Important message from the Arc of Illinois

[Guest guest]

The Arc of Illinois

January 9, 2009

Leaders in The Arc:

I continue to be concerned that legislators will be totally consumed

by the impeachment and trial that state government will grind to a

halt and finances for human services will continue to decline. We need

to be persistent that does not happen. I have shared those opinions

with the Chicago Tribune editors. I guess they agree. See Tribune

Editorial below, Arc quoted.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

After he's gone

January 9, 2009

The start of a new legislative session is traditionally a time of

grand ambition. With a little vacation (and perhaps an election)

behind them, lawmakers promise this will be the year they revamp

public school financing, reform health care, rescue mass transit, pass

a capital works plan or whatever.

Nobody's talking about any of that now, though. It's all about Gov.

Rod Blagojevich-getting rid of him, that is. Getting things done in

Springfield was hard enough when Blagojevich was merely the governor

dubbed Public Official A. Now he's a governor facing federal

corruption charges and impeachment and he's desperately trying to

prove he's still on top of things.

That's his fantasy. Here is reality: Illinois finances are a disaster.

Comptroller Dan Hynes estimates that the state will come up $3 billion

short of what it needs to pay its bills by the end of the fiscal year

in June. With income and sales taxes-the two biggest sources of

operating revenue-tanking, next year's outlook is not rosy either.

This time last year, Hynes reported that Illinois had more than $1.7

billion in bills it couldn't pay, much of it to health and social

service providers. At the time, it was the highest total ever at the

midpoint of a state fiscal year. Meanwhile, Blagojevich was hyping his

self-declared expansion of medical care, drumming up more patients for

the health-care providers who weren't getting paid on time for the

patients they already had. That's just one example of the sort of

antics that poisoned his relationship with lawmakers.

With the economy worsening, the state found itself more than $4

billion behind by November. Nursing homes, day-care centers,

substance-abuse clinics and programs for disabled peopl! e were s

tretched to their limits, trying to pay their bills while waiting for

the state to pay what it owed them. Many of them fear they'll have to

close their doors.

The state borrowed $1.4 billion to get payments flowing, and Hynes

says it now takes 49 days to pay a bill instead of 71.

But some group homes are four to six months behind in getting paid.

Many of them have tapped millions of dollars in credit to make their

payments, and some can't get any more credit, says Tony auski,

executive director of The Arc of Illinois, which advocates for the

disabled.

The state faces an emergency. But it's not going to begin to fix it

until it concludes the matter of Rod Blagojevich.

, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive

emails from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from

another party or sent to an email address that is different than the

one asked to be removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Guest guest]

Becky said this is a good place to find housing too. -- In

IPADDUnite , " ellenbronfeld " <egskb@...> wrote:

>

> The Arc of Illinois

>

>

>

> January 9, 2009

>

>

>

> Leaders in The Arc:

>

>

>

> I continue to be concerned that legislators will be totally consumed

> by the impeachment and trial that state government will grind to a

> halt and finances for human services will continue to decline. We

need

> to be persistent that does not happen. I have shared those opinions

> with the Chicago Tribune editors. I guess they agree. See Tribune

> Editorial below, Arc quoted.

>

>

>

> Tony auski

>

> The Arc of Illinois

>

> 815-464-1832

>

>

>

> After he's gone

>

> January 9, 2009

>

> The start of a new legislative session is traditionally a time of

> grand ambition. With a little vacation (and perhaps an election)

> behind them, lawmakers promise this will be the year they revamp

> public school financing, reform health care, rescue mass transit,

pass

> a capital works plan or whatever.

>

> Nobody's talking about any of that now, though. It's all about Gov.

> Rod Blagojevich-getting rid of him, that is. Getting things done in

> Springfield was hard enough when Blagojevich was merely the governor

> dubbed Public Official A. Now he's a governor facing federal

> corruption charges and impeachment and he's desperately trying to

> prove he's still on top of things.

>

> That's his fantasy. Here is reality: Illinois finances are a

disaster.

> Comptroller Dan Hynes estimates that the state will come up $3

billion

> short of what it needs to pay its bills by the end of the fiscal

year

> in June. With income and sales taxes-the two biggest sources of

> operating revenue-tanking, next year's outlook is not rosy either.

