MR #25.19 CILA Increase in Personal Needs Allowance (PNA)

Illinois Department of Human Services Logo

04/30/2025

Summary:

  • Effective 01/01/2025, the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) for individuals residing in a licensed Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) facility has increased from $60 per month to $100 per month. The PNA is the portion of the customer's own income that the customer keeps for their personal needs.
  • Effective 01/01/2026, the PNA shall increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that may take effect on January 1st of each year.
  • The method for calculating CILA expense deductions for Food Assistance has been updated to reflect the change and examples have been added in WAG 05-08-09 and WAG 13-01-05.

Effective 01/01/2025, 305 ILCS 5/5-35 has been amended to increase the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) for individuals residing in Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) facilities from $60 per month to $100 per month.

In addition, the act also states that beginning 01/01/2026, the PNA will increase annually at the same rate as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that may take effect on January 1st of each year.

The PNA for customers who live in a CILA facility is the amount of income that the customer keeps for their personal needs. 

Note: Non-categorically eligible SNAP/State Food households living in a CILA facility must verify their resources and meet the SNAP asset limit, see PM 05-08-09 for more information.

Figuring CILA Medical Expenses for Food Assistance (SNAP/State Food)

  1. Figure the customer's Total Gross Income, see WAG 13-02-00 or the SNAP Calculation Sheet (IL444-0683B).
  2. Total the amount the group home states the customer pays for shelter expenses, the telephone standard as a utility expense if the household pays for their own private telephone, the PNA, and all other allowable medical expenses that the customer pays for out of pocket such as Medicare B premiums or additional health insurance premiums.
  3. Subtract the sum found in Step 2 from the Total Gross Income found in Step 1. The remaining amount is the CILA services medical expense when entering the medical expense for Food Assistance.

For instructions on how to enter CILA medical expenses in IES, see WAG 13-01-05.

PM 05-08-09

PM 13-01-05

PM 13-01-05-a

WAG 05-08-09

WAG 13-01-05

WAG 13-01-08-a

Forms Referenced:

IL444-0683b

[signed copy on file]

Dulce M. Quintero

Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services