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News and Events

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News

Title	Date
Access Living honors Ambassador Luis Gallegos & Anne RooseveltAccess Living GalaOn June 12, at the Access Living Gala, Access Living presented Ambassador Luis Gallegos of Ecuador and Anne Roosevelt, the granddaughter of Franklin Deleno Roosevelt, with "Lead On" Awards for their leadership within the disability community.	June 12, 2008
Access Living honors Roger Ebert with “Lead On!” Award On Thursday, June 9, Access Living honored Roger Ebert at the 2011 Access Living Gala.	July 12, 2011
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
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
Access Living opposes Illinois Senate Bill 3564New legislation makes institution closure more difficult, putting a barrier in the way of community living for people with disabilities.	March 8, 2012

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
ADA 20th Anniversary Celebration at the White HouseMore than ten Access Living staff and board members, as well as hundreds of others from the disability community around the country, attended the event. Access Living’s President and CEO, Marca Bristo, delivered remarks prior to the President’s address.	July 29, 2010
Advocates rally to eliminate IQ testing at VR ServicesOn October 6, a group of about 50 advocates from Chicago traveled to Springfield, Illinois to rally against IQ Tests run by Illinois Vocational Rehabilitation Programs. While vocational programs are supposed to help people with disabilities secure employment, people with disabilities believe that the IQ tests serve as an impediment, rather than a pathway, to employment. The goal is to eliminate IQ tests from VR Services.	October 8, 2010
Annual Review of Chicago Public Schools BudgetAccess Living’s Summary Analysis of the CPS FY 2011 BudgetEvery year Access Living’s Education Policy Analyst, Rodney Estvan, reviews and presents an analysis of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Fiscal Year Budget. CPS currently has about 54,000 students with disabilities enrolled in its 680 traditional, charter, and contract schools. The total FY2011 budget for CPS, including for capital and debt payments, is about $6.4 billion.	September 9, 2010
April is Fair Housing Month April is National Fair Housing Month. This is the 24th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Amendments Act, passed in 1988.	April 3, 2012
Arts and Culture Events the Week of November 1, 2010This year, Access Living teamed up with the Chicago Humanities Festival to incorporate disability events into the festival. From film screenings and dance performances to lectures on ‘beauty,’ this week’s Humanities Festival includes a number of disability arts and culture events. For ticket information, and more information, visit the the Chicago Humanities Festival website.	November 2, 2010

Events Calendar

Title	Date
Are You Prepared? Town Hall Meeting on Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities Town Hall Meeting on Emergency Preparedness for people with disabilities	June 26, 2013
People with Disabilities Speak Out on Health Care DisparitiesAccess Living’s Health Policy Team and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Occupational Therapy invite you to a Town Hall meeting to discuss the state of health care for Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities	June 27, 2013
Access Living Open House Access Living invites you to the organization’s annual Open House. Thursday, June 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.	June 27, 2013
Meeting on home safety, modification and adaptive designPanel on home safety and adaptive design	June 18, 2013
Stepping Stones A peer support group for people with disabilities who have just moved out of institutions and into their own homes through the Access Living Community Reintegration program.	Tuesdays in the Spring 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