Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Ligas v. Hamos - Advocates for disabled to explain changes - Crystal Lake, IL 0n May 3, 2012

CRYSTAL LAKE – The Self Advocacy Council of Northern Illinois will host speaker Tony Records, court monitor for the Ligas v. Hamos consent decree, after its meeting May 3.

The meeting will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in room B-166-167 at McHenry County College, 8900 Route 14, Crystal Lake.

The Ligas v. Hamos lawsuit was filed in July 2005 on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities who were residing in private, state-funded facilities of nine or more people or were at risk of being placed in such facilities.

Records will answer questions and describe how the decree will be implemented in McHenry County and across the state, plus systematic changes needed to comply with the decree‘s requirements.

Plaintiffs sought placement in community-based settings and receipt of community-based services. On June 15, a consent decree was approved by the court.

This historic agreement reflects momentous change in state policy for serving people with developmental disabilities, according to a news release from the council. People with developmental disabilities will have a choice in how and where services and support will be provided.

People who want services in the community will have that option. Services will not be limited to those that currently are provided.

Ligas class members are people 18 and older with an intellectual or developmental disability; are Medicaid eligible; live in a private, state-funded facility with nine or more residents or live in the family home and are seeking services; and Illinois has a current record of the person seeking community-based services or placement.

For information and to RSVP, contact Cathy Christensen, adviser, Self Advocacy Council of Northern Illinois, at 815-382-1530 or clchristensen100@aol.com.

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