Events /

Virtual Conference – The Arc of Illinois’ “Family-to-Family Fall Symposium: Uniting Healthcare, Advocacy, and Disability”

When

Thursday, October 1, 2026    
9:15 am - 4:00 pm
iCal

Event Type

A virtual conference for people with disabilities and their caregivers covering Illinois disability programs, school services, emergency preparedness, family advocacy, Medicaid appeals and insurance denials, and more

The Family-to-Family Health Information Center at The Arc of Illinois will host the “Family-to-Family Fall Symposium: Uniting Healthcare, Advocacy, and Disability” via Zoom on Oct. 1 from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. The symposium will offer six online sessions.

This one-day conference is for family members, self-advocates and professionals who care for people with any type of disability or chronic medical condition. While some of the presentations focus on children from birth to 22, much of the information applies to all ages and stages.

Dive into topics including:

  • Emergency preparedness
  • School services and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy
  • Disability programs and family advocacy
  • Medicaid appeals and insurance denials

Our Home Care Family Outreach Associate, Erica Stearns, and Assistant Director of Research and Practice Initiative – Title V Programs, Dr. Ebonie Zielinski, are among the presenters.

  • Join Ebonie for “Ready Together: Emergency Preparedness for Families with Complex Needs” from  9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Explore essential planning considerations for power outages, evacuations and service disruptions. The session will wrap up with a family panel and a question-and-answer session.
  • Erica will present “Advocacy in Action” from 11:45 to 12 p.m. Hear how family-led advocacy efforts are making a difference.

You can see a complete schedule and read more about the speakers on the symposium website.

The cost to attend the conference is:

  • Members of The Arc – $80 per professional and free for a self-advocate/family member.
  • Non-members – $140 per professional and free for a self-advocate/family member.

See the symposium brochure for a schedule, registration form and to learn more about the presenters.

You can also register online to attend the symposium.

For questions, please contact The Arc of Illinois at (815) 464-1832.