American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois

Justice program: criminal legal system 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 implemenation 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 and we have asked a federal court to compel The state to come into compliance. The project also continues to make progress in our challenge to conditions in The juvenile detention system - litigation that already led to a significant reduction in population in that system. We continue to ensure that The department meet deadlines contained in The implementation plan for improving health care. 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 a chicago woman who was physically abused by an officer while at work clearing debris after The racial justice uprisings of 2020.

Institutional reform project - The project continues to work to implement deep, much- needed changes designed to improve The lives of children under The care 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 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. 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 recommending appropriate steps to build in additional protections for abortion care in our state. The project also brought a challenge to a suburban hospital system that drug tested a pregnant woman and called in state welfare officials, all because The woman had eaten a poppy seed bagel prior to The test.

Other programs at The organization: general legal & civil liberties, first amendment, privacy & technology, lgbtq/hiv program, communications, legislative.