Pillar 5: Support Trusted Community Based Providers to Serve the Needs of those In Deep Poverty

The Commission recognizes that the Strategic Plan is not static and will continue to be informed by the efforts of government partners, community-based organizations, businesses, and philanthropy. To that end, the Commission continues to engage stakeholders in those regions of the State that are most impacted by deep poverty, to ensure strategies and solutions meet the varied needs of our diverse State.

Pillar 5 Strategies:

  1. Support our Caregiving Workforce by Ensuring Equitable Wages and Develop Meaningful Supports for Unpaid Caregivers
  2. Provide Community Based Providers with Consistent and Equitable Access to State Funding that Adequately Keeps Pace with Rising Costs

Subcommittee members:

Appointment Member Affiliation
Chair Lauren Wright Executive Director, Illinois Partners for Human Services
Commission Member Juan Calderon Chief Operating Officer, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center
Commission Member Senator Kimberly Lightford Illinois State Senator
Commission Member Rev. Dwight Ford Executive Director, Project NOW
Public Member Jennifer Hebel Special Assistant for Research, Illinois Department on Aging
Public Member Becky Salazar Executive Director, Egyptian Area Agency on Aging
Public Member Deborah Ward-Mitchell Assistant Director, Infant Care Center District 205, National Education Association
Public Member Amy Brennan Executive Director, Illinois Family Caregiver Association
Public Member Courtney Hedderman Senior Associate State Director, Advocacy & Outreach, AARP
Public Member/IDHS SME Jennifer Gentile Deputy Director, Bureau of Clinical Services, IDHS-Division of Developmental Disabilities
Public Member/IDHS SME Lesley Schwartz Director, IDHS-Division of Early Childhood
Public Member/IDHS SME Ahlam Jbarra Chief of Staff, IDHS-Division of Family and Community Services

Meetings: