305 ILCS 5/11-9
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 305 - PUBLIC AID|305 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Public Aid Code.|Article XI - General Provisions Pertaining To Rights And Responsibilities Of Applicants And Recipients

 (from Ch. 23, par. 11-9)Sec. 11-9. Protection of records; exceptions. For the protection of applicants and recipients, the Illinois Department,  the county departments and local governmental units and their respective  officers and employees are prohibited, except as hereinafter provided, from  disclosing the contents of any records, files, papers and communications,  except for purposes directly connected with the administration of public  aid under this Code.In any judicial proceeding, except a proceeding directly concerned with  the administration of programs provided for in this Code, such records,  files, papers and communications, and their contents shall be deemed  privileged communications and shall be disclosed only upon the order of the  court, where the court finds such to be necessary in the interest of justice.The Illinois Department shall establish and enforce reasonable rules and  regulations governing the custody, use and preservation of the records,  papers, files, and communications of the Illinois Department, the county  departments and local governmental units receiving State or Federal funds  or aid. The governing body of other local governmental units shall in like  manner establish and enforce rules and regulations governing the same matters.The contents of case files pertaining to recipients under Articles IV, V,  and VI shall be made available without subpoena or formal notice to the  officers of any court, to all law enforcement agencies, and to such other persons  or  agencies as from time to time may be authorized by any court.  In particular, the contents of those case files shall be made available upon  request to a law enforcement agency for the purpose of determining the current  address of a recipient with respect to whom an arrest warrant is outstanding,  and  the current address of a recipient who was a victim of a felony or a  witness to a felony shall be made available upon  request to a State's Attorney of this State or a State's Attorney's  investigator. Information shall also be disclosed to  the Illinois State Scholarship  Commission pursuant to an investigation or audit by the Illinois State  Scholarship Commission of a delinquent student loan or monetary award.This Section does not prevent the Illinois Department and local governmental  units from reporting to appropriate law enforcement officials the desertion  or abandonment by a parent of a child, as a result of which financial aid  has been necessitated under Articles IV, V, or VI, or reporting  to  appropriate law enforcement officials instances in which a mother under  age 18 has a child out of wedlock and is an applicant for or recipient of  aid under any Article of this Code. The Illinois Department may provide  by rule for the county departments and local governmental units to initiate  proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to have children declared  to be neglected when they deem  such action necessary to protect the children from immoral influences  present in their home or surroundings.This Section does not preclude the full exercise of the powers of the Board  of Public Aid Commissioners to inspect records and documents, as provided  for all advisory boards pursuant to Section 5-505 of the  Departments of State Government Law