Morrison commends Maryville Academy on grant to help serve vulnerable youth

DEERFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is congratulating Maryville Academy in Des Plaines on receiving a $200,000 state grant for a six bed expansion to serve at-risk adolescent females.

“Maryville and the other recipients of this grant have the critical job of serving the most vulnerable of our youth,” said Morrison, who has worked for years to improve the quality of care received by youth served by the Department of Children and Family Services. “It’s great that this grant will allow them to serve more young women.”

These DCFS-awarded Residential Capital Improvement Grants were funded by the General Assembly to increase bed capacity and program funding for medically complex youth and youth with severe mental health issues. 

“Expanding residential homes like Maryville means that girls and young women of Illinois get the help they need,” Morrison said. “With the ongoing public health crisis, supporting these populations is more important than ever.” 

Six residential and group homes were awarded grants, totaling $866,000, to help replace some of the more than 500 residential beds the state has lost in recent years.

Senators Morrison, Johnson congratulate local museums for grant award

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. —State Senators Julie Morrison and Adriane Johnson are congratulating a number of Lake County-based museums who were awarded part of a $22.8 billion grant to improve facilities and develop new exhibits. 

“Museums serve as a place for people to explore, families to bond and children to learn,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Due to the ongoing public health crisis, many of these outstanding facilities have lost money, despite continuing to share their facilities with the public through new virtual ways.” 

Buffalo Grove Park District was one of more than three dozen institutions to receive part of the $22.8 million in funding. The Educational Gardens at The Nature Classroom program through the park district received $246,000. 

“Museums and the exhibits and programs they offer help tell a story of our community and state’s history,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “The additional funding will allow these institutions to expand, grow and create more opportunities for Lake County residents and all who visit.”

The Illinois Public Museum Capital Grants Program, spearheaded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, was open to any museum operated by a local government or located on municipally-owned land.

The  Waukegan History Museum Expansion at the Carnegie Center through the Waukegan Park District, located in the district Johnson represents, also received $750,000 in assistance through the grant program. 

Additionally, the Chicago Botanic Garden, located in the district Morrison represents, received $750,000 for water main improvements. 

For more information on the Museum Capital Grant Program, visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resource’s website.

Morrison congratulates Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center on national re-accreditation

DEERFIELD – As a steadfast advocate of helping underserved children, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is excited to congratulate the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center on achieving re-accreditation from the National Children’s Alliance. 

The Lake County Children's Advocacy Center is a safe, child-focused environment where a child visits after police or the Department of Children and Family Services believes the child is being abused. The child tells their story to the trained interviewer, who then works with a team to help the child. 

“The Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center serves as a guardian angel and an extra set of eyes the most at-risk children in our communities,” Morrison said. “This re-accreditation is a tremendous and well-deserved honor that will allow it to continue to bring great services to our community.” 

Receiving accreditation guarantees the advocacy center is providing the most consistent and evidence-based interventions to the children served. Additionally, it shows the advocacy center is at the forefront of best practices to help children who are abused and mistreated. 

To become accredited, the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center had to meet a number of standards including, but not limited to, victim support and advocacy, child focused settings, mental health services, and multi-disciplinary team representation. The Lake County-based group is the second largest performing children’s advocacy center in Illinois and has become a pilot location for other advocacy centers in the state.

“[We acknowledge] the extensive work the center and team has completed to demonstrate through both written documentation and observed practice that the CAC is in compliance with national accreditation standards,” the National Children’s Alliance said in its re-accreditation letter. “The standards and their accompanying criteria ensure that children and families in your community receive effective, efficient, relevant and compassionate services.”

Due to its accreditation, the center received $367,000 to help families across the county. Services include a juvenile advocate, two on-site mental health providers, and additional staff from the state’s attorney’s office. The Department of Children and Family Services is on site to participate in the Forensic Interview process, as well.

Morrison: 19 businesses in 29th District received help, but more should apply

DEERFIELD –State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is pleased to learn 19 businesses in the district she represents have received financial assistance from the Business Interruption Grant program to help offset financial losses stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and she is encouraging more to apply.

“Small business owners have been some of the people hardest hit by the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Morrison said. “These funds will help them keep their doors open and their employees paid while keeping the community safe.”

Nearly 20 businesses in the district Morrison represents received a combined $700,000. Each business received between $5,000 and $150,000 to be used to help cover the costs of payroll, rent, utilities and other working capital during the time they have experienced interruptions due to the pandemic.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded the grants last week, as part of the second round of BIG Grants. However, applications will remain open until all of the funding is spent.

“Although these grants are extremely helpful, nothing beats support of the local community,” Morrison said. “I encourage people to continue to shop at their local small businesses, especially when shopping for the holidays.”

The BIG program is the largest state-run economic support program formed in response to the financial losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Applications are available on the DCEO’s website.