Message from the Arc of Illinois

[Guest guest]

The Arc of Illinois

June 10, 2009

Leaders in The Arc:

Human Services advocates met with the Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune

yesterday. We discussed the impact the " doomsday " budget would have on human

services and it was not a pretty picture! It was an excellent exchange between

the board and advocates. We met for over an hour!

I have made arrangements to meet with the Editorial Board of the Daily Herald

next week. I hope you are working with the media in your area talking about cuts

of services to individuals with disabilities and their families.

Here are the talking points I used with the Chicago Tribune that you can modify

and use with legislators and the media in your area.

After the Legislative Leaders and the Governor met yesterday in Chicago, the

Governor said they would get together again next Tuesday. No urgency on their

part! The Governor also stated that budget cuts will require the layoffs of

200,000 staff in the non-profit community!

Today I head to the Capitol to meet with Director Teninty and other advocates.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Do the math! The FY 2009 budget for the Department of Human Services is $4

billion.

The FY 2010 " doomsday " budget for DHS is $1.6 billion!!!

That will require the cutting of $2.4 billion from the DHS budget alone!

According to Governor Quinn, 200,000 non-profit jobs will be eliminated

Developmental disabilities are a life long condition. DD included intellectual

disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, etc. it affects 1 in 63.

There are 220,000 infants, children & adults with DD.

There are now over 17,000 children and adults on the waiting list.

Illinois is ranked 51st and 47th. It is an extremely underfunded community

system.

In the community DD system there are about 36,000 direct care staff. They are

minority women, with children, working two jobs just above the poverty level.

Our staff is the working poor.

Local Arc Chapters are often the top employer in their local communities. We are

defiantly an economic engine in our communities. The local economy will suffer

is services are cut or eliminated.

Insert here your organizations budget and the number of full and part time staff

your employ.

Also insert similar numbers for organizations in your area.

In the DD system, all recent expert report after report point out that we spend

our ineffectively and inefficiently on state & community Institutions.

The whole human service safety network is at risk with an $8.5 billion deficit.

We are being told that cuts of 50% to 75% will not be uncommon and services that

are not matched by Medicaid will not be funded.

What will happen:

1. Infants, children & adults are going to lose current services.

2. Programs will shut down.

3. Staff will be laid off.

4. Payments delays for providers will get worse.

5. Some community organizations may go out of business.

6. Class Action Lawsuits will increase

a. Ligas

b. ADA

c. Olmstead

What will be cut:

Community Grants

Small and Large Group Homes

Day Training

Workshop, Employment & Supported Employment

Family Support

Case Management

State Institutions

Everything in the developmental disability system

OUR MESSAGE

The entire human service safety network is at risk in Illinois!

We need permanent new revenue such as the state income tax and more. The Tribune

should not support a state budget that cuts important human services.

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