Join Us

Clearbrook serves over 8,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), as well as their families, in over 160 communities in northern Illinois. We provide support across the lifespan through a variety of personalized program and care options. We’re proud of our deep expertise that spans six decades—allowing us to care for an array of unique needs. Our advocacy network exists to empower those entrusted to us— and all other individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Illinois—to maximize their independence, enrich their lives, and embrace their potential.

Make your voice heard!

We need your help to make sure that the Illinois General Assembly prioritizes the issues that affect our community. Illinois ranks among the worst states when it comes to spending on I/DD services, leaving more than 16,000 individuals on a waiting list to receive essential supports. Clearbrook and other similar agencies depend on government funding for the vast majority of our budget, and with Illinois lagging behind the rest of the country, providers struggle to pay their frontline staff adequate wages. This has resulted in the Direct Support Professional (DSP) staffing crisis, which has prevented these individuals from accessing services.

DSPs are crucial to the lives of individuals with disabilities, and invaluable to Clearbrook and every other community provider. However, their wages do not reflect their value nor the impact they have on the lives of thousands, resulting in high turnover rates and vacancies among DSPs. The reason more than 16,000 people cannot access services is because community providers lack the staff to support more individuals. The DSP staffing crisis affects every aspect of the services we provide to individuals with I/DD, and must be addressed in order to create a fair and equitable system.

In order for us to address these issues, we must stand united as grassroots advocates and demand that Illinois lawmakers continue to make long-overdue investments into the I/DD system. Your voice is powerful, and the more voices we have supporting our efforts, the more influential we will become.

Join our network today!

Sign up today to become a Clearbrook champion and be an ally to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We will keep you informed on the issues and empower you to take action with just a few clicks. Together we can stand up, speak out, and make a change.