 "Disabled individuals should have equal access to employment
opportunities, housing, basic health care, quality education and
everything American life offers. That was the promise of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, and 17 years later, this promise
must be kept," Blagojevich said. "Whether it's improving
accessibility to public transportation or installing curb cuts on
city streets, here in Illinois we have taken significant measures to
help make sure that every person has equal access to civic life and
important services."
"Illinois has stronger laws on the state level to protect people
with disabilities from discrimination. Since 1980, the Illinois
Human Rights Act has ensured equal access to people with
disabilities -- in employment, housing, public accommodations and
financial credit -- and extends the federal act to create a broader
definition of disability, covering every Illinois employer. Under
the leadership of Governor Blagojevich, Illinois will continue to
ensure equitable treatment of persons with disabilities," said
Claps.
The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law by President
George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, prohibits employment
discrimination on the basis of disability. The law prohibits
governmental entities from discriminating against a qualified
individual with a disability, because of the disability, with regard
to privileges and conditions of employment.
According to the U.S. Census and the National Organization on
Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities, 54 million
Americans have disabilities -- about 20 percent of the population.
In Illinois, 1.5 million people, or 13 percent of the population,
have disabilities. Statistics further show that people with
disabilities are less likely to be employed: 78 percent of Americans
ages 21-64 without disabilities are employed full time, while only
35 percent of Americans with disabilities in the same age bracket
are employed full time. Severely disabled individuals have lower
incomes ($12,800 median earnings) than those who are not disabled
($25,000 median earnings). Disabled individuals suffer a higher
poverty rate -- three times as many live in poverty, with annual
household incomes below $15,000 (26 percent versus 9 percent).
The governor has remained committed to ensuring equal
opportunities for people with disabilities and continues to support
and improve state agency services:
Department of Human Services
The Division of Rehabilitation Services of the Department of
Human Services is the state's lead agency serving individuals with
disabilities. DRS works in partnership with people with disabilities
and their families to assist them in making informed choices to
achieve full community participation through employment, education
and independent living opportunities.
Illinois is one of 13 states to receive the federal "Money
Follows the Person" initiative, which will give the elderly and
people with disabilities more control and freedom over how and where
they receive the Medicaid services they need to live independently
in their communities. The initiative will increase the number of
patients able to make the transition back into their communities by
approximately 3,500 over the course of five years.
The innovative Community Reintegration Program in the Department
of Human Services helps people ages 18-59 with disabilities to
transition from nursing homes back into the community. This program
not only offers customers freedom to enjoy their lives, it also
saves the state of Illinois millions of dollars in nursing home
costs. The program has resulted in a $65.8 million savings since its
inception. The department's Home Services Program continues to
provide a wide array of services to allow people with the most
significant disabilities to stay at home, be actively involved in
their communities and retain control over the services they receive.
The program serves more than 31,000 customers annually.
Illinois also continues to be recognized as a national leader in
vocational rehabilitation. In the past four years, 27,619 customers
of the Division of Rehabilitation Services entered competitive
employment. Each vocational rehabilitation customer who became
employed in fiscal 2006 is expected to earn approximately $11,770
more per year after receiving the state services.
Department of Human Rights
The Department of Human Rights administers the Illinois Human
Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (with
regard to employment), age 40 and over, marital status, disability,
military service or unfavorable military discharge, and prohibits
discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Both
the Department of Human Rights and the Illinois Human Rights
Commission work to end discrimination in housing, employment, public
accommodations, real estate transactions, higher education and
access to financial credit. More information is available at
www.state.il.us/dhr.
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 Illinois Housing Development Authority
The state's affordable housing agency, the Illinois Housing
Development Authority, financed more than $26.5 million in 2006 to
develop over 450 rental apartments across Illinois that support
people with disabilities in living independently. The state also
allocated more than $1.8 million in 2006 to fund seven homeownership
initiatives for people with disabilities, through the American Dream
Downpayment Initiative, HOME and Affordable Housing Trust Fund
resources, to help approximately 125 people with disabilities who
were buying their first homes to afford their down payment and
closing costs.
Department of Healthcare and Family Services
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services oversees the
Health Benefits for Workers with Disabilities program. The goal of
the program is to help people with disabilities return to work with
full Medicaid health care benefits. The program not only encourages
enrollees to work, but to increase the number of hours they are
currently working. HFS also provides administrative coordination to
secure federal funding of the home and community-based service
waiver programs. The programs for people with HIV/AIDS, brain
injury, physical or developmental disabilities are operated by the
Department of Human Services; the program for elderly people is
operated by the Department on Aging; and the program for medically
fragile, technology-dependent children is managed by the University
of Illinois at Chicago, Division of Specialized Care.
Department of Veterans' Affairs
The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs provides a number of
benefits for qualified disabled Illinois veterans. Benefits include
free hunting and fishing permits; free camping permits; adaptive
housing grants for the purpose of acquiring or remodeling suitable
dwelling units with special fixtures or movable facilities made
necessary by the veteran's permanent and total service-connected
disabilities; and tax exemption for real estate and mobile homes
when that property is owned and used exclusively by a disabled
veteran, spouse or unmarried surviving spouse as a home. For more
information about these benefits, veterans should contact their
local Veteran Service Office. A full
list of the state's Veteran
Service Offices is available at
www.state.il.us/agency/dva or by calling 1-800-437-9824.
State Board of Education
On June 16, Blagojevich signed legislation that allows young
people with disabilities to continue receiving the services
necessary to help them transition smoothly into adulthood.
House Bill 817, sponsored by state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson,
R-Glenview, and state Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, clarifies
the definition of "children with disabilities" to include students
through age 21. This law establishes uniformity in the Illinois
School Code with respect to the definition of "children with
disabilities," making students statewide eligible to receive special
education services up until the day of their 22nd birthday.
Department of Natural Resources
The Disabled Outdoor Opportunities program, which is facilitated
through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, was
established in 1999 to make it easier for individuals with
disabilities to hunt, fish and pursue other outdoor activities.
Disabled hunters can participate in deer, pheasant, waterfowl and
dove hunting at various sites throughout Illinois. A number of
special fishing events are presented each year as well. The
Department of Natural Resources also offers discounted camping,
hunting and fishing rates for disabled sportsmen. For more details,
visit http://dnr.state.il.us/doo/index.htm.
Interagency Committee on Employees with Disabilities
The Interagency Committee on Employees with Disabilities was
created by statute in 1974 to represent the interests of employees
with disabilities in Illinois state government. The committee
advocates for the rights of state employees with disabilities. It
also serves as a resource for state agencies on disability-related
issues.
The committee is co-chaired by Illinois Human Rights Director
Rocco Claps and Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary
Carol L. Adams. Representatives on the committee are from five state
agencies -- the departments of Human Rights, Human Services, Central
Management Services, Veterans' Affairs and the Civil Service
Commission -- along with four employees with disabilities, who are
appointed by Blagojevich. Three other agencies that regularly
participate in committee meetings and activities are the Department
of Transportation, the Department of Children and Family Services,
and University of Illinois Division of Specialized Care for
Children.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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