IDHS/DRS Fact Sheet

Illinois Department of Human Services logo

Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Mission

The mission of IDHS/DRS is to work in partnership with people with disabilities and their families to assist them in making informed choices to achieve full community participation through employment, education, and independent living opportunities.
DRS Office Locator

What is DRS?

IDHS' Division of Rehabilitation Services (IDHS/DRS) is the state's lead agency for providing services to individuals with disabilities. DRS provides a number of programs that serve people with disabilities of all ages.

The DRS Program Menu

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services
  • Home Services Program
  • Independent Living
  • Specialized Services
  • People who are Blind and Visually Impaired
  • People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
  • Hispanic/Latino individuals with Disabilities
  • Services for Children and Youth with Disabilities
  • Disability Determination Services
  • Client Assistance Program

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

IDHS/DRS' Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program helps individuals with disabilities find and keep employment to enable them to become self sufficient. Services provided to eligible individuals include:

  • Evaluation and counseling/guidance
  • Job training and development
  • Educational assistance
  • Job placement
  • Equipment
  • Follow up services.

Who Is Eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services?

Eligibility for VR services is determined by a Rehabilitation professional. Eligibility category requirements are

  • Three (3) functional limitations due to disability and
  • Need for two (2) substantial services for most significant and
  • Two (2) functional limitations due to disability and
  • Need for one (1) substantial service for very significant.

IDHS/DRS may at times determine that only most significant individuals can receive services and others can be put on a waiting list. Through contracts with community rehabilitation programs, the VR program also funds supported employment, medical services, physical and occupational therapy, educational assistance and assistive devices.

The Division of Rehabilitation Services (IDHS/DRS) also operates a job placement network linking employers with pre-screened applicants with disabilities. The emphasis is on employment that is community based with competitive wages. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services are time-limited. Evaluation and counseling are free. There may be some cost sharing for other services.

Supported Employment

Supported Employment serves individuals with the most significant disabilities who are seeking employment. Services include:

  • Assessment
  • Job match
  • Job development
  • Job placement
  • Job coaching
  • Employment counseling.

Community Rehabilitation

Community Rehabilitation programs provide employment related services and actual employment to individuals with the most significant disabilities. Through contractual agreements with over 165 community partners statewide, IDHS customers receive assessment, training, psychosocial rehabilitation, placement, follow up services, supported employment and extended services.

Home Services Program

Our Home Services Program helps individuals with severe disabilities that need assistance with daily living activities in their homes. The program serves people with a wide variety of disabilities, including AIDS, physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, mental illness, and traumatic brain injury.

Note: If a customer receives home care through another state Medicaid waiver program, the individual must choose to participate in either the Home Services Program or the other home care program.

AIDS Waiver Program

The AIDS Waiver Program provides case management services to individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS so they may remain at home.

Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver Program

Recently approved by the Health Care Financing Administration, the TBI Waiver Program will assist individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain injury and who need home based services.

Reintegration Project

Home Services, through contracts with selected Independent Living Centers, assists in enabling individuals eligible for Home Services to move from nursing facilities into their own homes.

Independent Living

IDHS/DRS believes that independent living means having control of one's life by creating informed choices that enable people with disabilities to realize their dreams and aspirations. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are private, not for profit, community based organizations that provide services and programs for individuals with disabilities. The Department of Human Service's Independent Living Program monitors and provides technical assistance.

Specialized Services

IDHS/DRS also offers specialized services to meet the unique needs of:

People who are Blind and Visually Impaired

  • The DHS Bureau of Blind Services (BBS) program offers a broad range of services to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired to obtain or maintain employment. BBS counselors provide evaluation and guidance, job development, placement and follow up services. Through staff services and contracts with community rehabilitation programs, the BBS program also provides job training, supported employment, medical services, physical and occupational therapy, educational programs and assistive devices.
  • The Business Enterprise Program for the Blind provides employment for blind persons who operate snack bars, cafeterias, and vending locations in highway rest stops and other locations. Customers in the program receive training in business practices, sales and food or vending operations. Once certified, they are placed in an established location to manage the operation as a private business manager.
  • Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education Wood. This center provides a concentrated, short term residential training program for adults who are blind or visually impaired. Services include training in mobility, orientation and activities of daily living to prepare customers for employment. Evaluations and an accessible computer-training clinic are also provided at the center.
  • Community and Residential Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The Community and Residential Services program is for individuals participating in the VR program and older individuals (55 years or older) who are blind or visually impaired. Many participants are retired individuals who once were sighted but have since developed visual impairments. The program provides training in independent living skills necessary for successful employment and home management to help avoid nursing home placement.

