American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois

Justice program: corrections reform project - The project continues to work to improve health care for all persons in ilinois prisons. After years of litigation, this year The project has begun to work on The implemention of a consent decree in lippert, our challenge to The quality of health care in Illinois prisons. The decree sets forth a specific plan for reform with a monitor to oversee that process. Over The course of The lawsuit, two independent medical experts issued scathing reports about The lack of adequate care. The agreement for reform puts in place strict requirements for professional credentials, streamlining The system for care, requiring electronic medical records and audits of mortalities. The state continues to fall short of The goals that they have agreed to meet, and we have asked a federal court to compel The state to come into compliance. This year, The project also filed a lawsuit against The franklin county juvenile detention center, charging that The care provided to youth at that facility failed to meet constitutional standards. Police practices project -The project has focused again this year on implementing a consent decree between The city of chicago and The Illinois attorney general's office aimed at improving policing across The city. Our clients and partners have provided valuable input from their members, bringing diverse perspectives and life experiences from all across The city of chicago. The project has spoken out against proposed policies that fail to get adequate input from The public, and those that fall short of The meaningful reform sought by chicago residents. This year, The project filed a separate lawsuit against The chicago police on behalf of several chicago residents who have been subjected to repeated, unnecessary traffic stops. The traffic stops are part of a massive traffic stop program by The police department aimed not at improving safety on The roads and streets of chicago but are alleged to enhance public safety. Most of these stops, data shows, target black and latino drivers in chicago.

Institutional reform project - The project continues to work to implement deep, much- needed changes designed to improve The lives of children under The care of The department of children and family services. The project focuses on assuring that children under The care of dcfs have access to health care, in The wake of The state's transfer of The responsibility of health care for children in dcfs to a managed care system. Reports continue to show that children are not receiving The continuing, individualized care they require. We also continue to push The department to create a meaningful program to develop housing and care for children under The care of dcfs. This year The department agreed to a new, detailed implementation plan to guide improvements of conditions for youth under The care of dcfs. The project also is working to implement consent decrees in three (3) separate lawsuits designed to move hundreds of persons with developmental and physical disabilities - as well as those experiencing mental illness - from large, institutional nursing homes into The community consistent with The americans with disabilities act.

Women's & reproductive rights project - in The wake of The us supreme court decision ending The right to an abortion that had been recognized for nearly 50 years, The project's role as The primary legal resource for reproductive health care providers from all across The state of Illinois is more important than ever. The project plays a critical role for health care providers, large medical institutions and legislators about how Illinois law protects patients and providers in Illinois and recommends appropriate steps to build in additional protections for abortion care in our state. The project also pursued challenging lack of appropriate pumping and breastfeeding facilities for new parents across The state.

Other programs at The organization: hiv and civil liberties project, first amendment program, children's initiative program, privacy & technology program, lgbtq rights project, criminal legal system and policing project, communications program, legislative program, mental health and disability right initiative program.