What is Take Advantage IL?

There are 15 benefits included in the Take Advantage Illinois Benefit Guides and all are linked above ↑.  The goal of these guides is to make information easy to understand information all in one place, so young adults and families can confidently take action to secure the disability benefits they are eligible to receive.  

Each guide walks the reader through from defining eligible individuals, to the application process, benefit maintenance, and contact information.  The best way to utilize these guides is to start at the top, with PUNS, and work your way down the list as benefits are listed in order of priority.  However, families can focus in on benefits that are of immediate need for their young adult at the time and can jump around between benefit guides as needed.  

The information in these guides is specific to Illinois residents and should not be considered legal advice.  

Below is an overview of the format for each benefit guide:

What You Should Know…

↑ If you don’t have time to read the entire document, this is the short and easy to understand summary of the information all on 1 page.  The following highlights the information you need to know to help determine if the benefit is applicable to the individual. 

What is it?

A clear, concise explanation of the benefit.

Who would access it?  

A description of who may want to access the benefit.

Who is eligible?

A description of the requirements to be eligible for accessing the benefit.   There is common terminology used throughout the documents.  The term ‘Individual’ refers to the person with the disability and ‘Family’ refers to the immediate family, extended family, and loved ones of the individual, blood relation or not.  

What support does it offer?

How an individual would use the benefit to support them in their life. 

Time Commitment  

Visual indicating how much time is needed to access this benefit

Energy Commitment

Visual indicating how much energy is needed to access this benefit

Priority

How important this benefit is to access and when an individual should plan to apply.  

Walking Through the Process

Step 1- The Big Shift

If the individual receives Special Education services, then they are ‘Entitled’ to these supports because of their disability.   School staff take charge in executing their respective services based on the team-developed IEP.  When the individual leaves special education services, either due to graduation or aging out (22 yrs. old), they are no longer Entitled to supports.  This means that any services or supports the individual needs or wants are now based on whether they are ‘Eligible’ AND have taken the steps necessary to learn about, apply for, and set-up said services.  The responsibility to access supports shifts to the individual and family/loved ones when they leave special education and enter ‘adult services.’ 

Adult services is the term used when referring to services, support, benefits, and funding for individuals 18 yrs. and older.   

If an individual or family wants to hire a coordinator to assist them in accessing potential benefits (much like a special education teacher would work with a speech therapist, social worker, and occupational therapist to coordinate support for a student), this is an option, but expect fees to start at $2,000↑.  This guide was created to help make sense of adult services so appropriate funding and support can be accessed at a significantly cheaper cost.  Time is money, as they say, so only one benefit is covered in each email.  The guide has just enough information to help the reader become familiar with the benefit, answer common questions and roadblocks, and to give them the confidence to take the first step to access the benefit.   

Step 2- Be Confident with the Disability Details

Each benefit, service, support, and funding has Eligibility requirements, and these are non-negotiable.  Eligibility for a service may be based on age, income, address boundaries, IQ score, and more.  It is imperative to be completely clear and confident about the individual’s disability to ensure they would meet benefit-specific requirements.   Since it isn’t uncommon for an individual to have a variety of eligibilities and diagnoses throughout their life, the most recent testing scores and doctor’s reports for standardized scores and medical and/or professional diagnosis is the proof adult services will require for proof of eligibility.  

For family and loved ones who have worked tirelessly to ensure an individual is getting the right and best services and supports, especially in a school setting, they may use disability labels that don’t truly reflect the results of tests.  Often with the best of intentions, continuing with this approach when attempting to access adult services may hinder an individual from qualifying for benefits they rightly are eligible to receive.  Therefore, getting completely clear with the disability, diagnosis, and/or testing scores is vitally important before approaching any and all benefits.  The more detailed information that can be provided when pursuing monthly benefits, the better.  For example, having medical records with clearly stated medical condition or special needs is best. 

Step 3- Getting in the Right Mindset

Since adult services can only be accessed if an individual meets the Eligibility requirements (like those set by the Social Security Administration for some benefits), whomever assists the individual in applying for the benefit needs to approach the process with a deficit mindset.   Don’t highlight the strengths, progress, or skills learned when applying for benefits.   Being honest and clear about the daily struggles with transitions, behavior concerns, need for self-care support, safety steps, communication barriers, and the like is the most appropriate approach.  It may feel uncomfortable or disheartening (because wanting to highlight a person’s strengths is so natural), however it is the reality and the proof of need for services.  

