(325 ILCS 25/1) (from Ch. 23, par. 6551)

Sec. 1. The Department of Human Services (acting as successor to the Illinois Department of Public Aid under the Department of Human Services Act), in cooperation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Employment Services and other appropriate State and local agencies, may establish and administer, on an experimental basis and subject to appropriation, community-based programs providing comprehensive, long-term intervention strategies to increase future employability and career development among high risk youth. The Department of Human Services, and the other cooperating agencies, shall establish provisions for community involvement in the design, development, implementation and administration of these programs. The programs may provide the following services: teaching of basic literacy and remedial reading and writing; vocational training programs which are realistic in terms of producing lifelong skills necessary for career development; and supportive services including transportation and child care during the training period and for up to one year after placement in a job. The programs shall be targeted to high risk youth residing in the geographic areas served by the respective programs. "High risk" means that a person is at least 16 years of age but not yet 21 years of age and possesses one or more of the following characteristics:

(1) has a low income;

(2) is a member of a minority;

(3) is illiterate;

(4) is a school dropout;

(5) is homeless;

(6) is a person with a disability;

(7) is a parent; or

(8) is a youth in care as defined in Section 4d of the Children and Family Services Act.

The Department of Human Services and other cooperating State agencies shall promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, for the implementation of this Act, including procedures and standards for determining whether a person possesses any of the characteristics specified in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 100-159, eff. 8-18-17.)