DCFS and Private Agencies: How to Use The Let It Be Us Placement Support Program

Let It Be Us is an Illinois licensed child welfare agency and we operate in the space of foster home recruitment and foster care placement. Our Placement Support Program is an open home navigator system and is available to all DCFS and Private Agency workers. The Program can locate an open and appropriate home for youth in emergent need, those who are challenging to place, and teens in need of congregate care step-down options. 

We operate a proprietary database of licensed foster homes, a geo-mapping enhanced texting platform, and extensive search tools. If there is an appropriate and open foster home based on demographics and particular need we can, within a high degree of certainty, locate it. 

In 2021 our Placement Support Team assisted in 262 cases. In 2022, to date, our Team is on track to work on more than 600 cases, more than doubling the number of cases in one year. This increase speaks to the success of this program which ultimately:

• alleviates strain on workers
• reduces the time (and nights) kids spend in offices
• provides placements faster
• alleviates shelter capacity
• alleviates congregate care capacity
• improves permanency

Again, this Program is available to all DCFS and Private Agency workers. To utilize this program please follow these steps: 

1. Visit the front page of www.LetItBeUs.org
2. Click on the box addressed “Caseworkers, Investigators and Advocates Request Placement Support.” 
3. Complete the form which primarily tells us the demographics and particular information about the type of licensed foster home in need – NOTE: please always use this form. HERE IS THE DIRECT LINK.
4. Expect a phone call and/or email from our Placement Support Team. It is important to answer your phone and emails during this time of our search. 

It is important to note that agencies are not required to share homes. The Placement Support Program operates as a protective layer, allowing agencies the opportunity to share homes. Our experienced Illinois child welfare staff works hard to provide excellent customer service and many agencies, workers, advocates and youth have benefited from this program. 

Should anyone want to learn more about this program or work more closely with Let It Be Us, please feel free to contact me at any time. 

Susan McConnell
Executive Director of Let It Be Us
www.LetItBeUs.org
susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org
847-528-2044