SPRINGFIELD – To make the transition to higher education smoother for students with disabilities, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring The Removing Barriers to Higher Education Act. This legislation will make it more convenient for students to provide documentation to the school to demonstrate that they have a disability.

“Under current law, students may have to undergo costly assessments to prove they qualify for disability services in college,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative will allow students to save time and money by allowing them to submit documentation of accommodations that they received during their K-12 years.”

Senate Bill 99 would establish a process for students with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations from public universities and colleges.  This measure defines the types of documents that state universities must accept as proof of a disability, including previous diagnostic testing or other recent documents. From this information, colleges and universities could provide reasonable accommodations that they deem to be appropriate for the student requesting the services. This will ensure that students will receive the support they need to thrive in higher education.

SPRINGFIELD – Obtaining official transcripts can be a roadblock for college and university students across Illinois if they owe a past-due debt to the institution. This can hamper their efforts to pursue post-graduate opportunities. State Senator Laura Fine introduced legislation to address this issue, making transcripts more accessible to students, as well as requiring universities to make the process of withholding transcripts more transparent.

“Whether a student is seeking employment or further education after graduation, they will likely need their transcript to demonstrate their academic record and achievements in higher education,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This legislation will help students who may be struggling financially access  their transcripts.”

Senator Fine, who is a former college instructor, is a longtime advocate of supporting university students working to pay off their student debt. Last year, she passed legislation prohibiting universities from withholding transcripts from students with a past-due debt if the transcript is needed for a job application. This ensured students would be able to use their hard-earned transcripts to find a well-paying job, from which they could repay their debts to the university and pursue a career best suited to the skill set they developed in college.

SPRINGFIELD – This morning, the Illinois Department of Human Services and Governor Pritzker announced their comprehensive plan to improve care at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. Following this announcement, State Senator Laura Fine and State Representative Lindsay LaPointe, chairs of the Mental Health Committees in the Senate and House respectively, responded to this plan.

“I am encouraged by the proposed changes from DHS. The safety of mental and behavioral health patients needs to be the top priority,” said Senator Fine. “I applaud DHS and the Governor for announcing a plan that prioritizes patients. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with them and other partners to best support patients at Choate and their caregivers.” 

Equip for Equality, the independent, federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization; the IDHS Inspector General; and the Illinois State Police have all been reviewing abuse and neglect allegations at Choate and making constructive recommendations to the state about the center’s future. To address the issues found, DHS has proposed a comprehensive plan including:

• Repurposing the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center (“Choate”) over three years in partnership with the SIU School of Medicine, and   
• Implementing new safety enhancements at Choate and across all state-operated developmental centers including appointing a chief resident safety officer, and
• Expanding support for families and individuals to pursue opportunities for community-based living while continuing to invest in provider capacity.

GLENVIEW – During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, State Senator Laura Fine is reminding residents of available resources for survivors of domestic violence while working to educate more people on what constitutes domestic violence and abuse.

“Domestic violence has long-lasting impacts on the mental and physical health of survivors,” said Senator Fine (D-Glenview). “We need to support survivors in their journey of recovery and educate about  what healthy relationships look like to encourage people to model these standards—and be able to recognize when a relationship is turning dangerous.”

Since 1989, October has been designated as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and has become a time to acknowledge domestic violence survivors and victims. Although progress has been made to reduce domestic violence, the statistics are still staggering, with 1 and 3 women and 1 in 7 men becoming victims of domestic violence throughout their lives.

GLENVIEW – State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) has been selected to join the new class of Milbank Fellows. The Milbank Fellows Program is a leadership program that focuses on public policy to improve health outcomes.  This year’s class consists of 23 legislative and executive branch leaders from around the country whose work includes improving population health and health equity.

“I am honored to be selected to participate in this program, along with leaders from across the country who are also committed to improving health care in their communities,” Fine said. “During my time in the legislature, I have focused on a realm of healthcare issues, from access to affordability for both physical and mental health. I am excited to work with the program and   learn new, evidence-based approaches to improve population health—allowing me to better serve my district and Illinois as a whole.”

The Milbank Fellowship program works to improve population health and health equity by collaborating with leaders and decision makers. Under the fellowship program, leaders will    gain new knowledge about specific population health issues, interdisciplinary health and human services systems, and evidence-based approaches to improving population health. It also offers opportunities to expand their personal insight and leadership capacities in support of defining and advancing a population health vision and agenda, as well as to create meaningful connections with a network of colleagues.

“Each Fellow in our new cohort brings a remarkable wealth of health policy expertise as well as diversity of life experience,” said Milbank program officer Kate McEvoy, who oversees the state leadership programs. “We look forward to engaging with the Fellows and supporting them in continuous learning and the development of successful population health initiatives.”

Senator Fine will serve as a fellow in the 2022-2023 cohort.

GLENVIEW – The new 9-8-8 crisis line for mental health and substance use emergencies is launching Saturday, July 16. This new helpline will provide people in a mental health crisis with necessary supports.                                                

“The past two years have been an overwhelming time for many Illinoisans, and some feel like they are struggling alone,” said Senator Fine (D-Glenview). “9-8-8 is an expanded resource to assist people experiencing mental health issues. I encourage anyone feeling anxious or depressed to dial 9-8-8 for local support, because a caring voice or a listening ear can make all the difference during times of stress.”

9-8-8 is a 24-hour hotline for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Individuals in need can dial 9-8-8 and be connected with a trained mental health professional who can help provide assistance. The hotline is a free, confidential service.

GLENVIEW – State Senator Laura Fine (D—Glenview) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade – depriving millions of women of their right to choose:

SPRINGFIELD – Human services professionals may soon have access to student loan repayment assistance, thanks to a law led by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview).

“Human services workers provide life-changing services to some of our most vulnerable communities,” Fine said. “It is past time that we provide them with much-needed assistance.”  

Employees in the human services industry include welfare caseworkers, youth service providers, social workers, and many other positions specializing in working with marginalized communities. However, the industry is experiencing a shortage in employees, partially due to financial barriers. Many of these professions require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. However, salaries do not often match the educational achievements, and many human service workers struggle to pay off their student loans.