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!
Free Webinar: Addressing Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood Education Settings: An IECMH-Informed Approach
Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health
The Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health Policy & Systems Development Workgroup, in collaboration with its Briefing Paper Subgroup, has developed a valuable resource, "Addressing Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood Education Settings: An IECMH-Informed Approach," to aid in advocacy efforts on the critical issue of suspension and expulsion in early childhood education.
To enhance the practical application of this tool, Allison Lowe-Fotos, Aditi Subramaniam, Angela Webster, and Anat Weisenfreund have created an engaging 1.5-hour webinar based on its content.
This free webinar takes a strengths-based, systems approach to framing the issue of suspension and expulsion. It explores its relevance for infant and early childhood mental health providers and organizations, while emphasizing the importance of a proactive stance. Featuring real-world examples from two states that have successfully implemented strategies to reduce suspension and expulsion, the webinar also demonstrates how this tool can be used to support similar efforts in other states and organizations.
Diaper Need Awareness Week
Gifts From Liam
Gifts from Liam is organizing our 7th annual diaper drive for Diaper Need Awareness Week. There’s a variety of ways you can participate, including org-sponsorships, donations, or hosting a diaper drive in your community!
Timeline: September 21st to September 29th, 2024
The Fifth Annual Prenatal-to-3 Research to Policy Summit
Vanderbilt University
Join over a thousand state lawmakers, advocates, researchers, and practitioners for a virtual event to spotlight the investments that states made in 2024 to support young children and their families. At this webinar, participants will:
- Gain access to the NEW 2024 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap
- Get a preview of an upcoming 5-year lookback on progress in state implementation of evidence-based policies
- Hear from states who succeeded this year in building momentum for major legislative progress
- Learn about the newest research on prenatal-to-3 policy, including our new evaluation of the evidence for early literacy programs and income supports
- Gain insights into opportunities to advance policies for infants, toddlers, and their families in 2025
Timeline: October 22, 2024 1 p.m. CT
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: danielavelezclucas@povertylaw.org
Timeline: Every other Friday morning from 10-11 a.m. CT
New Paid Leave Resources
Women Employed
No matter where you are in Illinois, you have a right to some form of paid leave as of January 1, 2024! In addition, nearly all workers in Chicago have new rights to paid leave. In order to ensure workers know their rights–and understand the differences between the jurisdictions of the various paid time off laws–Women Employed has created helpful educational materials.
Illinois Nontraditional-Hour Child Care Study (INCCS)
Erikson Institute
Over one in three young children in the U.S. are in child care during nontraditional hours (NTH; including early mornings, evenings, nights, and weekends). This project addresses critical gaps in knowledge about what quality looks like in child care; the experiences of families who search for and use NTH child care; the lived experiences of providers who offer care during these hours; and the types of supports needed to maintain, sustain, and grow the supply of NTH care. The knowledge gathered will provide IDHS and other states with new knowledge to inform policy development aimed at building supply and increasing equitable access, enhancing quality, and sustaining a thriving NTH child care workforce.
We invite you to read the report, and continue to check this space for updates! This study will continue into 2026.
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.
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.
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.