IARF: New Budget Proposal Takes Step Forward as Illinois Continues Investments in Disability and Behavioral Health Services (Springfield, IL) – The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, representing community providers of services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and serious mental illnesses, today issued the following statement after Gov. Pritzker presented his 2026 state budget proposal:
“We greet this new state budget proposal from Governor JB Pritzker with a sense of relief: our state finances have improved over earlier bleak revenue projections, and we appreciate the Governor’s ongoing commitment to investing in services and supports for Illinoisans with developmental disabilities and serious mental illnesses.”
“The Governor is once again proposing an increase in the wage rate for Direct Service Professionals (DSP) in the next state budget. This ongoing investment, proposed today at $0.50 cents an hour, moves us closer to our goal of reaching 150 percent of the state’s minimum wage, now at $15 an hour. We have more work to do there but greatly appreciate the Administration acknowledging the need for continued investment to improve disability services to meet requirements of the Ligas Consent Decree.”
“In proposing to ban prior authorization by insurance companies for behavioral healthcare, the Governor has made it clear that in Illinois access to timely and crucial healthcare is a top priority. We will proudly stand with the Governor to support this effort.”
“There are significant headwinds on the horizon with the threat of federal actions that could put millions of dollars in funding for our disability and behavioral health service providers at risk. After we take a deeper dive into today’s proposal, we will work with the Administration and legislators this spring to ensure negotiated agreements remain in place and to protect the critical investments in disability and behavioral health services in the final budget for next year.”
Josh Evans
President and CEO
Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
Springfield
IARF: New Budget Proposal Takes Step Forward as Illinois Continues Investments in Disability and Behavioral Health Services
