Child Group Home

What is it?

This residential program is available to participants of the Children's Residential Waiver and is licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services to serve no more than 10 children per living arrangement.  Child Group Homes are designed as a structured environment, providing a range of habilitative and therapeutic services to children and adolescents who cannot reside in their own home.  These supports are individually tailored to assist with the acquisition, retention or improvement in skills related to living in the community.

Note:  Regarding the Enrollment Forms

How Do I Become A Provider?

1. You must be licensed

   1. A person or organization applying for a Child Group Home license must first be licensed as a Child Welfare Agency with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). 
   2. After you are licensed as a Child Welfare Agency, you must call DCFS to request an enrollment packet: Central Office of Licensing - (217) 785-2688. You will then be assigned to one of the DCFS regional offices.
   3. You must have staff with required qualifications and training. 
   4. You must submit current copies of the DCFS Child Welfare Agency License and the Child Group Home License to:

      Illinois Department of Human Services
      Division of Developmental Disabilities
      Bureau of Community Reimbursement, POS Unit
      319 E. Madison, Suite 2K
      Springfield, IL 62701

   5. You must submit the following documents to your Region Facilitator:
      • Letter of Interest 
      • Waiver Program Provider Agreement (HFS 1413A)
        • Instructions for HFS 1413A
      • Provider Enrollment Application (HFS 2243)
        • Instructions for HFS 2243 
      • Provider Information Form (IL462-1246)
      • IRS W-9 form and Guidelines
      • FTP Registration Request Form 
      • Community Provider User ID and System Access Request  (IL444-2022)

2. Once you are licensed, you will be required to work with your Pre-Admission Screening Agency/Independent Service Coordination Agency (ISC). 

   These agencies educate, refer, and link persons with developmental disabilities to services.

3. Contract Information

   Upon meeting the specified requirements above, a Community Service Agreement and Attachment A will be sent to you, containing your specific agency information.

   NOTE:  A contract is not final until it is signed by the DHS Secretary.

4. With an approved contract, you must submit Direct Support Person (DSP) and Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) training programs for approval to:

   Illinois Department of Human Services
   Division of Developmental Disabilities
   Bureau of Quality Management
   319 E. Madison, Suite 4J
   Springfield, IL  62701

   Attention:  DSP/QIDP Training Programs

   • DSP program training approval process
   • QIDP program training approval process 

Important Resources for Requirements