Extended Family Support Contacts Program Overview Extended Family Support Program

”THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE” Extended Family Support Program Provider Agency ______Address ______City ______The Extended Family Support Program Phone ______provides short term services to relative caregiver families that are not involved in the formal child welfare system. The goal Extended Family Support of EFSP is to: Program Worker Agency ______• Assist relative caregivers to obtain private guardianship of the child. Address ______• Assist relative caregivers to obtain the child-only grant and/or other services. City ______• Assist school aged children to enroll in Phone ______the relative caregiver’s school district. • Assist the relative caregiver with obtaining basic goods and services Illinois Department of needed to maintain a stable home for the child. • Link relative caregivers to community Children & Family Services resources to meet other needs. 312.814.6800 www2.illinois.gov/DCFS

Illinois Department of

Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois DCFS #392 – Feb 2019 – 1,000 copies Children & Family Services CFS 1050-98 – 2/2019 Services to Obtain Services Provided Services Not Provided Guardianship

The EFSP caseworkers will meet with the When deciding whether to obtain relative caregiver monthly until guardianship services offered by EFSP, it is has been obtained or until other services have important to know what services been provided. During this time, the EFSP the program does not provide. worker will provide other services to stabilize While the EFSP worker can assist the relative the relative family, including: caregiver obtain a child only grant through The Extended Family Support Program • Provide crisis intervention and short term inter- the Illinois Department of Human Services, (EFSP) can assist a relative caregiver who ventions to address issues in the family. DCFS will not provide a monthly stipend to the wants to obtain guardianship through • Assist eligible families to obtain TANF benefits, relative. probate court of a relative’s child living in subsidized daycare and other benefits that are the home of the caregiver. This includes: available to the caregiver. In Addition, EFSP Does Not: • Educating and helping the caregiver • Advocate with local schools to enroll the care- • Assist caregivers when either the caregiver or negotiate the probate court system. giver’s child in their school district. the child has an open DCFS case. • Assisting caregivers to obtain required • Coordinate family meetings and mediation. • Assist caregivers living outside of Illinois. documents. • Refer to and advocate for needed services such • Assist with guardianship when a biological • Arranging for legal counsel in counties as: financial employment and/or housing coun- parent objects (the program provides other where legal counsel is necessary. seling, legal services, medical and mental health services if the biological parent objects to services, parenting counseling and training, guardianship). special education and vocational training. • Assist caregivers when a biological parent • Referral for cash assistance and in-kind lives with the relative caregiver and is able to assistance to help meet the basic needs of the care for the child themselves. family. Cash Assistance EFSP has a limited cash assistance program to assist relative caregivers to meet the basic needs of their relative’s child. Cash assistance may be used to: • Obtain legal counsel for probate court in counties where legal counsel is necessary. • Pay for court fees and court-required documents by the court. • Obtain basic goods and services needed to ensure that the family is stable.