Office of the Cook County Public Guardian

09/08/2026

Kudos to Illinois and Attorney General Kwame Raoul for being part of a coalition of 21 states challenging a new federal attempt to ban gender-affirming care for youth. If the courts don’t intervene, the new rule could go into effect on October 13. A federal court in Oregon struck down a similar rule in March.

LGBTQ+ youth, including transgender children, disproportionately find themselves in foster care for a variety of reasons including family rejection. Roughly 30% of adolescent youth in care identify as LGBTQ+, compared to around 10% nationally. These children are more likely to experience bullying, housing instability, and mental health challenges.

To be separated from their families, and then denied the care they need and deserve, is doubly cruel. The Chicago Sun-Times has an article about the new federal rule and the lawsuit:

In a social media post Tuesday, Trump said he instructed the Administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and former television personality, Mehmet Oz, to push the rule through his agency. In March, Oregon District Court judge Mustafa Kasubhai struck down a near identical…

09/03/2026

The Illinois Auditor General released a new, 106-page report about several areas of DCFS covering 2023 and 2024. The findings show improvement but a long way to go.

One of the more troubling findings is that, as part of its investigations, DCFS is required to complete a home safety checklist. DCFS did not do so in 89% of cases. While that’s an astonishing deficiency, it’s a significant improvement since the last audit, released in 2022, which showed only 2% compliance.

Similarly, DCFS’s records do not have documentation of physical exams for children 16% of the time and of vision screenings 29% of the time. Again, while unacceptable, this is an improvement over the prior audit. The audit also found vacancy rates of 27% in DCFS’s permanency division and 28% for supervisors. DCFS has agreed to implement the auditor’s recommendations for improvement.

Below is a link to a substantive article about the findings by Jeremy Gorner of the Chicago Tribune. A link to the full audit can be found in Gorner's article.

A state audit acknowledged some improvement but flagged continued trouble spots for the Department of Children and Family Services under Gov. JB Pritzker.

08/19/2026

Anita Blanton of Fox 32 Chicago News has an excellent, substantive report about DCFS’s failure to attend multiple court dates and to obey multiple court orders to produce documents to Capitol News Illinois about the death of Mackenzi Felmlee just two days after her caseworker had contact with her foster family. The court has ordered DCFS to pay CNI’s costs, attorneys’ fees, and a $5,000 penalty. The judge stated that, unless DCFS appears and complies with its orders, it will face additional sanctions. Governor JB Pritzker blamed the missed court dates and violations of the court’s orders on “significant miscommunication” within DCFS.

In the report, Blanton interviews CNI journalist Jerry Nowicki, who delineates all of the service, summons, and notices that DCFS received of CNI’s FOIA lawsuit and the judge’s orders that it ignored. He also details the disturbing facts surrounding Mackenzi’s death.

DCFS must come clean about what happened in Mackenzi’s death. It must stop ignoring legal process, court dates, and court orders. It must release the entire file without further delay.

You can watch Blanton’s report here:

The Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services is under fire after the agency reportedly missed multiple court dates and ignored a public records lawsuit. And, Gov. Pritzker held a campaign event today to remind Illinois families about tax credits available to offset the cost of school expenses....

08/18/2026

Scott Holland of Shaw Local has a thoughtful opinion article about DCFS’s repeated failures to appear in court and to comply with multiple court orders to produce records to Capitol News Illinois pursuant to CNI’s requests under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The records are about the death of Mackenzi Felmlee, who died while in foster care two days after her caseworker had contact with the family. Mackenzi had bruising all over her body and was severely dehydrated and malnourished. Her foster mother and foster grandmother have been charged with her murder.

Due to DCFS’s misconduct, the court ordered DCFS to pay CNI’s costs, attorneys’ fees, and a $5,000 penalty. On top of that, the judge stated that, unless DCFS appears and complies with its orders, it will face additional sanctions.

Governor JB Pritzker blamed the missed court dates and violations of the court’s orders on “significant miscommunication” within DCFS.

As Holland correctly notes, if DCFS had followed FOIA’s requirements and turned over the files, or at least mounted an explanation for keeping the files secret, DCFS wouldn’t be in this mess. As Hollander observes, “DCFS hasn’t earned any grace. If the files are exculpatory, why impede the process? If they’re damning, however, lawyers have concerns far greater than FOIA procedures.”

You can read Holland’s column here:

If DCFS had followed FOIA guidelines in the first place – or at least mounted a justified explanation for keeping its files private – then Sept. 9 would be just another Wednesday.

08/14/2026

Last night, the OPG’s Team John Slater III gathered to run, walk and celebrate together at Race Judicata, a 5K fundraiser on the lakefront to benefit Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. CVLS is the oldest provider of free civil legal aid in Chicago.

