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Enrollment in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) program will be temporarily paused effective July 1, 2023.

Enrollment in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS) program will be temporarily paused effective Nov. 6, 2023.

Elizabeth M. Whitehorn, Director

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Pathways to Community Living

Pathways to Community Living in Illinois was developed under the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration, which was authorized by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 and extended under Section 2403 of the Affordable Care Act. Illinois’ Pathways to Community Living/MFP Program relies on a strong collaborative, inter-agency approach to the implementation of the program. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services serves as the lead agency for Pathways and partners with the Department on Aging, the Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health, Division of Rehabilitation Services, and Division of Developmental Disabilities, along with the Department of Housing Development Authority on the formation of policy and implementation issues related to MFP.

The goals of the Pathways to Community Living/MFP Rebalancing Demonstration Program include:

  • Increase the use of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) and reduce the use of institutionally-based services;

  • Eliminate barriers and mechanisms in State law, State Medicaid plans, or State budgets that prevent or restrict the flexible use of Medicaid funds to enable Medicaid-eligible individuals to receive long-term care in the settings of their choice;

  • Strengthen the ability of Medicaid programs to assure continued provision of HCBS to those individuals who choose to transition from institutions; and,

  •  Ensure that procedures are in place to provide quality assurance and continuous quality improvement of HCBS.

Illinois, along with 42 other States and the District of Columbia have implemented the Pathways/MFP Demonstration Program. As of January 7, 2015, the Illinois Pathways/MFP Program has assisted 1,706 individuals with transitioning to the community.

HFS hopes you will take the time to review the materials on this Website to see if this program may be right for you or for someone you know.  We have provided an online referral form on the HFS Website. We look forward to hearing from you!

Additionally, we encourage you to view the MFP Promotional Video in order to learn more about what MFP can do for you or someone you care about.