January 2022
Public Webinar:
Legislation, Policy and Advocacy News!
PLEASE JOIN US
Registration is required

When: February 28, 2022, from 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Who is invited: Open to the public
Webinar overview: See below

This webinar will provide attendees with an overview of proposed bills in the 2022 Illinois General Assembly that are relevant to the Developmental Disability community in Illinois. Attendees will also receive updates and information on:

- Legislative session schedule
- Important committees & leaders
- Bills that have been introduced
- ICDD: who we are and what we do
- Governor Pritzker’s Budget breakdown
- Federal legislation/policy updates
- Advocacy recommendations

Attendees can pose questions and the session will be recorded. Please contact Mariel Hamer-Sinclair with any questions at [email protected]. REGISTER NOW!

Presenter bios: See below

*** Phil Milsk, since 1995 to present day, has been working for the Law Offices of Phil Milsk located out of New Lenox, IL. This is a solo practice with focus on legislation, public policy, government relations, and educational advocacy for children. Phil also has experience working as a Governmental Relations Consultant by which he provided representation of several associations with a focus on rights of persons with disabilities, education, and healthcare access. Currently, Phil is an active member on the Illinois State Bar Association, Standing Committee on Disability Law, Newsletter Editor of Education Law Section Council Delivery of Legal Services and the State Employment and Economic Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Task Force. Phil attended J.D. DePaul University College of Law and received his B.A. from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

*** Mariel Hamer-Sinclair started out working in the Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services Home Services Program as a Case Manager. A short time after, she accepted a position as a Community Work Incentive Coordinator (CWIC) under the Social Security Administration (SSA ) Work Incentive Planning and Assistance Program (WIPA). She became very interested in special education transition services and pursued a position as a Transition Specialist for Chicago Public Schools. For 3.5 years Mariel served 335 schools on the south and west side of Chicago and over 22,000 transition aged students ages 14 1/5 – 21. In 2016, she was promoted to Transition Manager. As the Associate Director of Program & Policy for ICDD, Mariel has a direct role in evaluating and responding to current and future policy and funding issues that might affect the developmental disabilities (DD) community on behalf of ICDD. Mariel received her Master’s degree in Human Service Administration, Social Services in 2015 from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

*** A self-advocate speaker(s) is invited to present. More information coming soon!
ICDD's ROLE IN SYSTEMS CHANGE

ICDD seeks to create positive change through advocacy, systems change, and capacity building. We provide training and technical assistance to advocates, families, and service providers. We bring together businesses, service providers, agencies, policy-makers, and community groups to find solutions to persistent problems. We develop and test innovative new programs and service models. Most importantly, we bring the voices of individuals with developmental disabilities to the policy-makers whose decisions impact their lives. We are designed to take a big picture approach to create structural change with a long-term impact.

At ICDD, we lead the charge by:

  1. Exploring the impact of existing laws, policies, regulations, rules, and statues and monitor and track the actions of the Illinois General Assembly;
  2. exploring innovative funding initiatives, research, and campaigns;
  3. discussing issues with policymakers and advocate for a reduction in the social and economic barriers that affect the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families;
  4. activating advocates in legislative decision-making processes allowing them to contribute to decisions that may have an impact on their lives;
  5. informing citizens of their rights and responsibilities and of decisions taken to strengthen the public understanding and create public awareness;
  6. creating advocacy & policy alerts which include (but are not limited to): (a) Calls to Action; (b) eNewsletters (published bimonthly during the legislative session); and (c) Advocacy Updates (advocacy related interests and issues);
  7. collaborating with stakeholders and cross-disability coalitions that advocates legislatively for more community based services.

To learn more about ICDD, visit our website at ICDD.Illinois.gov and subscribe to our listserv by contacting [email protected].