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Investments Archive

  • Advocacy

    • Going Home Coalition

      Summary: ICDD has worked with the Going Home Coalition for several years to build capacity in home and community-based services by advocating for rebalancing of institutional funding and the engagement of people with disabilities and families waiting for and receiving community-based services. The Arc of Illinois will reinvigorate the Going Home Coalition to increase community capacity and decrease investment in institutions. People with disabilities, families, Policymakers, and allies will be engaged in educational opportunities, rallies, and advocacy demonstrations to make Illinois an Inclusion First state. The Going Home Coalition's vision for Illinois is to be truly person-centered with responsive programs and systems that ensure people with disabilities have lives that are full and lived in the broader community.

    • Medical Advocacy: Understanding Rights and Interactions with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

      Summary: This project educates people and healthcare providers in the Peoria region to assure people with IDD have the best possible health. People with disabilities and families are equipped to recognize health concerns and preventative care needs and access care in an array of settings using the Health Risk Screening Tool. Healthcare providers at area nursing schools and clinics, and hospitals are trained on rights, respect, and health of people with IDD.

    • Partners in Policymaking

      Summary: Partners in Policymaking is an innovative, competency-based leadership training program for adults with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this program is two-fold: to teach best practices and to teach the competencies needed to influence public policy. Over the course of the next 3 years, this project will œgraduate at least 72 Illinois citizens who will be equipped to be community leaders serving on policymaking committees, commissions, and boards at local, state, and national levels.

  • Child Care

    • Building a Better Future for All Children

      Summary: Project will develop capacity for child care providers in south suburban Cook and Champaign Counties to serve all children and avoid expulsions. Training on serving children with special needs will be developed and presented through in-person and then web-based webinars. Cadres of child care staff receive more intensive training to write and implement intervention plans which is paired with on-site technical assistance by an appropriate therapist to ensure successful implementation.

    • Training System to Support AoE in Inclusion of Children with Special Needs

      Summary: This grant project supported activities to implement the new Award for Excellence in Inclusion of Children with Special Needs which was part of a new quality rating system for early childhood programs in child care, public school, and Head Start based on a systematic assessment of standards. The project expanded its focus to support Illinoi stakeholders in following recommendations of a U.S. Dept. of Education and Health and Human service Policy Statement on Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs. An Early Childhood Inclusi9on Summit educated all stakeholders involved in work with young children and provided recommendations for coordinated work. Through existing committees and agencies, identified actions are taken on and reconvenes of the Summit attendees tracks progress.

  • Education and Early Intervention

    • Breaking Down Barriers to Early Intervention for Lead-Poisoned Children

      Summary: Project will support the Bureau of Early Intervention in expanding eligibility for services to young children who have been exposed to lead. Service to these children will be piloted in 2 Child and Family Connections areas to validate and fine tune tools and trainings developed in line with best practice for service benefitting these children.

    • High Quality Inclusive Practices within the Illinois Early Childhood Professional Development System

      Summary: This project increases capacity for inclusive teaching through alignment of Gateways competencies with standards and guidelines of inclusive practice, identifying gaps in the professional development system and strategies to mediate gaps, and creation of resources for higher education faculty and Gateways trainers to incorporate competencies into professional development.

  • Employment

    • Community Hubs

      Summary: Envision will shift from its traditional day training model to smaller community hubs. The process and culture shift to close its 7 day training programs and have all activity revolve around hubs of no more than 50 individuals is underway. 520 more individuals will receive services through community hubs by the end of the project. Lessons on making a major shift within a large organization will be captured and shared.

    • Marc Gold & Associates Customized Employment Training and Technical Assistance

      The project goal is to facilitate the continued implementation and expansion of quality CE services and employment outcomes in Illinois so that more individuals with developmental disabilities can successfully obtain Customized and Competitive Integrated Employment. One focus is the CE Pilot Project currently underway through the DRS. DRS Division leadership will be provided technical assistance to ensure that CE contract grantees are implementing CE in fidelity to national standards. Technical assistance will be provided to DRS to ensure the pilot is completed as intended and is evaluated. Additionally, DRS will be assisted in gathering and analyzing data to continue to monitor and evaluate CE services.  A second focus is transition-aged students with developmental disabilities who can benefit from the unique insights offered through Discovery and Customization to support and broaden their transition plans and IEPs. Discovery and Customized Employment training will be offered to teachers.

