IARF Names Four Legislators Champions for Supporting Wage Increases

SPRINGFIELD -- The state association representing community providers of services for this disabled is publicly praising four legislators for stepping up to improve care.

The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities has honored the four legislators for their support of funding to hire workers to provide high-quality care. Learn more in the announcement from the group on the honors:

Four state legislators have received the 2024 IARF Champion Award, reflecting their tireless commitment to invest in and support high-quality care for Illinoisans with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) gave its 2024 IARF Champion Award last week at its annual conference in Bloomington to:

• State Senator and Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler, D-Peoria Heights
• State Senator Karina Villa, D-West Chicago
• State Representative Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington
• State Representative Anna Moeller, D-Elgin

The IARF Champion Award recognizes individuals, groups, and/or organizations that put forth significant effort(s) to support, advance, and/or raise awareness of the importance of community-based services and supports for persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illnesses.

“This year, the Illinois General Assembly made an important investment in frontline staff serving and supporting persons with disabilities, increasing Direct Support Professional (DSP) wage rates by $1 an hour,” said Josh Evans, IARF President. “These four legislators recognized the importance of sending a strong message: we care about people with disabilities, and we care about making sure those who provide care for them have stable careers and can support their families while providing special service to those in need.

“Their leadership and support translated to a major win for DSPs, and disability services in Illinois.”

Assistant Majority Leader Koehler serves on the Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations, and Labor Committees. He is also the Vice Chair of the Energy and Public Utilities Committee. Leader Koehler has served the Peoria area for over 40 years, as Peoria County Board member from 1982-88; a Peoria City Council member from 1989-97 and mayor pro tem, 1993-94. He is a former staff member, National Farm Worker Ministry; Former community organizer and program manager, Peoria Friendship House; Former executive director, Peoria Area Labor Management Council; Former president, Labor Management Cooperative Health Programs Inc.

Senator Villa is Chair of the Senate Public Health Committee, and serves on multiple other committees including Appropriations, Health and Human Services, and Behavioral and Mental Health, among others. A graduate of Aurora University and child of immigrant parents, Senator Villa is a full-time state legislator and lifelong resident of the 25th Senate District where she worked as a social worker in the West Chicago and Villa Park school systems and as former vice president of West Chicago District 33 Board of Education.

Rep. Chung serves on the House Health Care Licenses, Counties and Townships, and Higher Education Committees. A graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, Rep. Chung is a professional musician, a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 301 and has served the Bloomington area as a former member of the McLean County Board.

Rep. Moeller is Chair of the House Human Services Committee, and serves on multiple other committees including Appropriations, Healthcare Licenses, and Environment, amongst others. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Rep. Moeller spent the last 10 years as a full-time legislator and has been an active member of the Elgin community, serving on the City of Elgin Planning and Development Commission, Human Relations Commission, and as the former Vice-President of the Northeast Neighborhood Association.

The 2024 IARF Educational Conference & Expo: Leading, Learning, and Innovating was attended by over 350 organizational leaders, clinicians, professionals, and para-professionals from community-based providers of services and supports for children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and serious mental illnesses from across Illinois.

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IARF (Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities) is Illinois largest trade association representing community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and serious mental illnesses. Our members provide services in over 900 locations throughout Illinois.