DHS Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Programs:
- Vocational Rehabilitation – Assists persons with disabilities in achieving employment, self-sufficiency, and independence
- Bureau of Blind Services – Assists adults who are blind or visually impaired in rediscovering their independence
- Home Services – Provides services to individuals with significant disabilities so they can remain in their homes independently
- Bureau of Disability Determination Services – Determines the eligibility of people to receive benefits from Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income
- Client Assistance Program – Provides advocacy and guidance in pursuing legal, administrative, or other appropriate remedies to ensure the protection of the customer’s rights under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Division of Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides services to individuals with disabilities who are seeking or maintaining employment. For eligible individuals, there is an array of services that can be provided to support their vocational goals. Services may include vocational counseling and guidance, college training, vocational training, tools and equipment, transportation, medical devices and services, and information and referral placement services and support.
Contact DRS at (309) 671-8580 to make a referral. For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, contact NexTalk at 1-888-261-7918. Referrals can also be made using our website at www.dhs.state.il.us.
Career Link
Career Link provides financial assistance to qualified individuals to attend high-growth training programs at community colleges, universities, and private schools. They also fund youth GED programs at Illinois Central College, Blackhawk College, Spoon River College, Heartland Community College, and the Peoria Park District. On-the-job training, apprenticeship assistance, and incumbent worker training are available with selected employers. Individualized Career Services (job search activities working one-on-one with a career planner) are available to assist those who could benefit from personalized service. For more information, visit careerlinkil.com or call (309) 321-0260.
Illinois Department of Employment Security
IDES supports economic growth and stability in Illinois by providing employment services to Illinois residents and employers, analyzing and disseminating essential labor market information, and administering unemployment insurance programs.
Unemployment insurance is a federally-funded, state-administered program designed to provide financial assistance during periods of unemployment or underemployment. Recipients of unemployment insurance must meet eligibility requirements to receive benefits.
Job seeker employment services include programs designed to target special populations in applying for and finding jobs. These programs include:
- Hire the Future: Provides youth ages 16-24 with employment assistance, job readiness, and career development services
- Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers: Provides employment services to individuals who are legally able to work in the U.S. and of legal age to perform services for wages
- Re-entry Employment Services: Serves Illinoisans who are currently or have previously been subject to any stage of the criminal justice process and who require assistance in overcoming barriers to employment resulting from a record of arrest or conviction
- The Apprenticeship Information Center Program (AIC), in conjunction with the federal Apprenticeship USA Initiative: Assists apprenticeship candidates
IDES provides employment services to both employers and job seekers by connecting clients with the proper skills to employers facilitating re-employment. More information about IDES can be found at ides.illinois.gov. Illinois Job Link (illinoisworknet.com) is a no-cost, internet-based system that provides job seekers with job matching, resume criteria, and career management tools and resources. For more information about Illinois JobLink, visit illinoisjoblink.com or call (877) 342-7533.
Joliet Job Corps
Joliet Job Corps provides free career technical training in five (5) in-demand industries and the opporunity to earn a high school diploma or GED to income qualifying young adults between the ages of 16 to 24 years old.
Some of the additional services provided by Joliet Job Corps include:
- Housing and meals
- Basic health and dental care
- Diver's Education
- Career Counseling
- Work based learning
- Biweekly allowance
- Transition stipend
- Placement services for up to one year
- Employment requiring specialized equipment or clothing
- Educaitonal scholarships
Joliet Job Corps' services are to be offered once a month at the Workforce Center of Vermillion County or by appointment, if referred. Walk-ins are welcome every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. at 1101 Mills Road, Joliet, IL 60436. For more information, visit jobcorps.gov.
National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP)
United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) provides a wide range of career services and training for farmworkers through the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), authorized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I D Section 167.
Under WIOA, eligible migrant and seasonal farmworkers are low income and face multiple barriers to economic self-sufficiency. Migrant farmworkers must travel to a job site and are unable to return to a permanent place of residence within the same day. Qualifying farm work is characterized by chronic unemployment and underemployment, and includes the production, cultivation, growing and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural commodities; raising livestock, bees, fur-bearing animals and poultry; fish farming/aquaculture; practices (e.g., forestry) on a farm in conjunction with above farming operations in preparation for market or transport to market; handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, or grading prior to delivery for storage of a commodity in its unmanufactured state.
Qualifying farm work must be in conjunction with the above farming operations in preparation for market or transport to market. Preparation includes handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, or grading. These preparations must be complete prior to delivery for storage of a commodity in it unmanufactured state.
NFJP provides support to help economically disadvantaged farmworker families and offers career services and training to assist enrolled farmworkers (participants) to acquire new occupational skills that lead to stable jobs. Contact Shirley Aviles (800) 297-8667.
DHS -- Illinois Department of Human Services
DHS administers the following three main programs.
SNAP (Food Stamps): SNAP (Food Stamps) assists with the cost of food for eligible individuals.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides temporary financial assistance for pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children. TANF provides financial assistance to help pay for food, shelter, utilities, and expenses other than medical.
Health & Medical: Health coverage includes Medicaid, All Kids, or insurance bought from the Health Insurance Marketplace. These plans offer comprehensive benefits to help individuals stay well.
Health coverage programs offered through the Illinois Department of Human Services are ACA medical, FHP medical, AABD medical, and All Kids through the Medicaid program. Families and ACA applications that are not eligible for Medicaid will be referred to the Marketplace for private health insurance. For more information, contact the Peoria Family Community Resource Center at (309) 871-8100. Customers can apply online https://abe.illinois.gov or at the Peoria Family Community Resource Center.
Central Illinois Agency on Aging
CIAA is an independent nonprofit organization with a 43-year history of providing service to older persons and caregivers. This organization serves 96,629 persons ages 60 and older living in CIAA’s six-county service area including Fulton, Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford County. CIAA strives to serve older persons and their caregivers holistically through planning, coordination, program development, direct services provision, and advocacy. CIAA is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 700 Hamilton Blvd in Peoria, IL 61603. For more information, visit ciaoa.net or call (309) 674-2071.
National Able
National Able provides part-time training opportunities in community service activities for unemployed, low-income persons who are 55 years old or older and are actively seeking employment. The Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCEP) provides on-site job training to transition the workers into an unsubsidized position. SCEP is both a training and community service program. Visit the National Able website at www.nationalable.org or call (855) 994-8300 for more information.
