[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
COFI parents Maria Sanchez and Gaby Piceno were featured in an article on Capitol News Illinois<\/strong><\/a>, speaking on their experiences with the state of healthcare for undocumented immigrants. At 87 years old, Maria had been living a long time without any preventive care or regular check-ups, and was hospitalized twice with pneumonia. \u201cNada, nada, nada,\u201d Maria said in an interview. Nothing, nothing, nothing. <\/em><\/p>\n Living in Illinois, one of a few states that cover some economically challenged older immigrants with Medicaid or Affordable Care Act waivers, Maria was able to get covered late last year under a state program introduced in December 2020 for older people without legal status. \u201cWith my medical card, I have peace of mind,\u201d said Maria, who has been able to address some cardiac concerns, find a dentist, and scheduled the removal of her cataracts.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have to worry anymore,\u201d Gaby added in her own interview, referring to her family as well. Gaby was able to qualify for healthcare when the state of Illinois lowered the age of eligibility for immigrants to 42 in the summer of 2022.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" COFI parents Maria Sanchez and Gaby Piceno were featured in an article on Capitol News Illinois, speaking on their experiences with the state of healthcare for undocumented immigrants. At 87 years old, Maria had been living a long time without any preventive care or regular check-ups, and was hospitalized twice with pneumonia. \u201cNada, nada, nada,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":33129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Photo caption: Top photo: COFI and POWER-PAC IL Parent Leaders with the Chicago elected school board candidates. Bottom left photo: Talibah Moore speaking at the Chicago \"Babies Can't Wait!\" rally. Bottom right photo: Elgin Parent Leader Ana Arguenta speaking at the \"Babies Can't Wait!\" rally.<\/em>\r\n\r\nPOWER-PAC IL\u2019s Elementary Justice Campaign<\/em> and Early Learning Campaign <\/em>hosted two different \"Weeks of Action\" in October!\r\n\r\nIn late October, parent leaders participated in the Dignity in Schools\u2019 National Week of Action Against School Pushout, which calls on schools to move away from punitive discipline policies and toward restorative, culturally responsive, and emotionally safe school communities.\r\n\r\nParent leaders also partnered with Raising Illinois for the \"Babies Can\u2019t Wait!\" Week of Action in late October to call on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to invest $60 million into the state\u2019s budget for early intervention services critical to the first three years of a baby\u2019s life.\r\n\r\nRead more about how parents took action below!<\/strong>\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\nChicago Parents Host a Candidate Forum for the First-Ever Elected School Board in Chicago Public Schools for Week of Action Against School Pushout<\/h2>\r\nICYMI:<\/strong> Chicago residents voted for ten school board candidates for the first time in Chicago\u2019s history on Election Day. Previously, the Mayor appointed all of the board members. Many Black and Brown communities are still feeling the repercussions from 2013 when Mayor Rahm Emanuel\u2019s appointed board closed<\/span><\/a> 50 schools.\r\n\r\nSince the school board is responsible for the district\u2019s budget and policies, COFI and POWER-PAC IL parent leaders knew this was a pivotal moment to get to know the candidates and their views on the following issues:\r\n
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\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\nCOFI Parent Leader Ana Arguenta and Organizer Talibah Moore Share Testimonies at \u201cBabies Can\u2019t Wait\u201d Rallies for Early Intervention Funding<\/h2>\r\nElgin Parent Leader Ana Arguenta<\/strong> knows early intervention prepared her three children for preschool and beyond. At a rally, she said she could see her kids learning to socialize and gaining critical developmental skills in EI sessions.\r\n\r\nAs a Spanish speaker, Ana said it also made a world of difference when her first child\u2019s therapist could speak Spanish. She could get involved in the lessons, understand what was happening, and continue building on the lessons after the therapist left.\r\n\r\nBut, when Ana\u2019s other two children needed therapy, the therapist did not speak Spanish, and she needed an interpreter. With only 45 minutes per session, interpretation took up a chunk of that time, and she knew her children weren\u2019t getting the full benefits.\r\n\r\nNonetheless, when they entered school, she could see the difference it made on all three of them. \u201cEarly intervention helped my children,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it helps so many children.\u201d\r\n\r\nCOFI partnered with other Raising Illinois member organizations to host a \u201cBabies Can\u2019t Wait!\u201d Week of Action to call attention to stories like Ana\u2019s and build support for increasing early intervention funding in Illinois by $60 million.\r\n\r\nEarly intervention covers critical support to babies 0-3, including speech and language, occupational, and physical therapists. However, parents have identified a problem they label as \u201credlining\u201d of early intervention, given that these crucial services are hard to access in many communities.\r\n\r\nCOFI Organizer Talibah Moore<\/strong> has experienced that \u201credlining\u201d. At the Chicago rally during Week of Action, Talibah spoke about how getting services for her 3-year-old took six months. \u201cI started the process last year in October (2023). They told me he would start receiving services in March (2024), but Corey turned 3 in April and aged out.\u201d\r\n\r\nTalibah said he\u2019s thriving now at a Chicago Public preschool, but the challenges and delays she faced for six months are something thousands of families across Illinois are experiencing.\r\n\r\nA $60 million increase is just a start<\/strong><\/span> for funding early intervention. We urge the Illinois legislature to increase funding for the Early Intervention program by $60 million in the state\u2019s FY26 budget. Join us by signing this petition<\/a> to support early intervention parents and providers.\r\n\r\n\u00a0","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legislation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n