20 ILCS 615/2
The General Assembly finds that there is an increasing number of persons in the State who, in their middle years and having fulfilled the role of homemaker, find themselves displaced because of dissolution of marriage, death of spouse or other loss of family income. As a consequence, displaced homemakers have a greatly reduced income, a high rate of unemployment due to age, a lack of paid work experience and limited opportunities to collect funds of assistance from social security, unemployment compensation, medicaid and other health insurance benefits, or pension plans of the spouse. The General Assembly further finds that assistance should be offered such displaced homemakers to enable them to contribute to society and maintain independence and economic security.
20 ILCS 615/2