IPS is a short-term placement stabilization program that provides services to children in foster care. IPS is expected to provide a mix of formal and informal supports to families to promote placement stability. As such, each service array is flexible, individualized and tailored to the needs of the child and family. A typical service array might include individual and family therapy, respite, family support, crisis intervention, recreation supplies, tutoring, school advocacy, and psychosocial education.
Important Update – IPS CANS in SACWIS
All IPS CANS are now completed in SACWIS and we are excited to have fully transitioned our CANS assessment data collection onto the SACWIS platform.
In order to have access to SACWIS, you must be CANS 2.0 certified (with a certification date on or after February 25th, 2018), have taken the CANS in SACWIS training and have an active NT/DCFS account. For additional information, please see our FAQs page (link).
All IPS clinicians are expected to have full access to SACWIS and be able to complete their CANS within DCFS/IPS program requirements (within 30 days of case opening, at the time of extension and/or at least every 6 months, and/or within 30 days of case closure). SACWIS has been a learning curve for both clinicians and IPS administrative staff and we appreciate everyone’s willingness to adopt this process.
If you are new to IPS and are in the process of gaining access to SACWIS, or you just need a refresher, please find our SACWIS guides and links to virtual trainings below. If you are new to IPS and have not completed the process to gain access to enter CANS in SACWIS, please do so before end of the day on July 6th 2023 to ensure credits are transferred to the new DCFS training venue, the Learning and Development Center, planned to be launched July 10th, 2023.
If you are still in need of support, please refer to our FAQs page. Any additional questions can be directed to IPS Program Coordinator, Sr, Matt Jedlowski (matthew.jedlowski@illinois.gov).
SACWIS GUIDES
- Adding a parallel assignment to a case
- Creating substitute caregiver collaterals
- Directions on doing a CANS assessment in a case
SACWIS FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Thank you, IPS Team!
F.A.Q.
How should I submit my CANS?
All Intensive Placement Stabilization (IPS) workers will complete and submit CANS via SACWIS moving forward. If you do not already have an NT account to access SACWIS, please have your supervisor submit a new NT account form found on the DNet. If you do not yet have access to CANS in SACWIS, please ensure you have gone through CANS certification or recertification, as well as other training requirements such as the CANS in SACWIS Functionality training.
Do I need to be certified in the CANS?
All staff must have been certified or recertified on CANS 2.0 within the last year in order to gain access to CANS in SACWIS. All relevant trainings and certification are provided within the DCFS Virtual Training Center (https://www.dcfstraining.org/vtc). For specific questions regarding this process, please contact your supervisor, program administrator or the DCFS CANS use email (DCFS.CANSUSE@illinois.gov).
What version of the CANS do I complete?
CANS 2.0. You can access the CANS 2.0 manual here.
Who should be scored on the CANS?
The CANS should be completed on each child in the case and include caregiving scores for every adult in the home providing any level of caregiving or interaction with that child. This could be a temporary caregiver (such as within a safety plan), foster parents, grandparents, aunt, girl/boyfriend of a parent in the home, etc.
If you are working with any type of substitute caregiver (foster parent, grandmother, paramour, etc.) they must be added to your case in SACWIS as a “collateral”. Information on this process can be reviewed in the CANS in SACWIS Functionality Training available on the DCFS Virtual Training Center (https://www.dcfstraining.org/vtc).
How often should I complete the CANS?
The CANS should be completed within 30 days of case opening and at time of case close or case extension request.
Do I need my supervisor’s approval before submitting my CANS?
Yes. Once you have completed scoring a CANS for each youth and the associated caregivers to that youth (biological parents, foster parents, paramours, etc,) in SACWIS. You need to submit your CANS for approval to your supervisor. If your supervisor is not able to approve your submitted CANS, you may use the reroute feature and send it to another supervisor for approval. Once you submit the completed CANS, your supervisor may send it back to you for revision and re-submission. Supervisors must approve your submitted CANS. If your supervisor determines your submitted CANS is not an accurate reflection of the needs and strengths of the family, it will be returned to you for editing.
Need a new manual or resource guide?
Link to our new IPS Clinical Resources page