OAKBROOK TERRACE – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) is hosting an event in Elmhurst offering free, safe discarding services.

Shredding trucks will be available at York Commons, located at 665 S. York Rd., from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or until the trucks are full on Saturday, Aug. 21. A limit of two boxes of documents per car will be encouraged.

“Securely discarding vulnerable documents is a strong effort to protect yourself and your family from identity fraud,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Many of us have piles of old, unnecessary documents cluttering our homes, and I encourage families to take advantage of this free community event to safely dispose unwanted papers containing personal information.”

Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be safely discarded include bank statements, outdated medical records, tax returns, utility bills, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts.

For more information, call Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177.

SPRINGFIELD – More survivors of violent crime will be able to keep their home addresses private as participants in the Illinois Address Confidentiality Program under a new law by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) that expands protections for survivors of human trafficking.

“Violent crime survivors undergo substantial emotional and mental trauma,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By adding human trafficking to the list of crimes protected by the ACP, we’re offering survivors some peace of mind that their sensitive personal information is safe and protected against abusers.”

Glowiak Hilton’s law strengthens the ACP managed by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office by allowing survivors of human trafficking to participate and keep their addresses private.

Originally, the ACP was established to protect the locations of domestic violence survivors. Last year, Glowiak Hilton passed a law expanding protections for survivors of sexual assault and stalking, and she has now expanded the law to allow human trafficking survivors to opt in as well.

Currently, the ACP provides survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and their household members with a substitute address to use in place of their actual home, school and work addresses in public records. This helps survivors prevent their former abusers from being able to locate them.

For example, the ACP substitute address can be used by participants when creating or updating public records, such as driver’s license or state-issued identification card.

“Expanding the ACP is an integral part of a safety plan for survivors to feel protected in their communities,” Glowiak Hilton said. “This proposal works to ensure survivors have a sense of security to allow them to heal without fear of retaliation from their abusers.”

Senate Bill 593 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To help older residents protect their financial futures, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) is hosting two Silver Beat Seminars—one in Elmhurst and one in Westmont.

“We’ve seen numerous scams recently that use deceitful tactics to prey on residents,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By bringing in experts from the attorney general’s office to present and answer questions, we can better guard older residents from falling victim to scams or fraud.”

Glowiak Hilton’s Silver Beat Seminars, featuring representatives from the Illinois attorney general’s office, will be held Friday, Aug. 13. The first will start at 10 a.m. at the Wilder Mansion at 211 S. Prospect Ave. in Elmhurst, and the second will start at noon at Westmont Public Library at 428 N. Cass Ave. in Westmont.

Participants will receive information on protecting themselves from scams, tips to avoid identity theft and other useful financial services information.

“Scammers are known to target older, vulnerable residents,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By attending and participating in a Silver Beat Seminar, residents can learn how to better protect their assets.”

The seminars are not sponsored or endorsed by the Westmont Public Library nor the Elmhurst Park District.

Residents with questions can call Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177 for more information.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – After passing the General Assembly with strong bipartisan support, a new law sponsored by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) will improve student access to mental health education and resources by allowing partnerships between state agencies.

“As our schools recover from numerous pandemic-related challenges, our state must prioritize our students’ well-being,” Glowiak Hilton said. “To ensure children are receiving the best mental health services at school, this proposal allows two key state agencies to work together to improve prevention and treatment resources.”

An initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education, Glowiak Hilton’s law allows board officials to collaborate with the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) to give students access to a wider range of mental health resources at school.

In 2003, Illinois passed the Children’s Mental Health Act to create the ICMHP. The agency advocates for children and their mental health by promoting and ensuring access to services.

“The ICMHP uses a team of experts to make recommendations for Illinois to provide coordinated mental health services for students,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By allowing this collaboration, we’re strengthening our state’s mental health care system and helping connect students with the best prevention and treatment services.”

House Bill 212 is effective immediately.