    • New Approaches Supported Employment Team

      Summary: A Supported Employment action Team will be formed to advocate for improved supported employment options through the Division of Rehabilitation Services. Partners include Illinois Assistive Technology Program, The IL Alliance, and the Sibling Leadership Network.

    • New Approaches to Break Down Barriers -Growing Solutions Farm

      Summary: Through an agricultural vocational training program, transition youth from Chicago Public High Schools will gain vocational experience guided by a person-centered career plan, leading to community employment.

    • Purposefully Living

      Summary: Roxana will expand a school-sponsored Food Truck business to offer lunch to local industry. Though this experience, transition age students will gain Food Handling Certification and employment in the community.

  • Formal Informal Community Supports

    • CARES - 377 Referenda

      Summary: CARES will develop a toolkit and replicable, tiered training protocol to educate and empower communities to establish 377 Boards to provide sustainable, reliable, local funding to protect and expand services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabili5ties who are waiting for Medicaid funded services in the state. Lead trainers in regions of the state will coordinate at least 38 trainings to community advocates interested in implementing a 377 referenda. Visit the CARES website for information on how to form a 377 Board in your area and to access all the resources. https://www.377cares.org/ View 377 Board Informational Webinar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh6iPfNK-NM

    • Change Champions for Inclusive Communities

      Summary: Individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities from Chicagoland communities will be welcomed and supported in mainstream organizations and community participation aligned with their interests.

    • Community Play Project

      Summary: The project will develop an inclusive theater company to involve individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities and demonstrate an inclusive community arts activity.

    • Covid 19 DD Relief Fund

      Summary: The Arc will communicate with stakeholders in the developmental disability community to keep everyone abreast of news and supports related to the COVID 19 pandemic through social media connecting, targeting the Spanish speaking community, and providing a weekly policy and information webinar. A second area is to work with ICDD to offer an opportunity for providers to apply for subgrants to meet the needs they identified of their clients in the pandemic. The Arc will implement this fund and gather reports of lessons learned and outcomes.

    • CTF Illinois Southern IL Transition Project

      Summary: Community employment opportunities will be provided to transition-age people. Self-Determination Training for transition-age people and PATHWAYS planning for the person-centered planning process. Trainings will be provided to families on guardianship, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and Social Security disability benefits. Trainers will provide personal care planning facilitator trainings to self-advocates, family members, and professionals. Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) curriculum will also be provided. Self-advocates will receive additional training and will be instrumental in being paid mentors in this project and demonstrating the strength of self-advocacy.

    • CTS Creative Transitions

      Summary: A whole life, person centered approach for transition age youth will be implemented by providing training, advocacy, and opportunities to allow for increased life choices. Travel training and community-based instruction will be provided in collaboration with RIDES Mass Transit. A discovery process that is comprehensive and tailored to individual needs will be provided. A finished product will identify strengths, preferences, needs, supports, barriers, risk factors/safety, relationships/social skills, financial literacy, transportation, current and secondary training/education, career and income, soft skills, health and well-being, communication, assistive technology, and choice/decision making for youth transition-age and family.

    • Educating Consumers on the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Rule

      Summary: The Educating Consumers on the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Rule will educate individuals with developmental disabilities and/or family members to be equipped and confident to conduct training and advocacy on the new HCBS settings rule as a result of the training and mentoring received from the HCBS Advocates Creating Transformation (HCBS-ACT) project. While participating in the training on the new HCBS rule, those trained will report an increase in their knowledge about HCBS waivers, the new rule, and its impact on the service system.

