IN 05/14/2025 COMMUNICATION:
- Request for Application: Stabilization Homes
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- Executive Order 2025-02
- Upcoming Training Opportunities
- Other Resources
- Legislative Updates
REQUEST FOR APPLICATION: STABILIZATION HOMES
DDD is very excited to announce that our Request for Applications (RFA) for providers to provide Stabilization Services has been posted!
As a reminder, there was legislation passed that increased the current capacity of stabilization homes. There are currently 8 short-term stabilization homes. The legislation will add an additional 8 long-term homes and 2 short-term homes. DDD encourages all current CILA providers with expertise in behavioral health supports to consider applying. The deadline for applications will be July 1, 2025.
There will be a webinar to provide the opportunity to ask the DDD and the Procurement Office questions about the RFA on May 22 at 2pm. Please use this link to attend the webinar: Pre-Submission Conference for Stabilization Home RFA
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - MAY 2025
In partnership with the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the State of IL has offered vital resources through the expanded 988 Lifeline number since 2022. Did you know the State of IL also launched the BEACON Children's Behavioral Health Care Portal? This is a one-stop online resource connecting families to publicly funded mental health services, further increasing access to behavioral health care.
DDD echoes IDHS Secretary Dulce Quintero in saying, "Mental health is central to individual and community well-being. We believe everyone in Illinois deserves access to mental health services." Resources like the above help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families get access to the behavioral health care they need and want.
Call to action: Now is a time to learn and to care. We teach others to be kind and fair. We help people understand differences. We want our community to welcome everyone. We believe everyone should be treated with respect. Governor Pritzker has proclaimed May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Illinois.
EXECUTIVE ORDER 2025-02
On Wednesday May 07, 2025, Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2025-02, affirming Illinois' commitment to the civil rights, human rights, and data privacy of autistic residents.
Under this Executive Order, state agencies may not collect or disclose personally identifiable autism-related data unless it is required for care, legal compliance, or program eligibility-and must always follow strict privacy and data minimization rules. Illinois now becomes one of the first states to formally restrict the mass collection or sharing of autism-related data absent legal or medical necessity.
UPCOMING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
IntellectAbility will be holding a training session on HRST, SAMA, and Report options June 4, 2025, at 9:00 am Central Time for Independent Service Coordinator Agencies (ISC), Registered Nurse Trainers (RNT), Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (QIDP), and anyone else responsible for using the Health Risk Screening Tool (HRST). IntellectAbility Registration Link
OTHER RESOURCES
Digital Literacy with The Arc of IL - The Arc of IL in collaboration with AT&T and Arc of the US is offering a FREE digital literacy class titled "Internet Basics" for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) ages 18 + and their support person on 05/15/2025 at 12:00pm central time. A 1-hour Zoom session will provide a basic introduction to the topic using interactive videos. Digital Literacy link to Register
Disability Reproductive Equity Day - Access Living is partnering with the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ) on Friday May 16, 2025 for an in-person resource fair and programming featuring speakers from reproductive justice organizations, leaders in reproductive health equity policies, and those with real life experiences.
- Date: Friday, May 16th
- Time: 1pm - 4pm Central Time
- Location: 115 W. Chicago Avenue, Access Living, 4th Floor
- Topics: Disability Reproductive Equity
- Registration Link: Access Living Registration (Google form)
- Note from Access: We will have captioning, ASL, and Spanish interpretation. When registering, please be sure to let us know on the form if you need additional access supports.
RCADD Webinar Series - It's Go Time: Toilet Training for Children with Autism and Developmental Delays - offered in English and Spanish! Learn more here: RCADD 2025 Webinar Series
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The Legislative Spring session is still in full swing with bills and proposals still be discussed and moving through the legislative process. Further updates will be provided about the status of bills as they are finalized but see below statuses on bills that will likely pass with an impact on the Division and the Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability (I/DD) community.
- HB3078/SB2475 (DHS initiative)
Rep. Camille Y. Lilly/Sen. Mattie Hunter
- Summary: Amends the Department of Human Services Act in a number of administrative ways. Part of a healthcare administration cleanup initiative by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). This bill streamlines regulations, reduces administrative burdens, and enhances mental health and developmental disability service delivery efficiency.
- Status: Passed House and arrived in Senate on 4/14/25, set for second reading.
- HB3718/SB2071 (DDD initiative)
Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl / Sen. Laura Fine
- Summary: Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code to improve conditions for IDHS investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of a recipient of mental health or developmental disability services. Reduces the threshold of financial exploitation from $100 to $20.
- Status: Passed House and arrived in Senate on 4/14/25, set for third reading May 13th.
- HB1843
Rep. Suzanne M. Ness / Sen. Laura Ellman
- Summary: Amends the Zoning Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Adds language that ensures municipalities cannot create or impose zoning regulations that prohibit CILAs (Community-Integrated Living Arrangements).
- Status: Passed house and arrived in Senate. Added co-sponsor 5/12/25.
The information contained herein should not be considered a substitute for the appropriate official statutes, rules, regulations, or the advice of legal counsel.
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