The Department of Human Services shall develop a State program for youth and community services which will assure that youth who come into contact or may come into contact with the child welfare and the juvenile justice systems will have access to needed community, prevention, diversion, emergency and independent living services. The term “youth” means a person under the age of 19 years. The term “homeless youth” means a youth who cannot be reunited with the youth’s family and is not in a safe and stable living situation. This Section shall not be construed to require the Department of Human Services to provide services under this Section to any homeless youth who is at least 18 years of age but is younger than 19 years of age; however, the Department may, in its discretion, provide services under this Section to any such homeless youth.
     (a) The goals of the program shall be to:
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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 20 ILCS 505/17

  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

         (1) maintain children and youths in their own
    
community;
        (2) eliminate unnecessary categorical funding of
    
programs by funding more comprehensive and integrated programs;
        (3) encourage local volunteers and voluntary
    
associations in developing programs aimed at preventing and controlling juvenile delinquency;
        (4) address voids in services and close service gaps;
         (5) develop program models aimed at strengthening the
    
relationships between youth and their families and aimed at developing healthy, independent lives for homeless youth;
        (6) contain costs by redirecting funding to more
    
comprehensive and integrated community-based services; and
        (7) coordinate education, employment, training and
    
other programs for youths with other State agencies.
    (b) The duties of the Department under the program shall be to:
         (1) design models for service delivery by local
    
communities;
        (2) test alternative systems for delivering youth
    
services;
        (3) develop standards necessary to achieve and
    
maintain, on a statewide basis, more comprehensive and integrated community-based youth services;
        (4) monitor and provide technical assistance to local
    
boards and local service systems;
        (5) assist local organizations in developing programs
    
which address the problems of youths and their families through direct services, advocacy with institutions, and improvement of local conditions; and
        (6) develop a statewide adoption awareness campaign
    
aimed at pregnant teenagers.
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