Ben Wolf, Associate Legal Director

Congratulations to Ben Wolf, the ACLU of Illinois' Associate Legal Director and Chief Legal Counsel of the Institutionalized Persons Project, who was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Ben is celebrated for his work on three community integration cases for adults with developmental disabilities, Colbert v. Quinn, Williams v. Quinn, and Ligas v. Hamos, as part of the Institutionalized Persons Project, which provides legal representation to Illinois residents of prisons, jails, mental health centers, developmental centers and institutions for children, such as group homes and foster homes. Most recently, in the case of Colbert v. Quinn, a proposed agreement was reached that will allow adults with disabilities who are capable of living independently the option to move out of institutions, and the choice about where they wish to live.

Read more about winners of the NASW Illinois Statewide Awards.