HR0888 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0888 LRB104 21833 ECR 37616 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Betty Lindquist on the occasion of her retirement in the field of special education after decades of service; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist began her special education career while working for the Lake County Juvenile Probation Department in the mid-1970s; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist formed Counseling Connections in 1982 to focus on providing mental health services for children and adolescents as well as children in the juvenile court system, and she wrote a program to help families going through divorce with difficult child custody issues; her practice started with two therapists and one special education advocate, and it has grown into one of the largest private mental health practices for children and adolescents in Lake County; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist established the first of five nonpublic therapeutic special education day schools in Waukegan in 1998 to support children with mental health issues in pursuing their education in the least restrictive environment possible, and her schools have expanded geographic access to services for special education students in Lake, McHenry, DuPage, and Cook counties; in addition, she created two programs specializing in students with autism and started the first virtual school in Illinois for students with school refusal; since their creation, her schools have helped thousands of special education students successfully return to their home school setting or graduate within a therapeutic day school; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist also joined the Illinois Association of Private Special Education Centers (IAPSEC) in 1998, where she became chair of Membership, served as chair of the Legislative Committee from 2019 to 2026, and was active in all facets of IAPSEC; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist worked tirelessly to increase IAPSEC membership, actively met with legislators throughout the State on behalf of the most severely disabled special education students, and worked consistently on funding, Part 401 Rules, restraint and time-out, and committee testimony; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist's passion has always been to help children with mental health issues; in the process, she has guided and supported countless special education directors and administrators in both public and nonpublic programs, becoming a relentless advocate for students, families, and equity throughout her career; and

WHEREAS, Betty Lindquist is the wife of the late Stephen Katz, the mother of two daughters, and a grandmother of five; outside of work duties, she is an avid golfer and gardener who enjoys splitting her time between Illinois and Florida; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Betty Lindquist on her retirement from the field of special education after decades of dedicated service, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Betty Lindquist as a symbol of our esteem and respect.