- Who
We Are - Our
Programs - Explore
Resources - Get
Involved - Ways
To Give - Connect
LocallyConnect Locally with an Easter Seals near you
Please search our Affiliates and Service Centers by zip code or state using the forms below.
Please search our Affiliates and Service Centers by zip code or state using the forms below.
2010 State Autism Profiles
ILLINOIS
DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2000, 4,330 or 1.46% of children ages 3-21 who received special education services in
Table 1-1: IDEA Part B - Children with Autism in Illinois for 1999-2000 and 2008-2009
(Child Count by Age Group)
| Child Count in 1999-2000 | Child Count in 2008-2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3-5 |
641 |
1,579 |
| Age 6-11 |
2,545 |
6,418 |
| Age 12-17 |
947 |
4,702 |
| Age 18-21 |
197 |
884 |
| Age 6-21 |
3,689 |
12,004 |
| Age 3-21 |
4,330 |
13,583 |
Source: Reported by the State of Illinois in accordance with Section 618 of IDEA to U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
Table 1-2: IDEA Part B - Children with Disabilities in Illinois for 1999-2000 and 2008-2009
(Child Count by Age Group)
| Child Count in 1999-2000 | Child Count in 2008-2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 3-5 |
28,787 |
36,997 |
| Age 6-11 |
133,378 |
127,997 |
| Age 12-17 |
123,364 |
137,137 |
| Age 18-21 |
11,787 |
16,418 |
| Age 6-21 |
268,529 |
281,532 |
| Age 3-21 |
297,316 |
318,529 |
STATE TASK FORCE
Illinois Autism Task Force
In July 2004, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed into law “An Act in Relations to Persons with Disabilities” (Public Act 093-0773), which included a requirement for the Department of Human Services to establish a task force to evaluate and assess the support system for individuals with autism. The Illinois Autism Task Force convened in April 2004 and continues to convene periodically. The task force is comprised of members of the public (parents, educators, professionals with an interest in autism) and representatives of various state agencies. The task force prepared a report in 2005, which outlined challenges and proposed recommendations for improving the support systems for individuals with autism. Recommendations include an autism waiver and health insurance coverage. The most recent report prepared by the Task Force was in December 2008. http://www.thearcofil.org/secure/reveal/admin/uploads/documents/231301280_AUTISMILLegisReport09142005.pdf
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/DD%20Reports/Autism%20Progress%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
STATE INSURANCE COVERAGE
In 2005, mental health insurance parity legislation was signed into law (H.B. 59/Public Act 94-0402), requiring insurers to cover serious mental illness, including pervasive developmental disorders. On January 10, 2008, Sen. James A. DeLeo introduced legislation (S.B. 1900) that would require health insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders to individuals under 21 years of age to the extent that coverage is not already provided up to a maximum of $36,000 per year. Diagnosis and treatment must be provided by a licensed physician, licensed psychologist, or certified registered nurse practitioner for any medically necessary services, such as psychiatric care, psychological care, rehabilitative care, therapeutic care (speech, occupational, and physical therapy), pharmacy care, applied behavior analysis therapy. The bill passed the House on May 29, 2008. On July 14, 2008, Gov. Rod Blagojevich issued an amendatory veto that retains the original language of H.B. 4255 to include the language from S.B. 1900. A motion to accept the amendatory veto was filed by Rep. Robert W. Pritchard, sponsor of H.B. 4255, and was referred to the House. The House overrode the Governor’s amendatory veto on September 9 with a vote of 84-29 and re-submitted as an amendment (House Amendment No. 2 or “Brianna’s Law”) to S.B. 934 on November 18, 2008. S.B. 934 passed both houses on November 20, 2008 and was signed into law as Public Act 95-1005 by Gov. Rod Blagojevich on December 12, 2008.
MEDICAID
Illinois Home Community Based Services Waiver (HCBS): Children’s Support Waiver (0464)
Effective July 1, 2007 for a period of three years, the Children’s Support Waiver provides home based support services for children ages 3-21 years with autism (The Illinois General Assembly passed S.B. 51 and was signed into law on August 17, 2006 to include autism spectrum disorders as a developmental disability in the Department of Human Services’ disability database for eligibility considerations under the waiver), developmental disabilities or mental retardation who would otherwise need ICF/MR facility level care. Participation is limited to a total of 600; new enrollees will be selected from the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) database. Within a monthly allocation not to exceed 200% of the monthly federal SSI payment for an individual living alone (approximately $1,296 per month), participants may select from covered services, including service facilitation/case management, personal support, behavior intervention and treatment, training and counseling for unpaid caregivers, home/vehicle modifications, adaptive equipment, assistive technology, and individual service and support advocacy (ISSA) for each participant. In addition, there is also $15,000 per participant per five-year period for any combination of adaptive equipment and assistive technology not available under the State plan, or home/vehicle modifications, and a $5,000 maximum per five-year period per address for permanent home modifications for rented homes.
