Summary
Total cases receiving Public Assistance in Illinois climbed 177,846 cases (262,984 persons) in March 2023 from March 2022. Aided cases numbered 2,396,110 (3,833,541 persons) in March 2023, up 8.01% from year-earlier totals.
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
- Total TANF Benefits: There were 27,785 TANF cases (77,330 persons) in March 2023, down 111 cases and down 507 persons from February 2023. The caseload is 0.64% higher than the March 2022 total.
- TANF-Basic: In March 2023, TANF-Basic (primarily single-parent) families decreased, from February 2023, by 169 cases (654 persons) for a total of 25,053 cases (65,715 persons).
- Two-Parent Cases: Two-parent cases increased in March 2023 by 58 cases (147 persons) from February 2023 for a total of 2,732 cases (11,615 persons).
- Approvals: There were 2,225 assistance approvals this month, including 1,469 new grants (down 35 since February 2023) and 318 reinstatements (up 56 since February 2023). A reinstatement is defined as approval of any case that was active within the previous 24 months.
- TANF Cancelled due to earnings: In March 2023 there were 293 cases cancelled due to earnings from new employer or increased earnings from an existing employer.
- Total Grant amount: $16,398,162 was the total in March 2023. This is $393,108 more than the total in February 2023. March 2023 shows a 27.86% increase from March 2022.
Assistance to the Aged, Blind or Disabled (AABD)
The total number of AABD Cash cases in March 2023 is up 237 cases or 1.29% from the number of cases a year earlier.
- AABD Case Details: AABD Cash cases increased by 37 cases in March 2023 from February 2023 for a total of 18,532 cases. This total includes 8,759 persons who qualified for Old Age Assistance; 150 persons who qualified for Blind Assistance; and 9,623 persons who qualified for Disability Assistance. The total grant amount increased by 0.63% from February 2023 ($2,665,228) to March 2023 ($2,682,063).
Medical Assistance - No Grant (MANG)
March 2023 had a program total of 2,648.711cases (4,016,088 persons). Of the total MANG cases, there were 60,872 cases (100,387 MANG persons) in All Kids, Disabled Workers, Breast and Cervical Cancer, Veteran Care, Medically Fragile Technology Dependent, and Department of Corrections programs. Overall, MANG cases in March 2023 show an 27.93% increase (578,386 cases) since March 2022.
- MANG: MANG recipients represent 110.54% of total cases and 104.76% of total persons in March 2023. In March 2022, MANG recipients represented 93.33% of total cases.
- Family Health Plans: In March 2023, families decreased by 93,098 to 874,646 cases from totals in February 2023. Persons increased 1,172,137 in March 2023 to 1,009,750 persons.
- ACA Adult: ACA Adult saw an increase of 6,401 cases from February 2023 for a total of 974,145 cases in March 2023. Persons increased by 6,681 for a March 2023 total of 1,003,069 persons.
- AABD Clients: AABD customers who were categorically qualified for Medical Only, increased .31% in March 2023 from February 2023 to 399,960 cases.
- Foster Care: Foster Care Assistance totals were not available at the time of this report.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- SNAP Assistance was given to 1,764,090 Illinois households (2,705,136 persons) in March 2023. This is an increase of 680,048 households from March 2022 levels.
- A total of 101,042 households (137,157 persons) received SNAP with no other assistance in March 2023. This is a decrease of 996 households from March 2022 levels.
- The total SNAP assistance amount for March 2023 was $453,935,663. This is a decrease of $59,238,328 from March 2022.
FISCAL YEAR 2023 SUMMARY OF CASES AND PERSONS AS OF MARCH 2023
| PROGRAM |
CASES |
PERSONS |
| TANF |
27,785 |
77,330 |
| AABD Cash |
18,532 |
18,532 |
| Family Health Plans |
874,646 |
2,175,206 |
| AABD MANG |
399,960 |
415,566 |
| ACA |
974,145 |
1,009,750 |
| SNAP with no other assistance |
101,042 |
137,157 |
| Foster Care |
N/A |
N/A |
| Refugees Cash & Medical |
5,661 |
5,661 |
| Total |
2,401,771 |
3,839,202 |
Child Care1
Child Care Services are available to families with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Families must be working or enrolled in approved education or training activities. Families cost-share with co-payments based on income and family size. Services are delivered through a certificate program and a site-administered contract system.
- The Certificate Program eligibility is determined by resource and referral agencies. Parents choose subsidized full or part-time care from any legal care provider that meets their needs. Providers include child-care centers, family homes, group child-care home and in-home and relative care. In February 2023, an estimated 113,483 children were served by certificate.
- The Site-Administered Contract Program serves families through a statewide network of contracted licensed centers and family homes. Families apply for care directly with the contracted providers and eligibility is determined on-site by the provider. In February 2023, an estimated 4,630 children were served by contract.
- The Migrant Head Start Program provides childcare and health and social services for preschool children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. Services are provided by local community-based agencies. In February 2023, there were 179 children enrolled in Migrant and Seasonal Head Start.
Emergency Food, Shelter and Support
Homeless families and individuals receive food, shelter, and support services through local not-for-profit organizations. A "continuum of care" includes emergency and transitional housing and assistance in gaining self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
- The Emergency and Transitional Housing Program served 4,805 households in shelters during the October-December 2022 quarter. Of those, 532 were households with children.
- The Emergency Food Program served 268,166 households (duplicative) in March 2023.
- The Homeless Prevention Program helps families in existing homes and helps others secure affordable housing. During the January-March 2023 quarter, 926 households were served. Of those, 407 were families (Households with children under age 18).
