Fw: Arc and COGFA Vote Fails to Support Closing ville

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Arc and COGFA Vote Fails to Support Closing villeFYI

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc and COGFA Vote Fails to Support Closing ville

The Arc is disappointed by the COGFA vote this morning on the

closing of the state institution in ville. Is this email not displaying

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Dear Ellen,

The Commission on Government Forecasting &

Accountability (COGFA) voted not to support the closing of ville

Developmental Center by a vote of 7-4. Those voting to supporting the closure of

ville were Senators Schoenberg, Trotter and Frerichs and Representative

Nekritz. Those opposing the closing were Senators Schmidt, Syverson and

Representatives Bellock, McCarthy, Poe, Riley and Tryon.

The other recommended closures were also not supported

by COGFA which included votes on the Logan Correctional Center and Tinley Park

Mental Health Center. While voting not to support the closures, many of the

members of COGFA realized the importance of re-balancing the Disability System

and hope to see a plan with more reasonable time frames for closing state

institutions.

To date, COGFA has not supported any of the seven

closures recommended by the Governor, including the Mabley Developmental Center

in Dixon.

The COGFA vote is advisory to the Governor.

As you already know, the Governor unvailed a new closure

plan yesterday calling for the closing of four State Developmental Centers and

two Mental Health Centers. The Arc supports this new initiative. We believe it

has more reasonable time frames for closing which should result in a better

transition for the people living in those state institutions which have yet to

be named.

At this time COGFA has not been requested to consider

this new initiative.

Special thanks to Arc Board Member Susy Woods for

covering and reporting on the COGFA hearing this morning!

Story from the ville Courier follows on the

Governor's new initiative for closing four state institutions follows.

Tony

enlarge

STF

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn speaks with reporters in his

office at the Illinois State Capitol Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 in Springfield, Ill.

An ambitious fall veto session is under way at the Illinois Capitol and Quinn

says proposed changes haven't weakened his opposition to legislation that would

raise electricity rates. (AP

Quinn puts forward 'rebalancing initiative'

November 10, 2011 6:00 AM

CODY BOZARTH

Facing general disapproval of his plan to shutter seven

state facilities, Gov. Pat Quinn is now presenting a long-term idea to close

some state facilities.

While not explicitly targeting the ville

Developmental Center, a “rebalancing initiative†being put forward by the

governor outlines a plan to close up to four developmental centers and at least

two mental health facilities in the next two-and-a-half years. It would also

move at least 600 residents of developmental centers into community settings.

This plan is being circulated among members of the

General Assembly just before Commission on Government Forecasting and

Accountability makes its advisory votes on the final three of seven facilities

proposed for closure. But the governor says it’s not a new plan.

Brie Callahan, spokeswoman for the governor’s office,

said this approach is what has been Quinn’s preference from the start and a

plan that might be implemented if funds are reallocated to keep the seven

facilities open.

“The document represents the administration’s

long-term plan for the most safe, responsible transition to community care and

facility closure,†she said. “This would be our long-term plan if, after

working collaboratively with the General Assembly, we are able achieve a

reallocation of funds to allow us to operate facilities for the rest of this

fiscal year.â€

She said if funds are not reallocated, the governor will

be forced to follow through with his plan to close seven state facilities.

Quinn has in the past said the General Assembly has not

provided enough funding in the budget to keep all DHS facilities open and it

needs to reallocate about $140 million to keep them all open for another fiscal

year.

Dan Long, COGFA executive director, said the long-term

plan has never been brought up or discussed throughout the entire process it has

to follow for facility closures.

“I don’t know what this thing is. It’s something

they’re throwing it out there at the eleventh hour,†Long said. “Some of

the people from DHS maybe has gone around and talked about whatever this is to

some of our members ... but COGFA has never had a meeting on it. It’s not been

presented to us.â€

The governor’s rebalancing initiative follows several

steps which would be initiated in the 2012 fiscal year.

The plan involves selecting one of the state’s eight

developmental centers for closure and halting admissions. Assessment of all

residents and development of transition care plans would begin in December and

20 residents a month would be transferred starting in January until the first

developmental center is able to be closed. The process would then repeat until

up to four centers are closed.

On Oct. 27, COGFA cast votes against closing a juvenile

detention center in sboro, a developmental center in Dixon and mental

health facilities in Chester and Rockford.

At 8 a.m. today, the commission will vote on closure of

ville’s facility as well as a correctional facility in Lincoln and a

mental health center in Tinley Park.

These votes are advisory and not incumbent on Quinn.

Tony auski

Executive Director

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209

fort, IL 60423

815-464-1832 (OFFICE)

708-828-0188 (CELL)

Tony@...

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