Family Voices Illinois

Family Voices Illinois We share information about children up to age 22 with any disability/chronic health condition

Family Voices Illinois is a part of the Arc of Illinois and serves children under age 22 with any disability or chronic medical condition.

From the Illinois Department of Early Childhood:We are excited to share that in a matter of weeks the Illinois Departmen...
06/19/2026

From the Illinois Department of Early Childhood:

We are excited to share that in a matter of weeks the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) will bring together early childhood programs and services under one roof. This is a major milestone toward improving early childhood services in Illinois! Since the launch of the transition in November of 2023, the State and our partners have been engaging families and listening to providers.

Ahead of July 1, we’d like to share what will be different, what will remain the same and what our hope is for the future of early childhood in Illinois.

What will remain the same:

Our newly consolidated team of early childhood staff will still continue to support early childhood programs and services in Illinois.

⚫ Families will continue to access services and supports in the same manner they do now; there are no immediate technology or service delivery shifts for families.
⚫ This year’s grants will be continued in FY27, so programs, services, and payment schedules will remain steady.
⚫ Unless otherwise informed, providers will continue to work with the same program staff and points of contact.
⚫ Regular meetings and updates to the public and of our advisory structures.
⚫ Regular updates from the agency through our newsletter, social media, updated website and public meetings.

What will be different on July 1:

⚫ One place to go for early childhood services. All early childhood agency staff will be under “one roof.”
⚫ Early childhood programs and services will have a strong foundation of operational excellence from which to build over the next several years; Stronger data practices and processes
⚫ Defined family engagement structure
⚫ New and growing family engagement team to support system navigation
⚫ Clear ownership of agency and program functions and mandates
⚫ Early childhood grantees will use one unified grants management system, Euna, managed by IDEC.
⚫ Customer service will be enhanced for questions about services.
⚫ Website will contain information on programs and services from each of the transferring agencies.
⚫ IDEC will officially be the lead agency for the Child Care Assistance Program, Early Intervention Program, Home Visiting Programs, and the Early Childhood Block Grant programs.

Do you need help understanding PUNS, the waiting list for Developmental Disability services here in Illinois? The new PU...
06/18/2026

Do you need help understanding PUNS, the waiting list for Developmental Disability services here in Illinois?

The new PUNS brochure is available in lots of languages. See them all here or access the direct brochures by language below: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=47620

English:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer.pdf
Spanish:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(SPANISH).pdf
Tagalog:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(tagalog).pdf
Korean:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(KOREAN).pdf
Hindi:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(hindi).pdf
Chinese:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(chinese)_.pdf
Polish:https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313PL-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(POLISH).05.14.2026.pdf

Arabic, Vietnamese, and Mongolian coming soon!

The U.S. Department of Education announced Interagency Agreements (ED) this afternoon involving the Office of Special Ed...
06/17/2026

The U.S. Department of Education announced Interagency Agreements (ED) this afternoon involving the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights.

Under these agreements:

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which includes the Office of Special Education Programs and the Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) Administration, would move to the Department of Health and Human Services. OSERS oversees a range of special education, vocational rehabilitation, and disability related programs.

The Office for Civil Rights, which enforces federal civil rights laws in education, would move to the Department of Justice.

At this stage, many implementation details remain unclear. Questions remain about timelines, staffing, funding, oversight, enforcement, and how these changes could affect students, families, schools, and disability services.

Some aspects of these proposed changes may require Congressional action or could face legal challenges. The Administration has used the word “partnership” throughout its public statements, recognizing that many of these programs are legally tied to the Department of Education.

We are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to share updates as we learn more.

Please see The Arc’s statement here: https://thearc.org/blog/moving-special-education-and-civil-rights-out-of-education-department-risks-a-patchwork-of-rights-for-students-with-disabilities/

Please also keep an eye out for an action alert related to this issue.

We've had a lot of storms lately and wanted to share some helpful information with you from UIC Division of Specialized ...
06/17/2026

We've had a lot of storms lately and wanted to share some helpful information with you from UIC Division of Specialized Care For Children:

Storms, power outages and other emergencies can be especially challenging for children and youth with complex medical needs. We have emergency planning resources to help you prepare and stay safe, including tips for building an emergency plan, gathering supplies and knowing what to do during severe weather.

Our Emergency Preparedness Tip Sheet (pictured below) is available in English and Spanish. It includes essential considerations for emergencies and a resource toolbox with expert advice for pediatric, disability and/or advanced healthcare needs.