- The Supportive Housing Program funds governments and agencies which serve families and transitional facility residents. In the January-March 2023 quarter, 732 nights of Supportive Housing were provided.
- The New Americans Initiative funds the provision of English language, civics and U.S. history instruction as well as application services. This program has served 4,598 in March 2023.
- Of the refugees served, 40 received employment services, and 101 of the client's entering employment were still employed 90 days later from January-March 2023.
- The Outreach and Interpretation project assures access to IDHS benefits. This program has served 4,597 in March 2023.
Social Service Block Grants
Service funding is provided through the Federal Title XX Social Services Block Grant to manage and monitor contracts which help customers achieve economic self-support and prevent or remedy abuse and neglect.
- Crisis Nurseries served 244 families/customers during the January-March 2023 quarter.
- The Estimated Donated Funds Initiative aided 2,299 customers with 32,154rides provided for Senior's during the January-March 2023 quarter.
Early Intervention (EI)1
The Illinois Early Intervention (EI) program serves infants and toddlers ages birth to 3 years old with developmental delays or disabilities and their family in one or more of the following areas of development: adaptive, cognitive, communication/speech, physical and social emotional. EI is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities. Annually, the EI program serves approximately 23,000 children throughout the state and maintains 25 regional intake entities called Child and Family Connections (CFC) offices. CFCs handle referrals, intake and service coordination for infants and toddlers referred to EI and coordinates the eligibility determination process and manages eligible infants and toddlers with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs)through transition.
Early Intervention services include, but are not limited to developmental evaluations and assessments, communication/speech therapy, developmental therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, service coordination, psychological, and other counseling services, and assistive technology. Evaluations, assessments, service plan development and service coordination are provided to families at no cost. Ongoing EI services are paid for by public insurance (i.e., Medicaid/All Kids), a family's private health insurance, when appropriate, state general revenue and other program funds. Families are assessed a family participation fee based on a sliding scale which considers their ability to pay.
Program Statistics - Early Intervention
| Indicator |
February
2023 |
SFY 2022
Average |
SFY 2021
Average |
| Referrals |
3,151 |
3,206 |
2,747 |
| Active IFSP's |
22,997 |
21,147 |
17,814 |
| 0-3 Participation Rate |
5.39% |
7.22% |
6.25% |
| Under 1 Participation Rate |
1.34% |
1.12% |
0.93% |
| % With Medicaid |
52.30% |
51.40% |
50.48% |
| % With Insurance |
39.90% |
40.10% |
39.78% |
| % With Fees |
30.90% |
30.80% |
28.96% |
What's New in EI
The Bureau continues to update current policy and procedure to support changes in legislation. At this time, our focus is on updating policy to support two additions to our Rule. This includes Public Act 102-0926, which enabled auto-eligibility for any child under three who is the subject of a substantiated case of child abuse or neglect and Public Act 102-0962, which clarifies timeframes for the initiation of Early Intervention Services to begin as soon as possible, but not later than 30 calendar days after consent is received.
Early Intervention will begin to provide services to children after they turn three years old if they are eligible for the Early Intervention/Extended Services Program (EI/ES). This option for extended services through Part C to children over age three applies only if the child:
- has been determined eligible for early intervention, and
- has their third birthday between May 1 and August 31 and
- has been found eligible for early childhood special education services under IDEA and Section 14-8.02 of Public Act 102-0209 (Section 11h) and created an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)1
The purpose of WIC is to provide nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, nutritious supplemental foods, and referrals to services for eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children to age five. The program has been housed under the Department of Human Services since 1997. To be eligible, participants must be at 185% of the federal poverty level, be a resident of the State of Illinois, and have a nutrition risk.
Program Statistics - WIC
| Eligibility Category |
Clients in February 2023 |
| Pregnant Women |
13,735 |
| Breastfeeding Women |
13,940 |
| Postpartum Women |
9,194 |
| Infants |
42,958 |
| Children |
83,650 |
| Total |
163,477 |
What's New in WIC
It has been 3 years now since the new WIC Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) implementation was implemented in March 2020. WIC staff have been continuing to work with local WIC agencies to address training and system issues in the Clinic modules in I-WIC that have arisen to ensure a quality customer experience. Central office staff have also continued to review and resolve I-WIC system documentation and related issues with the Vendor, Administration, and Nutrition modules. The increase in the dollar value of the fruit and vegetable benefits provided to WIC participants has been extended and the dollar value was enhanced. Started in June 2021 as a temporary increase, it has now been extended through September 2023 and allows participants to receive significantly more fresh fruits and vegetables through their Cash Value Benefit (CVB) on their EBT card. Clients have welcomed the increase and it has improved their intake of these nutritious foods.
Family Case Management1
The program target population is low-income families (below 200% of the federal poverty level) with a pregnant woman, an infant. The goals of the program are to help women have healthy babies and to reduce the rates of infant mortality and very low birth weight. To achieve these goals the program conducts outreach activities to inform expectant women and new mothers of available services and then assists them with obtaining prenatal and well-childcare. The program works with community agencies to address barriers to accessing medical services, such as childcare, transportation, housing, food, mental health needs and substance abuse services. Services are provided statewide through local Health Departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and community-based organizations. Home visits by program staff are provided in the first year of life.
Program Statistics - Family Case Management
Active Participant Counts for February 2023
| Family Case Management |
Total |
| Cook County |
16,579 |
| Downstate |
33,175 |
| Statewide |
49,754 |
Bureau of Program & Performance Management
1Current month's Child Care, Early Intervention, Women, Infants, and Children, and Family Case Management data is not released until the end of the following month resulting in a one-month lag for this report.
