Working with Mainstream Agencies

Child Welfare:

Because Every Child Deserves a Home

Norman History

DCFS was not ready for the surge in the number of homeless families.

Lawsuit against DCFS resulting in the Norman Consent Decree.

Understanding that it is more expensive to have children in care than to serve appropriate parents.

Norman Services

Housing Advocacy Cash Assistance Norman TANF Application Program

Youth Housing Assistance Program (YHAP)

100 % funded by the Independence Facilitation Grant (Chafee)

Youth between the ages of 17.5 and 20 who are aging or have aged out of state custody

Transition between ILOs, TLPs and other living arrangements to independence.

YHAP Services

Housing Advocacy Program Cash Assistance Partial Housing Subsidy (for youth with

closed cases)

Housing Advocacy (HAP)

Crisis Intervention. Develop relationships with landlords. Provide apartment listings. Provide tenant counseling. Advocate with housing providers. Provide linkages to community services. Provide follow-up services.

HAP Eligibility

Family has children who are in danger of being placed in, or cannot be returned home from, DCFS custody due to inadequate housing.

Youth was in DCFS care at 14 and are over the age of 17.5 and not yet 21.

Family or youth needs assistance locating housing.

HAP Cost

Client: Target Staff Ratio 25:1 for families, 18:1 for youth.

Agencies bill on average 50 hours per client though the range is large.

Agencies bill about 8-20 hours per client for follow-up services, sometimes more for youth.

Agencies paid between $20 and $28 per hour.

Cost averages about $1,200 per client.

Cash Assistance (CAP)

Housing costs, such as security deposit Utilities Food Clothing Beds for the children Kitchen Appliances

CAP Eligibility

Families: An item is needed to keep the child from being placed in, or to return a child home from, DCFS custody that the family cannot afford to purchase themselves.

Youth: An item needed to stabilize their housing situation.

CAP Cost

Price of the item purchased (typically $1,200 per client)

5% administration fee to the agency processing the cash assistance requests

YHAP Partial Housing Subsidy

Youth pays 30% of their income on housing.

Provides up to $250 per month directly to the property manager.

Life of the subsidy is 12 months. Subsidy decreases over time.

Cost Effective

Cost of a child in care is often more than $1,000 per child per month for the caseworker and the foster care payment.

A family with three children in care would cost about $3,000 per month.

A youth in a transitional living program can cost $5,000 per month.

The cost for HAP and CAP services is about $2,355 lifetime.

Family Unification Program

Provides a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV, also known as Section 8)

Families who have children who are in danger of being placed in or cannot be returned home from DCFS care due to inadequate housing.

Youth who were in child welfare custody at 16, are under the age of 22 and live in inadequate housing. (Youth receive the assistance for 18 months.)

FUP and OHACA services

All FUP families and youth served by a housing advocate.

All FUP families and youth receive cash assistance for security deposits and other items

FUP Families case remains open for at least 3-6 months after receiving the voucher

FUP Youth case remains open for life of the subsidy.

Funding for Housing Services

Independence Facilitation Grant (Chaffee funds)

Unused TANF funds IV-A Waiver Super NOFA User fee added to the cost of recording

mortgage documents

Working with Mainstream Agencies

Child Welfare:

Because Every Child Deserves a Home

John Cheney Egan

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

100 W. Randolph, Chicago IL 60601

312 814-1878

john.j.egan@illinois.gov