Equip For Equality

05/29/2026

People with disabilities have the right to be safe from financial exploitation.

Financial exploitation can happen when someone trusted to help with money or benefits uses that trust to benefit themselves instead.

If you think you or someone you know is being financially exploited, there are places to report it — and people who can help.

This post explains:
• what financial exploitation is
• where to report it
• other ways to stay safe and get help

📞 If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

🔗 https://www.equipforequality.org/solutions/stop-abuse-neglect-poor-quality-services/
📞 Equip for Equality Intake: 312-341-0022

05/29/2026

No permita que los errores del pasado se interpongan en su futuro. New Leaf Illinois puede ayudar con la eliminación de sus antecedentes por consumo de cannabis y cualquier otro registro relevante a la vez. Acepte ayuda para poder crear un futuro mejor para usted.

Llámenos hoy al 872-NEW-LEAF o visite newleafillinois.org.

05/29/2026

Don’t let past mistakes get in the way of your future. New Leaf Illinois can help you clear your old cannabis record - and any other eligible records at the same time. Let them help you make a better future for yourself.

Call them today – 872-NEW-LEAF or visit newleafillinois.org.

05/27/2026

The transition to adulthood is hard for any family.

Here are a few things families should know about transition planning for students with disabilities:

🔹 Transition planning should begin by age 14½
🔹 Transition plans should include goals, services, and community experiences
🔹 Some students can continue receiving school support until age 22
🔹 Guardianship is not required to stay involved in school decisions

If you have questions about transition planning, the attorneys at our Special Education Rights Helpline are here to help. Call us at 1-866-543-7046.

05/20/2026

AI is increasingly being used in hiring and workplace decisions — but AI systems can discriminate against people with disabilities. Illinois workers have important legal protections, including new protections specific to AI in employment decisions.

In this post, we break down:
• How employers use AI
• Common ways AI can discriminate
• Illinois laws protecting workers with disabilities
• What to do if you suspect discrimination

Need to talk about AI and employment? Contact us at 1-844-RIGHTS-9 (1-844-744-4879) or [email protected].

05/18/2026

We’re excited to welcome Commissioner Rachel Arfa as the presenter for our May 27 Disability Rights Consortium session.

Commissioner Arfa will share updates on the work underway at the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, including current initiatives, programs, and resources available throughout the City of Chicago.

May 27 | 9:30–11:00 a.m. CT | Zoom
1.5 CLE credits available for Illinois attorneys. CART and ASL provided.

Register here: https://bit.ly/EFEMOPD

05/15/2026

We need your input.

Each year, we set our priorities based on what we hear from people with disabilities, families, and advocates across Illinois—and your input directly shapes that work.

Join us for our upcoming Priorities Planning Meeting to share what legal advocacy issues matter most to you and your community.

🗓️ Wednesday, June 24
⏰ 1:00–3:00 PM
💻 Virtual (Zoom, with captioning & ASL)

If you can’t attend, you can still share your input through our survey. A printable version is available on our website, here.

Your perspective guides what we focus on and where we direct our advocacy.

Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XdIdxoXeSIal2f83bbK3Iw or email David at [email protected].

05/14/2026

Chicago’s expansion of the CARE program is an important step toward a more humane and effective response to behavioral health crises in our communities.

We’re grateful to Mayor Brandon Johnson, advocates, organizers, clinicians, and community members who pushed this expansion forward and helped keep this issue front and center.

Programs like CARE matter because people experiencing mental health crises often need support, treatment, de-escalation, and connection to services — not criminalization. Sending trained behavioral health professionals and EMTs to appropriate nonviolent crisis calls can help reduce unnecessary police involvement while connecting people to the care they need.

For now, Mayor Brandon Johnson is using $31 million from the final chunk of federal stimulus funding delivered to Chicago during the pandemic to check another key item off his progressive to-do list. After that, the mayor is counting on revenue from his controversial social media tax.

05/13/2026

Crises can happen to anyone.

But people with disabilities often face additional barriers when trying to access support — whether that means mental health care, housing assistance, food resources, domestic violence services, or disability-specific supports.

We gathered several statewide Illinois resources that may help connect people to immediate support, community services, and local assistance programs.

What other resources, supports, information or referrals would be helpful for us to share?

#988

05/12/2026

We are thrilled to welcome two-time intern Anna Patton, Ph.D., J.D., back to Equip for Equality as an Equal Justice Works Fellow! Anna will be focusing her fellowship project on literacy for students with disabilities. Anna is an extraordinary advocate and we look forward to the impact she will make as an EJW Fellow and staff attorney!

ID; Graphic with a dark blue background and the heading “Midwest | Class of 2026” at the top. The slides contains professional headshots of six Equal Justice Works (EJW) fellows per page arranged in two rows of three, with each person’s name, host organization, and sponsoring organization listed below their photo. Anna Patton appears in the bottom center of the second slide wearing glasses and a blue blazer. Her caption notes that she will spend her fellowship at Equip for Equality, sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP.