Client eligibility for the Illinois Community Services Block
Grant Program is limited to the 3 listed categories.
a) Clients served must be "low-income" which
is at or below 125% of the poverty line as determined annually and published in
the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
CAAs may set more restrictive eligibility provisions (i.e., majority, at least
51% of clients served must be at or below 100% of HHS' poverty level with the
remainder of the clients served at 125% of the poverty line). Client income may
be determined by actual annual income or a projection of income based on the
prior 90 days (whichever is most beneficial to the client).
At client intake: disregard CSBG scholarship funds, training
stipends and other student financial aid when determining family income.
Ongoing/long-term programs: clients eligible at intake and
enrolled in a CAA Family and Community Development program may remain eligible
for up to five years or until they reach 185% of the poverty line as long as
they are progressing in the program and there is at least quarterly client
contact. Clients eligible at intake and enrolled in other multi-year programs
may remain eligible for up to two years or until they reach 185% of the poverty
line as long as they are progressing in the program. The CAA must assess and
document the income each year for the participants in the multi-year programs;
however, original eligibility prevails until the thresholds and conditions
described in this subsection are reached.
b) Extreme emergency assistance may be
provided to individuals and families who are victims of natural or manmade
disasters without regard to income eligibility. This category is included to
allow CAAs to quickly respond to sudden events that cause swift and temporary
poverty. This category includes victims of fire, floods, tornadoes and other
disasters. Special written authorization from DCCA must be obtained if clients
in this category will exceed 10% of the total CSBG clients served in a grant
period.
c) Each CAA is given
discretion to calculate income for selected clients net of extreme expenses in
areas such as medical, housing, child care and transportation and to waive
income restrictions for clients who have experienced a substantial loss of
income through an employment or family related crisis. These discretional
provisions fall under the same limitation that is in place for victims of
natural or manmade disasters. Special written authorization from DCCA must be
obtained if clients in this category and the preceding category (Section
120.120(a)(2)
) will exceed 10% of the total CSBG clients served in a grant period.