The ACLU of Illinois has been hard at work protecting the rights of vulnerable foster children. Our landmark case, B.H. v. McEwen, is so influential that a book has been written about the outcome. Filed  against the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) more than 20 years ago, the settlement has produced widespread improvements that have moved thousands of children into safe, permanent homes and reduced the number of children in Illinois foster care from 50,000 to fewer than 17,000.  Despite our success, we continue to carefully monitor and oversee the process, including the evaluation of DCFS’ educational and mental health services, and tracking children with multiple moves within the system.

In the summer of 2009, when draconian cuts to the state budget threatened to severely impair the ability of DCFS to ensure the well-being and welfare of vulnerable children in state care and to violate the settlement, the ACLU won an emergency order in federal court, mandating that the state comply with all provisions of the consent decree. "The Judge made clear that this state’s budget will not be balanced on the backs of its most vulnerable residents - children in foster care," said Benjamin Wolf, Associate Legal Director. "The compelling testimony by the Director made clear that the looming budget cuts would create ripples of damage that would plague the state for years to come and cause the state to be out of compliance with the consent decree. We are pleased that Judge Grady acted swiftly and decisively in order to minimize harm to this most vulnerable population."