Home Care Nursing Information for Families
Important reminders on how we can help support in-home nursing for your child
We partner with families, healthcare providers and others to help children and adults with complex medical needs live safely at home through the Home Care Program.
One of our roles is to help coordinate and monitor in-home shift nursing services for Home Care participants. We do this work on behalf of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).
We know that in-home nursing can be challenging for many families. We want to help you understand the different partners involved in your child’s care and how we work together to support nursing services for your child.
The materials below explain these roles and responsibilities as well as our ongoing efforts to improve nurse staffing for Home Care participants.
- Nurse Staffing Support Letter to Families
This May 2026 letter explains our Staffing Support Team and our efforts to support in-home nursing for Home Care participants.
(Staffing Support Letter English or Staffing Support Letter Spanish) - Home Care Program: Nursing Reminders
This handout has key reminders about nursing expectations in the Home Care Program and what areas are not within our oversight.
(Nursing Reminders English or Nursing Reminders Spanish) - Home Care Physician Letter of Medical Necessity Examples
Physicians must provide current medical reports and details necessary to support the need for in-home nursing and Home Care services for our participants. We developed these sample letters of medical necessity for home nursing to help physicians in this process.
(Letter of Medical Necessity English) - Home Care Partners
This fact sheet explains the roles and responsibilities for each Home Care partner involved in a child’s care.
(Home Care Partners English or Home Care Partners Spanish) - Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Programs
Illinois has nine HCBS waivers to help individuals live in their own homes or in a community setting. The HFS website provides more information about each waiver and its services. - Certified Nursing Assistant Resources
This tip sheet aims to help guide parents and caregivers through the steps to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). It links to several websites and provides general guidelines.
(Certified Nursing Assistant Resources in English or Certified Nursing Assistant Resources in Spanish) - Guidelines and Tips for Parents Working as CNAs
If you’re a CNA providing care for your child at home, these guidelines and tips will help you understand the requirements, services and resources available to make the process easier and more manageable.
(Guidelines and Tips for Parents Working as CNAs in English or Guidelines and Tips for Parents Working as CNAs in Spanish)