(305 ILCS 5/9‑1) (from Ch. 23, par. 9‑1)
Sec. 9‑1. Declaration of Purpose. It is the purpose of this Article to aid applicants for and recipients of public aid under Articles III, IV, V, and VI, to increase their capacities for self‑support, self‑care, and responsible citizenship, and to assist them in maintaining and strengthening family life. If authorized pursuant to Section 9‑8, this Article may be extended to former and potential recipients and to persons whose income does not exceed the standard established to determine eligibility for aid as a medically indigent person under Article V. The Department, with the written consent of the Governor, may also:
(a) extend this Article to individuals and their
| families with income closely related to national indices of poverty who have special needs resulting from institutionalization of a family member or conditions that may lead to institutionalization or who live in impoverished areas or in facilities developed to serve persons of low income; | |
(b) establish, where indicated, schedules of payment |
| for service provided based on ability to pay; | |
(c) provide for the coordinated delivery of the |
| services described in this Article and related services offered by other public or private agencies or institutions, and cooperate with the Illinois Department on Aging to enable it to properly execute and fulfill its duties pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.01 of the "Illinois Act on the Aging", as now or hereafter amended; | |
(d) provide in‑home care services, such as chore and |
| housekeeping services or homemaker services, to recipients of public aid under Articles IV and VI, the scope and eligibility criteria for such services to be determined by rule; | |
(e) contract with other State agencies for the |
| purchase of social service under Title XX of the Social Security Act, such services to be provided pursuant to such other agencies' enabling legislation; and | |
(f) cooperate with the Department of Healthcare and |
| Family Services to provide services to public aid recipients for the treatment and prevention of alcoholism and substance abuse. | |
(Source: P.A. 95‑331, eff. 8‑21‑07.) |
(305 ILCS 5/9‑5) (from Ch. 23, par. 9‑5)
Sec. 9‑5. Educational programs; vocational training and retraining. The Illinois Department, the County Departments, and local governmental units shall cooperate with all public or private education and vocational training or retraining agencies or facilities operating within this State, or making their services available to residents of this State, to the end that there may be developed all necessary education and vocational training or retraining services and facilities required to improve the skills of persons receiving aid under Articles III, V, and VI for whom jobs are not immediately available, or which will provide education, training, and experience for persons who lack the skills required for employment opportunities as are or may become available. The education, training, or retraining services and facilities shall assure that persons receiving this assistance who are subject to participation shall become enrolled in, and attend, programs that will lead to graduation from high school or the equivalent when the Illinois Department determines these programs will be beneficial to the person in obtaining employment.
Participants in any educational or vocational training program shall be provided with an extra allowance towards the costs of their participation.
(Source: P.A. 92‑111, eff. 1‑1‑02.) |
(305 ILCS 5/9‑6) (from Ch. 23, par. 9‑6)
Sec. 9‑6. Job Search, Training and Work Programs. The Illinois Department and local governmental units shall initiate, promote and develop job search, training and work programs which will provide employment for and contribute to the training and experience of persons receiving aid under Articles III, V, and VI.
The job search, training and work programs shall be designed to preserve and improve the work habits and skills of recipients for whom jobs are not otherwise immediately available and to provide training and experience for recipients who lack the skills required for such employment opportunities as are or may become available. The Illinois Department and local governmental unit shall determine by rule those classes of recipients who shall be subject to participation in such programs. If made subject to participation, every applicant for or recipient of public aid who is determined to be "able to engage in employment", as defined by the Department or local governmental unit pursuant to rules and regulations, for whom unsubsidized jobs are not otherwise immediately available shall be required to participate in any program established under this Section.
The Illinois Department shall establish with the Director of Central Management Services an outreach and training program designed to encourage and assist recipients participating in job search, training and work programs to participate in open competitive examinations for trainee and other entry level positions to maximize opportunities for placement on open competitive eligible listings and referral to State agencies for employment consideration.
The Department shall provide payment for transportation, day‑care and Workers' Compensation costs which occur for recipients as a result of participating in job search, training and work programs as described in this Section. The Department may decline to initiate such programs in areas where eligible recipients would be so few in number as to not economically justify such programs; and in this event the Department shall not require persons in such areas to participate in any job search, training, or work programs whatsoever as a condition of their continued receipt of, or application for, aid.
The programs may include, but shall not be limited to, service in child care centers, in preschool programs as teacher aides and in public health programs as home visitors and health aides; the maintenance of or services required in connection with public offices, buildings and grounds; state, county and municipal hospitals, forest preserves, parks, playgrounds, streets and highways, and other governmental maintenance or construction directed toward environmental improvement; and similar facilities.
The Illinois Department or local governmental units may enter into agreements with local taxing bodies and private not‑for‑profit organizations, agencies and institutions to provide for the supervision and administration of job search, work and training projects authorized by this Section. Such agreements shall stipulate the requirements for utilization of recipients in such projects. In addition to any other requirements dealing with the administration of these programs, the Department shall assure, pursuant to rules and regulations, that:
(a) Recipients may not displace regular employees.
