IDHS expanding services by phone and
online; 14 offices will remain open
Send a link to a friend
[June 24, 2020]
CHICAGO/SPRINGFIELD
- The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is announcing
that, starting tomorrow, Monday, March 30, 14 Family Community
Resource Centers (FCRC) will remain open with reduced staff to
balance the need to provide essential services while meeting Center
for Disease Control (CDC) social distancing guidelines during the
coronavirus situation. FCRCs are the public facing benefits offices
that bring nutrition and medical supports to individuals and
families across the state.
|
IDHS urges all customers to apply for and manage
their benefits online at ABE.illinois.gov or by calling the IDHS
Help is Here toll-free line at 1-833-2-FIND-HELP. IDHS will keep
both its customers and employees updated as to rotations to other
open offices or any further office closures.
IDHS’s ultimate goal is to have as few FCRC offices open as
possible, while still ensuring that all customers are able to
receive their life-sustaining benefits. For those offices that
remain open, IDHS will continue to take steps to ensure social
distancing, customer and employee safety.
"This is not a decision we make lightly. However, we have to balance
the urgent needs of residents facing hunger and poverty with
extremely serious public health directives. Even as many IDHS
offices close, our State’s safety net remains available," said IDHS
Secretary Grace B. Hou. "Please know that every local office has an
urgent call team available to respond right away to emergency cases
– and anyone who needs benefits can still use ABE.Illinois.Gov or
call our hotline for support."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Mar/30/images/ads/current/christian_village_sda_031616.png)
The 14 of the 75 public facing FCRCs remining open will have a
reduced workforce of 30%-50% of staff. Staff who are not working at
the public-facing offices will continue working remotely to process
important benefits, and over 80 in-person local office caseworkers
will become statewide ABE (Access to Benefits Electronically) call
center agents in addition to the nearly 100 call center agents that
are already in place.
The department developed these changes in partnership with AFSCME
Council 31, other bargaining units, and advocacy organizations
across the state.
“These operational changes are urgently needed to prevent community
spread of the novel coronavirus and protect the public and IDHS
staff,” AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said,
“FCRC workers ensure that individuals and families have the medical
assistance, nutritional supports and other benefits they need. State
government must do everything possible to safeguard their health and
that of all other state employees.”
"We appreciate the steps IDHS has taken to ensure that people with
disabilities will continue to receive the support they need during
its office closures since a majority of our consumers rely on
emergency food relief (SNAP), cash assistance (TANF), and Medicaid
among other critical human services. We are committed to working
with DHS during this unprecedented time to take the precautionary
measures necessary to promote health and safety of those most in
need," said Karen Tamley, President and CEO of Access Living
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Mar/30/images/ads/current/openarms_lda_EASTER_2020.png)
"The coronavirus crisis calls upon IDHS and all of us
to address difficult and unprecedented questions. There are strong
competing priorities. It is essential to try to balance the safety
of people needing assistance, the workers who serve them, and the
general public in the effort to control the spread of the virus. It
is also essential to get vital services to people with heightened
needs in this difficult time. IDHS's plan for how to address all of
these factors appears to strike the right balance. We will, of
course, continue to monitor the situation closely and contribute to
any needed improvements. We commend IDHS for this decisive, but also
careful and balanced approach," said John Bouman, President of the
Shriver Center
“I appreciate the careful and caring approach IDHS is taking during
this crisis. People across the state need access to benefits, and at
the same time, we have to respect social distancing recommendations
of the CDC and IDPH. This local office scale-down will help those
who are in the most urgent need while protecting communities from
further spread of COVID-19,” said State Senator Mattie Hunter
(D-Chicago).
“To reduce the spread of Coronavirus, we must further limit
interactions with others in our communities for the near future.
That’s why the temporary closure of these facilities is critical to
protecting the health of the public and state employees,” said State
Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb).
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Mar/30/images/ads/current/theatre_sda_111919.png)
On March 19, all Division of Rehabilitation Services' (DRS) Offices
were closed to the public and all Home Services and Vocational
Rehabilitation programs were shifted to remote access.
IDHS continues preparing to broaden and strengthen all of its remote
options for consumers - and will use every available resource to
ensure that residents of Illinois are not harmed by this temporary
reorganization.
More information about COVID-19 is available at
www.CoronaVirus.
Illinois.Gov and through the COVID-19 Hotline, at
1-800-889-3931.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |