Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Illinois: Kinship Care, TANF, and Support

Last updated: April 7, 2026

Bottom line: Illinois does not have one simple monthly “grandparent grant” that every older adult can claim. In real life, most grandparents raising grandchildren in Illinois piece together help through child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other ABE benefits, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) kinship options when there is a DCFS case, All Kids and Medicaid, school enrollment protections, and Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) support for grandparents raising grandchildren.

As of IDoA’s current program page, Illinois has 263,890 children under 18 living in homes where a relative is head of household, more than 71,000 grandparents caring for grandchildren, and more than 85,000 children being raised by kin with no parent present. If you are a senior who suddenly took in a child, the most important first move is to sort your case into the right Illinois pathway: private family arrangement, court guardianship, or DCFS placement.

Emergency help now

• If the child is in immediate danger, has been abandoned, or you suspect abuse or neglect, call 911 or the Illinois DCFS Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-2873.
• If you need food, cash, or medical coverage right away, apply through Illinois ABE at ABE.Illinois.gov or call 1-800-843-6154.
• If the child is already in DCFS care or a caseworker is involved, tell the caseworker today that you are a willing relative caregiver and ask about relative caregiver certification under the KIND Act.

Quick help:

• Fastest cash path: Ask for child-only TANF. Illinois says you do not need guardianship for this, and the grandparent’s income and assets are not counted for the child’s eligibility.
• Fastest local support path: If the child has been with you for more than 14 days, ask about the Extended Family Support Program (EFSP).
• Fastest senior-focused help path: Call the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 (711 TRS) and ask for the local grandparents raising grandchildren or kinship contact.
• Fastest health coverage path: Apply for All Kids or medical assistance with the same ABE application.
• If ABE is acting up: Use the paper cash/medical/SNAP application through your Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) office locator.

What this help actually looks like in Illinois

Start by naming your situation correctly. In Illinois, the word “kinship care” can describe several very different setups. That matters because the money, legal authority, and paperwork change a lot depending on whether the child came to you through a private family arrangement, probate court guardianship, or DCFS custody.

A lot of older pages skip this step. That creates confusion for seniors. Illinois help is spread across IDHS for benefits, HFS for health coverage and child support, DCFS for kinship and foster-related cases, ISBE and local school districts for enrollment, and IDoA and the 13 Area Agencies on Aging for caregiver support.

Illinois situation	Who is in charge	Main help to ask for first	Biggest limit
Informal caregiving or private family arrangement	You are caring for the child, but there may be no court order and no DCFS custody.	Child-only TANF, SNAP, All Kids, school enrollment, and IDoA grandparent caregiver support.	You may hit problems with routine medical consent and some school paperwork.
Probate guardianship	An Illinois circuit court gives you legal authority over the child.	Minor guardianship forms, child-only TANF, All Kids, school enrollment, and child support.	Guardianship gives authority, but it does not automatically create foster payments.
DCFS relative placement or kinship foster placement	DCFS and juvenile court are involved.	Relative caregiver certification under the KIND Act, caseworker placement help, medical coverage through the DCFS case, and possible foster-level payments.	This path has the most paperwork and can feel different from county to county or worker to worker.

Quick facts:

• Best immediate takeaway: Illinois usually helps grandparents raising grandchildren through several programs at once, not one program.
• Major rule: Under Illinois DCFS guidance, you do not have to be a guardian to get child-only TANF.
• Realistic obstacle: Many grandparents have the child before they have birth certificates, custody papers, or insurance cards.
• Useful fact: The Extended Family Support Program can help relatives who have had the child for more than 14 days, even before a formal DCFS case starts.
• Best next step: Apply for cash, food, and medical on the same day through ABE and keep every confirmation number and notice.

Who qualifies in plain English

You may be able to get help in Illinois if a child is living with you and you are the day-to-day caregiver. That can include grandparents, great-grandparents, adult siblings, aunts, uncles, or other relatives. Some Illinois supports also help “fictive kin,” meaning a close family-like adult in a DCFS case.