>

> This time last year, Hynes reported that Illinois had more than $1.7

> billion in bills it couldn't pay, much of it to health and social

> service providers. At the time, it was the highest total ever at the

> midpoint of a state fiscal year. Meanwhile, Blagojevich was hyping

his

> self-declared expansion of medical care, drumming up more patients

for

> the health-care providers who weren't getting paid on time for the

> patients they already had. That's just one example of the sort of

> antics that poisoned his relationship with lawmakers.

>

> With the economy worsening, the state found itself more than $4

> billion behind by November. Nursing homes, day-care centers,

> substance-abuse clinics and programs for disabled peopl! e were s

> tretched to their limits, trying to pay their bills while waiting

for

> the state to pay what it owed them. Many of them fear they'll have

to

> close their doors.

>

> The state borrowed $1.4 billion to get payments flowing, and Hynes

> says it now takes 49 days to pay a bill instead of 71.

>

> But some group homes are four to six months behind in getting paid.

> Many of them have tapped millions of dollars in credit to make their

> payments, and some can't get any more credit, says Tony auski,

> executive director of The Arc of Illinois, which advocates for the

> disabled.

>

> The state faces an emergency. But it's not going to begin to fix it

> until it concludes the matter of Rod Blagojevich.

>

> , Chicago Tribune

>

>

>

>

>

> Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive

> emails from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded

from

> another party or sent to an email address that is different than the

> one asked to be removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

> The Arc of Illinois

> 20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

> fort, IL 60423

>

[Guest guest]

Nothing state can do about anything, ever

Comments<http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/1861141,110309kadner.article#C\

omments_Container>

November 3, 2009

BY PHIL KADNER<mailto:pkadner@...>

Illinois has become the " Can't Do " state. Can't balance the budget. Can't stop

corruption.

Can't adequately fund the public schools.

Can't afford home care for disabled or help the mentally ill.

And it certainly can't figure out how to run a state home for the severely

developmentally disabled.

On Monday, an organization representing families with relatives at the Howe

Developmental Center in Tinley Park launched a petition drive to keep the place

open.

I think these people deserve support. I would like to say the state should keep

the home open.

But the state seems unable to provide adequate care for the Howe residents.

Howe serves about 240 individuals, mostly middle-aged adults. The federal

government decertified the institution about two years ago, meaning the feds no

longer monitor care or provide funding.

The state has been losing about $30 million a year in matching funds as a

result.

Because Illinois ranks near the bottom of the nation in its support for the

developmentally disabled and is facing a roughly $11 billion budget deficit, it

could certainly use that federal money.

But the fact is that there's no evidence that the state knows how to deal with

the developmentally disabled residents or their families.

I find it hard to believe the state could not find an administrator capable of

putting the place in order. We just can't do it, the governor has said.

The parents of Howe residents are often senior citizens, sometimes in their 70s

or 80s, and they don't want to transfer their children, adults in their 40s or

50s, to another state-run facility downstate.

The state would like to force the residents into group homes.

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich first ordered the closing of Howe. Gov.

Quinn delayed that order and then reaffirmed Blagojevich's decision.

Mainstreaming developmentally disabled people is generally a good idea, but

those at Howe are not likely to be visiting neighborhood parks, shopping at

local stores or participating in community activities. They're quality of life

is not going to be significantly improved by being placed in a residential

community setting.

The homes they live in at Howe are more like individual apartment buildings.

But there have been real problems at Howe.

Residents have died under questionable circumstances. Critics claim the staff is

negligent or incompetent.

Administrations have changed but not the quality of care. It simply appears

beyond the ability of the state to cope with the situation.

It seems like its beyond the ability of the state to cope with any situation

these days.

And that bothers me.

When you pay taxes to a state, it seems to me you have a right to expect your

money to do some good. I'm not sure what good the state is doing these days.

I understand these are difficult economic times. However, the problems at Howe,

of funding the schools, of helping the mentally ill, even of funding public

transportation, have been going on for years.

The Committee to Save the Howe Developmental Center claims to have the support

of U.S. Rep. Jr. (D-2nd), three state senators, 11 state

representatives, two Cook County commissioners and the mayors of more than a

dozen Southland communities, as well as the AFSCME union that represents Howe

employees.

Well, what have all of these folks done over the years to solve the problems at

Howe? There has been no solution to its problems. That much is clear.

In part, it seems the state set up Howe to fail because it wanted to rid itself

of this responsibility. By spreading the problems out among dozens of group

homes, operated by different entities, nobody would would ever notice these

developmentally disabled people again.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough group homes around to accommodate all the

residents of Howe.

