Encourage students for career helping disabled

I hope because of the recent passage of Senate Bill 3972 in the Illinois General Assembly, introduced by state Sen. Laura Murphy and state Rep. Michelle Mussman, that as many Illinois nonprofit organizations as possible, will team up with local high schools, to encourage seniors and hopefully juniors in high school to follow an eventual academic path and certificate to be trained to work as a direct service professional, for adults with developmental disabilities, either in an adult group home and/or adult day program in the state, with hopes that employment will continue on to college.

Nonprofit organizations for people with developmental disabilities, need an extra tool in their toolbelt for hiring good people.

The DSP worker shortage, in regard to staffing programs to supervise adults with developmental disabilities, has been in a crisis mode for decades. and started to really affect my son's ability to go onto the community, in 2021. My son's local nonprofit and state legislators allowed me to help present an idea, gather further support and work at every step of the way, to do whatever was needed over several months, to get it passed d in Springfield and it recently signed i.

Now it's time for the Illinois state agencies, nonprofits and parent advocates to get the word out to young people, to nonprofit organizations to get students interested in this new field of study, This kind of change to an Illinois position that who would not have being insisted and advocated for from a parent advocate, if parents don't get involved in their child's academically successes, But can provide a hopefully profitable relationship, between the state and it patients.

Mike Baker

Schaumburg