For the last several weeks, I have been chairing hearings into the impacts and effects of cuts to programs and services that would be imposed by Governor Rauner’s FY16 proposed budget. As an Appropriation Chair and Budget Oversight Committee member, I have been examining effects on healthcare, human services, seniors, children and public health. Other committees have been focusing on the proposed 31% cuts higher education, slashing of student assistance and MAP Grants, public safety etc.
As the head of each agency comes before us, they try to present their proposed budget in the best light. Obscured behind references to phrases like ‘changes in eligibility’ or ‘service reduction’ or comments that families who lose supports in one department might just transfer to some other program or service is the fact that these cuts are very often devastating and take away every option a youth, senior or family might have to thrive and be successful in the community. That is the scope and breadth of what is facing us all across Illinois.
We have had subject matter experts analyze the impacts of these proposals for us and present us with facts and data. We have also brought in families from across the state to evaluate how these proposed cuts would impact people in real life situations. Here, below, is a small fraction of what we have learned:
Impacts on senior citizens
- $140 million in cuts, capping income eligibility and raising the Determination of Need Score (DON) from 29 to 37 and reducing service hours for the CCP program which allows seniors to live independently in their own homes.
- During the course of a year over 36,000 senior citizens will lose the services that allow them to live independently. Also, over 10,000 persons with disabilities would lose all services.
- Because admission to nursing homes and institutions use the same DON score for admittance eligibility, displaced people won’t be able to move to nursing homes or other institutional settings.
- There appear to be no other options available for these 36,000+ individuals
Impacts on youth and families
- The budget proposal eliminates youth programming, after-school programming, violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, youth homeless services, Boys and Girls Clubs, After School Matters, youth summer employment and other programs designed to provide safety and security for youth and young adults.
- Childcare is cut by $135 million by eliminating any services for children over 6 years old. Parents will now have to choose whether to leave their children 7 and older home alone during work days if the parents work to support the family.
- Respite services for 1,840 families with developmentally disabled or delayed children will be eliminated.
- All statewide services and supports for families with Autism will be eliminated.
- State support for Easter Seals and Epilepsy Foundation and their statewide community-based service networks will be eliminated.
- Early Intervention Programs will be drastically altered by raising the threshold for EI to a developmental delay of 50%.
- Elimination of services to immigrants and refugees such as Welcoming Centers and Immigrant Integration Services
Impacts on Healthcare
- 71% cuts to the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program
- 23% cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program
- $400 million in cuts to hospitals
- $335 million in additional cuts to safety net and critical access hospitals serving high Medicaid volumes
- Elimination of adult dental and podiatry services which were just restored after severe negative consequences for both patients and providers
- Severe rate reductions to children’s ventilator service and children’s mental health services
- Mental Health cuts of $82 million, Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention cut by $27 million and Developmental Disability funding cut $62 million.
- Severe cuts to all services (including dialysis) for persons with Renal Disease which threaten the viability of kidney dialysis service statewide.
- Reinstatement of prior authorization for prescriptions for persons with severe mental illness
- Elimination of Supportive Housing funds and Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Facilities. Substantial cuts to Supportive Living Facilities
- Elimination of the Alzheimer’s Program and Poison Control Centers
In my opinion, these cuts along with the hundreds of others proposed by the Governor would be devastating to the health and wellbeing of communities and families across Illinois. The various state agencies do not appear to have fallback plans, and I am afraid will cause a cascading series of failures across the State that will jeopardize not only individual residents and their families, but also the health and safety of surrounding community.
The Governor has made it clear that he thinks these things are “bargaining chips” and leverage to force his other agenda items such as his anti-union platform and his “Turn Around Agenda” in exchange for funding these items. These are perilous times for our state and frightening times for the people who lives and families are viewed as “leverage”. I believe that is wrong and will fight with these families and with my colleagues to do the right thing for our neighborhoods, families and schools. I believe that you cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. We must work together to bring in new revenue and make necessary but sensible cuts.
As you see news headlines and read reports and updates during the budget negotiations in the month of May, I am always happy to answer questions and provide factual answers to questions you might have. I can be reached at greg@gregharris.org or at 217 782 3835.