Public Benefits Brochure for Victims of Domestic Violence Now Available Online

Domestic violence can stand in the way of a person’s ability to achieve economic independence by interfering with work, job training, or education. In order to support the efforts of victims and survivors of domestic violence who are trying to become self-sufficient, the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law has created a brochure, Public Benefits in Illinois for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence. The brochure serves as a quick guide to some of the resources available to domestic violence victims and survivors through the Illinois Departments of Human Services (IDHS) and Public Aid (IDPA).

Public Benefits in Illinois for Victims and Survivors of Domestic Violence highlights special rules and exceptions for domestic violence victims within current IDHS and IDPA programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps, and Medicaid. For example, the brochure explains how a caretaker and child made homeless by physical abuse may apply for Crisis Assistance. The brochure also gives information for noncitizen domestic-violence victims who may be seeking various forms of aid or medical assistance or both. The brochure also describes how a TANF and Medicaid recipient in a domestic violence situation may claim good cause for noncooperation with child support enforcement efforts if cooperation would endanger the recipient or her children or both.