The state's going to have to pay for that, and it will cost millions of dollars.

And the state has no money.

Even if the economy recovered overnight, even if the state had billions of

dollars in extra revenue to spend, I'm not convinced it could do the job right.

I'm not sure it can do anything right.

Democrats blame Republicans, Republicans blame Democrats, the new governor

blames the old governor and the guys who want to be governor blame the guy who

is in charge.

" They're all crooks, " the man on the street tells me all of the time.

I wish that were the problem. That would mean an honest man could change things.

The families of Howe want help. They want someone to throw them a life

preserver.

All anyone drowning in Illinois ever seems to get is an anchor.

Nothing can be done, the people are told.

About anything. Ever.

From: IPADDUnite [mailto:IPADDUnite ] On Behalf

Of ellenbronfeld

Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 3:19 PM

IPADDUnite

Subject: Important Message from the Arc of Illinois

If you believe that Howe should close you may want attend this very important

hearing...

Ellen

The Arc of Illinois

November 2, 2009

Leaders in The Arc:

Another effort is underway to keep Howe open! See story below.

We understand there will be another hearing on the Howe closure. The hearing is

scheduled for Monday, November 16th, 1:00 to 4:30,at the Tinley Park Library

7851 Timber Drive, Tinley Park, 60487.

Advocates need to be ready once again to keep this institution closed!

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Chicago Tribune

November 2, 2009

Group seeks to stop closing of Tinley Park's Howe Center

A coalition of state and local leaders, union representatives and families of

developmentally disabled adults has launched an effort to block the closing of

the embattled Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park.

Gov. Quinn announced he intended to close Howe, home to about 250 adults with

disabilities, in August, after mounting pressure from a number of disabled care

advocacy groups and watchdog agencies.

For years, critics had argued that Howe was plagued by a systemic pattern of

neglect and substandard care that contributed to the deaths of at least 31

disabled adults since 2005. Howe had been operating without Medicaid

certification since 2007, forcing the state to pump in millions more dollars a

year to keep the facility open.

Earlier this year, Gov. Quinn assigned a special consultant to independently

investigate some of the watchdogs' claims. In June, the consultant recommended

that Howe be shut down.

Howe's supporters, who included many families with loved ones at Howe, said the

facility's problems have been exaggerated and politicized. The coalition they

helped found includes backing from the American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees Council 31, which represents Howe's nearly 700 employees,

U.S. Rep. Jr., three state senators and 11 state representatives,

two Cook County commissioners, and elected officials of more than a dozen south

suburban communities.

The coalition is gathering signatures urging Quinn to reverse his decision on

Howe, which is slated to close by spring.

-- Hood

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails from

us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another party or sent

to an email address that is different than the one asked to be removed. DO NOT

REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Guest guest]

Nothing state can do about anything, ever

Comments<http://www.southtownstar.com/news/kadner/1861141,110309kadner.article#C\

omments_Container>

November 3, 2009

BY PHIL KADNER<mailto:pkadner@...>

Illinois has become the " Can't Do " state. Can't balance the budget. Can't stop

corruption.

Can't adequately fund the public schools.

Can't afford home care for disabled or help the mentally ill.

And it certainly can't figure out how to run a state home for the severely

developmentally disabled.

On Monday, an organization representing families with relatives at the Howe

Developmental Center in Tinley Park launched a petition drive to keep the place

open.

I think these people deserve support. I would like to say the state should keep

the home open.

But the state seems unable to provide adequate care for the Howe residents.

Howe serves about 240 individuals, mostly middle-aged adults. The federal

government decertified the institution about two years ago, meaning the feds no

longer monitor care or provide funding.

The state has been losing about $30 million a year in matching funds as a

result.

Because Illinois ranks near the bottom of the nation in its support for the

developmentally disabled and is facing a roughly $11 billion budget deficit, it

could certainly use that federal money.

But the fact is that there's no evidence that the state knows how to deal with

the developmentally disabled residents or their families.

I find it hard to believe the state could not find an administrator capable of

putting the place in order. We just can't do it, the governor has said.

The parents of Howe residents are often senior citizens, sometimes in their 70s

or 80s, and they don't want to transfer their children, adults in their 40s or

50s, to another state-run facility downstate.

The state would like to force the residents into group homes.

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich first ordered the closing of Howe. Gov.

