It’s time to SPEAK OUT! August 28, 2025

September 26, 2023

Written by Joe O’Sullivan, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve to have their voices heard, but making your voice heard is not always as easy as it sounds. That is why Clearbrook’s Self-Advocacy program works to empower individuals with disabilities to speak up and speak out for themselves.

In Illinois, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been overlooked for far too long. For many years the issues they care about were not given the proper consideration they deserve. Decisions about the services and supports individuals with disabilities depend on every day were made with little or no input from the individuals receiving these services.

This is why Self-Advocacy is so important. Individuals with disabilities deserve to have a voice, especially when decisions are being made that will impact their daily lives.

So who can be a Self-Advocate? Any individual with an intellectual or developmental disability can use their voice to represent and protect their interests every day. All they need is the desire to see the lives of Illinoisans with disabilities improved.

Clearbrook Self-Advocates are passionate about a variety of issues. They want to see more employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, they want to fix the staffing crisis crippling service providers, they want to see more opportunities for special recreation, but most of all they want to help individuals with disabilities learn to use their voice to become more independent and live fuller lives.

Many individuals would also agree that they would like to see improvements made in Illinois, but making their voice heard by the people who can make a change can be difficult. Far too often, decisions are made that impact the lives of individuals with disabilities with little or no input from individuals with disabilities.

Self-Advocates want to take control over their lives and live independently, and to do that they have to speak up and speak out to key decision makers. Parents, guardians, support staff, and many others all have a great deal of influence in the lives of individuals with disabilities and all should listen to what self-advocate shave to say.

However, it is the Illinois General Assembly that makes decisions about how disability services are funded, and make laws that will impact the crucial services and supports individuals rely on every day. It is with them that speaking up and speaking out can make a difference for not only Clearbrook Self-Advocates, but all individuals with disabilities.

We cannot properly support and advocate for individuals with disabilities without their perspective and input. If the Illinois General Assembly is going to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities, they must listen to the voices of Self-Advocates.

How do Self-Advocates use their voice? Self-Advocates can use their voice in many different ways. It can be as simple as speaking up about what they would like to eat for dinner or watch on TV. It can also be something as difficult as speaking up if they feel their rights are being disrespected.

Self-Advocates learn to use their voice and advocate for themselves to the people they interact with every day and the elected officials of Illinois who make decisions that impact the services and supports they need.

Clearbrook’s Self-Advocacy program empowers Self-Advocates to make an impact on the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate. They use their voice to influence the elected officials who make decisions that will impact their lives.

Clearbrook Self-Advocates meet with legislators at events, learn about the policy issues that impact the services they receive, and use their voices to urge legislators to improve disability services in Illinois. Each Self-Advocate has different interests, but Self-Advocacy can help with every individual and every issue.

Over the past year, Clearbrook Self-Advocates have quickly grown and learned that their thoughts have tremendous value. They have spoken to legislators urging them to increase the wages of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), expand employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and

Whether it is fighting to protect their rights, participating in special recreation, fighting for more supported employment opportunities, pushing for increased staff wages, or anything else, self-advocacy empowers advocates to use their voice to accomplish their goals.

Over the past year, Clearbrook Self-Advocates have accomplished a great deal, and they will continue to accomplish a great deal more. With the tools they learn through Self-Advocacy, they fight to make a better life for themselves and individuals with disabilities everywhere.

It is always important to respect the views of everyone, and if you want to help improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, you can learn from Clearbrook Self-Advocates. To really make change we need Self-Advocates and all advocates to SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT!