IL HB0871

Amends the Children and Family Services Act to require the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to make diligent efforts to place children with relatives, document those efforts, and assist relatives in obtaining necessary resources when lack of resources is the primary barrier to emergency placement

Establishes that beginning July 1, 2025, certified relative caregiver homes shall receive foster care maintenance payments equal to licensed foster family homes, and non-certified relative homes shall receive at least 90% of those payments

Creates a relative support program authorizing DCFS to reimburse or prepay expenditures for home safety modifications, provide short-term emergency funds to relative caregivers, and implement kinship navigator program services to support relative caregivers of youth in care

Requires DCFS to establish subsidized guardianship and adoption support services for children placed through the juvenile court system, including maintaining a toll-free number and publicizing available post-guardianship services

Adds human trafficking and sex trafficking convictions to the list of felonies that disqualify prospective foster or adoptive parents and relative caregivers from final placement approval