Image of Advocate and Former Progress Center Board Member Speaking at Paratransit Town Hall Meeting

Covid-19- Advocacy Efforts

Across the country, there are efforts happening on the local, state, and Federal level to protect people with disabilities amidst the Covid-19 Health Pandemic and to secure resources for people with disabilities.
Some groups are organizing under the #Weareessential hashtag.

Weeks of Action:

This was developed by the American Association of People with Disabilities —

Congress is on recess until April 20and when they return they will be working on drafting the next COVID-19 relief package. The number of ways that COVID 19 impacts our lives is overwhelming. To help focus our advocacy, consider focusing your social media outreach around 4 priority areas that desperately need to be addressed in the next bill.

04/13: Paid leave for caregivers. As more people with disabilities lose their usual sources of care, family caregivers are scrambling and need access to paid leave and sick days to help their loved ones. Congress should include all family caregivers in the emergency paid leave provisions.

04/20: Making Sure people on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to access Recovery RebatesPeople with disabilities on SSI are being asked to file needless paperwork in order to access economic stimulus payments. Congress should tell Federal agencies to use their existing authority to share data and file for people on SSI

04/27: Access to personal medications and supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for direct support professionals and for people with disabilities.These are critical needs to keep people with disabilities safe and healthy, and protect the health and safety of this workforce.

Resources:
Below is a list of advocacy resources that has been developed by the American Association of People with Disabilities.
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Emergency Home Services Support in April and beyond

Emergency Home Services Support in April and beyond

Stay at Home Ordinance in Illinois:  Illinois Governor Pritzker issued a Stay at Home Ordinance that applies to the entire State of Illinois.  This is a link to that Executive Order .  The ordinance is effective through April.  The order requires all Illinois residents to stay at home or where they reside in order to contain the spread of Covid-19.  The order does include exceptions. Those exceptions include personal assistant services.

Personal Assistant Services:  This order includes an exception for personal assistant services.  However, it is very possible that some people with disabilities may experience a need for services during this health crisis.  If you are in Suburban Cook County, and you are in need of services, contact a member of Progress Center’s Personal Assistant Department —

  • Home Services Manager:  708-209-1500 ext 21; ajohnson@progresscil.org
  • Personal Assistant Advocate:  Rbarnes@progresscil.org; 708-689-1381– Videophone
  • Personal Assistant Advocate: jtopp@progresscil.org

Emergency Home Services:  If you are a member of the Home Services Program in Illinois, and if your Personal Assistant is unable to work because of the Covid-19 Crisis, there is a new program set up to help fill the immediate void in services. The Emergency Back Up Program allows you to hire a provider through an expedited process.  Contact Progress Center if you need emergency services because your regular personal assistant is unable to work because of Covid-19, (708-209-1500 ext 14).

Also, the Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living has set up a hotline. Home Services can call this line and request emergency services. Here is the number:  1-800-587-1287

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