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Illinois

 

Project Name

Illinois Imagines

Partners

Blue Tower Training Center This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.bluetowertraining.com)

Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.icasa.org)

Illinois Department of Human Services This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.dhs.state.il.us)

Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.ifvcc.org)

Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.incil.org)

Illinois Voices This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.illinoisvoices.org)

Overview

Illinois Imagines includes a range of state-wide partners from the disability community and the sexual assault system. Together, they aim to create an integrated system in Illinois that will provide a survivor-centered crisis response and removes all obstacles faced by women with disabilities who are survivors of sexual violence.

Illinois Imagines is made up of a diversity of organizations and self advocates representing multiple systems. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), the lead agency on this project, is a state government agency that administers the majority of the social services in the state. Four program divisions within the Department are directly involved with this grant project, they include: Community Health and Prevention (Bureau of Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Prevention), Developmental Disabilities, Mental Health and Rehabilitation Services. External partners include: Blue Tower Training Center, llinois Voices, Illinois Center for Independent Living (INCIL) , Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), and Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council (IFVCC). The Blue Tower Training Institute provides training and consultation related to sexual abuse and persons with disabilities nationally. Blue Tower also administers Illinois Voices, a statewide initiative to empower people with developmental disabilities. The Illinois Center for Independent Living (INCIL) provides services to people with disabilities through 23 CILS statewide to increase independent living skills, understand their rights, and become effective self-advocates. Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) provides crisis intervention, advocacy, education and training of professionals and paraprofessionals throughout their 33 statewide centers. And finally, the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council (IFVCC), a domestic violence coalition that provides a coordinated response to violence through education, intervention, prevention, and coordination of services for survivors of abuse.

While some of the partners have a rich history of working together, this is the first time they have collectively joined together in a formal way to address violence against women with disabilities. Over the course of this grant, the collaborative strives to strengthen services and systems for people with disabilities who have experienced sexual assault by implementing new and more effective policies and practices for sexual assault and disability providers throughout Illinois.

Illinois Imagines embraces systems change which includes a comprehensive planning and program development approach that focuses on strengthening the service delivery system infrastructure in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of services to consumers. A systems change approach involves extensive, on-going collaboration among all partners, including women with disabilities who are survivors of sexual violence. The ultimate goal of systems change is to integrate sustainable change into the service delivery system that has a positive impact on the quality of life for individuals and families. Providing survivor-centered services is the heart of the collaborative team's mission.

Contact Information

Illinois Department of Human Services

Teresa Tudor, Project Director
V: 217-558-6192
TTY: 217-558-6482