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Title	Date
Colbert v. Quinn, Notice of Fairness Hearing Colbert v. Quinn is a class action case filed on behalf of people with disabilities who receive Medicaid and live in nursing homes in Cook County, Illinois. The case was originally filed in August of 2007. A settlement agreement was announced on August 30, 2011. If approved by the court, the settlement will offer people with disabilities in Cook County nursing homes the choice to transition from the nursing home, and live in apartments or homes of their choice in the community. A Fairness Hearing is scheduled for December 20, 2011.	December 20, 2011
Access Living’s response to news of institution closures in Illinois Revenue must be set aside for community infrastructure Governor Quinn’s September 8th announcement to close large institutions for people with disabilities indicates an opportunity to rebalance Illinois’ system of long-term care. But closing institutions can not be done strictly as a budget cutting move. More than anyone else, the decision to close institutions impacts people with disabilities.	September 9, 2011
NURSING HOME RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CELEBRATE PROPOSED AGREEMENT WITH STATE IN LANDMARK LAWSUIT Proposed Agreement brings residents one step closer to expanded opportunities for community living and meaningful individual choice	August 30, 2011
Review of the FY2012 Chicago Public Schools Budget Annual Review of the Chicago Public School’s Budget	August 24, 2011
Housing Assistance Available For Hard-hit HomeownersIncome reduction due to unemployment or severe under-employment? Click for help.The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Treasury to offer temporary mortgage payment assistance to households that are struggling with income loss due to unemployment or underemployment...	August 22, 2011

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
Cross Disability Support Group3rd Tuesday of each month from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.For people of all ages, genders and disabilities. This support group is a chance for people with all types of disabilities to share concerns and ask questions, and engage with others.	3rd Tuesday of each month
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.
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
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
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

Press Releases

Title	Date
STATEMENT REGARDING ALDEN VILLAGE NORTH Access Living applauds closure of dangerous institutionAccess Living of Metropolitan Chicago applauds Illinois for taking the initial step to close Alden Village North on Chicago’s north side. On March 3, 2011, State officials told Alden Village North that Illinois will revoke the nursing home’s license.	March 4, 2011
Disability groups rally against budget that fails to support people with disabilities in the communityThursday morning, February 24, individuals and organizations representing a wide range of disabilities rallied outside the Thompson Center against Governor Quinn’s proposed state budget. The advocates called on Quinn to rescind cuts to services that empower people with disabilities to live independently in the community.	February 24, 2011
Mayoral questionnaire indicates broad support for people with disabilities in ChicagoAccess Living recently released the results of a questionnaire issued to candidates running for mayor in Chicago. All of the candidates participated and each candidate indicated broad support for the disability community.	February 1, 2011
CHA Lowers Age Limit for Select Senior Buildings‘Reduced Age’ Senior Buildings Welcome Applicants Age 55 or Older	October 15, 2010
Disability Community Rallies to protect independence Facing budget cuts that could force people into costly institutions, disability advocates and organizations representing thousands of people with developmental, psychiatric and physical disabilities rallied outside the State of Illinois Building today.	July 19, 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