Substance abuse makes reunification and permanency a more difficult process.
As DCFS caseloads shrink, the amount of federal funding for other needed services is reduced accordingly. This waiver allows DCFS to use the money it saves for services to support families affected by substance abuse. The state will receive new funds to assist with the costs of collecting data and evaluating the results of the program. If the program is successful in moving more children back safely to their homes, Illinois stands to gain additional federal funding that would not have been available in the absence of the waiver. Without this waiver, Illinois would not have been able to achieve this level of care.