The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services are the legislatively designated co-chairs for the Partnership. They assign representatives in key leadership positions to work with the Partnership. As the Partnership’s coordinating agency, the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention also serves in a leadership role, along with members of Partnership’s Leadership Team.

Illinois Center for Violence Prevention (ICVP)

ICVP is the coordinating agency for the work of the Illinois After-school Partnership, provides staff support to the project, and makes day-to-day decisions regarding the work of the Partnership. ICVP Partnership staff convene meetings of the State Agency Co-Chairs, the Leadership Team, the Work Groups and Full Partnership, presenting materials and information to guide their decisions. ICVP is responsible for coordinating the project and working directly with the Partnership’s co-chairs.

ICVP was established in 1992 with the mission of preventing interpersonal violence, and has long advocated for quality after-school programming as a critical violence prevention strategy. ICVP was created to serve as a vehicle for individuals, organizations and systems to work together for the prevention of violence. Working from a community-oriented public health and public safety approach, the ICVP carries out its mission through the initiation or support of public education, networking and network coordination, advocacy, technical assistance and training, and evaluation and research. To learn more about ICVP, please visit their website at preventingviolence.org.

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

The Illinois public school system is one of the largest in the nation. There are 4000 public schools, in 900 school districts that serve an increasing student population of 2,000,000. ISBE’s mission is to provide leadership, advocacy and support for the work of school districts, policymakers, and citizens in supporting the State’s educational priority. ISBE administers the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the Bridges to Learning program, and other funding sources such as food and nutrition and other federal programs that support out-of-school-time programs. More information on ISBE and their services can be found at http://www.isbe.state.il.us/

Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)

IDHS improves the quality of life of thousands of Illinois families by providing an array of comprehensive, coordinated services through: community health and prevention programs, programs for persons with developmental disabilities, mental illness, or substance abuse problems, employment, training, and independent living programs for persons with disabilities, and financial support, employment and training programs, and child care, and other family services for low-income families. IDHS is Illinois' largest agency, with more than 15,000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $5 billion. IDHS manages the Teen REACH after-school program and administers the childcare program, which includes school-age care, and numerous other funding streams that flow through the department support out-of-school time programs. Visit http://www.dhs.state.il.us/ for more information.