Quinn delayed that order and then reaffirmed Blagojevich's decision.

Mainstreaming developmentally disabled people is generally a good idea, but

those at Howe are not likely to be visiting neighborhood parks, shopping at

local stores or participating in community activities. They're quality of life

is not going to be significantly improved by being placed in a residential

community setting.

The homes they live in at Howe are more like individual apartment buildings.

But there have been real problems at Howe.

Residents have died under questionable circumstances. Critics claim the staff is

negligent or incompetent.

Administrations have changed but not the quality of care. It simply appears

beyond the ability of the state to cope with the situation.

It seems like its beyond the ability of the state to cope with any situation

these days.

And that bothers me.

When you pay taxes to a state, it seems to me you have a right to expect your

money to do some good. I'm not sure what good the state is doing these days.

I understand these are difficult economic times. However, the problems at Howe,

of funding the schools, of helping the mentally ill, even of funding public

transportation, have been going on for years.

The Committee to Save the Howe Developmental Center claims to have the support

of U.S. Rep. Jr. (D-2nd), three state senators, 11 state

representatives, two Cook County commissioners and the mayors of more than a

dozen Southland communities, as well as the AFSCME union that represents Howe

employees.

Well, what have all of these folks done over the years to solve the problems at

Howe? There has been no solution to its problems. That much is clear.

In part, it seems the state set up Howe to fail because it wanted to rid itself

of this responsibility. By spreading the problems out among dozens of group

homes, operated by different entities, nobody would would ever notice these

developmentally disabled people again.

Unfortunately, there aren't enough group homes around to accommodate all the

residents of Howe.

The state's going to have to pay for that, and it will cost millions of dollars.

And the state has no money.

Even if the economy recovered overnight, even if the state had billions of

dollars in extra revenue to spend, I'm not convinced it could do the job right.

I'm not sure it can do anything right.

Democrats blame Republicans, Republicans blame Democrats, the new governor

blames the old governor and the guys who want to be governor blame the guy who

is in charge.

" They're all crooks, " the man on the street tells me all of the time.

I wish that were the problem. That would mean an honest man could change things.

The families of Howe want help. They want someone to throw them a life

preserver.

All anyone drowning in Illinois ever seems to get is an anchor.

Nothing can be done, the people are told.

About anything. Ever.

From: IPADDUnite [mailto:IPADDUnite ] On Behalf

Of ellenbronfeld

Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 3:19 PM

IPADDUnite

Subject: Important Message from the Arc of Illinois

If you believe that Howe should close you may want attend this very important

hearing...

Ellen

The Arc of Illinois

November 2, 2009

Leaders in The Arc:

Another effort is underway to keep Howe open! See story below.

We understand there will be another hearing on the Howe closure. The hearing is

scheduled for Monday, November 16th, 1:00 to 4:30,at the Tinley Park Library

7851 Timber Drive, Tinley Park, 60487.

Advocates need to be ready once again to keep this institution closed!

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Chicago Tribune

November 2, 2009

Group seeks to stop closing of Tinley Park's Howe Center

A coalition of state and local leaders, union representatives and families of

developmentally disabled adults has launched an effort to block the closing of

the embattled Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park.

Gov. Quinn announced he intended to close Howe, home to about 250 adults with

disabilities, in August, after mounting pressure from a number of disabled care

advocacy groups and watchdog agencies.

For years, critics had argued that Howe was plagued by a systemic pattern of

neglect and substandard care that contributed to the deaths of at least 31

disabled adults since 2005. Howe had been operating without Medicaid

certification since 2007, forcing the state to pump in millions more dollars a

year to keep the facility open.

Earlier this year, Gov. Quinn assigned a special consultant to independently

investigate some of the watchdogs' claims. In June, the consultant recommended

that Howe be shut down.

Howe's supporters, who included many families with loved ones at Howe, said the

facility's problems have been exaggerated and politicized. The coalition they

helped found includes backing from the American Federation of State, County and

Municipal Employees Council 31, which represents Howe's nearly 700 employees,

U.S. Rep. Jr., three state senators and 11 state representatives,

two Cook County commissioners, and elected officials of more than a dozen south

suburban communities.

The coalition is gathering signatures urging Quinn to reverse his decision on

Howe, which is slated to close by spring.

-- Hood

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails from

us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another party or sent

to an email address that is different than the one asked to be removed. DO NOT

REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423