MARION – The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Thursday was joined by Illinois State Senator Dale Fowler, Mayor Mike Absher, Marion’s former Director of Economic Development and Municipal Planning Glenn Clarida, DCFS staff, supporters and special guests including other elected officials at a ceremony to cut the ribbon on its new region/field office in Marion.
The building, located at 912 Pentecost Dr., was donated by the Blettner Group, and was the former location of the WPS Health Solutions, owned and managed by the late Bob Blettner. The office building property, valued at $4.5 million, is approximately 51,000 square feet and can accommodate 400 employees. Instrumental in orchestrating the donation of this property was Glenn Clarida, the former Director of Economic Development and Municipal Planning for the city of Marion.
“Illinois DCFS is so grateful to Glenn Clarida for facilitating this donation,” said Illinois DCFS Director Heidi E. Mueller.” This space allows us to not only combine two of our offices but expand our training programs in the southern region, right here in Sen. Fowler’s district where he continues to focus on job development and economic growth.”
“This new field office is a major investment in the safety and well-being of our children, and I am so grateful to Glenn Clarida and the Blettner Group for making this possible,” said Illinois Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). “As we cut the ribbon today, we are not just repurposing a facility; we are welcoming a brighter future for our children and creating new opportunities for growth and development in Southern Illinois.”
“The agency’s clinical, contract administration, day care and foster family licensing, education and transition services, permanency and quality assurance operations are housed at the new site. In the next year, the agency’s child protection team, currently housed at two other locations in the Marion area, will be consolidated at this new location – further streamlining operations and creating a more convenient and comfortable environment for Franklin and Williamson County families served by DCFS.
The location’s large warehouse space will serve as the agency’s southern Illinois distribution center, creating a more efficient system for housing and delivering necessary items, including pack-and-plays and car seats for families served by the department, to DCFS offices across the southern part of the state. Additionally, there is a large room for a self-dense floor training and OC Pepper Spray training and four large classrooms. The facility already hosted its first child welfare foundation class for its first 40 Illinois DCFS permanency child welfare workers utilizing its four large classrooms. The facility also features state-of-the-art security features including the latest technology to detect weapons and gunshots as well as a voice activated system in the event of an emergency. The new facility also features environmentally friendly features including six electric vehicle charging stations.
Plans are underway to create a simulation lab, where caseworkers will have an opportunity to gain hands-on training in real-world environments so they can better protect Illinois’ most vulnerable children.