Evaluation of the Norman Fund Program in Illinois

In the early 1990s, a consent decree was issued, stemming from a lawsuit in Illinois, to prevent children from being placed in foster care for reasons of poverty. The so-called "Norman Fund" was established to provide material assistance to families (e.g., rent payments, utility payments) to prevent child removal and to facilitate family reunification post-removal of a child from their home.  A quasi-experimental evaluation was conducted in the mid-1990s, and this report summarizes the findings. Additional links and resources describe the origin and nature of the Norman Fund, and its current operations.