For grandparents raising their grandchildren, the state of Illinois is trying to assist better those who need it most.
Governor JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed House Bill 0780, which establishes and works to administer a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Pilot Program in Will County – beginning January 1, 2024, and running through January 1, 2027.
It will require an intake coordinator for Will County, who will ultimately be responsible for connecting grandparents raising grandchildren to relevant resources and services provided by state agencies.
Pritzker noted that “As Governor, I’ve made it my mission to help make Illinois the best state in the nation to raise a family, and that means supporting parents, guardians or grandparents — and our youngest Illinoisans. Through this pilot program in Will County, we will connect grandparents raising grandchildren to relevant resources and services provided by state agencies, while creating a public awareness campaign to keep all Illinois grandparents in the know.”
Illinois has nearly 264,000 children under the age of 18 living in a home where a relative is the head of the household; more than 70,000 grandparents across the state are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
The pilot program advances the reach and impact of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program that works to locate, assist and promote awareness of older caregivers who are currently raising their family’s children.
The pilot includes raising awareness about the following programs:
- The Extended Family Support Program administered by the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS)
- The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program administered by the Illinois Departments on Aging (IDoA)
- The Child Only Grants assistance component of TANF program administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS)
- The Children Health Insurance Program administered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)
The legislation also includes:
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The creation of a public awareness campaign on services and resources offered by each agency.
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A requirement for the IDoA to submit an annual report to the General Assembly on the number of families who received referral, specific services received, and other related information from the intake coordinator during the prior calendar year. The first report will be due by January 1, 2025, and continue through the termination of the pilot program.