Phil Cisneros, Angie Cisneros and DJ Silton all flew around the course, finishing in the top ten in their divisions. Silton and Rachel Sierminski set the pace for OPG, both blazing across the finish line in under 26 minutes.

Every year we participate in Race Judicata in celebration of the very full lives of John Slater III, Sara Chapman, and Maureen McDonald. They were exceptional people and longtime advocates with our office who died in the fire at the Cook County Administration Building on October 17, 2003.

08/14/2026

On Wednesday, we posted the latest about DCFS’s lack of transparency regarding the death of Mackenzi Felmlee, who died while in foster care two days after her caseworker had contact with the foster family. Mackensi’s foster mother and foster grandmother have been charged with her murder.

Wednesday’s post was about a judge threatening daily fines against DCFS for its repeated failures to appear in court in response to a lawsuit by Capitol News Illinois for access to records about the case, and its repeated failures to comply with court orders to turn over documents.

Yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker blamed the missed court dates and violations of the court’s orders on “significant miscommunication within the Department.” Pritzker added that he’s “received assurances” that the agency won’t miss a third upcoming court date on September 9.

If there is such “significant miscommunication” within DCFS about responding to legal process and judicial orders, is it any wonder that there was significant miscommunication in its handling of Mackenzi’s case? And other cases like hers? Did this miscommunication contribute to Mackenzi’s death? Is the answer to that question why DCFS keeps stonewalling in providing information?

Capitol News Illinois has been tenacious in its investigation of Mackenzi’s death. You can read its latest article here:

DCFS blamed internal miscommunication for missing two court dates in a lawsuit seeking records on a foster teen's death.

08/13/2026

This week, we celebrated the 25th work anniversary of Dr. Cathy Perry, mental health specialist in the Juvenile Division. Cathy has taken on many roles during her tenure with the OPG, including as a child interviewer, investigator, and head of the property department in the Adult Guardianship Division.

Cathy is a warm, compassionate colleague and friend, and she is a dogged, zealous advocate for our clients.

Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Perry for her years of service to the office and our clients.

08/12/2026

Our office has posted about the death of Mackenzi Felmlee and DCFS’s lack of transparency about the case. Now a judge has threatened daily fines against DCFS for its repeated failures to appear in court or to comply with court orders to turn over documents.

Mackenzi, who was under DCFS’s guardianship, died two days after her caseworker had contact with the foster family. Mackenzi had bruises on her face, neck, shoulders, and legs. She was severely dehydrated and malnourished. Mackenzi’s foster mother and foster grandmother have been charged with her murder.

DCFS kept Mackenzi in the foster home for four years despite repeated reports of abuse to other children going back 10 years. One of Mackenzi’s caseworkers, who was supposed to be protecting her and ensuring that she was safe, was arrested for her involvement in a brawl at a strip club that left a dancer at the club with 8 staples in her head. This worker was the subject of 11 requests for orders of protection filed against her by 8 women citing abuse, threats, online bullying, and filing false reports with police and child services.

Mackenzi had an astonishing 10 caseworkers assigned to her from 2019 to 2024, an average of 2 new caseworkers every year for 5 years, which is antithetical to sound social work practice.

Capitol News Illinois (CNI), which has been dogged in its investigative reporting, asked DCFS for copies of the personnel files of 2 caseworkers and a supervisor. When DCFS denied the request, CNI sued DCFS, alleging violations of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. DCFS failed to respond to the lawsuit or appear at the initial hearing.

On June 10, the judge issued an order finding that DCFS “willfully and intentionally violated” the Freedom of Information Act in refusing to release the information. The court ordered DCFS to produce the records within 5 days and, as a sanction, ordered DCFS to pay CNI’s costs, attorneys’ fees, and a $5,000 penalty.

Remarkably, DCFS failed to respond to the court’s order. CNI filed another motion asking the court to order DCFS, and DCFS Director Heidi Mueller, to appear personally and explain its noncompliance with the court’s previous order. But, inexplicably, when that motion was called for a hearing, DCFS failed to appear yet again.

The judge then set another hearing date for September 9 and ordered DCFS and Mueller to appear or face additional sanctions.

In this case, DCFS cannot hide behind confidentiality. First, such confidentiality is intended to protect vulnerable children, not inept bureaucrats who keep children in dangerous foster homes. Moreover, there is no confidentiality to protect for Mackenzi because she’s dead.

We once again find ourselves calling on DCFS for full transparency including release of the entire file. You can read CNI’s latest coverage here:

A judge ordered DCFS Director Heidi Mueller to appear in court after the agency repeatedly failed to release records.

08/11/2026

Elise Robie, a senior attorney in the financial recovery and complex litigation unit of the Adult Guardianship Division, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI). Through its programs, PILI advances equal access to justice by connecting members of the legal community with those in need of legal assistance. An alumnus of PILI’s public interest internship program, Elise has been active in the organization for many years including service on PILI’s Alumni Network Leadership Counsel.