For families who have trepidation about sharing their history or feel a cultural desire to provide for a loved one, it is understandable to initially resist accessing adult services.  While there are best practices for the order and times to begin accessing services,  it’s respectable to honor an individual and family’s chosen sequence and timeline based on their comfort level.  

Step 4- An Object in Motion Stays in Motion

Just get started! LEARNING is the first step in the right direction.  Learning will lead to confidence and confidence will lead to action.   

Accessing benefits will require the individual’s needs and background to be shared again and again.  Feeling as if a family or individual’s life story is being shared over and over again with complete strangers may initially be uncomfortable, but it’s that exact story that will get the individual on the waitlist, get them set-up with a service, or get them qualified for a support.   

Don’t let non-replies and rejection letters get you down.  Be the squeaky wheel!  Calling more, emailing again, completing forms online on time gets the individual’s file back on top of the tall pile.   Be squeaky! 

Typical Mistakes & Frustrations

Mistake #1- Not having an accountability partner

Studies show that when someone sets a goal, writes it down, tells someone, and then shares updates on their progress with others they are considerably more likely to achieve that goal.  If the goal is to get the individual on the PUNS list, please know that it may feel hard, frustrating, and like it may never happen, but don’t lose hope.   Designate someone to check in with about the journey to keep you both accountable and moving forward.  

Mistake #2- Assuming complete responsibility for an individual with no timeline for transition

Accessing benefits (services, supports, funding, etc.) puts the benefit in the individual’s name, making them the ‘holder’ of the support.  This is key!   If they hold the support then no matter what happens to those around them, they will have the stability of the support that they ‘hold.’ 

There are endless ‘What if’s…’ that can be thrown in as examples, and while wanting to completely provide for an individual likely feels best and most natural, if the individual will outlive their caregiver, then an eventual transition is inevitable.   The more the individual can ‘own’ (health insurance, consistent funding, etc.) the less jarring a future change will be.  

Mistake #3- Not truly knowing the individual’s disability/test scores

When applying for benefits testing scores and results are hard lines.  Having a ‘hunch’ there is an underlying disability doesn’t make the individual eligible for support.  Believing the individual has a learning disability when a report lists a 63 IQ will disqualify them from accessing benefits because of misinformation.  

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Whatever the disability, review old doctor’s records and IEP school staff (school psychologist, speech therapist, social worker, occupational therapist, physical therapist, vision/hearing itinerant, nurse, etc.) report summaries to find the testing evidence of the disability and scores.   If you can’t find what you are looking for, reach out to the individual’s doctors or school staff to request the most recent testing reports.  This will help narrow the scope of the search.  

Frustration #1- Scrambling when tragedy strikes

Peace of mind is invaluable.  The worry of ‘how will they be cared for’ is something that can be prepared for ahead of time.  Each individual (and family) will have different needs that are ‘must do’s’ to feel truly prepared for worst case scenario.  Whatever they may be, getting the benefit secured and set-up with notes for maintenance equals a checkmark for done! 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are ‘services, supports, and funding’?

Adult services or benefits, as they are also called, may look like (but not limited to):

• Hiring a personal care worker to assist with personal hygiene and daily activities in the home setting
• Attending a recreational day program 2-3 days a week
• Requesting door-to-door transportation service to attend an appointment
• Paying a job coach to assist at a volunteer placement
• Securing a respite worker to join the individual in an activity of their choice

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When should I start accessing these supports, services, and funding?

Some support services can be accessed at any age, some are only available for individuals younger than 18, and some for individuals over 18.   Each email will outline the ‘best’ time to access that benefit.

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It’s important to take into account how comfortable the individual and family is with their current set-up.  If it works, then they may choose to access a benefit later than what is suggested.   This is their choice and for most benefits (except PUNS), the only consequence* for accessing later than suggested is the perceived loss of the eligible service. 

*Another consequence is the stress of accessing a benefit during or after a tragedy.  

What services, supports, and funding will this email series cover?

The benefit guide posts are linked below for you to read, re-read, reference, and digest when and where you want to!

1. PUNS
2. SSI benefits (Supplemental Security Income) 
3. Medicaid health benefits
4. SSDI benefits /Medicare (Social Security Disability Insurance) 
5. DHS Home Services Funding (Illinois Department of Human Services)
6. Letter of Intent
7. Supported Decision Making
8. Power of Attorney
9. Guardianship
10. ABLE & Special Needs Trust
11. Respite care services
12. Housing options
13. State ID
14. Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)/ Vocational Rehabilitation Services
15. College Supports & Experience programs