End Therapy Waitlists for IL Babies - Increase funding for Early Intervention (2024)
End Therapy Waitlists for IL Babies - Increase funding for Early Intervention (2024)
The Issue
Thousands of children ages birth-3 with identified delays and disabilities are on waitlists throughout the state of Illinois. The wait can vary from several months to over a year; often children are turning 3 without being offered these critical services. This means children are starting school with more challenges in the classroom. Research has consistently shown that investing in these therapies for children is more effective at younger ages; every $1 spent in early intervention saves the State $7- $17 in future investments. In addition, Early Intervention (EI) is a federally mandated entitlement program, making these waitlists illegal.
Why is this happening?
Providers and Service Coordinators in the IL EI System are significantly underpaid. A recent study commissioned by the IL EI Bureau of Early Intervention identified that therapists in IL are underpaid by up to 50% compared to programs in other states. From 1998-2021 providers received only a total of 6% increase in pay rates. A 3% increase in 2022 and 10% increase in 2023 were celebrated, however this has only been enough to keep some current providers. The State of Illinois needs to raise provider reimbursement rates by at least 25% just to account for inflation – which does not even address measures necessary to decrease transportation, health insurance and billing costs. We are losing providers across the State and cannot attract new providers to EI with the current rates, therefore we cannot serve more IL families. Meanwhile, the need for the program is growing every year, resulting in the current waitlists.
What is needed?
Join us in telling Governor Pritzker and legislators to invest $40 million to support Early Intervention in FY25, and in asking the Department of Human Services to utilize part of these funds for a 15% rate increase for providers and service coordinators. Currently, EI is slated to receive an increase of $6 million, which will not be enough to increase pay rates. Let’s work together to support the infants and toddlers of Illinois!
How else can I help?
The IL EI Grassroots Alliance was formed in 2022 in response to the current crisis in EI. We have volunteered our time to advocate over the last 18 months, creating facts sheets & materials, disseminating information, holding public meetings, meeting regularly with DHS/EI Bureau and other advocates, testifying in Springfield, etc. We have a leadership team of 4 therapists in EI and can no longer provide the time and effort needed without being compensated. In order to move forward with advocacy in Spring 2024, we have created a Go Fund Me to raise money to support advocacy for EI. Here is the link if you are led to donate: Support Early Intervention Advocacy in IL. Please Note: donations to Change.Org support the sharing of this petition. The Go Fund Me donations will be used directly towards other advocacy efforts.
4,026
The Issue
Thousands of children ages birth-3 with identified delays and disabilities are on waitlists throughout the state of Illinois. The wait can vary from several months to over a year; often children are turning 3 without being offered these critical services. This means children are starting school with more challenges in the classroom. Research has consistently shown that investing in these therapies for children is more effective at younger ages; every $1 spent in early intervention saves the State $7- $17 in future investments. In addition, Early Intervention (EI) is a federally mandated entitlement program, making these waitlists illegal.
Why is this happening?
Providers and Service Coordinators in the IL EI System are significantly underpaid. A recent study commissioned by the IL EI Bureau of Early Intervention identified that therapists in IL are underpaid by up to 50% compared to programs in other states. From 1998-2021 providers received only a total of 6% increase in pay rates. A 3% increase in 2022 and 10% increase in 2023 were celebrated, however this has only been enough to keep some current providers. The State of Illinois needs to raise provider reimbursement rates by at least 25% just to account for inflation – which does not even address measures necessary to decrease transportation, health insurance and billing costs. We are losing providers across the State and cannot attract new providers to EI with the current rates, therefore we cannot serve more IL families. Meanwhile, the need for the program is growing every year, resulting in the current waitlists.
What is needed?
Join us in telling Governor Pritzker and legislators to invest $40 million to support Early Intervention in FY25, and in asking the Department of Human Services to utilize part of these funds for a 15% rate increase for providers and service coordinators. Currently, EI is slated to receive an increase of $6 million, which will not be enough to increase pay rates. Let’s work together to support the infants and toddlers of Illinois!
How else can I help?
The IL EI Grassroots Alliance was formed in 2022 in response to the current crisis in EI. We have volunteered our time to advocate over the last 18 months, creating facts sheets & materials, disseminating information, holding public meetings, meeting regularly with DHS/EI Bureau and other advocates, testifying in Springfield, etc. We have a leadership team of 4 therapists in EI and can no longer provide the time and effort needed without being compensated. In order to move forward with advocacy in Spring 2024, we have created a Go Fund Me to raise money to support advocacy for EI. Here is the link if you are led to donate: Support Early Intervention Advocacy in IL. Please Note: donations to Change.Org support the sharing of this petition. The Go Fund Me donations will be used directly towards other advocacy efforts.
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Petition created on February 27, 2024