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News

Title	Date
Access Living leader elected president of International Disability GroupOn March 6, Access Living’s Marca Bristo was elected President of the United States International Council on Disability (USICD). Committed to international disability rights, USICD is a federation comprised of the leading disability organizations with international agendas and national memberships, government agencies with a deep interest in international disability affairs, and individuals committed to international disability rights.	April 28, 2007
Disability Rights Leader honored as Chicagoan of the YearRecognizing her local, national, and international leadership, Chicago Magazine recently honored Marca Bristo as a “Chicagoan of the Year” for 2007.	January 25, 2008
DePaul University study of costs and benefits of employing people with disabilities finds few risks to employersA study released on January 28, 2008 conducted by a team of researchers at DePaul University found that employees with disabilities from the healthcare, retail and hospitality sectors in the region were just as dependable and productive as employees without disabilities.	February 5, 2008
New Report Identifies Gaps And Inefficient Utilization Of Resources For Illinois’ Developmentally Disabled InitiativesOn Thursday, February 14, the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities hosted a news conference to announce the release of two reports that analyze gaps in services to people with developmental disabilities and that propose recommendations for addressing the gaps.	February 18, 2008
Access Living milestone a dream come true for Anton Taylor“It’s like a breath of fresh air,” said Anton Taylor, letting out a small sigh, thinking about his new apartment. Back in early 2004, Taylor moved into a southside nursing home for what he believed to be a short stay. Years later, Taylor was still in the nursing home.	March 18, 2008

Lead On: The Access Living Blog

Disability Rights & Empowerment

Access Living is committed to the advancement and empowerment of people with disabilities in Chicago and nationwide. Our programs and services represent a multifaceted approach in attaining this goal.

Title	Date
Young woman files Fair Housing Complaint against a condominium associationLast week, attorneys with Access Living and with Seyfarth Shaw filed a fair housing complaint on behalf of a woman who has been denied a reasonable accommodation.	November 23, 2010
Testimony given to House Committee on Medicaid Reform The State of Illinois is in the process of undergoing Medicaid Reform. The House and Senate have convened committees to hear testimony and to propose a reform plan. Many people with disabilities worry that “reform” is code for cuts in services. In order to protect services, and to stress that any reform should include a strong emphasis on community based services, disability advocates have been submitting testimony before the house and senate committees. Below is testimony from Tom Wilson delivered to the House Committee on December 9.	December 11, 2010
Community advocates organize around abuses at institutions Access Living, along with Chicago ADAPT, Jane Addams Senior Caucus, The Community Renewal Society and others began to organize in an effort to hold Alden accountable, improve conditions at the institution, and raise awareness around the need for more community-based service choices.	December 22, 2010
Illinois Senate approves changes to Medicaid On Wednesday, January 5, the Illinois Senate, by a vote of 58-0, passed major changes to the current Medicaid package in Illinois. The package now goes to the Illinois House for a vote.	January 6, 2011
Tragedy in ArizonaWith all of the work around Medicaid Reform, the upcoming Mayoral Election in Chicago, and the Illinois Budget, there has not been much dialogue at Access Living about the recent shootings and tragedy in Tucson, Arizona.	January 13, 2011

Events Calendar

Title	Date
The Access Living “Lead On!” Award Gala Join Access Living as we honor Lifetime Champion for the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities Senator Bob Dole and Disability Activist Susan Nussbaum with the “Lead On!” Award.	June 3, 2013
Creative Movement Workshop A Creative Movement Workshop	May 14, 2013
Good Kings, Bad Kings The Chicago playwright Susan Nussbaum signs and reads from her first novel, Good Kings, Bad Kings,for which she received the 2012 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction.	May 18, 2013
Counter Balance IVAn evening of physically integrated dance, poetry and spoken word that explores the intersection of disability, diversity and art.	Friday May 17 and Saturday May 18
2013 Bodies of Work Festival In May of this year, Chicago will host the 11-day Bodies of Work Festival. Featuring visual and performing arts that highlight the work of artists with disabilities, the festival celebrates national and international artists with disabilities who are creating cutting-edge theater, dance, literature, poetry, spoken word, film, and visual/performance art.	May -- 2013

Press Releases

Title	Date
6th Annual Building Bridges to Independence Conference:Press ReleaseChicago, IL - On September 27, 2008, the Committee for the Integration of Latinos with Disabilities (CILD), DePaul University College of Law’s Special Education Advocacy Clinic and Town of Cicero President Larry Dominick will present the 6th Annual Building Bridges to Independence Conference: Empowering Communities, Individuals with Disabilities, and Their Families.	Sep 25th, 2008
A Huge Step Forward for People with Mental IllnessHistoric agreement reached to transition Illinois residents unnecessarily housed in large, impersonal nursing homesLast week was a good week for people with mental illness in Illinois. On Thursday, a federal judge granted preliminary approval for an historic agreement between the State of Illinois and thousands of people with psychiatric disabilities represented by a number of advocacy groups, including Access Living, and a private law firm - led, in this case, by the ACLU of Illinois - that will give thousands of people with mental illness an opportunity, if they choose, to move out of large, private nursing homes and into community-based settings. This agreement marks a sea change in Illinois state policy - which for far too long has relied on troubled, sometimes dangerous nursing homes to serve people with mental illness.	June 14, 2010
Access Living analysis of FY 2013 CPS Budget critical of disability cuts Report calls for restoration of funds and move toward Universal Design Prior to each school year, Access Living publishes a review of CPS funding priorities and initiatives related to special education and students with disabilities. Access Living’s FY 2013 analysis examines the impact of CPS Budget decisions on students with disabilities.	August 15, 2012
Access Living applauds Governor Quinn’s closure announcement Urges shift from institutional to community support for people with disabilitiesAccess Living statement responds to January 19, 2012 announcement from Governor Quinn on closure of Tinley Park Mental Health Center and Jacksonville Developmental Center.	January 20, 2012
Access Living applauds institution closure, commitment to community Urges support for services that promote independence for people with disabilitiesAccess Living responds to Illinois Governor Quinn’s February 22 Budget Address.	February 23, 2012

The Bullhorn - The Newsletter of Access Living

Access Living’s bimonthly newsletter

The Bullhorn, the newsletter of Access Living, is published bimonthly.

Title	Date
The Bullhorn Volume 78Volume 78 of the Bullhorn, the Newsletter of Access Living, from October 2012.	January 10, 2013
The Bullhorn Volume 77The Bullhorn Volume 77 August 2012	January 10, 2013
The Bullhorn - Volume 76The Newsletter of Access Living Volume 76 of the Bullhorn, the Newsletter of Access Living, published in June of 2012.	January 9, 2013
The Bullhorn Volume 75Volume 75 of the Bullhorn, the Newsletter of Access Living, published in April 2012	April 2012
The Bullhorn Volume 74Volume 74 of The Bullhorn, The Newsletter of Access Living	March 2012