Join Today, or Sign-In if you're already a member.

Access Living

Access Living

Text: Small | LargeLayout: Wide | Narrow

About UsNews & EventsResourcesUniversal & Green DesignEmploymentContact UsDonate & Act Now

News & Events

News and Events

Print This Page Email Friend

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
Safe lifting bill a first for people with disabilities new legislation first of its kind to protect people with disabilities in hospitals On July 14, 2011, Illinois Governor Quinn signed into law Public Act 97-0122, which amended the Illinois Hospital Licensing Act to require implementation of policies that protect people with disabilities when lifting or transferring.	August 29, 2011
Education Policy Analyst delivers testimony at Chicago Public Schools Budget Hearing On August 10, 2011, Access Living’s Education Policy Analyst delivered testimony on the CPS FY 2012 Budget at a Public Schools Budget hearing.	August 11, 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
Web chat about seniors and nursing homes Every month, Judith Graham, the Chicago Tribune’s Health Reporter, hosts a live web chat on senior issues. This Tuesday, July 26, the discussion will focus on seniors and nursing homes.	July 22, 2011
National Campaign to Stop cuts to Medicaid National political leaders continue to target Medicaid as a way to trim federal spending. Cuts to Medicaid would come at the expense of people with disabilities and seniors, threatening resources that enable people to live independently. A new disability campaign urges the White House and Congress to reform, rather than cut, Medicaid by investing in community-based services that save money and enable independence.	July 13, 2011

Events Calendar

Title	Date
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
Men with a Purpose: Men with disabilities support group2nd and 4th Friday of each month Men With a Purpose. A cross&ndash;disability support group for men. The group addresses many issues, including health and wellness, relationships, networking, and empowerment.	2nd and 4th Friday of each month
Personal Assistant Informational SeminarJoin our pool of highly sought PA’s	March 14, 2012
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
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

Press Releases

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
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
Senate fails to ratify international disability rights treatyOn Tuesday, December 4, the U.S. Senate failed by five votes to reach the two thirds majority needed to ratify the United Nations International Treaty on the Rights of People with Disabilities. The final vote count was 61-38. Though the treaty earned bipartisan support, Republican Senators cast all 38 votes against the treaty.	December 5, 2012
Access Living celebrates full closure of Jacksonville Developmental CenterGovernor Quinn of Illinois announces that all residents of the Jacksonville Developmental Center have moved out of the institution and into the community.	November 30, 2012
Senator Reid Brings the CRPD to the Senate Floor Access Living Applauds U.S. Senate for considering ratification of treaty on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities	November 27, 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