IL Council on Developmental Disabilities

11/26/2025

The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities will be closed for the holiday on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28. ICDD wishes the Illinois Community and people every where a safe and reflective four days. We look forward to continued engagement and collaboration to "lead change in Illinois so all people with developmental disabilities exercise their right to equal opportunity and freedom." https://icdd.illinois.gov/about/mission.html

11/24/2025

TAP/IDHD/LEND Webinar Series

Date: December 2, 2025 from 1pm-2pm

TITLE: Illinois Training Initiative to Support People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Co-Occurring Behavioral Health Challenges

Summary:

In this presentation, attendees will learn more about dual diagnosis, or co-occurring developmental and mental health disabilities. Attendees will learn about our collaborative federally-funded project to develop resources for providers and clinicians to support people with dual diagnosis in Illinois. Lastly, presenters will describe the resources developed to-date, highlighting a resource website.

Speakers:

Caitlin Crabb, PhD, MPH
Research Assistant Professor
UIC Institute on Disability and Human Development

Judith A. Cook, PhD
Professor of Psychiatry and Director, UIC Center on Mental Health Services Research
UIC Department of Psychiatry

Click this link to register:

Zoom unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, and cross platform group chat into one easy-to-use platform. Our solution offers the best video, audio, and screen-sharing experience across Zoom Rooms, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and H.323/SIP room systems.

11/20/2025

Recently, ICDD Staff participated in an in-person retreat for Protect Our Care Illinois. "Protect Our Care – Illinois is a statewide coalition of health care advocates, providers, and consumers joining together to protect and defend Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act." Here is a photo taken of many of the people who participated in the retreat. Here is a link to the Protect Our Care -- Illinois Website https://www.protectourcareil.org/

11/19/2025

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟮:𝟯𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. 𝘁𝗼 𝟰:𝟬𝟬 𝗽.𝗺. 𝗖𝗧. This session will be held virtually over Zoom.

At Knowledge is Power meetings, Access Living and the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities will present about 𝗳𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀. In addition to presentations on policy issues, at each session there will be opportunity for discussion and engagement with the audience.

The meeting on November 19 will cover these items:

• Illinois Senate Bill 009 and community action/conversation
• Federal Budget Update: Shutdown Status, Status and Updates on the Continuing Resolution
• SNAP Updates and Information
• Mutual Aid and Ways to Get Involved

Everyone is encouraged to register, attend and participate. 𝗧𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Nb1xBlanTWmQIaWhdI6A7A #/registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: KIP Meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

11/17/2025

The next session of Knowledge is Power is scheduled for this Wednesday, November 19, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Knowledge is Power is a collaboration between Access Living and the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities. The online sessions share federal policies updates and their impact on Illinois.

The meeting on November 19 will cover these items:

• An update on Illinois Senate Bill 009 and community action/conversation
• A Federal and State Budget Update: Shutdown Status, Status and Updates on the Continuing Resolution
• A SNAP Update
• A presentation on Mutual Aid and Ways to Get Involved

Everyone is encouraged to register, attend and participate. To register, please visit this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Nb1xBlanTWmQIaWhdI6A7A #/registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: KIP Meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

11/14/2025

On Friday, November 21, the Illinois Commission to End Hunger is hosting a Webinar on SNAP Benefits.

The webinar is titled: Save Our SNAP: 101 on Pending Changes in Illinois.

Webinar attendees will "learn more about these pending changes at a high-level and how to support neighbors across Illinois in remaining connected to SNAP."

Register at this link:

On July 4, 2025, the federal government passed a new law that makes significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). All states, including Illinois, are now required to implement the changes that could affect neighbors’ SNAP eligibility or...

11/13/2025

The IDD System Redesign Coalition is hosting Dignity in Pay Provider Feedback Sessions.

The Provider Feedback Sessions will focus on the processes in place that Providers navigate to support a person pursuing employment opportunities.

Critical input from the sessions will be summarized and shared with the IDD System Redesign Coalition and others to inform the Dignity in Pay Multi Year Plan Annual Report.

