Illinois Launches Groundbreaking Basic Income Program for Child Welfare Families
Illinois Launches Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot for Child Welfare Families
Illinois is set to launch a groundbreaking guaranteed basic income (GBI) pilot program this fall, aimed at supporting families involved in the child welfare system. The Empower Parenting with Resources (EmPwR) program will provide monthly cash payments to 400 families for a year, with no strings attached.
The statewide initiative, a partnership between the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Brightpoint, seeks to investigate whether financial support can reduce child neglect and improve family safety. Participants will be selected from households enrolled in children and family services following a child abuse or neglect investigation.
“We hope that boosting parents’ income will help prevent maltreatment,” said a spokesperson for the program. “Previous studies and basic income pilots have shown that cash payments can mitigate neglect by improving access to basic necessities and reducing financial stress.”
The EmPwR program will compare 400 families receiving cash payments to a control group of 400 additional families who meet the criteria but will not receive payments. All 800 families will continue receiving other child welfare services as usual. The cash amount will vary based on the number of children and local cost of living, with no participant income requirement.
This pilot joins over 100 guaranteed basic income programs across the country, as GBI becomes an increasingly popular policy idea. Previous participants in similar programs have used the money for rent, groceries, childcare, and prescriptions.
The initiative comes at a crucial time, as nearly four million families are referred to the child welfare system annually in the United States. Over 70% of maltreatment reports are neglect cases, often due to inadequate childcare, meals, or hygiene. Low-income families are at least three times more likely to be reported for neglect than financially stable families.
Researchers at the University of Illinois will track quantitative data like participants’ spending and conduct surveys and interviews. They will also monitor the number of times families are referred back into the welfare system while receiving payments.
While the long-term sustainability of GBI programs remains a topic of debate, proponents argue that providing basic income to families in the child welfare system could help parents afford essential needs and potentially keep families together.
As the EmPwR program unfolds, it aims to provide valuable insights for future policies that prevent maltreatment and support vulnerable families. The results of this pilot could have far-reaching implications for child welfare practices and social support systems across the nation.
