State Representative Charlie Meier and disability advocates held a Tuesday news conference in Springfield to spotlight a series of reform bills aimed at addressing critical failures within the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS).
Guardianship advocate Danita Dorsey, President of the Murray Parents Association Rita Winkeler, and Phoenix Horizon Psychology co-founders Krystal Oswald and Whitney Aubrecht joined Meier to call for immediate action on three key pieces of legislation.
“There are many findings in there of faculty failures, personnel failures, lack of reporting, no oversight,” Meier said. “You name it, it’s in there. Governor Pritzker and his leadership at DHS has been a total failure. I could talk all day about instances where his leadership has hurt people under his care, and this is just another example of agency mismanagement under his administration.”
Last year, Danita Doresy was told that she would need to surrender guardianship of her son, Gregory, in order for him to receive state care. Knowing this was wrong, Danita reached out to Meier. Together, they successfully advocated for Gregory’s placement to the Murray Center in Centralia. That experience led to Rep. Charlie Meier introducing House Bill 5129, which would prohibit the state from requiring families to relinquish guardianship to access care services.
“I was in court nine times fighting for Gregory,” Dorsey said. “That’s why Charlie’s bill is so important. HB5129 would ensure that no family has to go through what my family did. Gregory is doing so much better now. He is eating with silverware, his self-injuring behavior has decreased by probably eighty percent. He’s going through a workshop now. I was able to leave with him and have dinner with him. For years we couldn’t do anything like that with him, and he’s in such a wonderful place now.”
Murray Parents Association President Rita Winkeler discussed another important piece of legislation to streamline the process for individuals to be readmitted to State-Operated Development Centers (SODCs) if their condition worsens after transitioning to Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs). House Bill 5458 removes administrative barriers that can delay critical care.
“It is deeply concerning that families who want their loved ones returned to an SODC from a CILA often face significant pushback,” Winkeler said. “Families and caretakers should have the final say in decisions about their loved ones’ care, which is why it is important to pass HB 5458.”
Co-founder of Phoenix Horizon Psychology Krystal Oswald discussed a loophole that allows for some serious events to go unreported and uninvestigated at DHS facilities.
“House Bill 1122 addresses inconsistencies in identifying medical emergencies, clarifies expectations for notifying medical personnel, and improves communication among care teams,” Oswald said. “By reducing ambiguity, the bill strengthens accountability and promotes a culture where safety and early intervention are prioritized.”
Meier stressed the importance of working with advocates who fight for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is encouraging the Democratic supermajority to listen to the families and professionals who are directly impacted and work with us to implement meaningful, overdue reforms at DHS.