These are the dates and times of the sessions:

• Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 10:00 am – 11:30 am
• Wednesday, December 10, 2025, from 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Register for the sessions at this link:

For these sessions, we will focus on Recommendation 5:  Streamlining Services and Shared Tools Across DRS and DDD found on page 24 of the DIP MYP.  We will walk through the current process for a person navigating the systems to access employment, including detailing steps in the processes....

11/10/2025

A few weeks ago, the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities was honored to accept the "Exceptional State Agency of the Year" Award from the Interagency Committee on Employees with Disabilities. The award was presented at the 2025 Annual Award Ceremony. ICDD is honored and grateful for the recognition and we are truly appreciative of all the engagement from the Illinois Developmental Disabilities Community as we work toward our mission and goals.

11/05/2025

Federal SNAP funding to states has stopped as of November 1, 2025 due to the government shutdown. This means thousands of Illinois residents with developmental disabilities could lose access to food. The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities is sounding the alarm. Even though on 10/31/25 2 judges have declared withholding SNAP funds illegal it is still unclear as to when SNAP benefits will become available.

As such, ICDD is calling all doers, donors, and volunteers to let us know if you want to be on standby to support the DD Community in having food access.

By signing up, you will be added to a specific listserv that ICDD staff will use to inform you as opportunities in your communities arise. Here is a link to the form:

11/04/2025

A Webinar Hosted by the Coalition on Human Needs:

Threats to Health and Hunger During the Shutdown and Beyond -- Thursday, Nov. 6, 4 p.m. Eastern Time

From the Coalition on Human Needs:

The federal government shutdown continues — and families across the country are facing real hardships as they face reduced and delayed SNAP benefits, skyrocketing health premiums, and other rising costs of basic needs.

Join the Coalition on Human Needs this Thursday, November 6 at 4:00 pm ET, for a webinar examining how the ongoing shutdown is threatening essential services and supports for low-income individuals and families.

Register Here:

The federal government shutdown continues — and families across the country are facing real hardships as they face reduced and delayed SNAP benefits, skyrocketing health premiums, and other rising costs of basic needs. Join the Coalition on Human Needs for a timely webinar to examine how the shutd...

11/03/2025

𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗔

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 4:00 pm ET

𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: In light of recent events in the U.S. Department of Education and actions that threaten the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the rights of more than eight million children with disabilities, we invite you to join a grassroots virtual Town Hall for parents, teachers, and advocates for children with disabilities.

The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities is proud to co-host this important event with our partners at COPAA, the Center for Learner Equity, The Arc, the Council for Exceptional Children, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and the National Down Syndrome Congress.

Speakers will share insights about recent events and discuss actions you can take. Together we will use our collective voice to compel the Administration to protect children with disabilities and urge Congress to help protect the IDEA, whose sole purpose is to ensure equitable access and opportunity to education for every child with a disability.

𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ROjpXDrPS76Hm2y3udCXbg #/registration

10/31/2025

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗨𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 — 𝗗𝗗 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺

As of November 1, 2025, federal SNAP funding to states has stopped due to the government shutdown. This means thousands of Illinois residents with developmental disabilities could lose access to food.

Two judges have temporarily blocked the federal action, but uncertainty remains. Out of caution, the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD) is calling on every doer, donor, and volunteer to stand by and step up.

If you’re ready to Step Up to Serve, fill out the DD Community Food Access Volunteer Form today.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nwgia7qOPEaE9TFxIQ-QBap_PCgrDHNMqSwaI00FOYNUQzQ0SUlNSUNIODFMVFdDUzQyWTRNNTRYOS4u

When you sign up, you’ll join ICDD’s volunteer listserv so staff can connect you to opportunities in your community.

𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽:
• Donate food, gift cards, or funds
• Deliver meals or supplies
• Host or support a local food drive
• Partner with local pantries or churches
• Share resources online or in your community
• Offer storage, space, or transportation support

When systems stop, people don’t have to. Let’s move together.

𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Email ICDDinfo@illinois.gov