Get Involved
Action Center
Our coalition is made up of advocates of all kinds: early childhood providers, policy professionals, legislators, parents and community members, and we know that advocacy is nothing without action. Here in our Action Center, you'll find a variety of different actions that you can take in support of Illinois' infants, toddlers and expecting families. If you have an action you'd like to see here, send the information to communications@raisingillinois.org. Actions will be updated regularly, so check this space often and make sure you're following us on Twitter @RaisingIllinois for the latest updates!
ECACE Recipients, Share Your Voice!
ECACE Advocates
We would like to hear from you! ECACE scholarship will see reduced funding in FY25 due to federal relief funds ending and only $5 million funded through the state. We would like to hear from scholarship recipients on how the decreased funding is affecting their progress or ability to have access to ECACE scholarships.
Collecting information through this survey will help us advocate for more state funding in FY26 to continue the ECACE scholarships.
Your information is valuable and needed for us to advocate for more funding in FY26!
Timeline: Ongoing
New Insights from Recent Illinois Parent Survey Panel
Stanford Center on Early Childhood; RAPID Project
Illinois Action for Children worked with local partners to recruit parents with young children to participate in repeated surveys over 18 months. The findings represent 419 parents with young children across 34 Illinois counties who shared their experiences with material hardship, family well-being, child care, and more. Illinois Action for Children will use this data to inform its policy and advocacy initiatives.
We previously shared the opportunity to add your voice to this panel, if you were able to participate, thank you for sharing your voice! We now invite you to read the full report.
Share Your Feedback!
Early CHOICES
Families play an important role on the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) team and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. The Early Childhood Least Restrictive Environment Family Engagement workgroup needs your feedback regarding specific resources that empower parents and caregivers to advocate for inclusion in early childhood settings. (This is for parents and caregivers of children ages birth to eight.)
Este cuestionario está disponible en español:
Timeline: Please complete this questionnaire to the best of your abilities before July 15th.
Know Your Rights! New Illinois Hospital Screening Law
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)
Effective July 1, 2024, all hospitals in Illinois must screen uninsured patients for hospital financial assistance (also known as charity care) and health coverage options before sending them a bill. Insured patients may request to be screened as well. Uninsured patients will be screened at the earliest reasonable moment. Patients who are found eligible for hospital financial assistance will be assisted by hospital staff with the application process.
Timeline: This law goes into effect July 1, 2024.
Coffee With Daniela
Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Daniela Velez-Clucas, Shriver Center Healthcare Justice/Immigration Attorney is hosting bi-weekly virtual gatherings where enrollment assisters and community members can bring their questions regarding immigrant eligibility for health coverage, enrollment in Medicaid/Medicaid-like programs like HBIA/HBIS and other questions at the intersection of immigration law and health care coverage.
Daniela Velez-Clucas, abogada de justicia de salud/inmigracion del Centro
Shriver, esta organizando reuniones virtuales quincenales donde las asistentes de
inscripcion y las miembros de la comunidad pueden hacer sus preguntas sobre elegibilidad de las inmigrantes para la cobertura de salud, inscripcion en Medicaid y programas similares a Medicaid, como HBIA/HBIS y otras preguntas en la interseccion de la ley de inmigracion y la cobertura de atencion medica.
Questions/Preguntas: danuelavelezclucas@povertylaw.org
Timeline: Every other Friday morning from 10-11 a.m. CT
New Brief: Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families through Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services
Migration Policy Institute
Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) services can play an important part in supporting young children’s well-being and development. For young children in immigrant and refugee families, who make up about one-fourth of all U.S. children ages 0–5, IECMH support can be particularly impactful. These services can, for example, help mitigate the effects of trauma and stressors related to migration and acculturation experiences.
Yet while there is a clear need for policies, strategies, and program approaches that recognize and respond effectively to the diverse needs of immigrant and refugee families with young children, these families too often do not benefit from IECMH support.
This brief highlights the importance of IECMH services for immigrant and refugee families as well as gaps in IECMH promotion, prevention, screening, and treatment that affect these families. The brief also identifies opportunities for policymakers and practitioners to improve access to IECMH services for this population.
Share Your Family & Medical Leave Story!
Women Employed / Time to Care Coalition
The U.S. is the only industrialized nation that doesn't provide paid leave to its workers, but we can change that in Illinois. We need to hear from real people across the state about paid leave. Did you welcome a new child and your workplace offered no paid leave? Did you cobble together vacation and sick time? Make your voice and your story heard as we fight for paid leave in Illinois! Learn more about the Time to Care Coalition.
Timeline: Ongoing
Disclaimer: The foregoing is publicly available information about upcoming events, resources, and reminders from third-party organizations. In some cases, Raising Illinois & Start Early have included links to other websites that are not owned or controlled in any way by Raising Illinois or Start Early, but that contain additional information about the events, resources or reminders. By clicking on any of the links above, you agree to be directed to the external website and you acknowledge and agree that Raising Illinois & Start Early shall not be held responsible or accountable for any information contained on such site. Please note that Raising Illinois & Start Early do not monitor any of the websites linked herein and do not endorse or approve any information posted on any such sites.