FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 3, 2019
CONTACT:
The Arc of Illinois
Meg Cooch, Executive Director
meg@thearcofil.org / 815.464.1832
The Arc of Illinois Thanks the Legislature and Governor for Supporting People with Disabilities in the Illinois Budget
SPRINGFIELD, IL – With the passage of the Illinois Budget this weekend, disability self-advocates, families and community organizations from the Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities community applaud leadership for taking steps to reverse the long time underfunding for services and supports for people with disabilities in the FY2020 budget.
“We appreciate the Legislature and Governor’s effort to put forward a budget that works to begin to address the significant needs of people with disabilities, by funding a 3.5% rate increase, an increase in funding for The Autism Program, and continued funding for other developmental disabilities grant lines, including The Arc of Illinois’ Life Span Program, Epilepsy, and Best Buddies,” said Meg Cooch, Executive Director, The Arc of Illinois. “This is a good first step, but not the final step to ensure people with disabilities can have the staff and services to support their lives in the community. Illinois’ work is not done”.
Currently in Illinois almost 7,500 people are actively waiting for services; the state ranks 47th among states funding Inclusion First practices; and it is second among states with highest number of people housed in institutions (second only to Texas).
This is the step in the right direction for Illinois Leaders to make Illinois an Inclusion First State, where people with disabilities can live, work, learn, play and love in communities across the state. Meg continued to say, “We thank everyone who continues to highlight the need for greater investment both in frontline staff to support people to be able to participate as community members and services and supports in the community. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislatures to continue to rebuild and expand community living so that Illinois communities can benefit from the contributions of people with disabilities.”
ABOUT THE ARC OF ILLINOIS
The Arc of Illinois is a non-profit statewide advocacy organization representing over 220,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and the community organizations that support them. The Arc is committed to empowering persons with disabilities to achieve full participation in community life through informed choices. For more information contact: Meg Cooch at 815.464.1832 or meg@thearcofil.org.