Federal Judge Orders Illinois Compliance With Consent Decree To Fund Independent Living For Consumers With I/DD

On August 11, 2017, a federal district court judge ordered the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) to comply with the 2011 consent decree in Ligas v. Norwood, in which the state agreed to fund programs to help people with developmental disabilities live as independently as possible. The state had agreed to provide funding to help people transition from institutions to community-based living arrangements, however it failed to adequately fund needed home- and community-based services (HCBS) so those living in community arrangements could avoid entering an institution. The judge ordered the state to develop a plan to address . . .