Leadership in Springfield: Rep. Morrison Decries Religious Discrimination at DCFS

On Wednesday afternoon, State Representative Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) released a statement strongly objecting to what amounts to discrimination as the state of Illinois severs ties to another faith-based foster care adoption organization. This Friday, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) ends its contract with the Evangelical Child and Family Agency (ECFA) of Wheaton. DCFS stopped referring cases to Catholic Charities of Illinois earlier this summer. The failure to renew these contracts is based upon what many believe is the interpretation of a new state law signed by Governor Patrick Quinn this year — the “Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.”

The DCFS will soon begin to transition foster care cases handled by Catholic Charities and ECFA to other agencies because the respective organizations have policies against placing foster children in the homes of same sex couples or of those who are not Evangelical Christians.

“ECFA and Catholic Charities have a strong record with the State of Illinois of supporting children, building lives and empowering communities,” said Rep. Morrison. “These fine organizations, their loving parents, and the foster children they serve and protect will be torn from one another, however, due mainly to a political agenda that rejects a traditional view of marriage: that is, the union of one man and one woman.”

“This issue should really be about what’s best for the children, not the adults who are pushing a political agenda,” said Morrison. “A couple or an individual who seeks to care for foster children can find numerous other agencies to work with. This is not an issue of access,” Morrison continued.

Catholic Charities has appealed DCFS’ decision in federal court, and Rep. Morrison is endorsing the request for a “stay” of the judge’s order to transition foster children currently in Catholic Charities’ care to other agencies.

“During debate, the sponsors of this bill essentially stated that this law would not negatively impact faith-based agencies based on their conscience and beliefs” added Morrison. “Catholic Charities and ECFA handle thousands of foster care cases a year, and their respective agencies and parents are among the top performers in the state according to the DCFS’ own metrics.”

In downstate Illinois, Catholic Charities handles the majority of foster care cases and Rep. Morrison and others expressed concern that losing them as a state-contracted service provider means vulnerable children will have a much harder time in finding refuge.