2024 Legislative & Advocacy Agenda
Illinois Collaboration on Youth (ICOY), with support and input from our Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), has identified three overarching, long-term priorities that highlight not only the challenges we hope to address, but are also indicative of what ICOY envisions for the future of child and family well-being in Illinois. These key priority areas are:
1. Advancing Child and Family Well-Being
2. Strengthening the Human Services Sector
3. Addressing Racial Justice and Equity
ICOY’s established Guiding Principles serve as the foundation for our policy, legislative, and advocacy agenda with the mission of championing the safety, well-being, and success of all Illinois’ children, youth, and families by connecting and strengthening the organizations that serve them and by being a collective voice for policy and practice. Some of these priorities are ones in which ICOY is the leading partner or champion, and others are priorities in which we are working as allies in collaboration with others. As always, ICOY will engage emerging issues that arise throughout the year when they align with our mission, vision, and values.
ICOY continues to view legislation through a racial equity lens with the intention of correcting systemic racism and promoting justice and equity. ICOY will respond to budget proposals as they develop and will advocate for adequate resources and investment needed to ensure that children, youth, and families have a strong foundation.
ICOY proactively plans and acts intentionally to advocate for community-based providers to have adequate resources to support children, youth, and families to reach their potential and contribute to their communities. ICOY's Policy Team monitors and supports specific legislation that has appropriations and funding needs attached to them. To best prepare for the finalization of the Illinois State Budget, and the Budget Implementation Bill (BIMP), ICOY's Policy Team summarizes and provide highlights to members once projections have been finalized by the General Assembly.
ICOY's FY24 Legislative and Advocacy Agenda is outlined below. If you would like a summarized PDF version to download or print, please click the button below:
Advancing Child and Family Well-Being
ICOY has a strong commitment to advancing child and family well-being for all Illinoisians. This involves understanding child, youth and adolescent, and family functioning in physical, mental, behavioral, economic, and social areas of life. A focus on child and family well-being should be embedded into all aspects of work in the human services sector, particularly around child abuse and neglect prevention, reducing risks and increasing protective capacity and safety, and building the capacity for organizations and systems improvement. Below are ICOY’s current legislative measures meant to advance child and family well-being.
Strengthening the Human Services Sector
ICOY seeks to improve outcomes for individuals and families by strengthening human services organizations that support them. ICOY strives to build an Illinois Human Services system that will ensure all children, youth, and families have their basic needs met and the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. ICOY believes that Illinois will only succeed when all its children, youth, and families thrive. Below are ICOY’s current legislative measures meant to Strengthen the Human Services Sector.
Addressing Racial Justice and Equity
ICOY envisions a just and equitable Illinois that values and invests in ensuring that all children, youth, and families are healthy, thriving, and inter-generationally successful. We seek to eliminate systemic injustice by working toward a world where everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they want and need. Additionally, ICOY is committed to entering the difficult dialogues necessary to affect change in the areas of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Below are ICOY’s current legislative measures meant to Address Racial Justice and Equity.
Illinois State Budget
ICOY fiercely advocates for community-based providers to have adequate resources so that children, youth, and families can reach their potential and contribute to their communities. Click here to access our Budget toolkit.
Download a copy of ICOY's FY23 Legislative Agenda to learn what was on last year’s agenda and which bills were signed into law.
View our 2023 Annual Report to learn about other policy activities, initiatives, and accomplishments that support this policy priority!