You can find the tip sheet in our Home Care Information Hub at https://zurl.co/qPnFt.

It is also posted in our online Resource Directory at https://zurl.co/l6uVT.
You can also use our Emergency Plan template to stay prepared. Its sections include emergency contacts, emergency prep tips, evacuation plans and plans for medical emergencies.

You can also find this template in our Resource Directory at https://zurl.co/HRnAt.
Be sure to also check out the new Emergency and Disaster Preparedness section of our Resource Directory for more helpful tips and tools to be ready and keep your family safe. Find it at https://zurl.co/CBtjp.

If you have questions or need assistance, call us at (800) 322-3722.

Nuevo folleto del IDHS: Entendiendo los PUNS. "El camino hacia los servicios comienza con los PUNS." ¡Gracias, IDHS! htt...
06/16/2026

Nuevo folleto del IDHS: Entendiendo los PUNS. "El camino hacia los servicios comienza con los PUNS." ¡Gracias, IDHS!https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD/PIO%20Comms/4313-Understanding%20PUNS-Flyer%20(SPANISH).pdf

From UIC Division of Specialized Care For Children:Our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) wants to share helpful tips, trusted...
06/15/2026

From UIC Division of Specialized Care For Children:

Our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) wants to share helpful tips, trusted resources and real-life advice from their personal experiences to help youth with disabilities prepare for adulthood.

They created a series of tip sheets to help youth build skills, speak up for themselves and plan for the future.

The "Your IEP, Your Voice" fact sheet focuses on helping students navigate their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) during the transition to adulthood.
The graphics below feature excerpts from "Your IEP, Your Voice" in English and Spanish, including advice from YAC members Gloria and Zoe:

- On navigating your Transition IEP:
"Look up all your options, attend college fairs, and do internships while in high school. There are programs that allow high schoolers to work or volunteer. It also exposes you to different environments to gain working experience. Focus on participating in any programs that can expose you to different professionals also." - Gloria

- On self-advocacy in action:
"Being able to advocate for yourself and your needs requires knowledge of special education laws and an understanding of how to speak up for yourself. Self-advocacy is a skill toward independence. By speaking and letting others know how your disability affects you in everyday life or learning." - Zoe

Find the "Your IEP, Your Voice" handout, other tip sheets and more details about the YAC on our Youth Advisory Council page at https://zurl.co/KgkiL.

Scholarships for young adults with autism!The Autism Hero Project has opened its 2026- 2027 Scholarship application! The...
06/11/2026

Scholarships for young adults with autism!

The Autism Hero Project has opened its 2026- 2027 Scholarship application! The deadline to submit the application is June 30, 2026. The recipient of the scholarship will be notified by email no later than August 1, 2026.

Our scholarship grant is dedicated to filling the need for autistic individuals to have access to continuous learning, college and trade or vocational school programs, and the opportunity to gain valuable skills to secure employment.

As a neurodiverse community, individuals on the autism spectrum face unique challenges when it comes to accessing education and employment opportunities. However, we believe that with the right support and resources, autistic individuals can achieve great things and make meaningful contributions to society.

Our scholarship grant is designed to provide financial support to autistic individuals who are pursuing higher education or vocational training programs. By easing the financial burden of education, we hope to help more autistic individuals access the learning opportunities they need to succeed.

FInd out more and apply: https://www.autismheroproject.org/scholarships

BEACON is a one-stop resource for parents, caregivers and educators to find mental and behavioral health support for chi...
06/10/2026

BEACON is a one-stop resource for parents, caregivers and educators to find mental and behavioral health support for children and youth.

With BEACON, families can:
• Explore trusted, state-funded and community-based services.
• See what programs a child may qualify for.
• Connect directly with providers and supports.
• Access guidance, FAQs and upload documents – all in one place.

Visit https://beacon.illinois.gov/ to find services near you.

Stepping forward, stepping back: How parents can support youth moving to adult health care RAISE (a SPAN project)!This w...
06/09/2026

Stepping forward, stepping back: How parents can support youth moving to adult health care RAISE (a SPAN project)!

This webinar explains how transitioning from pediatric to adult health care can be especially challenging for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It focuses on helping families support young people through the legal, social, and practical changes involved, while encouraging youth to build skills, take more responsibility, and become active leaders in managing their own health care.

Date: Monday, June 15th, 2026
Time: 1pm Central Time

https://raisecenter.org/stepping-forward-stepping-back-how-parents-can-support-youth-moving-to-adult-health-care/

Address

Tinley Park, IL

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

Telephone

+17792549158

Website

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