Family Advocacy Centers

Family Advocacy Centers (FACs) provide support to parents to follow through on their goals that allow them to preserve and reunite their families. There are 38 Family Advocacy Centers (FACs) and nine satellite offices across the state operated by 28 service providers. FACs maintain a focused, holistic approach that builds on a family’s existing strengths.

Family Advocacy Centers tailor their services to the individual needs of the communities they serve. In addition to traditional counseling, referral and training services, a typical center may also offer the following services:

• 24-hour crisis response and systematic support services.
• Intensive mediation services.
• Counseling for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.
• After-school, summer and out-of-school programs.
• Parent coaching, mentoring and classes in English and Spanish.
• Execution of intervention strategies to support the family reunification process.
• Court ordered supervised child visitation for non-custodial parents.

All FAC providers work collaboratively with Be Strong Families, an agency contracted by the department to provide Parent Cafes and quarterly trainings to FAC advocates. Referrals are accepted from DCFS and private agency staff and community stakeholders. Self-referrals are also accepted. FAC staff can attend Child and Family Team Meetings and participate in other clinical staffing meetings as needed as well as provide information for court reports.
 

Foster Care Alumni Services
Family Advocacy Centers are now accepting referrals for former youth in care under the age of 30. Youth who are aging out may also be referred for after care and will be added to the program upon emancipation. FACs will serve as a one-stop shop for information, connections and support to help alumni maintain stability in the community.

To access a list of Family Advocacy Centers by zip code or your location, visit the Service Provider IDentification and Exploration Resource (SPIDER) website at https://spider.dcfs.illinois.gov/

• Enter your zip code or an address
• Select “Maximum Distance” from the dropdown
• Click “Locate Address”
• Click on “Keyword”
• Type in “Family Advocacy Center”
• Click “Search” and scroll down to see the listing of FACs nearest you

For more information, read the Alumni Foster Care Services brochure and poster.