Posts by Dani Hunter
Progress for Illinois Special Education Students
After a unanimous vote in both chambers, the Illinois General Assembly has passed two special education bills crafted by Legal Council advocates.
Read MoreHealth Insurance Enrollment for Illinois Kids Declined More Than Double the National Average
A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families shows a sharp national decline in children’s health insurance coverage. Illinois experienced one of the largest decreases.
Read MoreATTN: CPS Therapeutic Day School Parents
To Chicago Public Schools parents of kids in Therapeutic Day School: Do you provide breakfast and lunch for your child? Chicago Public Schools is supposed to provide free breakfast and lunch to all of its students, but kids in Therapeutic Day School placements may not be receiving these nutritional services. Legal Council is helping Chicago…
Read MoreLegal Council for Health Justice Invites Guests to a Night in Hollywood on May 4
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2019 For more information, contact Kevin Mork at 312.605.1976 or kjmork@legalcouncil.org. Legal Council for Health Justice Invites Guests to a Night in Hollywood on May 4 Chicago, Ill.—Legal Council for Health Justice will host its fifth annual May Ball at the historic, HGTV-featured home of Dr. Nabeela Rasheed in Chicago’s…
Read MoreLETTER: Housing Authority of Cook County Voucher Program
As Housing Choice Voucher participants, their advocates, and others committed to fair and equitable access to affordable housing, we urge the Housing Authority of Cook County to include a referral to legal aid on its notice to terminate participants from the Voucher program.
Read MorePolicy Update: Protecting Special Education for Illinois Children
UPDATE 4/12/2019: Both of Legal Council’s special education bills passed the House unanimously on April 11, 2019. Thank you to sponsors Rep. Crespo, Rep. Carroll, Rep. Davis, and Rep. Martwick for their continued leadership and advocacy on behalf of Illinois students with special needs. Stay tuned for more updates as the bill continues to the…
Read MoreSTATEMENT: Advocates Appeal to Illinois Supreme Court on Rights of Nursing Home Residents
March 15, 2019 STATEMENT: Advocates Appeal to Illinois Supreme Court on Rights of Nursing Home Residents On Wednesday, March 13, a coalition of organizations submitted an amicus brief to the Illinois Supreme Court urging the reversal of a 2018 appellate court decision that undermines the process designed to protect the rights of nursing home residents…
Read MoreWhat You Can Do To Help Medicaid in Illinois
In response to constant barriers, Protect Our Care Illinois (a statewide coalition of which Legal Council is a leading agency) is promoting a new piece of legislation to reform and improve the Medicaid eligibility and renewal process. The bill, SB2021 or the Medicaid Eligibility Determination and Renewal Reform Act, takes the best practices from other states who do not experience these problems and puts forward a comprehensive approach to reform.
Read MoreChicago Public Schools Limiting Services for Students with Special Needs
Amy Zimmerman, Director of Children and Families Partnerships at Legal Council, was featured in a story by WBEZ that exposes problems with Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) newest policy change affecting children with significant special needs. For the first time, CPS is offering the parents of children who attend “cluster” programs, sometimes called “self-contained classrooms,” the…
Read MoreSTATEMENT: Federal Court Order Protects Home Nursing Care for Thousands of Illinois Children
Legal Council is pleased to share that we have settled the MA v. Bellock class action lawsuit with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) in favor of more than 1,200 medically complex children who need in-home nursing. The settlement ensures that these children will be assessed fairly and given appropriate notice about…
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