For child-only TANF in Illinois, the key point is that the child is the applicant. Illinois says the grandparent’s or other relative caregiver’s income and assets are not counted for the child’s eligibility, and there is no requirement that you already have legal guardianship.

For foster-level kinship payments under the KIND Act, the child usually must be in DCFS care and you must go through the relative caregiver certification or other DCFS approval process. For probate guardianship, a judge must appoint you.

Best first steps after a grandparent takes in a child

• Make the child safe tonight. Get medicine, school items, a sleeping space, and emergency contacts together first.
• Write down the exact date the child started living with you. Illinois programs ask this often, and the EFSP uses a more-than-14-days rule.
• Apply for ABE benefits right away. Use one application for cash, SNAP, and medical at ABE.
• Tell the school where the child is sleeping now. If the child is doubled-up because of housing loss or crisis, ask for the district homeless liaison and use ISBE enrollment guidance.
• Decide if you need legal authority. If you cannot get medical care, enroll in school smoothly, or sign for services, start looking at minor guardianship or a short-term guardianship if the parent is cooperative.

Legal custody vs kinship care vs informal caregiving

Informal caregiving means the child is living with you, but there is no court order and no DCFS custody. This is common. It can still qualify for child-only TANF, SNAP, All Kids, and school enrollment, but it can be harder for routine medical consent.

Kinship care in Illinois often means a relative or family-like adult is caring for a child. In everyday speech, that can include informal care. In the DCFS system, it usually means a relative or fictive kin placement connected to DCFS.

Guardianship means a judge gave you authority to make decisions for the child. That can solve school and medical problems. But it usually does not create a new monthly state payment by itself. If the child is in DCFS care, ask whether subsidized guardianship may eventually be available. If the child never entered DCFS care, guardianship is mostly about legal authority, not foster money.

Financial help for grandparents raising grandchildren in Illinois

Child-only TANF for grandparents raising grandchildren

• What it is: A cash grant for the child, not the grandparent. Illinois says relatives do not need guardianship to apply for this option, and the relative caregiver’s income and assets are not counted for the child’s eligibility under DCFS guidance for grandparents and other relatives raising children.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents and other relatives caring for a child in Illinois, including many informal kinship arrangements.
• How it helps: It gives a small monthly grant, and Illinois says children on the child-only grant automatically qualify for medical assistance. There is no TANF time limit when only the children are receiving TANF, and the adult relative does not have to meet the regular TANF work rules that apply to adult recipients.
• How to apply or use it: Apply at ABE, call 1-800-843-6154, or use the IDHS office locator for your local FCRC.
• What to gather or know first: Bring proof the child is living with you, proof of relationship if you have it, and any school, medical, police, or court records showing the living arrangement. If you do not have every document yet, apply anyway and give what you can.

How much is it? Illinois DCFS describes the child-only grant as approximately $100 per month. The public Illinois payment chart still shows exact county-group amounts on the state’s IDHS TANF program standards chart, which vary slightly by county group.

County group	Example counties	1 child	2 children	3 children
Group I	Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Champaign	$117	$230	$284
Group II	Will, Sangamon, Madison, Peoria, St. Clair	$111	$222	$277
Group III	Franklin, Jefferson, Perry, Saline, Williamson	$108	$215	$271

Important: These child-only TANF amounts are small. In Illinois, many grandparents need to combine them with SNAP, All Kids, child support, school meal help, and local caregiver support.

Regular TANF if you also need cash for yourself

• What it is: TANF for the adult and child together, not just the child.
• Who can get it or use it: Low-income caregivers who meet Illinois TANF rules and need help for the whole household.
• How it helps: The amount can be larger than child-only TANF.
• How to apply or use it: Use the same ABE application or ask your FCRC to screen you for both child-only and regular TANF.
• What to gather or know first: Unlike child-only TANF, regular TANF can trigger more income questions, work rules, and the 60-month time limit described in the Illinois TANF Q&A.

