Become more involved in community advocacy at Search by joining our Advocacy Council.
Advocate
Search is committed to advocating for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Learn how to become an advocate.
What Drives Our Advocacy
On July 3, 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that made historic changes to the Medicaid program. While people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) were not directly targeted, the ripple effects of this law will be felt across the entire Medicaid system,including here in Illinois.
Although the Act does not cut HCBS waiver funding or add new requirements for people with I/DD, it does restrict how states like Illinois can fund their share of Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, this could result in a reduction of up to $6 billion annually in federal Medicaid funding for Illinois.
Our Commitment To Stability
At Search, we remain focused on long-term stability and the well-being of the people we support. We are financially strong, operationally sound and deeply committed to our mission.
We are actively engaged in advocacy at both the state and federal levels to protect and strengthen HCBS services. Our history of strong financial stewardship and thoughtful planning positions us to navigate the challenges ahead. And as always, we are committed to transparency, sharing what we know, even when the path forward is uncertain.
Join Us
Join us in advocating for policies benefiting people with disabilities in Illinois. Here’s how you can help:
Stay up-to-date by signing up for Legislative Action Alerts.
Learn about how Medicaid supports adults with disabilities, direct support professionals, mental health centers and I/DD agencies.
Raise Your voice
People with disabilities have the right to services that support their independence and inclusion in the community, a result of decades-long advocacy efforts.
Today, more than ever, the voices of the disability community need to be heard, both here in Illinois and at the national level.
Stay Informed. Stay Engaged. Your Voice Matters.
They Deserve More
Search is part of the They Deserve More campaign, which advocates for caregivers of people with disabilities to earn a living wage. Please visit They Deserve More to learn more about this important issue and how you can be involved.
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