Brightpoint's basic center program - the basic center program (BCP) (CY) provides temporary shelter and counseling services to youth who have left home without permission of their parents or…

The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) awarded Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois, operating as Brightpoint, a $250,000 Project Grant under the Basic Center Program (CFDA 93.623) effective September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2028. This three-year award funds emergency shelter and crisis intervention services for runaway and homeless youth under age 18 in Illinois. Brightpoint will provide temporary emergency shelter (up to 21 days), food, clothing, counseling, case management, and health care referrals to youth who have left home without parental permission, been forced to leave home, or face housing instability. The program prioritizes family reunification when safe and appropriate, or identifies alternative placements, while simultaneously working to prevent youth involvement with law enforcement and the child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice systems.

The Basic Center Program represents a core federal investment in community-based youth services, with the ACYF having obligated $1.33 billion across 3,653 awards nationally since 1997. Award amounts typically range from $165,000 to $772,140, with most clustering in the $250,000–$350,000 range typical of Brightpoint's award. As an established nonprofit provider with extensive experience in federally-funded child and family services across Illinois, Brightpoint's grant portfolio demonstrates its capacity to manage complex, multi-year federal initiatives addressing vulnerable populations.

Brightpoint's basic center program - the basic center program (BCP) (CY) provides temporary shelter and counseling services to youth who have left home without permission of their parents or guardians, have been forced to leave home, or other homeless youth who might otherwise end up in the law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems. Bcps work to establish or strengthen community-based programs that meet the immediate needs of runaway and homeless youth and their families. Bcps provide youth under 18 years of age with emergency shelter, food, clothing, counseling and referrals for health care. Bcps can provide up to 21 days of shelter for youth and seek to reunite young people with their families, whenever possible, or to locate appropriate alternative placements.