April 22, 2015

Ligas v. Hamos 2 Picture from In 2005, Stanley Ligas and David Cicarelli and 7 other people filed a class action lawsuit, now you may have some other options.

Homes in the Community 3 Six years later, in 2011, the state of Illinois and the people in the lawsuit reached an agreement called a Consent Decree. This Consent Decree supported Mr. Ligas’ desire to move. He and Mr. Cicarelli now share a home in the community.

Your Rights: Have a say in where you liveHave information to make a choice Take the time you need to make a choice Be listened to Live and receive services where you want Change your mind 4

You can make a choice to… Continue to live where you live now Explore services in another home Explore community supports and services through the HCBS waiver Take more time before you make a decision Ask for more information before you make a decision 5

6 Established January 1, 2014

Ligas Family Advocate Program 7 The Ligas Family Advocate Program has one purpose – to connect recipients of Ligas award letters seeking Home Based or CILA services and their families with family advocates who are knowledgeable about creative ways to utilize their Ligas funding to build successful lives in the community.

8 This program will initially focus on Ligas class members within the areas served by three Independent Service Coordination agencies: 1.Community Service Options Inc. 2.Developmental Disabilities Services Metro East 3.Suburban Access. Ligas Family Advocate Program Focus Our advocates will work closely with a designated representative from within each of these agencies, sharing information with families. Two of these agencies serve the greater Chicago area and the third serves the St. Louis metropolitan area.

9 Missy Toni Kimberly Shirley LFA’S

Basic Needs and More… 10 Services can include supports to keep in touch with family, have opportunities for hobbies and exercise, and help you buy and do things you enjoy.

Home and Community Based Waiver 11

12 What Information was shared with Ligas Class Members and How? Information will be shared in face-to-face meetings, at trainings, at outreach events and presentations, and through brochures and other informational documents. Information about the Ligas Consent Decree and the rights of class members Information about choices for living and receiving services The history of, and current parameters for Home-Based Support Services Program and CILA Information on Illinois’ Employment First legislation and resources for employment assistance Effective advocacy strategies and resources Potential questions for use in choosing a service provider Person-centered planning and self-determination information/resources

Supports and Services Living Options Day and Employment Options Support Services 13

Residential Services- CILA Options: 14 Group Home Host Family Home Family Home Intermittent

Home Based Services 15 Home Based Services Now let’s take a closer look at the Home Based Services option. With this option you manage your own services with the help of your family and friends.

16 The Ligas website is up and running. Ligas Program Director, Shirley Perez co-hosted a CQL video with Cathy Ficker-Terrill about options for Ligas class members and potential class members. The Ligas Family Advocates will be using this video as a tool to share consistence information across the state of Illinois. The video can be viewed at: Ligas Video

17 What We Have Accomplished Collected data that identifies: Services needed but unavailable Observed trends Barriers to employment Barriers to successful development and implementation of an individual’s service plan Level of consumer/family satisfaction with the Home-Based Support Services Program or CILA as implemented Descriptions of successful strategies used to reach individuals/families The end result of this data collection will be the ability to provide program data summaries and recommendations to both the Ligas Court Monitor and the Illinois Department of Human Services that will ultimately result in positive systemic change.

18 Initial Ligas Outreach

19 Initial Ligas Outreach

20 Failure to understand the process to receive services Lack of/Inconsistency in Communication Status after pre-admission screening Money verses Services Transportation BARRIERS

21 Employment Opportunities are limited or do not exist Health Concerns Services with Non-Disabled peers Not understanding the various Waiver Programs/Role of a Service Facilitator Information Overload BARRIERS

22 BARRIERS Personal Support Worker vs. Employment Coach Pre-Admission Screening Meetings Paperwork Problems surrounding SSI and Medicaid

January 1, 2015 Ligas Family Advocate Program solidified our partner contract with the State of Illinois/Department of Developmental Disabilities. This allowed us to begin contacting the five hundred plus state-wide Ligas class members and their families who have received award letters but are still awaiting services. The ISC agencies have reported that these individuals are not in service as of 12/1/14. 23

24 Ligas Outreach -What’s Next ? Letters Mailed In Pilot Area: CSO = 21 DDSME = 32 Suburban Access = 60 Total = 113

25 Ligas Outreach -What’s Next? Letters Mailed Outside Pilot Area: Access Services = 38 Champaign County (CCRPC) = 8 Central Illinois = 31 CAU = 132 CSO/RIM = 3 DayOne Network = 47 Great River = 3 Livingston County = 2

26 Ligas Outreach -What’s Next? Letters Mailed Outside Pilot Area: Options & Advocacy = 20 PACT = 65 Prairieland Service = 6 Service Inc = 80 Southern Illinois = 7 West Central = 2 Western Illinois = 4 Total = 448 Beginning in May 2015 – Know your options events will be held though out the state to connect the 561 Ligas class members and families with other families and share information about options!

27 QUESTIONS?

Acknowledgement The Family Support Network/Arc Ligas Family Advocate Program would like to acknowledge that many of the slides/information used in this PowerPoint were created by and are used with the permission of: CQL Outreach Project Cathy Yadamec, Project Manager or PO Box 53, Woosung, IL

29 Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities 319 E. Madison Street, Suite 3M Springfield, IL Phone: (217) Or You may contact the federal Court Monitor for the Ligas Consent Decree: Mr. Tony Records Phone: Ligas Contacts

30 Equip for Equality provides self-advocacy assistance, legal services, education, public policy advocacy, and abuse investigations. The offices are located at: 20 N. Michigan, Ste. 300 Chicago, IL (800) West Old Capitol Plaza, Ste. 816 Springfield, IL (800) Guardianship and Advocacy Commission is a state agency consisting of three divisions: Legal Advocacy Services, Human Rights Authority and the Office of the State Guardian. 160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite S500 Chicago, IL (312) Stratton Building 401 S. Spring Street Springfield, IL (217) Ligas Contacts

31 Ligas Contacts