The Division of Rehabilitation Services' Home Services Program (HSP) provides services to individuals with severe disabilities so they can remain in their homes and be as independent as possible.
For Coronavirus (COVID-19) related information, please visit: Home Services Program (HSP) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
If you are an HSP Customer in need of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), please contact your Counselor, your local DRS office (locator link) or the DRS Hotline at 1-877-581-3690.
What services are offered?
Our program offers numerous options for independence:
- Personal Assistant (PA): Provides assistance with household tasks, personal care and, with permission of a doctor, certain health care procedures. PAs are selected, employed, and supervised by individual customers.
- Homemaker Services: Personal care provided by trained and professionally supervised personnel for customers who are unable to direct the services of a PA. Instruction and assistance in household management and self-care are also available.
- Maintenance Home Health: Services provided through a treatment plan prescribed by a physician or other health care professional. Other services include nursing care and physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
- Electronic Home Response: Emergency response system offered by hospitals and community service organizations. This rented signaling device provides 24-hour emergency coverage, permitting the individual to alert trained professionals at hospitals, fire departments, or police departments.
- Home Delivered Meals: Provided to individuals who can feed themselves but are unable to prepare food.
- Adult Day Care: The direct care and supervision of customers in a community-based setting to promote their social, physical, and emotional well-being.
- Assistive Equipment: Devices or equipment either purchased or rented to increase an individual's independence and capability to perform household and personal care tasks at home.
- Environmental Modification: Modifications in the home that help compensate for loss of ability, strength, mobility or sensation; increase safety in the home, and decrease dependence on direct assistance from others.
- Respite Services: Temporary care for adults and children with disabilities aimed at relieving stress to families. Respite services may be provided for vacation, rest, errands, family crisis or emergency. Services may include personal assistant, homemaker or home health.
We also provide specialized services for people with HIV/AIDS and/or traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
Our Community Reintegration Program helps individuals with disabilities who live in nursing homes move into community with the supports they need to live as independently as possible.
Who can receive these services?
We serve people with severe disabilities under age 60 who need help with daily living activities in their homes. Many of these people are at risk of moving into a nursing home or other facility. (For those 60 and over, please contact the Illinois Department on Aging.)
How are services provided?
Customers may hire their own PAs to assist in their home, based on the service plan they have jointly developed with their DRS rehabilitation counselor.
Homemaker agencies may supply workers for persons who need someone to supervise their PA in the home.
How to apply?
Use the online Rehabilitation Services Web Referral to refer yourself or someone else for services.
We provide services in 48 local offices located in communities throughout the state. Use the DHS Office Locator and search for Rehabilitation Services to find the nearest local office or call toll-free: (800) 843-6154 (Voice, English or Español) or (866) 324-5553 (TTY).
HFS Statewide Transition Plan
On January 16, 2014 the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) issued new regulations for the provision of Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS). The intent of the new regulations is to ensure that individuals receiving long-term care services and supports through HCBS programs have full access to benefits of community living and the opportunity to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate.
Each state that operates a 1915(c) waiver or a Section 1915(i) state plan benefit that was in effect on or before March 17, 2014, is required to file a Statewide Transition Plan outlining the state's strategies for bringing its HCBS delivery system into compliance with the federal regulations.
For more information, please visit the HFS Statewide Transition Plan Website and the Final HCBS Rule page.
HCBS Settings Announcement
Pursuant to the final Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) regulations, states must ensure Adult Day Care, TBI Habilitation, and TBI Prevocational Providers are compliant with Federal Person-Centered Planning and Settings requirements. Agencies that do not meet these requirements will be barred by federal law from participating in any Home and Community Based Services Medicaid waiver program.
Agencies must ensure:
- Participants have full access to the benefits of community living
- Participants receive services in the most integrated setting
- Their programs meet Home and Community-Based Settings requirements specified in federal 42 CFR 441.301(c)(4)-(c)(5)
- Their programs meet Person-Centered Planning requirements specified in federal 42 CFR 441.30 (c)(1)-(c)(3)
All existing and new agency providers must receive training on these mandatory requirements. Training and other resources may be reviewed at the following link on the Department of Healthcare and Family Services webpage: Additional Resources | HFS (illinois.gov)