Kinship care payments and kinship navigator help in Illinois

• What it is: Illinois splits kinship support between aging-network help and child-welfare help. The big senior-focused support is the IDoA Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program. The big child-welfare support is the DCFS Extended Family Support Program.
• Who can get it or use it: Older grandparents and relatives raising children, especially when they need respite, legal help, support groups, or short-term stabilization help.
• How it helps: IDoA funds all 13 Area Agencies on Aging for services such as respite, legal assistance, counseling, support groups, and gap-filling items like clothing and school supplies. DCFS EFSP helps relatives who have cared for the child for more than 14 days with guardianship help, school enrollment help, child-only grant help, day care help, and cash assistance to stabilize the home.
• How to apply or use it: Call the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 for local kinship support. Ask DCFS or a community referral source for the Extended Family Support Program if the child has been with you more than 14 days.
• What to gather or know first: Know the child’s move-in date, school name, doctor, and any immediate needs. EFSP and local aging providers may ask what problem must be solved first.

Can grandparents get foster care payments in Illinois?

• What it is: Foster or foster-equivalent payments are tied to DCFS custody, not just family relationship.
• Who can get it or use it: Generally, relatives caring for children who are already in DCFS care and who go through the licensing or relative caregiver certification process.
• How it helps: Under the KIND Act, effective July 1, 2025, Illinois created separate standards for certifying relatives and says certified relative caregivers are eligible for increased financial support and can become eligible for subsidized guardianship.
• How to apply or use it: If the child is in DCFS care, tell the caseworker you want information on relative caregiver certification. Do this in writing if possible.
• What to gather or know first: There is not one simple statewide public dollar amount on the main KIND page because foster rates can vary by child needs and placement details. If you are being considered for certification, ask the worker for the current payment amount in writing.

Plain-English answer: Yes, sometimes. But no if this is just a private family arrangement with no DCFS case. In that situation, the realistic money path is usually child-only TANF, SNAP, All Kids, child support, and local kinship support.

Guardianship assistance for older caregivers

• What it is: A court order giving you authority to make decisions for the child. Illinois also allows a short-term guardianship for up to one year when a parent or guardian cooperates.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents and other caregivers who need legal authority for school, medical care, benefits, or safety.
• How it helps: Guardianship can make routine life much easier. It is often the cleanest fix when doctors, schools, or insurers keep asking who has authority.
• How to apply or use it: Illinois now has statewide minor guardianship forms approved in November 2025, and the Illinois Supreme Court says filing and appearance fees in minor guardianship cases became $0 effective October 1, 2025.
• What to gather or know first: Local practice still varies. Hearing dates, service rules, and clerk instructions can differ by circuit. Download the forms before you start because the Illinois Courts page warns that filling them out in a browser can make you lose your work.

Very important: Guardianship is not the same as foster care. It can solve authority problems, but it does not automatically create foster payments. If the child is already in a DCFS case, ask the caseworker before filing anything new so you do not end up using the wrong court path.

School enrollment and medical consent issues

School enrollment: Illinois school districts cannot require you to have guardianship just to enroll a child. The current ISBE registration guidance says districts cannot impose requirements more restrictive than state and federal law, and they cannot require caretakers or relatives to establish legal guardianship as a condition of school access. The same guidance says a child living with an adult relative caretaker receiving aid under the Illinois Public Aid Code for that child is a resident of the district where the adult lives.

What to do: Bring proof the child is living with you, your own address proof, and any court, DCFS, or state papers you have. If you do not have a birth certificate yet, ISBE says a child can generally be enrolled and then provide a birth certificate within 30 days, or other reliable proof of identity and age with a sworn statement explaining why the certificate is unavailable.

If the child is doubled-up or homeless: Ask for the district’s homeless liaison right away. Under Illinois and federal homeless education rules, a child who is homeless must be enrolled immediately, even if papers are missing. Illinois also has a McKinney-Vento caregiver authorization form for school enrollment and school-related medical care in some homelessness situations.

Medical consent: This is where grandparents often get stuck. A grandparent status alone does not always solve routine medical consent problems. In practice, a doctor’s office may want a guardianship order, a valid short-term guardianship, or DCFS consent if the child is in DCFS care. Do not assume the clinic will accept a school paper for medical care. If the parent is cooperative, a short-term guardianship can be much faster than full probate guardianship.

