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The Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission fulfills four core roles: 1. Office of State Guardian (OSG) Substituted Decision-Maker: *Provides guardianship for individuals with a disability who would not have a guardian otherwise (court finds no family or other individuals willing or able to help) *Provides Information & Referral assistance related to guardianship inquiries through its toll-free intake line *Offers training on guardianship and guardianship alternatives 2. Legal Advocacy Service (LAS)--Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: *Acts as legal advocate for those with mental health conditions to protect their mental health rights *Handles appeals of civil mental health court cases *Educates the public on mental health rights *Assists with advanced directives (Living Will, Mental Health Treatment Preference Declaration, Power of Attorney for Health Care, and Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) 3. Human Rights Authority (HRA)--Citizens Helping Citizens: Assists those whose human rights have been violated in treatment/assisted-living facilities and other settings *Investigates the complaints of disability rights violations that involve- -A person with a disability (any age, any type of disability) -Disability rights protected by law, regulations, or policies -A disability service provider Anyone can file a complaint by contacting the Commission or filing an online complaint 4. Special Education Initiative: A Collaboration of LAS and HRA: *Created to help families navigate special education through training, advocacy, and legal support