What is the role of social services departments?
Social Service Department in Illinois
A major criterion in evaluating the overall well-being of a state is how well its residents thrive, and this is the responsibility of the social service department. Social services should be present and active in helping everyone who needs help. This includes improving or managing various aspects of residents' lives, such as physical and mental health, finances, and well-being.
Social Service in Illinois
The social service department of Illinois is active in the Illinois Department of Human Services, IDHS. The mission of the IDHS is to provide residents with access to social/human services, support, programs, and resources to enhance the lives of all they serve. The IDHS department division responsible for carrying out this mission is the Division of Family and Community Services, DFCS.
The DFCS and Social Service Programs They Offer
The DFCS partners with communities in Illinois to create programs aimed at helping children and families thrive. They provide the following assistance to eligible residents through contracted providers and the eighty family resource centers available in different parts of the state.
Cash Assistance
Cash assistance programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, and Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled, AABD are made available to provide those with an immediate need of cash with money.
Programs for Low-Income Families
The DFCS offers social care to low-income families through medical assistance like Medicaid, subsidized childcare services, and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP. The SNAP is active in helping low-income families purchase food.
Refugee and Immigrant Services
By partnering with certain service providers, refugee resettlement services such as health screening, case management, and employment services are provided to refugees. Immigrant services such as citizenship training and application assistance, case management support, and translation and interpretation services are also provided to help immigrants integrate themselves into society.
Other Programs
There are other programs available for people who don’t quite fit into any of the above categories. These programs aim to ensure
The good health of mothers and their babies by providing medical care, nutritional care, additional counseling, and case management to mothers and babies at risk.
Looking out for teens and adolescents to reduce the risk of teenage pregnancies, juvenile crime, and drug abuse by using different programs to promote positive development.
Help for people in abusive homes–both physical and sexual abuse, and other categories of troubled families. If any child you know is suffering from abuse or you believe they are at risk, report this to the DFCS today.
How to Check Eligibility and Apply
The eligibility for each social service program offered by the DFCS differs per program, making it important to check your eligibility status before applying to them. To check your eligibility status, you can locate and visit an DHS office near you or contact either of these helplines: 1-800-843-6154 or 1-866-324-5553. Ready to apply for any of the social services provided? Find the right form for the program you would like to apply for here.