Medicaid and health insurance for grandchildren in a grandparent’s care

• What it is: Illinois health coverage for children mainly runs through All Kids and medical assistance.
• Who can get it or use it: Many grandchildren living with grandparents can qualify, including children on child-only TANF. Illinois DCFS says children receiving the child-only grant automatically qualify for medical assistance.
• How it helps: Health coverage can include doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, dental, and other child services. HFS says eligible children in All Kids Assist, Share, and Premium Levels 1 and 2 get 12 months of guaranteed coverage unless they move out of Illinois or turn 19.
• How to apply or use it: Apply through ABE, call 1-800-843-6154, or call the All Kids Hotline at 1-866-255-5437 (TTY 1-877-204-1012).
• What to gather or know first: If the child is approved for Medicaid or All Kids, the managed care plan choices can vary by county and program category. After approval, call Client Enrollment Services at 1-877-912-8880 (TTY 1-866-565-8576) if you need help choosing or changing a plan.

Practical note: Older Illinois pages may still say “KidCare.” The current child coverage name to look for is All Kids.

Food help and child benefits for kinship families

SNAP: Apply for food help with the same ABE application. Even if the child-only TANF check is very small, SNAP can still matter a lot for grandparents on fixed incomes.

School meals: Enroll the child in school right away and ask the district about meal help the same day. Do not wait until every custody issue is solved first.

Child support: Illinois child support services are free through HFS Division of Child Support Services. If you are receiving TANF, Illinois says child support services are automatic. If you are not receiving assistance, you can still apply. Illinois also has a specific child support application for a caretaker who is not the biological or legal parent.

Pass-through rule: Illinois changed its TANF child support rules so that families on TANF now receive support collections that come in while the case is active, and the state says those payments do not affect TANF eligibility. The regular monthly pass-through still happens only when there is a collection that month. If you also get SNAP, ask the worker how child support will be counted for food benefits.

Housing help for seniors raising grandchildren

Illinois does not have a broad housing subsidy just for grandparents raising grandchildren. That is frustrating, but it is better to know it early. The practical Illinois options depend on why your housing is unstable.

• If there is a DCFS-related crisis, ask about Norman Services and EFSP, because DCFS says those programs can help with cash for basic items, housing search help, and stabilization.
• If you are doubled-up, in a motel, or moving couch to couch, tell the school district immediately and use homeless education rights to keep the child in school.
• If you need a place to look for units, IDoA links older adults to the statewide Illinois housing locator.
• If you need local housing or utility help, start with the IDHS office locator or the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966.

Support groups and respite help for older caregivers

This is one area where Illinois has something real and senior-centered. The IDoA Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program funds all 13 Area Agencies on Aging for services that can include respite, support groups, counseling, legal assistance, and gap-filling help such as clothing, school supplies, and emergency needs.

If you are an older caregiver, do not wait until you are burned out. Call 1-800-252-8966 and ask for the local grandparents raising grandchildren, kinship, or caregiver support contact. This is especially important if you have your own health problems, are still working part-time, or are caring for more than one child.

What documents grandparents need

• ☐ Your ID and proof of your Illinois address
• ☐ Any paper showing the child is living with you, such as school mail, a landlord statement, hospital paperwork, police paperwork, or a notarized statement
• ☐ Relationship proof, if available, such as birth certificates linking you to the child
• ☐ The child’s Social Security number, if you know it
• ☐ Any court or DCFS papers
• ☐ School name and last school attended
• ☐ Medical information, current medicines, doctor name, insurance card, and immunization records if you have them
• ☐ Income and expense proof if you are also applying for SNAP, regular TANF, or All Kids premium determinations
• ☐ A written timeline showing when the child moved in and why

How grandparents can apply for benefits in Illinois without wasting time

• Apply once for multiple benefits. Use ABE to ask for cash, SNAP, and health coverage together.
• Use the right office. For benefits, use your Family Community Resource Center. In Cook County, the office locator asks for ZIP code because office assignment can vary inside the county.
• Expect an interview for cash and SNAP. Illinois says a caseworker usually needs to speak with you by phone or in person to finish cash and SNAP applications.
• Do not wait for every document. Start the application, then turn in missing proofs by the deadline on the notice.
• If ABE is down or too hard to use, go old-school. Ask for the paper form IL444-2378B. Illinois says paper applications can be mailed to the Central Scanning Unit at P.O. Box 19138, Springfield, IL 62794 or dropped off or faxed to your FCRC.
• Open every envelope. A lot of Illinois denials happen because notices go to an old address or a deadline gets missed.
• Keep one folder. Put every notice, screenshot, case number, and worker name in one place. If an adult child is helping a senior, this step saves time later.

