Chicago · Licensed family home

Almaraz, Joel

Mid-size family home, licensed for up to 8 children.
Shortlist has found no website for it yet.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at all 8 of its licensing inspections since March 2017.

Of the 183 Chicago-area family homes with 8 licensing inspections, 42% had rules cited at all 8, as this home did.

Licensing inspections

Jun 16, 20259 citations

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(10)(c)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2)
Health, Medical Care and Safety
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.14(c)(2)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(g)

5 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(s)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(f)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(6)

Jul 22, 20249 citations

Cooperation with the Department
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(22)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a)

5 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(6)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(14)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(15)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(22)(c)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8)

Apr 30, 20241 citation

Cooperation with the Department
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a)

Mar 29, 202342 citations

Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(e)(3)
Application for License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.4
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(d)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(e)

38 more from this inspection

Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(f)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(c)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(d)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(e)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(14)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(a)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(h)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(i)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(m)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(o)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(d)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(e)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(h)
Number and Ages of Children Served
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.13(d)(3)
Health, Medical Care and Safety
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.14(c)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(a)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(c)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(e)(1)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(e)(2)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(m)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(6)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(11)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(13)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(20)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(22)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(22)(a)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(23)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(h)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(h)(1)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(f)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(i)

Feb 28, 20238 citations

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(11)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(13)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(i)

4 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(14)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(22)(a)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(d)
Cooperation with the Department
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a)

Mar 9, 202117 citations

Substitutes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.11(c)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(i)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k)

13 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(23)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(b)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a)
Qualifications for Assistants
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(e)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(i)
School Age Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.21(b)(5)
Children Under 30 Months of Age
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.22(h)(4)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(c)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(d)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(e)
Records and Reports
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(f)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(21)

Mar 5, 20187 citations

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(n)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(5)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3)

3 more from this inspection

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(t)
General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(21)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Mar 13, 20175 citations

General Requirements for Day Care Homes
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(1)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3)
Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family
89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(t)

1 more from this inspection

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Read every record and the state’s reports

State record — Illinois DCFS

Last visit: June 16, 2025
On file: 8 visits since March 2017 — all of them cited findings
Fixed?: The latest correction deadline was June 27, 2025. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
Most serious: Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.

Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.

Jun 2025 Monitoring visit 9 findings

Monitoring visit · June 16, 2025

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3) through (g) · Violation corrected · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3) · 406.8(a)(6) · 406.8(a)(10)(c) · 406.8(g)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2) through (3) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2) · 406.12(b)(3)

Records and Reports

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(f) through (s) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(f) · 406.24(s)

Health, Medical Care and Safety

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.14(c)(2) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Jul 2024 Monitoring visit 9 findings

Monitoring visit · July 22, 2024

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

7 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3) through (22)(c) · Violation substantiated · Repeat violation

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(3) · 406.8(a)(6) · 406.8(a)(8) · 406.8(a)(14) · 406.8(a)(15) · 406.8(a)(22) · 406.8(a)(22)(c)

Qualifications for Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a) · Repeat violation

Cooperation with the Department

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Apr 2024 Monitoring visit 1 finding

Monitoring visit · April 30, 2024

Cooperation with the Department

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2023 Monitoring visit 42 findings

Monitoring visit · March 29, 2023

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

12 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a) through (h)(1) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a) · 406.8(a)(3) · 406.8(a)(6) · 406.8(a)(11) · 406.8(a)(13) · 406.8(a)(14) · 406.8(a)(20) · 406.8(a)(22) · 406.8(a)(22)(a) · 406.8(a)(23) · 406.8(h) · 406.8(h)(1)

Records and Reports

9 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(a) through (m) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(a) · 406.24(c) · 406.24(d) · 406.24(e) · 406.24(e)(1) · 406.24(e)(2) · 406.24(e)(3) · 406.24(f) · 406.24(m)

Provisions Pertaining to the License

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a) through (k) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a) · 406.6(c) · 406.6(d) · 406.6(e) · 406.6(k)

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(a) through (o) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(a) · 406.9(h) · 406.9(i) · 406.9(m) · 406.9(o)

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2) through (i) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(2) · 406.12(b)(3) · 406.12(f) · 406.12(h) · 406.12(i)

Qualifications for Assistants

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a) through (e) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a) · 406.10(d) · 406.10(e)

Application for License

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.4 · Violation substantiated

Number and Ages of Children Served

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.13(d)(3) · Violation substantiated

Health, Medical Care and Safety

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.14(c) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Feb 2023 Monitoring visit 8 findings

Monitoring visit · February 28, 2023

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8) through (22)(a) · Violation substantiated

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8) · 406.8(a)(11) · 406.8(a)(13) · 406.8(a)(14) · 406.8(a)(22)(a)

Qualifications for Assistants

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(d) · Violation substantiated

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(i) · Violation substantiated

Cooperation with the Department

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.26(a) · Violation substantiated

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2021 Monitoring visit 17 findings

Monitoring visit · March 9, 2021

Records and Reports

4 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(c) through (f) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.24(c) · 406.24(d) · 406.24(e) · 406.24(f)

Provisions Pertaining to the License

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a) through (k) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(a) · 406.6(i) · 406.6(k)

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8) through (23) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(8) · 406.8(a)(21) · 406.8(a)(23)

Qualifications for Assistants

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a) through (e) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.10(a) · 406.10(e)

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(b) · Violation corrected

Substitutes

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.11(c) · Violation corrected

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(i) · Violation corrected

School Age Children

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.21(b)(5) · Violation corrected

Children Under 30 Months of Age

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.22(h)(4) · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2018 Monitoring visit 7 findings

Monitoring visit · March 5, 2018

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(5) through (21) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(5) · 406.8(a)(21)

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family

2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(n) through (t) · Violation corrected

89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(n) · 406.9(t)

Provisions Pertaining to the License

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k) · Violation corrected

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Mar 2017 Monitoring visit 5 findings

Monitoring visit · March 13, 2017

Provisions Pertaining to the License

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.6(k) · Violation corrected

General Requirements for Day Care Homes

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.8(a)(1) · Violation corrected

Characteristics and Qualifications of the Day Care Family

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.9(t) · Violation corrected

Enrollment and Discharge Procedures

1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 406.12(b)(3) · Violation corrected

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected

DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 541580 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.

Openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, teaching approach, ratios and staff, a typical day, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

Details

7736732474

Address: 3617 N Drake Ave
License: pending renewal application (rn)

Run Almaraz, Joel? Correct or add anything here, free.

Add what is missing

Sources and dates

Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.

All checked July 2026.

State record

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked October 9, 2026.

Details

Phone, Address, License sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "ALMARAZ, JOEL" under Provider Name and 60618 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 541580).

Mid-size means licensed for 8 children, the size at least half of Chicago-area’s 3,345 licensed family homes hold. Small is 2 to 7; larger is 9 to 12.