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News & Events

News and Events

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News

Title	Date
Disabled Americans Want Work Now Applauds Introduction of Fair Wages Legalization Urges Passage of Fair Wages for Workers Disabilities ActDisabled Americans Want Work Now (DAWWN) applauds the introduction of Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act – H.R. 831.	March 4, 2013
Expand Your World with Empower Access Fellows! WorldChicago seeks homestay hosts for five emerging disability rights and advocacy leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, and Tajikistan coming to Chicago on a month-long U.S. Department of State fellowship program.	February 27, 2013
HUD Award opens up affordable, accessible housing units Governor Pat Quinn and HUD Deputy Secretary Maurice Jones announced a nearly $12 Million award that will provide affordable and accessible housing for people with disabilities moving out of institutions.	February 25, 2013
Advocates begin work around legislative session During the legislative session, Access Living will advocate for issues and pieces of legislation that support the independence of people with disabilities.	February 25, 2013
Medicaid -- Illinois Redetermination Program Information on the Illinois Medicaid Redetermination Program. The information was compiled by the ARC of Illinois	February 22, 2013

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
Contact Congress Today -- Housing Counseling Services in Jeopardy!Housing is one of the most basic needs for everyone, whether or not you have a disability. But the current Federal Budget cuts funding that allows Access Living and other counseling groups to support the efforts of people with disabilities to find housing.	April 13, 2011
Continued work around Medicaid protection and reform On August 5, Access Living’s Task Force for Attendant Services will join other groups at Federal Plaza in Chicago to send a strong message about the importance of Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.	August 4, 2011
Conversation with the media On Monday, March 7, Margaret Holt, the Standards Editor of the Chicago Tribune, visited Access Living to meet with staff and members of the community.	March 8, 2011
Coverage of Chicago Ideas Week “Facing Disability” Event On October 10, Access Living was the site of a Chicago Ideas Week Event hosted by Facing Disability and Table XI. The event, “Building Community through Technology: Connecting Life Stories,” looked at the creation and evolution of the website FacingDisability.com	October 18, 2012
Daily Law Bulletin highlights Olmstead legal coalition work In late August, a coalition that includes Access Living, Equip for Equality, the ACLU of Illinois, SNR Denton, and the Law Offices of Steve Gold, announced a class-action settlement that will end the forced, long-standing and unnecessary segregation of people with physical disabilities or mental illness in nursing homes. This piece highlights the legal coalition work in this case and two others.	October 14, 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
The Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing, (DRACH)HousingA twice monthly meeting of housing advocates who work to enforce and implement the housing rights of people with disabilities. The group meets the second Tuesday and fourth Thursday of each month.	4th Thursday of every Month and 2nd Tuesday of every month.

Press Releases

Title	Date
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
Disability coalition testifies in Springfield on behalf of community-based services On April 22, Access Living, as part of the Community for All Coalition, testified in Springfield in support of community based services in the Illinois Budget.	April 22, 2010
Olmstead Settlement may transition thousands of people with disabilities into community-based settings A landmark agreement between the State of Illinois and thousands of persons with mental illnesses will result in significant reforms of Illinois’ outmoded, overcrowded and scandalized nursing home system.	March 15, 2010
Access Living Statement in Response to March 10 Budget Address Access Living statement in response to Governor Quinn’s Budget address	March 11, 2010
The Bullhorn - The Newsletter of Access Living Access Living’s bimonthly newsletter The Bullhorn, the newsletter of Access Living, is published bimonthly.	Jan 19th, 2010

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