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News & Events

News and Events

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News

Title	Date
Proposed legislation threatens progress made to support independence, integration of people with disabilitiesNews release announces Access Living concern over State plans that could potentially derail efforts to integrate people with psychiatric disabilities into community based settings	May 8, 2013
New organizing group launches program to connect with City Colleges Access Living’s Young Adult Employment Organizer is launching a new initiative to outreach to people with disabilities on Chicago’s City Colleges Campuses	May 6, 2013
Access Living youth attend Library’s Lyricist Loft On Wednesday, April 10, a group of Access Living Youth met at the Harold Washington Library in the South Loop for the library’s weekly “Lyricist Loft” Open Mic.	May 2, 2013
Financial Stability Course continues to evolve Access Living’s Financial Stability Course continues to evolve. The latest class finishes up on May 8. A new group will begin in June.	May 2, 2013
Going Home Rally Day-- Springfield, Illinois, April 10, 2013On April 10, 2013, about 30 advocates from the Access Living community went to Springfield for the Going Home Rally and Advocacy Day.	Story updated May 2, 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
Support Accessible Transportation for People with DisabilitiesOn Thursday, November 17 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) is holding a full committee hearing on The Americans with Disabilities Act and Accessible Transportation: Challenges and Opportunities. Access Living’s President & CEO, Marca Bristo, testified before the committee this morning.	November 17, 2011
Young and Old Unite to Fight Potentially Drastic Cuts Seniors, people with disabilities, and their allies rallied in support of services that enable people to live healthy and independent lives. Performing civil disobedience, they demanded that Illinois politicians protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.	November 7, 2011
Documentary on October 27 chronicles the History of America’s Disability Rights MovementNew documentary (features Access Living President) looks into a world inhabited by people determined to live their lives like everyone else, and chronicles a past when, because of physical, program, and social inaccessibility, millions of Americans lived without access to schools, employment, apartment buildings, and public transportation.	updated on October 24, 2011
Disability Advocates attend State Hearing to urge closure of institution for people with developmental disabilities. Access Living, a Chicago disability advocacy and services organization, will be sending a contingent of advocates to today’s State of Illinois legislative hearing on the closure of Mabley Developmental Center in Dixon, Illinois. The hearing will begin at 5 pm at the Dixon Theatre, 114 S. Galena Avenue in Dixon.	October 17, 2011
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
Deinstitutionalization Support GroupPersonal Assistant Health CareMonthly group for nursing home residents with disabilities who would like to learn about opportunities to live in their own homes and communities. For information,	3rd Thursday of every Month
Task Force on Attendant ServicesThe Task Force on Attendant Services organizes consumers to expand and defend home and community services for people with disabilities of all ages.	Group meets the first Wednesday of each month
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Support GroupPeer Support A monthly peer group for people who are Deaf and hard or hearing.	3rd Wednesday of each month
Personal Assistant Informational SeminarJoin our pool of highly sought PA’s	March 14, 2012

Press Releases

Title	Date
Access Living praises healthcare reform that gives people with disabilities option to stay in smaller communities Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago today praised Senator Baucus of Montana for including the Community First Choice Option in Healthcare Reform legislation.	September 24, 2009
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
Access Living Statement in Response to March 10 Budget Address Access Living statement in response to Governor Quinn’s Budget address	March 11, 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
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

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 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 73The Newsletter of Access Living Volume 73 of the Bullhorn, the Newsletter of Access Living, published in January 2012	January 2012
The Bullhorn Volume 74Volume 74 of The Bullhorn, The Newsletter of Access Living	March 2012
The Bullhorn Volume 75Volume 75 of the Bullhorn, the Newsletter of Access Living, published in April 2012	April 2012
The Bullhorn Volume 77The Bullhorn Volume 77 August 2012	January 10, 2013