Quick Facts: Illinois
Performance Breakdown
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Law & Policy: 69% of metrics met
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Laws authorizing comprehensive supports and services for youth experiencing homelessness: 58% of metrics met
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Preventing youth experiencing homelessness from coming into contact with the criminal and juvenile justice systems: 71% of metrics met
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Providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and live independently: 88% of metrics met
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Addressing the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness: 33% of metrics met
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Allowing youth experiencing homelessness to access critical supports and services: 78% of metrics met
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Systems: 50% of metrics met
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Environment: 41% of metrics met
State Score 2022: 61
State Ranking 2022: 16
2022 Score
2021 Score
62
61
Illinois Highlights
Some areas where Illinois has moved the needle relative to other states include providing unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the opportunity to seek legal independence and allowing them to access critical supports and services.
Law & Policy
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The state does not consider runaway youth as delinquent or a status offender.
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The state allows shelters to take in homeless youth with a delay or waiver of notification requirements.
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The state gives minors contract rights OR allows them to enter into binding contracts for certain purposes (e.g. necessities).
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The state allows unaccompanied youth under 18 to apply for health insurance coverage on their own.
Systems
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The state provides tuition waivers for foster youth.
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Youth can gain access to a state-issued identification cards without parental consent in certain circumstances.
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There is a state entity (Office of homeless youth services, homeless youth state coordinator, commission on homeless youth, etc.) that focuses solely on youth homelessness.
Environment
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The state maintains a community advisory board for youth that informs youth homelessness policy.
Recommendations for Improvement
There is room for improvement throughout the metrics for the Prairie State, with emphasis on the Law & Policy category. Protecting the rights and interests of youth experiencing homelessness, including LGBTQ youth, should be prioritized.
Law & Policy
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The state explicitly allows partial and alternative school credit accrual for homeless youth through regulations.
Systems
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The state should create and adopt a public plan to end homelessness that includes youth (and specifically LGBTQ+ youth).
Environment
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Require training about sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, healthy sexual development, or issues specific to LGBTQ youth for staff working in runaway and homeless youth systems.
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Establish protected class status based on one's sexual orientation and gender identity for runaway and homeless youth programs.