Fw: Advocacy Alert - Fall Veto Session

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Advocacy Alert - Fall Veto SessionFor anyone inclined to visit, call or write

their legislators, here are some excellent talking points on the current issues

effecting individuals with I/DD...

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Advocacy Alert - Fall Veto Session

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Advocacy Alert - Fall Veto Session

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The General Assembly will reconvene this coming Tuesday, October

25th for its Fall Veto Session. For far too long, four straight years to be

specific, the state’s budget has been balanced on the backs of community-based

human services providers, and the individuals with intellectual/developmental

disabilities, mental illness, and substance use dependencies they serve. This

two week session gives the General Assembly an opportunity to restore vital

funding to the community-based system of services and supports.

The unintentional $30 million cut to community-based mental health

services in this year’s budget is not only unacceptable, it makes it extremely

difficult for community-based mental health providers to continue offering

support. Combine that fact with the influx of individuals that will be expected

to transfer to the community as a result of the consent decree and the

closure of three state mental health facilities, and our state will have made an

already troublesome situation much worse.

Also, the current budget for community-based services for kids and

adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities is at least $75 million

short, and will result in the state running out of money to pay providers this

upcoming Spring. The implementation of the Ligas consent decree and the

potential closure of two state developmental centers will require the community

to increase capacity to care for those individuals. The state cannot afford to

assume these processes will be possible without a sufficient funding increase,

and we need to at a minimum get back to FY11 funding levels just to serve the

individuals that are currently being served in the community.

We also note that the General Assembly intended to only cut funding

for community-based addiction treatment and prevention services in the current

budget. However, a miscommunication lead to an actual cut of 22%! These

programs have been hit especially hard in past budgets, and can’t take another

hit like this without destabilizing the services. The General Assembly needs to

address this error by restoring $28 million in mistaken cuts to community-based

addiction treatment & prevention services.

The upcoming Veto Session is our legislators’ opportunity to

restore critical funding to community-based services and supports for children

and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental illness, and

substance use dependencies; and it is imperative that those funding restorations

are at the forefront of their minds. The best way to ensure their awareness is

through direct public input. To join in our grassroots advocacy, follow the

link below. It will take you to the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation

Facilities’ Grassroots Action Center where you will be provided with

legislator contact information, as well as talking points to share with them.

Join Our Efforts

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