Illinois Administrative Code › Title 89 - SOCIAL SERVICES › Part 312 - DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM › Section 312.90 - Benefits

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) Tuition and Fee
			 Waiver
The OETS Business Office will request a waiver of tuition and
				mandatory fees for scholarship youth that attend an Illinois State university
				or community college if the youth does not have a tuition and/or fee
				scholarship from another source.
b) Monthly Grant
1) Youth must provide their caseworkers with
			 written verification of their acceptance/enrollment in a college or university
			 and their school address prior to the beginning of their initial semester or
			 quarter. Caseworkers will verify the information and forward it to the OETS
			 Business Office. Youth that no longer have a legal relationship with the
			 Department must forward the information directly to the OETS Business Office.
			 The OETS Business Office will forward payment information to the Central
			 Payment Unit (CPU). Grant payments will be effective the first day the youth is
			 at school and continue throughout the school year. Youth will receive their
			 first payments the following month. The amount will be prorated based on the
			 day of the month the youth was first located at the school.
2) Caseworkers must provide youth with an
			 explanation of the financial and security benefits of having their grant checks
			 directly deposited and assist the youth with completing the C-95, Authorization
			 for Deposit of Recurring Payments. Youth who do not choose direct deposit will
			 have their grant checks mailed directly to them. Youth are required to report
			 their address change immediately to the OETS Scholarship Administrator at
			 217/557-2689 and their caseworker to ensure timely receipt of correspondence
			 and their grant payments.
A) Summer Grant
			 Payments
i) The OETS will continue grant
			 payments through the summer when the youth is enrolled in summer school and
			 taking a minimum of six college credit hours, or participating in an approved
			 internship program. Youth that choose to continue their education through the
			 summer months must submit an official class schedule or documentation of
			 participation in an approved internship program to the OETS Business Office and
			 their caseworker no later than the first Monday in May.
ii) Youth that choose not to attend summer
			 school or participate in an approved internship program will continue to
			 receive their grant payments through the summer months if the Department has
			 guardianship of the youth or the Department's guardianship of the youth was
			 terminated at age 21 after the youth entered the scholarship program and the
			 youth has a grade point average of "C" or better, submits requested class
			 schedules, has current contact information on file with OETS, and submits
			 documentation of college or university enrollment for the fall semester to the
			 OETS Business Office no later than June 1.
B) Terminating Payment
i) When a youth no longer meets the
			 requirements to remain in the DCFS Scholarship Program, the youth's caseworker
			 will notify the OETS Business Office immediately. Youth who are no longer the
			 legal responsibility of the Department shall notify the OETS Business Office
			 when they no longer meet the requirements of the program. The OETS Business
			 Office will notify the CPU of the effective payment termination date for the
			 youth.
ii) The OETS Business Office
			 will notify the youth in writing 30 days prior to stopping grant payments for
			 any reason other than summer breaks. If the youth has a legal relationship with
			 the Department and resides in Cook County, the Cook County Public Guardian will
			 also receive a copy of the termination notification. Youth may request a review
			 of the decision to suspend or discharge them from the Scholarship Program in
			 accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 337 (Service Appeal Process). If the youth's
			 grant does not continue during the appeals process, it will be issued
			 retroactively if the youth's appeal is successful.
C) Marriage or Termination of Guardianship
Marriage or termination of guardianship does not terminate a
				Department scholarship. The Department will continue to make monthly grant
				payments to the youth, and the youth's medical needs will continue to be met
				under the Medicaid program.