New Member/Key Stakeholder Survey – Please fill out today. Here is a word document for those who need greater accessibility. Take 7 minutes or less to help the Arc of Illinois in its future direction! FEDERAL ADVOCACY SNAP Vote Potentially This WEEK! Call Your legislators now! You can click here to receive the contact number to... Read more »
The CILA Scorecard and SODC Scorecard will go live tomorrow. Here is the letter released yesterday from Secretary Dimas. Today – please submit a witness slip IN SUPPORT for the following bills: SB2424 – Diversion from Facilities, bearing May 16, 8 am House Human Services. Here is the link to fill out a witness slip. SB3237 – Expands and clarifies OIG appeal rights for people... Read more »
Don’t Miss! May 3 DSP Shortage: Know Your Options. It is free for families and CEUs are offered for professionals. Click here for the full brochure, Click here to register online State Legislative Session Thanks also to all those who have spoken up, sent witness slips, call their legislators this session. It has been a busy one and... Read more »
Convention Thank you to all who participated in the 68th Annual Arc Convention this week. We have more than 300 people attending and additional vendors, speakers and sponsors. It was two great days of laughs, networking and learning. Here are some photos to provide it! Congratulations to all the award winners! May 3 – Don’t... Read more »
The crazy Committee Deadline week continues. TODAY – Please support the following bills by submitting witness slips. For those family members, individuals and advocates not affiliated with an organization, you can either describe yourself (self-advocate, concerned parent, advocate etc). HB5163 – Community Care for Persons with Disabilities Act – CLICK HERE to submit a witness slip in support... Read more »
Happy Monday! This is the start of committee deadline week in Springfield. For those who are not familiar, especially this year, committee deadline week involves many crammed in hearings occurring with short notice. Legislators will be running around and bills will be flying by. In order for a bill to stay alive to be voted... Read more »
Thanks to all those who joined last week’s Executive Forum! Sorry about the late issues with the phone line. SAVE THE DATE – June 6 Executive Forum (Medicaid Managed Care) Following up from the Executive Forum: 1) Please send me a contact who might want to participate in a short term employment/subminimum wage discussion. We... Read more »
Disability Activist Alert Tell the USDA: Don’t Cut Off Our Food Assistance! Action needed by Monday, April 9, 2018 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is collecting comments on whether it should make changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that will lead to people losing food and nutrition assistance. Roughly 1 in 4... Read more »
Action Alert Money Follows the Person Days of Actions Planned this Week Call Congress now to continue the Money Follows the Person Program The Arc and other disability organizations are hosting a national call-in day and social media day this week to push for passage of the EMPOWER Care Act (S. 2227). This legislation reauthorizes... Read more »
Up first: Michael Berens released another article today in the Chicago Tribune “Reforms Promised but group homes still suffering from problems“. The Arc of Illinois plans to respond with a letter to the editor about this article as we see it as incredibly bias and advocating for a return to state institutions. It also completely... Read more »