Reality checks

• Illinois ABE and Manage My Case are useful, but not perfect. Save confirmation pages and upload receipts. If the portal times out, switch to phone, paper, or the FCRC.
• School rules still feel different by district. Even though statewide guidance is clear, some districts still ask for guardianship when they should not. Ask for the district’s written policy and cite ISBE registration guidance.
• The KIND Act is new. Since relative caregiver certification only took effect on July 1, 2025, some workers and contractors may still be learning the process.
• Guardianship is easier than before, but not instant. Illinois removed minor guardianship filing and appearance fees, but local hearing dates and service problems can still slow things down.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for guardianship before applying for child-only TANF
• Assuming “grandma” or “grandpa” status automatically gives medical consent authority
• Not telling the school the child is doubled-up or homeless when that is true
• Using only a national article and missing Illinois county-group TANF rates, EFSP, or the KIND Act
• Missing mail because the agency still has the parent’s old address
• Thinking probate guardianship and DCFS kinship placement are the same thing

Best options by need

• I need cash now: Child-only TANF through ABE
• I need school enrollment help: Local district enrollment office plus ISBE guidance
• I need medical coverage: All Kids or medical assistance
• I need foster-type payments: Ask whether the child is in DCFS care and whether you can pursue relative caregiver certification
• I need legal authority fast: minor guardianship or short-term guardianship if the parent agrees
• I need respite or support groups: IDoA grandparents raising grandchildren services
• I need child support: HFS child support services

What to do if you are denied, delayed, or blocked

• If IDHS or HFS denies benefits: First ask the worker what proof is missing. Then use ABE Manage My Case and the ABE appeals information page to check status and start an appeal if needed.
• If DCFS denies placement or certification: Ask the caseworker and supervisor for the denial reason in writing and ask what review or reconsideration option applies under the KIND Act.
• If a school refuses enrollment: Ask for the decision in writing, request the homeless liaison if housing is unstable, and bring the ISBE registration guidance showing that guardianship is not required just to enroll.
• If a clinic refuses to let you sign: Ask exactly what legal paper they need. The answer may be a guardianship order, a short-term guardianship, or DCFS consent if the child is in care.
• If phone lines are long and notices are confusing: Call early in the day, write down the date and name of every worker, and keep copies of everything you submit.

Plan B and backup options

• If child-only TANF is too small, add SNAP and school meals.
• If the parent is cooperative, use a short-term guardianship while you decide on full guardianship.
• If there is no DCFS case, do not waste weeks asking for foster care money that does not apply. Move to TANF, All Kids, child support, and school rights instead.
• If you cannot get traction alone, ask the Area Agency on Aging network or Illinois Legal Aid Online guardianship help for the next step.

Local resources in Illinois

• IDoA Senior HelpLine: 1-800-252-8966 (711 TRS) for grandparents raising grandchildren, caregiver support, respite, and local Area Agency on Aging referrals
• IDHS / ABE: ABE.Illinois.gov or 1-800-843-6154 for cash, SNAP, and medical applications
• Family Community Resource Center locator: IDHS Office Locator
• DCFS relatives raising children page: official Illinois kinship and grandparent caregiver guidance
• DCFS EFSP: Extended Family Support Program details
• KIND Act information: relative caregiver certification page
• All Kids: 1-866-255-5437
• Child Support Services: 1-800-447-4278 (TTY 1-800-526-5812)
• Illinois Courts guardianship forms: approved statewide minor guardianship forms
• Illinois Legal Aid Online: plain-English guardianship help

Diverse communities

Immigrant and refugee seniors

Illinois school districts cannot deny a child a free public education based on the child’s or caregiver’s actual or perceived immigration status, and ISBE guidance says schools cannot require immigration papers or a Social Security number to enroll. If language is a barrier, ask IDHS, HFS, DCFS, and the school district for an interpreter instead of relying on a child to translate.

