  • Race
  • Color
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
  • Gender identity
  • Sexual harassment
  • Religion
  • Age
  • National origin
  • Physical or mental disability
  • Military discharge (unfavorable)
  • Marital status
  • Citizenship status
  • Arrest record
  • Aiding and abetting
  • Coercion
  • Veteran’s status

The responsibilities of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) include, but are not limited to:

  • Developing the ​Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Program structure and communicating policy guidelines to all units in collaboration with the director of DCFS

  • Coordinating managerial efforts to implement the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)Program through appropriate administrative channels and communicating its status to the director

  • Issuing such directives as are necessary to the operating units to ensure compliance with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals and discussing each unit’s progress toward achieving its established goals with the director or his/her designee

  • Counseling employees regarding the merit of complaints

  • Offering mediation intervention

  • Investigating complaints of discrimination filed internally with the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); and maintaining records of complaints filed externally with other agencies, such as the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or any other appropriate government agency

  • Developing and monitoring an annual Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan which includes specific goals, timetables and monitoring procedures for all DCFS regional offices and administrative units

  • Monitoring purchase of service providers’ compliance with contract civil rights requirements

  • Conducting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)/equal employment opportunity training sessions

  • Participating in employment and foster home recruitment activities

  • Serving as the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator and handling requests for Reasonable Accommodations

  • Producing monitoring reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis

  • Disseminating affirmative action/equal employment opportunity information

  • Analyzing layoff reports

  • Collaborating with the DCFS Office of Employee Services to address agency underutilization goals in the hiring process

  • Identifying issues unique to the Latino, Asian-American, African-American, Native American and LGBTQI+ communities served by the department and making recommendations to address those issues through the African American Advisory Council, Asian American Advisory Council, Latino Advisory Council and the Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council.

Need help or want to know more?
For more information, read the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)’s Diversity Enhances Equality brochure in English or en español.

Illinois law requires DCFS to report out on the aggregated age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity and primary or preferred language demographic data from all youth in care to enhance future services. Read the final Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Survey Report in English, en espanol and Polish (Polskie)

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