Governor Quinn is making more cuts. The state will save money by increasing payment delays even more. All human service grants will be cut: 32 people at SU are served under these grants. More cuts to our main funder, the Department of Human Services. We still don’t know how much our funding will be this year, though we have gone to the expense of providing those services since July 1. While community services suffer, state institutional capacity will not be reduced–more expensive, lower quality services will receive resources ahead of lower cost, higher quality services that allow people to live in their own communities.
Other agencies may be helping to fill the void, but the closing of ODC in Bloomington was a tragic loss in the lives of so many. Many other agencies have closed around the state, and conditions continue to worsen. It’s a simple reality that Illinois must reduce its spending, but that means resources should be directed toward the most critical services. The scariest thing I’ve seen is a plan the state is preparing on how to deal with group home residents when the agency serving them has to close due to state funding.
I wish that I had put things into words so well.