Envision Illinois 

People with disabilities and Deaf people experience physical, emotional and sexual violence at much higher rates than the general population and this violence is usually perpetrated by someone they know. Envision Illinois is a statewide collaboration aimed at improving the service delivery system in Illinois for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and/or hearing loss. The work focuses on fostering collaboration between community agencies and with self-advocates to improve outreach across systems to survivors with additional needs and to help organizations respond effectively to meet those needs when survivors with disabilities and/or hearing loss present for services. In 2013, the Illinois Department of Human Services received a pilot grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women and created the Envision Illinois project. The Mission of Envision Illinois is to transform services in Illinois into a survivor-centered, seamless, responsive and sustainable system that fully meets the needs of Deaf people and people with disabilities who are survivors of domestic violence.  

Click here to learn more about Envision Illinois and access free resources designed to benefit all people, agencies and organizations working towards this same vision.

CREST ILLINOIS

CREST Illinois is a project coordinated with the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council to improve the criminal justice system response to domestic violence in communities across Illinois by promoting policy and procedural change, coordinated community response, and cross-training in order to encourage victim safety and offender accountability.

This project has been made possible by a federal grant, the Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Grant Program (ICJR), formerly known as the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (Arrest), through the Office of Violence Against Women at the United State Department of Justice (OVW/DOJ). ICJR is designed to encourage partnerships among state, local, and tribal governments, courts, victim service providers, coalitions, and rape crisis centers, to ensure that sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are treated seriously, requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system and community-based victim service providers.

In October 2019, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority/IFVCC was awarded the ICJR Grant from OVW/DOJ. The CREST IL Advisory Committee and local FVCCs serving communities statewide provide localized training and technical assistance for the adoption and implementation of the Illinois Model Protocol for Law Enforcement and Prosecution: Responding to Victims of Domestic Violence (DV) and the Illinois Model Protocols for Law Enforcement and Prosecutors: Responding to People with Disabilities and Older Adults (PWDOA) Who Experience Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation (the Model Protocols) developed through Arrest grant funding.

While the CREST ILLINOIS funding ended in September 2023, you can still learn more and access resources here.

Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance, Inc. 

The Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance, Inc. (The Alliance) is a statewide network of self-advocates and self-advocacy groups funded by the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD).  We work together to make life better in our communities and work to make services better for people with disabilities in our state.  The focus of The Alliance is to empower people to speak up and speak out about what they want/need, don’t want/don’t need, action plan their goals and participate in advocacy at the personal, community and statewide levels.  We do this through education, training and individualized mentoring.  The Alliance wants advocates and allies from around the state to speak together with one loud voice. We can do more when we all work together! 

Connect with The Alliance here.

Illinois Epilepsy Support and Resources

Illinois Epilepsy Support and Resources, funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services' Division of Developmental Disabilities, is a program open to anyone of any age with epilepsy or seizure disorder who resides in Central and Northwest Illinois.  The Illinois Epilepsy Support and Resources program is managed by Streator Unlimited, Inc.  The program includes peer support, caregiver support, accessing benefits, navigating insurance, medical service support, access to counseling, vocational support and help coordinating transportation.  Blue Tower Solutions' role in the Illinois Epilepsy Support and Resources program is providing education about epilepsy.  Education includes interactive classes for people with epilepsy and/or other disabilities and their supporters, students of all ages, teachers, para-professionals, medical personnel and the public.  Classes are 45 minutes - hour and can be customized for time and support needs.  All materials and prizes are supplied!  

Click here to learn more about Illinois Epilepsy Support and Resources.