(b) The maximum number of hours of mandatory work is |
| 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, not to exceed 120 hours per month. | |
(c) The maximum number of hours per month shall be |
| determined by dividing the recipient's benefits by the federal minimum wage, rounded to the lowest full hour. "Recipient's benefits" in this subsection includes: (i) both cash assistance and food stamps provided to the entire assistance unit or household by the Illinois Department where the job search, work and training program is administered by the Illinois Department and, where federal programs are involved, includes all such cash assistance and food stamps provided to the greatest extent allowed by federal law; or (ii) includes only cash assistance provided to the entire assistance unit by the local governmental unit where the job search, work and training program is administered by the local governmental unit. | |
(d) The recipient shall be provided or compensated |
| for transportation to and from the work location. | |
(e) Appropriate terms regarding recipient |
| |
Local taxing bodies and private not‑for‑profit organizations, agencies and institutions which utilize recipients in job search, work and training projects authorized by this Section are urged to include such recipients in the formulation of their employment policies.
Unless directly paid by an employing local taxing body or not‑for‑profit agency, a recipient participating in a work project who meets all requirements set forth by the Illinois Department shall receive credit towards his or her monthly assistance benefits for work performed based upon the applicable minimum wage rate. Where a recipient is paid directly by an employing agency, the Illinois Department or local governmental unit shall provide for payment to such employing entity the appropriate amount of assistance benefits to which the recipient would otherwise be entitled under this Code.
The Illinois Department or its designee, including local governmental units, may enter into agreements with the agencies or institutions providing work under programs established hereunder for payment to each such employer (hereinafter called "public service employer") of all or a portion of the wages to be paid to persons for the work performed and other appropriate costs.
If the number of persons receiving aid under Article VI is insufficient to justify the establishment of job search, training and work programs on a local basis by a local governmental unit, or if for other good cause the establishment of a local program is impractical or unwarranted, the local governmental unit shall cooperate with other local governmental units, with civic and non‑profit community agencies, and with the Illinois Department in developing a program or programs which will jointly serve the participating governmental units and agencies.
A local governmental unit receiving State funds shall refer all recipients able to engage in employment to such job search, training and work programs as are established, whether within or without the governmental unit, and as are accessible to persons receiving aid from the governmental unit. The Illinois Department shall withhold allocation of state funds to any governmental unit which fails or refuses to make such referrals.
Participants in job search, training and work programs shall be required to maintain current registration for regular employment under Section 11‑10 and to accept any bona fide offer of regular employment. They shall likewise be required to accept education, work and training opportunities available to them under other provisions of this Code or Federal law. The Illinois Department or local governmental unit shall provide by rule for periodic review of the circumstances of each participant to determine the feasibility of his placement in regular employment or other work, education and training opportunities.
Moneys made available for public aid purposes under Articles IV and VI may be expended to pay public service employers all or a portion of the wages of public service employees and other appropriate costs, to provide necessary supervisory personnel and equipment, to purchase Workers' Compensation Insurance or to pay Workers' Compensation claims, and to provide transportation to and from work sites.
The Department shall provide through rules and regulations for sanctions against applicants and recipients of aid under this Code who fail to cooperate with the regulations and requirements established pursuant to this Section. Such sanctions may include the loss of eligibility to receive aid under Article VI of this Code for up to 3 months.
The Department, in cooperation with a local governmental unit, may maintain a roster of persons who are required to participate in a local job search, training and work program. In such cases, the roster shall be available for inspection by employers for the selection of possible workers.
In addition to the programs authorized by this Section, the Illinois Department is authorized to administer any job search, training or work projects in conjunction with the Federal Food Stamp Program, either under this Section or under other regulations required by the Federal government.
The Illinois Department may also administer pilot programs to provide job search, training and work programs to unemployed parents of children receiving child support enforcement services under Article X of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 92‑111, eff. 1‑1‑02; 92‑590, eff. 7‑1‑02.) |
(305 ILCS 5/9‑8) (from Ch. 23, par. 9‑8)
Sec. 9‑8. Extension of Coverage.) If appropriate and sufficient facilities are not available through other agencies, the Illinois Department may extend those services provided in this Article which relate to work adjustment, education, training, and counseling and guidance on problems of child care, family relationships, home and money management, transportation, and health, to one or both of the following:
(1) persons and families who have been recipients of |
| aid within 1 year preceding their request for the services, and who are likely to become recipients of aid again unless needed services are provided; | |
(2) other persons and families who request the |
| services and whose economic, personal or social situation is such as to make it likely that without counseling, training or other services financial aid could reasonably be expected to be required within 6 months. | |
The services may be continued for such time as may be necessary to overcome the conditions which may result in dependency upon financial aid but each case shall be reviewed at least quarterly to assure that the services are not continued beyond a reasonable period of time.
Any extension of services under the foregoing provisions shall be limited to a pilot county or counties, or other test area, until the cost and effectiveness of the services provided are determined to be in the public interest.
The Illinois Department may also extend the educational and vocational training programs provided under Section 9‑5 or Section 9‑7 to persons whose income does not exceed the standard established to determine eligibility for aid as a medically indigent person under Article V, subject to the minimum quarterly review requirement established in this Section for persons designated in subparagraphs (1) and (2).
(Source: P.A. 93‑632, eff. 2‑1‑04.) |