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

  • Staff in our Services for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing unit provide assistance to other DRS programs, community organizations, schools, and agencies serving individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, late deafened or deaf blind.
  • These services include information and referral, interpreter resources and guidelines, in service training, technical assistance, advocacy and monitoring of programs under DRS sponsorship serving this population.
  • The unit also provides guidance, recruitment, and training for Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf.

Rehabilitation Technology

DHS can help state and community agencies evaluate and implement rehabilitation technology services for customers and state employees with disabilities.

Rehabilitation Technology Staff Roles

  1. Oversee an Access Technology Evaluation Center.
  2. Administer an equipment-lending program.
  3. Serve as liaisons for the Illinois Assistive Technology Project.
  4. Oversee the purchase and utilization of rehabilitation technology and medical services and equipment for IDHS clients.

Medical Services

IDHS Medical Services staff provides support and consultation to department staff on psychological and medical conditions, traumatic brain injury and other complex neurological disabilities. They serve as liaisons to other state agencies, major university training programs and major advocacy groups regarding neurological disabilities. The staff also coordinates agency contracts with physicians who provide direct case consultations for IDHS clients.

Hispanic/Latino Individuals with Disabilities

IDHS/DRS Hispanic Services Unit provides specialized assistance to all IDHS/DRS field staff to enhance their skills and resources to assist their Hispanic/Latino customers in finding employment. Hispanic/Latino staff work to increase the number of community based organizations providing services that are culturally and linguistically competent. Program initiatives include:

  • Advisory Committee on Hispanic/Latino Rehabilitation Services.
  • Statewide Federal Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Rehabilitation Project serves migrant and seasonal farm workers with disabilities and their family members.
  • Statewide Hispanic Outreach Rehabilitation Project.
  • Bilingual/Bicultural Personal Attendant Project.
  • Hispanic/Latino Youth Rehabilitation Project provides statewide outreach, information and referral to assist customers in the VR and Home Services programs.
  • Staff training to strengthen cultural competency skills in serving Hispanic/Latinos with disabilities and their families.

Services for Children and Youth with Disabilities

IDHS/DRS services for children and youth with disabilities include:

  • Residential schools.
  • A training and resource system for parents and caregivers.
  • Special "play libraries".
  • Transition employment program for high school youth.

Residential Schools

IDHS/DRS oversees three residential schools for students with disabilities. Through these schools, students can receive specialized services that are not available through their local school districts. In addition to the educational programs for school age children, two schools offer an early intervention program for infants and toddlers and their parents.

STEP-Secondary Transition Employment Program

STEP is designed for youth in high school, ages 14 to 21, who have significant disabilities. Individuals participating in the program are usually participants in special education programs in high school. IDHS/DRS services include job shadowing, job coaching, classroom instruction, job placement, independent living skills training, community skills training, on the job evaluation and training and work experience (both school and community based).

Next Steps

Next Steps is a training and resource system for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. Through community teams, parents are taught effective planning, advocacy and resource finding strategies.

Disability Determination Services

IDHS/DRS determines the eligibility of applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. For further information go to: http://ssa.gov/d&s1.htm

Client Assistance Program

The Client Assistance Program (CAP) helps people with disabilities who have questions or problems with Vocational Rehabilitation services, the Home Services Program, Centers for Independent Living, as well as community rehabilitation programs and workshops.

Through the use of a toll free line (1 800 641 3929 V/TTY) and Human Relations Representatives, CAP:

  • Assists individuals with problems they experience in seeking or receiving services from IDHS/DRS.
  • Tries to resolve issues at the local level (local offices, etc.) using advocacy skills, dispute resolution and negotiation.
  • Assists or represents individuals in their appeals of department decisions regarding services and represents them in court, if necessary.
  • Works with the department and community groups and organizations to resolve systemic problems in the service delivery system.
  • Delivers public education programs on the rights of individuals with disabilities and other related areas.

How to Contact DRS

Use the on-line Rehabilitation Services Web Referral (https://drs.dhs.state.il.us/owr) to refer someone for services. DRS field staff provides services to people with disabilities in 51 offices located throughout the state. Use the DHS Office Locator to find the Rehabilitation Services office closest to you, or call the DHS 24-Hour Telephone Hotline:

  • 1 800 843-6154 English or Español
  • 1 800 447-6404 TTY for callers who are deaf or hard of hearing For general questions about DRS, email DRS@dhs.state.il.us

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