    • Independent Service Coordination System Redesign

      Summary: In late 2012, the Council initiated three major projects to improve the design and delivery of services in the developmental disabilities system. The goals of these projects included improve Individual Service Planning, Implementation and Monitoring and Evaluate the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS); build and strengthen the capacity of the 18 Independent Service Coordination (ISC) agencies to plan for individuals living in private Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (ICF/DD) agencies; and strengthen quality of the system through data management.

    • Leaning into Community Together Investment

      Summary: Individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities in Winnebago, Effingham-Coles and Waterloo-Monroe counties increase their community inclusion according to personal choice.

    • Pre-Service Training for Healthcare Professionals to Understand Rights and Interaction with People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

      Summary:  This project will provide pre-service training to 500 medical and health professional students to facilitate better healthcare access and health outcomes for people with IDD. The project will develop and embed training sessions in the curriculums of five university programs. The project will create a network of university programs and a depository of instructional resources.

    • Proud & Included

      Summary:  Project to open Chicago's LGBTQ community to individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities who identify as LGBTQ. Entities and groups in the LGBTQ community to be trained on cultural competency in including people with intellectual / developmental disabilities who identify as LGBTQ. Individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities who identify as LGBTQ participate in self-advocacy training.

    • Quality Lives in Geneseo

      Summary: A community provides access to typical daily life for individuals with intellectual/ developmental disorders using PATH process. Community organizations include individuals as participants, volunteers, or employees.

    • Southern IL Transition Project

      Summary:  Person-centered planning will be provided to advise transition-age people on educational and career choices, replication of the College for Life Program at a new site and developing and implementing training in best practices in transition and family financial literacy. Financial literacy education will take place through the Madison County Transition Planning Committee partnership with a co-sponsored event and a publication developed with grant funding made available for IEP meetings as part of the student™s transition plan. Transition-age people will have the opportunity to participate in a certificate program. This new approach to supporting post-secondary employment options offers an opportunity to complete a program and an opportunity to continue to attend if desired.

    • The IN Project

      Summary: "Individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities will mentor youth in school. Personal stories and messages will be captured and disseminated through media features. Individuals with intellectual/ developmental disabilities will advocate through attaining positions on community boards or commissions.

    • Transforming Employment and Post-Secondary Education Services to Transition Age Youth in Monroe County

      Summary: This project serves Clark, Clay, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Moultrie, Richland, and Shelby counties. Community employment opportunities will be provided to transition-age people. Self-Determination Training will be provided for transition-age people and PATHWAYS planning for the person-centered planning process. Trainings will be provided to families on guardianship, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and Social Security disability benefits. Trainers will also provide personal care planning facilitator trainings to self-advocates, family members, and professionals. CTS uses Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) curriculum with students and families. Self-advocates will receive additional training and will be instrumental in being paid mentors in this project and demonstrating the strength of self-advocacy.

    • Transforming Employment and Post-Secondary Education Services to Transition Age Youth in Monroe County

      Summary: This project serves Clark, Clay, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Moultrie, Richland, and Shelby counties. Community employment opportunities will be provided to transition-age people. Self-Determination Training will be provided for transition-age people and PATHWAYS planning for the person-centered planning process. Trainings will be provided to families on guardianship, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and Social Security disability benefits. Trainers will also provide personal care planning facilitator trainings to self-advocates, family members, and professionals. CTS uses Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) curriculum with students and families. Self-advocates will receive additional training and will be instrumental in being paid mentors in this project and demonstrating the strength of self-advocacy.

  • Housing

    • Supportive Housing in Illinois

      Summary: The goal of this grant project is to identify the interest and need for supportive housing within the developmental disability community, integrate DHS/DDD staff members into the planning and implementation of supportive housing resources in Illinois, and foster creative adaptations to the supportive housing model to best meet the needs of people served by and providers of developmental disability services. As a result, CSH will create a minimum of 3 community-based supportive housing initiatives with a minimum of 30 units across the state targeted to Ligas class members or individuals transitioning from state-operated developmental centers.

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