Public Accountability Report Public Accountability Report

2025 Human Rights Authority
Mission Statement The Human Rights Authority (HRA), through its regional panels of citizen volunteers, provides a non-litigious forum for investigating rights complaints on behalf of persons with disabilities receiving disability-related services for the purpose of promoting systemic changes that enhance disability rights protections.
Program Goals and Objectives
  1. The HRA will advocate for human rights protections for persons with disabilities.
    1. The HRA will accept for investigation cases of disability rights violations involving service-providing agencies.
    2. The HRA will continue to meet its mandates, complete all required paperwork, and maintain a file for each HRA case.
    3. The regional HRAs will recruit and maintain panels of nine HRA members (81 total members) who are appointed by the Commissioners and who will carry out the HRA mission. In each region, three members will be service-provider representatives: one from the field of mental health; one from the field of developmental disabilities; and one from the field of vocational training or rehabilitation services. The remaining six members will be consumers, family members, and interested citizens.
    4. HRA panels will meet at least six times during the fiscal year to review complaints for acceptance, conduct investigations, determine case findings, issue recommendations, and negotiate for changes in services.
    5. An HRA coordinator will be assigned to each regional HRA to provide support to HRA members.
    6. At least four times each fiscal year, the Commission or its designee will consider HRA member appointments, reappointments, enforcement referrals, and other HRA action items.
  2. The HRA will ensure positive, systemic changes in the policies and practices of service providers as a result of the HRA investigative process.
    1. On an annual basis, HRAs will issue reports of findings that will list a recommendation for each substantiated finding.
    2. Every year, service providers will respond to and comply with the recommendations issued.
  3. The HRA will foster a resolution process that focuses on negotiated solutions rather than confrontation.
    1. The Commission will consider enforcement referrals for recommendations not implemented by service providers.
    2. The HRA will work with providers to reach negotiated conclusions in which a majority of recommendations are accepted and implemented.
  4. The HRA will deliver quality services by utilizing staff and members who are knowledgeable about disability rights and issues.
    1. Training will be offered to HRA staff every year on topics reflective of HRA case issues.
    2. Training will be offered to newly appointed HRA members.
    3. HRA staff will complete annual ethics, Open Meetings Act, and Freedom of Information Act training.
    4. Annual training on the Open Meetings Act will be offered to HRA members.
  5. The HRA will conduct continuous reviews of its effectiveness and efficiency.
    1. HRA members will attend public HRA meetings and participate in case investigations.
    2. The HRA will conserve state resources and monitor the cost per recipient benefited from HRA case findings.
    3. The HRA will conserve state resources and monitor the cost per HRA case handled.
    4. The HRA will utilize technology to promote more efficient program operations.
  6. The HRA will promote public awareness of the HRA and disability rights.
    1. The HRA will maintain a description of the program and a listing of regional meeting dates and locations on the Commission web page.
    2. Regional authorities will send press releases about the HRA to the media prior to regional HRA meetings.
    3. Every fiscal year, regional HRAs will handle inquiries through the Commission intake system.
    4. Each fiscal year, regional HRAs will participate in community public awareness activities and events.
Source of Funds General Revenue Fund, Guardianship and Advocacy Fund Statutory Authority 20 ILCS 3955/14 to 3955/29
Fiscal Year 2026 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2025 Actual Fiscal Year 2025 Target/Projected Fiscal Year 2024 Actual Fiscal Year 2023 Actual
Input Indicators
Total expenditures - all sources (in thousands) (a) $ 1,912.4 $ 1,667.9 $ 1,486.0 $ 1,353.0 $ 1,189.6
Total expenditures - state appropriated funds (in thousands) (a) $ 1,912.4 $ 1,667.9 $ 1,486.0 $ 1,353.0 $ 1,189.6
Average monthly full-time equivalents (a) 14.0 13.0 14.0 13.0 12.0
Number of volunteer hours HRA members contribute to the HRA 1,500 1,742 1,500 1,383 1,521
Output Indicators
Number of information and referral inquiries handled 250.0 243.0 200.0 226.0 183.0
Number of cases handled 425.0 432.0 400.0 410.0 355.0
Number of recommendations for improvement issued to service providers for substantiated findings 150.0 147.0 150.0 148.0 176.0
Number of recommendations accepted and implemented by service providers 135.0 145.0 135.0 141.0 162.0
Number of investigative reports of findings 90.0 78.0 90.0 76.0 105.0
Number of internal cross-divisional referrals 20.0 36.0 25.0 28.0 12.0
Outcome Indicators
Percentage of recommendations accepted and implemented by service providers investigated 90.00% 99.00% 90.00% 95.00% 92.00%
Number of persons with disabilities benefiting from recommendations (b) 50,000 90,323 100,000 151,552 79,421
Percentage of cases referred for enforcement action 1.00% 0.20% 1.00% 0.30% 1.00%
Percentage of program staff involved in direct service provision 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Efficiency/Cost-Effectiveness Indicators
Cost per recipient benefited (in dollars) (b) $ 38.25 $ 18.47 $ 15.00 $ 9.00 $ 15.00
Cost per case handled (in dollars) $ 4,500.00 $ 3,861.00 $ 3,715.00 $ 3,300.00 $ 3,351.00
Footnotes
Administrative staff and expenses are prorated into programmatic headcount and expenditures. This measure varies annually depending on the number of persons served by a disability service provider investigated.

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