Prenatal-to-Three Priorities Survey 2025
March 21, 2025 Prenatal-to-Three Priorities Survey 2025 Share your thoughts on what is most important for Illinois’s youngest! For the last five years, our coalition has been guided by the Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda. As we look to the next stage of our work, we’re refreshing our agenda to ensure it reflects the current needs of…
Read MoreEarly Childhood Advocacy Day 2025
March 10, 2025 Early Childhood Advocacy Day 2025 On March 4, Raising Illinois along with our partners at Child Care For All, COFI, Evanston Early Childhood Council, Illinois Action for Children, SEIU, Start Early and We, the Village brought over 300 advocates down to Springfield to advocate for Illinois’ youngest learners. Advocates shared their perspectives…
Read MoreAdvocates Call For $60 Million Increase to Illinois’ Early Intervention Program in the Final FY26 State Budget
February 21, 2025 Advocates Call For $60 Million Increase to Illinois’ Early Intervention Program in the Final FY26 State Budget Start Early Policy Specialist Zareen Kamal responds to the lack of substantial increases in Early Intervention funding put forth in Governor JB Pritzker’s FY26 budget proposal Despite the devastating delays thousands of families across Illinois…
Read MoreRaising Illinois’ Response to Governor JB Pritzker’s Proposed FY 2026 Budget
February 20, 2025 Raising Illinois’ Response to Governor JB Pritzker’s Proposed FY 2026 Budget Our state’s prenatal-to-age-three coalition believes that we must strengthen critical services for Illinois’ littlest learners and their families despite a challenging financial outlook. During his State of the State address yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker proposed a state budget for Fiscal Year…
Read MoreEarly Intervention Cost Model Affirms Need for More State Funding
February 5, 2025 Early Intervention Cost Model Affirms Need for Increased State Funding Start Early Policy Specialist Zareen Kamal reflects on findings from the recent EI Cost Model report Recognizing the urgent need to reduce long waitlists for families and to address the decline in Early Intervention (EI) providers in Illinois, the IDHS Division of…
Read MoreSpring 2025 Community Events
February 3, 2025 Join us this Spring! This Spring, Raising Illinois will be convening Community Events across our state to connect with Illinoisans and to hear firsthand what needs are top-of-mind as we begin to draft our refreshed Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda. This refreshed agenda will guide our work for the next several years, and we’re…
Read MoreReaffirming Our Commitment to Families
January 24, 2025 Reaffirming Our Commitment to Families Core to Raising Illinois’s values are ensuring that our families feel best supported and secure in caring for their children, especially during times of change or instability. In a political climate of uncertainty and misinformation, it’s critical for parents to stay informed, know their rights and continue…
Read MoreBabies Can’t Wait: We Need EI Campaign Update
December 18, 2024 Babies Can’t Wait: We Need EI Campaign Update Updates from the first phase of our campaign for increased EI funding in the Illinois state budget Raising Illinois Champions & Contributors know that our Early Intervention (EI) system is in crisis. EI providers, many of whom have advanced degrees, are choosing to leave…
Read MoreA Conversation on Pregnancy Loss
October 25, 2024 A Conversation on Pregnancy Loss A conversation between Raising Illinois, Gifts from Liam & Evelyn James Co on pregnancy loss and how policy can better support grieving families. In observance of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, Raising Illinois partnered with Gifts from Liam and Evelyn James Co for a discussion on…
Read MoreNews Release, Babies Can’t Wait: We Need EI Campaign Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | MONDAY, OCTOBER 28 Families, Advocates Rally to Demand Increased Funding for Early Intervention Services in Illinois Thousands of Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Delays to Receive Life-Changing Services CHICAGO, IL – Families and advocates for Illinois’ Early Intervention (EI) program are calling on Governor JB Pritzker to increase funding by $60 million…
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