Section 139.115  Family Support Program Requirements

The following criteria must be met in order to be eligible for FSP Services:

a)         The parent or legal guardian of the individual seeking services must demonstrate and maintain residence in Illinois as defined in Section 2-10 of the Illinois Public Aid Code;

b)         The individual seeking services must be under the age of 18 at the time of application to be considered for enrollment in the FSP. 

c)         The individual seeking services must not be under the legal guardianship or in the legal custody of any unit of federal, State or local government;

d)         The parent or legal guardian of the individual seeking services must agree to meet the responsibilities detailed in Section 139.120 and comply with Department policies regarding applying for services; and

e)         The individual seeking services must:

1)         Demonstrate a severe emotional disturbance (SED) by meeting the following criteria:

A)        Have a primary mental health diagnosis from the current DSM or corresponding International Classification of Diseases (ICD) that was identified prior to the individual's 18^th birthday.  For the purposes of demonstrating an SED, the following diagnoses and diagnostic factors shall be excluded as acceptable qualifying primary mental health diagnoses: Adjustment Disorders, Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Other Factors that May be the Focus of Clinical Attention from the DSM, and Supplementary Classification of Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services from the ICD;

B)        In the absence of treatment or other supports, the individual's degree of emotional and mental disturbance consistently prevents him or her from functioning in at least two of the following domains: age appropriate self-care, family life, education, community living, or peer relationships;

C)        For individuals under age 6, the individual demonstrates pronounced emotional or behavioral symptoms, including, but not limited to: severe social withdrawal, symptoms of attachment disorder, or aggressive behavior in more than one domain;

D)        The illness, symptoms and functional impairment identified in subsections (e)(1)(A) through (C) have been present for at least six months.

2)         Demonstrate a severity of need indicating that the individual's clinical needs are not being addressed through actively participating in traditional out-patient mental health services;

3)         Demonstrate sufficient cognitive capacity to respond to psychiatric treatment and intervention;

4)         Demonstrate an illness presentation consistent with that of a chronic condition, including a history of illness and treatment such that the current presentation is not the result of an acute episode; and

5)         Demonstrate behavior or symptoms that are likely to respond to the treatment services available in the FSP.