http://www.hfs.illinois.gov/hcbswaivers/
Illinois Home Community Based Services Waiver (HCBS): Children’s Residential Waiver (0473)
Effective July 1, 2007 for a period of three years, the Children’s Residential Waiver provides 24-hour residential support services in Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS)-licensed group homes for children ages 3-21 years with autism, developmental disabilities, or mental retardation, who would otherwise need ICF/MR facility level care. Participation is limited to a total of 150 per waiver year with a capacity of 175. Expansion is not planned at this time. Covered services include DCFS-licensed group homes of 10 or fewer persons, adaptive equipment and assistive technology, behavior intervention and treatment to annual maximum of 66 hours, and individual support service advocacy (ISSA) for each participant. There is a $15,000 per participant per five-year period for any combination of adaptive equipment and assistive technology not available under the State plan.
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=32363
Illinois Home Community Based Services Waiver (HCBS): Adult Waiver (0350.90.01)
Renewed for a period of five years effective July 1, 2007, the Adult Waiver provides home-based support services for adults 21-years or older with autism, developmental disabilities, or mental retardation, who would otherwise need ICF/MR facility level care. New enrollees will be selected from the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) database. Participation is approved at a capacity of 14,000. Covered services include residential habilitation (community-integrated living arrangements and community living facilities of 16 or fewer persons), developmental training, support employment, adult day care, home-based support services (service facilitation/case management, personal support, non-medical transportation, nursing, emergency home response, training and counseling for unpaid caregivers, crisis services), behavior intervention and treatment, psychotherapy and behavior counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, home/vehicle modifications, adaptive equipment and assistive technology, and individual support service advocacy (ISSA) for each participant.
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=32363
EDUCATION
On August 17, 2007, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed into law an amendment to the School Code Section 14-8.02 which requires the individualized education program (IEP) team consider the following factors when developing an IEP student with autism spectrum:
Additionally, legislation has been introduced that would provide funding to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for autism programs (H.B. 383). This legislation is currently in the House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. Legislation was also introduced that would allow the ISBE to create an Autism Scholarship Program. The program would award $15,000 or the actual cost of tuition for a maximum of 200 students. The program would allow parents of a child with autism to send their child to a special education program that implements the child’s IEP at another school. No further action has been taken on the legislation at this time.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Illinois Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project
The Illinois Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (IATTAP) is devoted to implementing effective educational support services for children with autism and increasing the number of children with autism who are educated in a general classroom. IATTAP encourages parental involvement with their child’s education.
http://www.illinoisautismproject.org/
Autism Training for Emergency Responders
SB 2059 was introduced in 2009 to require the development of training programs for law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians concerning the risks associated with autism and autism recognition and response techniques. The bill was last referred to the Senate Assignment Committee in 2009; no further action was taken.
OTHER STATE RESOURCES
The Autism Program of Illinois
The Autism Program of Illinois (TAP) was established by Public Act 93-0395 to serve as a statewide information resource for autism. TAP is managed by the Hope Institute for Children and Families and includes three regional centers and two affiliate centers. With funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services, TAP formed The Autism Program of Illinois Service Network, comprised of 27 agencies and universities, to meet the specific needs of families and children with autism in 2007.
http://www.theautismprogram.org/
Children and Family Services
Under H.B. 30, enacted on August 7, 2009, The Department of Children and Family Services was required to develop and implement a special program of family preservation services that support foster and adoptive families who are experiencing hardships caring for a child with a pervasive developmental disorder such as autism. Additionally, the Department may offer services to any family regardless of whether or not a report has been filed under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. They also are required to develop and implement a public information campaign alert to inform the public about special family preservation services.
H.B. 6057, introduced on February 10, 2010, amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and creates the Coordinated Autism Services Program for Medically Underserved and Rural Areas. In this program the Department of Human Services shall create regional pilot programs that focus on coordinating services to individuals with autism who live in either rural or medically underserved areas. The last action on this bill was on March 3, 2010 where it was tabled by Sponsor Representative Chapin Rose. No further action was taken.
STATE LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR
The Illinois General Assembly meets each year on the second Wednesday. The 96th General Assembly convened on January 12, 2010 and adjourned on May 27, 2010. The session is expected to reconvene on November 16, 2010.
http://www.ilga.gov/
SPONSORS OF AUTISM LEGISLATION
Prepared by Easter Seals, Inc.; September 2010.
*This document is in the Adobe PDF format. You will need to download free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view these documents. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it for free by clicking on the Adobe graphic below.
