Veterans Outreach Program
The Illinois CMS Veterans Outreach Program offers personalized counseling and veterans preference support for State of Illinois employment opportunities.
Programs & services
Listed on the organization's official site (careers.illinois.gov), checked Aug 28, 2026. Always confirm availability with the organization.
- personalized career counselingQualified veterans seeking State of Illinois employment opportunities.
- Veterans Outreach Program Employment WorkshopVeterans transitioning into civilian careers who want to connect their military experience to roles across Illinois.
- Veterans Preference PointsQualified veterans, and eligible spouses or parents of a qualifying veteran, applying for State of Illinois jobs.
Eligibility (general guidance)
Open to Illinois veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; some programs also serve very low-income veteran families. Confirm specific requirements on the official site or with an accredited Veterans Service Officer.
How to apply
Summarized from the program's official site (careers.illinois.gov), checked Aug 28, 2026. Always confirm details with the program.
- Download the Guide for Veteran Document Verification and complete it carefully.
- Certify your documents for Veterans preference points using one of the two approved options.
- Attach your certified documents, review your application for accuracy, and submit the application through the Self-Service Portal.
- On your application, check the box so your veteran status and preference points are applied.
- If you need to update your DD-214 or have questions, email the Veterans Outreach Program.
- If you have had a legal name change, contact CMS Veterans Outreach Program to update your Veterans Preference Status.
What to bring
- DD-214
- Certified documents for Veterans preference points
- Veteran Document Verification guide information
What to expect
The program's site says your DD-214 is securely stored and that checking the box on your application keeps your veteran status and preference points applied as before. It also says the update helps ensure you are in the VOP database so your points are awarded correctly and consistently.
Contact
- Call (800) 643-8138Workshops take place on the first Tuesday of each month, from 1:30–2 p.m.
- Serves all of Illinois
Next step
See every Illinois program for this need, how they fit together, and what to try first.
Read the Illinois guideWas this resource helpful?
Source: Official government website (careers.illinois.gov). Details can change; confirm directly with the program.
View source page (careers.illinois.gov/employment-resources/vetsopgm.html)
More verified resources in Illinois
Dial 2-1-1 or search 211.org for Chicago-area emergency shelter, rent and utility assistance, and homeless veteran outreach. Local 2-1-1 specialists screen for veteran-specific programs (HUD-VASH, SSVF, GPD) and connect callers to the nearest intake point.
Dial 2-1-1 or search 211.org for Peoria-area emergency shelter, rent and utility assistance, and homeless veteran outreach. Local 2-1-1 specialists screen for veteran-specific programs (HUD-VASH, SSVF, GPD) and connect callers to the nearest intake point.
Dial 2-1-1 or search 211.org for Springfield-area emergency shelter, rent and utility assistance, and homeless veteran outreach. Local 2-1-1 specialists screen for veteran-specific programs (HUD-VASH, SSVF, GPD) and connect callers to the nearest intake point.
Dial 2-1-1 or search 211.org for Joliet-area emergency shelter, rent and utility assistance, and homeless veteran outreach. Local 2-1-1 specialists screen for veteran-specific programs (HUD-VASH, SSVF, GPD) and connect callers to the nearest intake point.