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The Blueprint for System
Redesign in Illinois

In partnership with The Human Services Research Institute, Dr. Sheila Romano and the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities has published its Blueprint for System Redesign in Illinois, an action plan for the next seven years to reconfigure the Illinois system of developmental disability services.  Their overall goal is to more effectively support people with developmental disabilities and families in their communities. 

The Blueprint, along with the Illinois System Environmental Scan Project Brief, (February 2007), and the Gap Analysis: Services and Supports for People with Developmental Disabilities in Illinois (January, 2008), reported the results of interviews with Illinois stakeholders concerning the state’s efforts to support its citizens with developmental disabilities.  Illinois’ system was then compared to performance benchmarks widely used to gauge the provision of publicly-funded services and supports for people with developmental disabilities. 

The Gap Analysis noted the following deficits inherent within the Illinois developmental disability system:

1.  Illinois does not furnish services with reasonable promptness to its citizens; there is an over-reliance on large congregate care facilities to serve people with developmental disabilities to an extraordinary extent.   

2.  Opportunities for individuals to receive services in the most integrated setting are truncated.

3.  Illinois has not configured its developmental disabilities system to embrace person-centered service delivery. Services and funding are tied to “programs” and service provider agencies. 

4.  There is not place sufficient emphasis on services and supports that promote valued outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. Illinois lacks critical capabilities to address the needs of people with challenging conditions in the community. 

5.  The developmental disabilities service system infrastructure is fragmented and under-resourced. This poses barriers to people accessing services. 

6.  There is a serious lack of confidence in Illinois quality assurance and oversight processes. 

7.  Illinois’ financial level of effort in supporting services for people with developmental disabilities is sub-par. The present system overemphasizes the use of costly service models. 

Building upon the Gap Analysis, the Blueprint recommends a seven year timetable during which six actions must be undertaken for the Illinois system be become more aligned with recognized best practices. At the heart of this system redesign is the need for additional resources and expertise to create a system that would:   

1.  Embrace the principle of supporting people in the most integrated setting by reducing the role that large congregate care facilities play in the Illinois service system. 

2.  Strengthen existing community services by taking actions to retain a competent workforce, build capacity to address challenging individual needs, and improve oversight of community services. 

3.  Expand system capacity so that by 2014 all people who have emergency or critical needs will be served with reasonable promptness. 

4.  Redesign service coordination and single point of entry to assure people with developmental disabilities are linked to the services that best meet their needs and have an independent source of assistance when they need it. 

5.  Redesign services and funding to promote person-centered service delivery. 

6.  Measure performance and engage in quality improvement to guide better system performance through quality improvement along with better outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. 

The Institute on Public Policy recognizes the complexity of the problems in Illinois and applauds Dr. Romano and the Illinois Council for bringing this Blueprint to the forefront of our mutual advocacy on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities.  The members of the Institute are engaged in activities to implement many of the actions outlined by the Blueprint and will work with the Council and other developmental disability supporters to make the necessary changes in Illinois.