If you are devoted to equity among all people, regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, age, or disability, you’ll find a multitude of career opportunities with state and local government agencies in Illinois. Social workers in the Prairie State protect the health and well-being of their communities and create positive legislative and policy reforms. Those looking to expand their service will find that Illinois is actively laying the groundwork for inclusivity, veterans support, racial healing, and community services to help aging Illinoisans.
Initiatives, programs, and commissions throughout the state make Illinois a prime location for those looking to pursue a fulfilling career in social work.
For example, the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) was established in 2023 to aid the state’s workforce diversity and inclusion while expanding access to state contracts for women, persons of disabilities, veterans, and minorities. In recent years, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has fostered racial equity through the program Healing Illinois, which is helping to distribute $4.5 million in grants toward equity and racial healing.
Other ways Illinois is supportive of social work goals include family and community incentives. For instance, the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding, also known as the Early Childhood Funding Commission, was founded with the objective of “building an early childhood landscape that is accessible, stable, and equitable.” And fifteen cities in Illinois joined the AARP network of age-friendly communities, including Springfield and Evanston.
A Growing Need
According to the city of Chicago, local government agencies have welcomed over 30,000 new arrivals in the fifteen months since August 2022. Social workers are needed more than ever at government agencies across the state due to the rise in immigrant families in the Chicago area. This includes refugees from Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Like the rest of the country, refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants are searching for a better life, often escaping violent crime, food disparities, education deficits, and health care shortages in their native countries.
The Role of the Social Worker in Illinois State & Local Agencies
Illinois’ government includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as local governments – counties, cities, special districts, and school districts.
State-level government agencies include:
- Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
- Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)
- Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC)
- Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)
- Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR)
- Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
- Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
- Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA)
Local-level government agencies include:
- Chicago Public Schools (CPS)
- Chicago Housing Authority (CPS)
- Sangamon County Department of Public Health
- Springfield Public Schools
- City of Elgin Human Services Department
- Evanston Health and Human Services Department
These are just a few of the agencies employing and working with social workers.
How Do Social Workers Affect Government Agency Policies?
Social workers play a vital role in creating, implementing, and changing policies to promote equity, dignity, and well-being for all people trying to thrive in Illinois.
Program Development – With their knowledge of best practices and evidence-based interventions, social workers are involved in developing programs that help their communities.
Policy Analysis – Some social workers conduct research, collect data, and analyze the effectiveness of policy changes.
Advocacy – Addressing injustices, inequity, and marginalization of affected communities are key responsibilities of social work professionals.
Community Engagement – Social workers serve as liaisons between government agencies and community stakeholders, ensuring that policies are informed by the needs and perspectives of those they impact.
Training and Education – Qualified professionals can provide training to government employees on social issues, policy changes, and anti-discriminatory practices.
Coalition Building – Collaboration between multiple community resources and government agencies and divisions, both at the state and local levels, is an important job responsibility of social work professionals.
What Characteristics Should Social Work Professionals Have?
Social work professionals looking for employment within Illinois government agencies should demonstrate certain qualities necessary to help their clients.
These are some characteristics social workers at government agencies should have:
- Patience
- Cultural competence
- Kindness
- Willingness to listen
- Compassion
- Empathy
- Adaptability
- Time management skills
- Organization skills
- Resilience
- Collaboration skills
- Emotional intelligence
Secondary requirements that may be important, depending on which department or division you work within:
- ESL skills/ Spanish language proficiency
- Willingness to work with children
- Health care training
- Ability to work with the elderly
Health Care, Human Services, and Public Assistance
Qualified providers work in a myriad of ways to help their clients at the state and local levels. Illinois government agencies are major contributors to the health and well-being of Illinoisans. The social workers employed within these agencies guide numerous divisions that implement legislative policies and facilitate much-needed resources to communities.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is an integral part of health services and community outreach across the state.
Divisions that IDHS oversees are:
- Division of Family and Community Services
- Division of Youth and Family Services
- Division of Child Support Services
- Division of Mental Health
- Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
- Division of Developmental Disabilities
- Division of Rehabilitation Services
- Division of Aging
Each division plays a crucial role in supporting individuals and families throughout Illinois.
Social workers may work as case managers, foster care specialists, rapid rehousing specialists, immigrant and refugee advocates, community safe space coordinators, and victim advocates. Qualified providers, usually LCSWs, have the ability to diagnose and treat mental health issues.
Case managers employed with The Illinois Department of Aging (IDoA) are able to advocate for elderly clients, helping them access needed resources like Medicare, the Senior HelpLine, and Care Coordination Unit (CCU) services like homecare aids and automated medication dispensers.
The Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA) employs a network of qualified providers to help families dealing with addiction-related problems. Social work professionals work within DASA to guarantee children grow up in safe living situations with all their needs met, including food, housing, diapers, and clothing.
The overall goals of DASA include:
- Improved health and safety of the child(ren) and mother
- Improved parenting skills
- Reduced substance abuse
- Improved family functioning
- Improved life management skills of the mother
Social Work Licensure Requirements in the Prairie State
Illinois requires that social workers become licensed. There are two levels of licensure: a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Illinois chapter, can offer detailed information about the licensure process and application.
Licensure is based on education and field experience hours. LSWs and LCSWs have different requirements, but both can lead to meaningful careers.
Fieldwork Experience
Illinois government agencies offer an array of internships and fieldwork experience opportunities to complete a Master of Social Work (MSW) and meet LSW and LCSW licensure requirements.
For instance, the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) offers academic internships, university partnerships, and shadowing programs.
DCFS internships may be available in select counties. Internships are available for summer, fall, and spring. Applications can be submitted here to apply for DCFS academic internships.
The DCFS Shadowing Program is available to students interested in becoming social workers.
Social worker internships may be available at local schools, including Glenview, Evanston, and Rochester school districts. Many school district internships are paid positions.
Accredited universities and colleges often have field education offices and host job fairs to help students find social work field experience as well. You can find both BSW and MSW programs that are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in its directory of accredited programs.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for child, family, and school social workers, healthcare social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and social workers (all others) are based on national data, not school-specific information.
Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2024.
Discover more about other social work specializations in Illinois.