What Is Kmetko & Associates, Ltd.?
Updated
Kmetko & Associates, Ltd. is a licensed private child welfare agency based in Illinois that focuses on interstate child placement services. If you are a caseworker, family, or state agency trying to place a child with a family in Illinois — or to move a child across state lines into or out of Illinois — this is the kind of organization you would work with. The agency also provides adoption, licensing, and supervision services.
What the agency does
According to its own site, Kmetko & Associates has worked in this space for over 30 years, starting in 1990 when Tom Kmetko began assisting the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) with interstate child placements. That work grew into the agency as it exists today.
Its stated mission is to enrich the lives of children and families by collaborating with state agencies to find and support loving homes in Illinois. In practice, that means:
- Interstate placement services — coordinating placements of children across state lines under the Interstate Compact process.
- Adoption — support for adoptive placements.
- Licensing — licensing of foster and adoptive homes.
- Supervision — ongoing oversight and support of placements.
- Home studies — assessments of prospective homes, including out-of-state requests.
The agency reports supporting over 220 children each year and handling hundreds of home study requests.
Who it serves
The site describes its work as centered on children seeking placement with families in Illinois, carried out in collaboration with state agencies. That points to three main audiences:
- State child welfare agencies that need an Illinois-side partner for an interstate placement or home study.
- Prospective foster and adoptive families in Illinois going through licensing or a home study.
- Families and children already in a placement that requires ongoing supervision.
How it is staffed
The agency lists a sizable team of licensed professionals, which is relevant if you are evaluating whether it has the capacity and credentials for your case:
| Role area | Examples from the site |
|---|---|
| Executive leadership | Tom Kmetko, LCSW (Executive Chairman); Fred Dillon, LCSW (Executive Director) |
| Interstate services | Multiple supervisors, administrators, and specialists (LCSW, BSW, BA) |
| Licensing | Licensing supervisor and licensing representatives |
| Intake | Intake specialist |
| Administration | System administrator, administrative assistant |
| Consultants | A large panel of LCSW, MSW, PhD, and LMFT consultants |
The mix of LCSW- and BSW-level staff plus external consultants suggests the agency is set up to handle both case coordination and clinical assessment work.
What to keep in mind
- The site presents the agency's own description of its services; it does not publish pricing, eligibility rules, or turnaround times, so those would need to be confirmed directly.
- Interstate placements are governed by state and federal rules and by the receiving and sending agencies involved, so Kmetko's role is as a partner within that process rather than a standalone decision-maker.
- If you are a family rather than an agency, your entry point is most likely through your state agency or through the agency's intake contact, not by applying for an interstate placement yourself.
For specifics on a particular case — timelines, requirements, or whether the agency can take it — contact Kmetko & Associates directly through the details on kmetko.com.