The Illinois Department of Human Services is an administrative agency of the U.S. state of Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. It is responsible for providing a wide variety of safety net

Safety net

A safety net is in most cases a net to protect people from injury after falling by limiting the distance they fall. It may also be a device to arrest falling or flying objects for the safety of people beyond the net....

 services to Illinois residents in poverty

Poverty

Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...

, who are facing other economic challenges, or who have any of a variety of disabilities

Disability

A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...

 or health challenges. As of 2006, it was the largest administrative agency of the state of Illinois in terms of state employee headcount, with 14,057 employees.

Divisions

The following subdepartments are listed alphabetically:

• The Division of Community Health & Prevention attempts to maintain the health of existing family
  Family
  In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
  
   structures in Illinois by staffing efforts to contain domestic violence
  Domestic violence
  Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
  
   and maximize prenatal care
  Prenatal care
  Prenatal care refers to the medical and nursing care recommended for women before and during pregnancy. The aim of good prenatal care is to detect any potential problems early, to prevent them if possible , and to direct the woman to appropriate specialists, hospitals, etc...
  
   and child care and welfare.

• The Division of Developmental Disabilities provides community and residential services to persons with developmental disabilities. In 2006, the Division had approximately 45,000 clients.

• The Division of Human Capital Development is the primary welfare
  Welfare
  Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
  
   agency of the state of Illinois. It oversees programs such as TANF
  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is one of the United States of America's federal assistance programs. It began on July 2, 1997, and succeeded the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, providing cash assistance to indigent American families with dependent children through the...
  
   and food stamps.

• The Division of Mental Health provides community and residential services to persons with challenges of mental health
  Mental health
  Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
  
  .

Offices

• The Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse provides community care for persons with challenges related to alcoholism
  Alcoholism
  Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
  
   and substance abuse
  Substance abuse
  A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
  
  .

• The Office of Rehabilitation Services provides community services to persons with disabilities. In 2006, the Office had approximately 230,000 clients.

• The Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Management coordinates divisional program planning and performance management.

• The Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness ensures the safety and readiness of the agency's facilities, staff, customers and visitors