Rural seniors with limited access

Use phone and paper options if the nearest office is far away. Illinois allows benefit applications through ABE, by phone at 1-800-843-6154, and through your FCRC. For caregiver support, call 1-800-252-8966 instead of trying to find local kinship programs one by one.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get child-only TANF in Illinois if I do not have legal guardianship?

Usually, yes. Illinois DCFS says on its grandparents and older caregivers page that you do not have to be a guardian to receive child-only TANF and that the relative caregiver’s income and assets are not counted in the child’s eligibility. Apply through ABE or your local FCRC.

How much is the Illinois child-only TANF grant for grandparents raising grandchildren?

It is small. Illinois DCFS describes it as about $100 per month. The public IDHS payment chart shows county-group rates that differ slightly by area, such as $117, $111, or $108 for one child depending on county group.

Can grandparents get foster care payments in Illinois?

Only in the right kind of case. If the child is in a private family arrangement with no DCFS custody, foster care payments usually do not apply. If the child is in DCFS care, ask about relative caregiver certification under the KIND Act, because that is the Illinois path that can lead to foster-level financial support for relatives.

Does Illinois have a kinship navigator program?

Illinois spreads that role across more than one system. For older adults, the closest statewide kinship navigator-style help is the IDoA Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program through the 13 Area Agencies on Aging. For relatives who have had a child for more than 14 days and need stabilization help, the DCFS Extended Family Support Program is also central.

Can a school in Illinois refuse to enroll my grandchild because I am not the legal guardian?

No. The ISBE registration guidance says schools cannot require adult caretakers or relatives to establish legal guardianship as a condition for school access. If housing is unstable, ask for the district homeless liaison right away because homeless students must be enrolled immediately.

Can I take my grandchild to the doctor without custody papers?

Sometimes for emergencies, yes. For routine care, many providers want clearer legal authority. A guardianship order, a short-term guardianship, or DCFS consent if the child is in care may be needed. This is one of the biggest problems in informal kinship care.

What is the difference between guardianship and kinship care in Illinois?

Kinship care is the caregiving relationship. Guardianship is the legal authority. You can have kinship care without guardianship. You can also be a guardian without getting foster care money. If DCFS is involved, the case can include kinship placement, certification, and sometimes subsidized guardianship later. If DCFS is not involved, guardianship usually helps with authority, not monthly payments.

What should I do in the first 48 hours after taking in a child?

Make the child safe, write down the move-in date, apply through ABE, contact the school, and decide whether you need legal authority for medical care or enrollment. If the child has been with you more than 14 days, ask about EFSP. If you are an older caregiver, call 1-800-252-8966 for local kinship support.

Resumen en español

Illinois no tiene una sola ayuda mensual especial para todos los abuelos que están criando nietos. La ayuda real suele venir de varias fuentes al mismo tiempo: ABE para TANF, SNAP y cobertura médica, All Kids, apoyo de DCFS para familias de parentesco y servicios para cuidadores mayores a través del Departamento de Envejecimiento de Illinois.

Si usted tomó a un niño en su hogar de repente, haga la solicitud lo antes posible. Pida child-only TANF si el beneficio es para el niño y no para usted, porque Illinois dice que no necesita tutela legal para pedirlo. Si el niño ya está en un caso de DCFS, pregunte por la certificación de cuidador familiar bajo la ley KIND. Si necesita apoyo local, grupos, relevo, o ayuda legal, llame a la línea para personas mayores al 1-800-252-8966. Si la escuela pone trabas, use la guía de inscripción del ISBE, porque la escuela no puede exigir tutela legal solo para inscribir al menor.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.

Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Verification: Last verified April 7, 2026, next review August 7, 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we respond within 72 hours.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, dollar amounts, and availability can change. Confirm current details directly with the official Illinois program, court, school district, or agency before you act.