Raising Our Voices: We Need Early Intervention

Check out a recording from our virtual gathering in October 2024

This October, Raising Illinois & Start Early are launching a year-long Early Intervention (EI) campaign, Babies Can’t Wait: We Need Early Intervention, focused on helping the public and policymakers understand the severity of the current crisis in EI and the urgent need for action by the governor and General Assembly to increase EI funding in the Illinois FY26 state budget.

The campaign will kick-off with our fall coalition-wide event, Raising Our Voices: We Need Early Intervention.

During this event you will:

Hear from policy experts, providers and families to get a holistic sense of what a successful EI system looks like, and how a more equitable and adequately funded EI system would impact our state.
Preview the first stage of the campaign, in which local rallies will be taking place all across Illinois the week of October 28.
Learn what you can do to advocate for increased EI funding in the state's FY26 budget.

At a state level we're trying to do things differently... This is an opportunity for us to leverage some of those existing relationships and infrastructures to both share the news that the new agency is about to be launched and to hear, what do they want? What are their priorities? What is their vision for early childhood? And we can continue to use that to inform our priorities at the state level.

-Ann Whalen

Early Childhood Transition Director

Other Events From Raising Illinois

Haven't joined us before? Check out our Raising Our Voices: Shaping Tomorrow event!

Raising Illinois' Raising Our Voices: Shaping Tomorrow event brought the coalition together to discuss the new Department of Early Childhood, what the new agency is, what this change means for infants, toddlers and expecting families in Illinois and what advocates can do to further push Illinois to be the best state in the nation in which to raise a child.

Check it Out!

Community Conversation Toolkit

Resources created for your community to come together and discuss solutions to challenges families with infants and toddlers are facing today.

Raising Illinois invites you to bring together diverse individuals within your community and discuss the needs of infants, toddlers and expecting families in your area as well as steps that can and should be taken to strengthen your community's early childhood system.

Community Conversations can take many shapes and forms depending on who you invite and the size of your community. It is the conversation that is critical – not the format, size or location. To help get your planning started, Raising Illinois has created a handful of helpful resources.

Learn More