2024 Illinois Partners Policy and Advocacy Agenda

We are leading efforts to fund health and human services, so all Illinoisans can reach their potential and have access to a sector that is equitable, sustainable, and speaks with a collective voice. 

Long Term Commitment: We will advocate for continual, increased state funding of human services, year over year. We will push for equitable policies that address the needs of the sector and promote community well-being..

Short Term Targets:

• Secure a higher percentage of General Revenue Fund appropriations for human services, as compared to FY23, to ensure that we sustain programs that enhance community well-being;
• Influence funding decisions that:
  • Promote a livable wage and equitable pay for community-based human services;
  • Address ongoing workforce challenges, including high turnover and vacancy rates;
• Propose legislation, in partnership with the HHS Coalition, that prioritizes timely contracts and payments; expands and clarifies advance payment eligibility; covers the full cost of delivering human services; and simplifies Court of Claims; Secure appropriations for the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program;
• Produce research that centers the voices of frontline workers and further defines livable wage for the human service sector.

HUMAN SERVICES PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM ACT  HB4601/SB3082 
Secure appropriations for PA 102-1089 to address the Human Service Workforce Crisis

The Illinois General Assembly passed SB3925 (PA 102-1089) unanimously, to address the human service workforce crisis that directly impacts communities across Illinois. The Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program provides loan repayment assistance to qualified human services professionals to recruit and retain them to work in community-based human services organizations. Without appropriations, however, human service providers are unable to effectively reduce the burdens of their workforce and offer these repayment options. In
partnership with ICOY, we are asking for $15M in appropriations to fund 1,000 repayments for community-based human service professionals.
Fact sheet

HUMAN SERVICE EQUITABLE PAY ACT HB4912​
Advance pay equity for the Human Service Sector in Illinois

State contracts with community-based human service providers do not reflect ever-increasing costs of living or the costs of delivering essential services. These contracts also often reflect vastly lower rates of pay than for state employees performing similar work, creating a disparity in how the state values work differently depending on who performs it. This bill seeks to eliminate the pay disparity that exists between the salaries of human service professionals across the sector, and establish a Human Services Compensation Taskforce to provide recommendations for workforce recruitment and retention.
Fact sheet

COMMUNITY PARTNER FAIR CONTRACTING ACT​ HB5064/SB3457​
Reduce Administrative Burden and Improve Timely Payments to Human Service Providers

In partnership with the Health and Human Service Coalition of Illinois, The Community Partner Fair Contracting Act will address the undue administrative burden health and human service providers face when contracting with the state of Illinois. This omnibus bill will include provisions to improve and address timely contracts and payments to providers, expand and clarify advanced payment eligibility, cover the full cost of delivering services, as well as expedite and simplify the Court of Claims process.
Fact sheet

Illinois Partners for Human Service works with associations and coalitions across the state to address systemic issues addressing the long term, equitable funding for the Human Service sector and our workforce. Illinois Partners represents the sector in the following coalitions: