State of Illinois DHS legal question? Help please??!!!?

My sister is in a bit of a bind and wants to appeal a decion made by dhs.She can not afford an attorney and so far every where she turns is a dead end.Do they have public defenders for such things since its not the state thats trieing her? She has a phone conference on the 10th and would like some type of legal advice ahead of time.We are not sure of the laws and right now she has a book of files and can't understand a thing.Please only serious answers .