Illinois Department of

Bruce Rauner I George H. Sheldon

Governor Children Family serVices Director

 

May31,2017

Governor Bruce Rauner
207 State House
Spring?eld, Illinois 62706

Dear Governor,

With regret at leaving a job un?nished, I have decided to return to Florida and resign as Director of
the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, effective June 15, 2017.

As you know, I have struggled with this decision. The recent public attention to the challenges still
confronting this agency were a strong inducement to stay and continue the progress already made. I
appreciate your strong support for the work we have begun. It is encouraging that a Republican
governor and a Democratic director can share so many goals and approaches. The children and
families of our state deserve that this important work remain above politics.

I yield, however, to the strong temptation to return to work in my home state, where have spent
most of my professional career.

I leave behind at DCFS a strong senior management team that understands the challenges as well as
the opportunities for creating excellence in child welfare in Illinois. With the support of a strong,
dedicated frontline staff, they can continue the work of restoring this system to a position of leadership
in the nation. The tens of millions of federal dollars added to our system during my tenure should be an
excellent ?rst investment in excellence.

More important, I believe that the most important stakeholders in our system, the children and
youth and families, now have greater belief that Illinois can build a system that wants to do the right
thing for their wellbeing.

I am committed to a smooth transition and will work in any way you think necessary to make that
happen. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you and to serve the people of Illinois.

Sincerely,

rg . Sheldon

100 West Randolph, 6-100 0 Chicago, Illinois 60601-3249
312-814-6800 0 312-814-8783 I TTY