Financial aid in meeting basic maintenance requirements for a livelihood compatible with health and well-being shall be given under this Article to or in behalf of families with dependent children who meet the eligibility conditions of Sections 4-1.1 through 4-1.12. It shall be the policy of the Illinois Department to provide aid under this Article to all qualified persons who seek assistance and to conduct outreach efforts to educate the public about the program. The Department shall provide timely, accurate, and fair service to all applicants for assistance. Persons who meet the eligibility criteria authorized under this Article shall be treated equally, provided that nothing in this Article shall be construed to create an entitlement to a particular grant or service level or to aid in amounts not authorized under this Code, nor construed to limit the authority of the General Assembly to change the eligibility requirements or provisions respecting assistance amounts. The General Assembly recognizes that the need for aid will fluctuate with the economic situation in Illinois and that at times the number of people receiving aid under this Article will increase.
     The Illinois Department shall advise every applicant for and recipient of aid under this Article of (i) the requirement that all recipients move toward self-sufficiency and (ii) the value and benefits of employment. As a condition of eligibility for that aid, every person who applies for aid under this Article on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995 shall prepare and submit, as part of the application or subsequent redetermination, a personal plan for achieving employment and self-sufficiency. The plan shall incorporate the individualized assessment and employability plan set out in subsections (d), (f), and (g) of Section 9A-8. The plan may be amended as the recipient’s needs change. The assessment process to develop the plan shall include questions that screen for domestic violence issues and steps needed to address these issues may be part of the plan. If the individual indicates that he or she is a victim of domestic violence, he or she may also be referred to an available domestic violence program. Failure of the client to follow through on the personal plan for employment and self-sufficiency may be a basis for sanction under Section 4-21.