ICDD tells SILC federal funding is flat for FFY2026; highlights housing navigation pilot

Kimberly Mercer‑Schleider presented on behalf of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD), describing ICDD as the federally funded state agency established under the Developmental Disabilities Bill of Rights Act and explaining the three core entities created by the Act: Developmental Disabilities Councils, Protection and Advocacy, and University Centers for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). She said these entities, along with Centers for Independent Living and SILCs, receive funding through the Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Mercer‑Schleider informed the Council that recent federal budget action confirmed flat funding for these programs through the end of Federal Fiscal Year 2026, which provides planning stability. She also summarized a recent collaboration with the Department of Human Services to pilot a housing navigation program targeted to people with developmental disabilities; details on scale and funding were described as grant‑funded and part of ICDD's systems‑change work.