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According to national studies, Illinois is 51st in the nation in funding for community residential settings of six or fewer. Illinois has also failed to provide adequate funding in community settings for services for persons with mental illness

Save Our Services!

Target:
Supporters of Community Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness
Sponsored by: 

Preamble:
Illinois ranks behind all other states and the District of Columbia in funding for community residential alternatives of 6 or fewer beds, and is 47th in the nation in funding for community based waiver programs. Illinois has also failed to provide adequate funding for services that support persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illness.  Thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness are in need of services and supports, but aren't receiving them because Illinois hasn't properly funded the community system to support them.  And thousands more who currently receive services wonder whether their goals of independence, self-sufficiency, or recovery will be realized.

Now, in response to a "50% budget" (SB 1197) passed by the General Assembly, Governor Quinn has directed state agencies - such as the Department of Human Services - to notify community provider organizations  and families that funding for services and supports will be drastically cut in the FY10 budget.  This will mean:

 - 200,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness receiving services and supports in community services all over Illinois are in jeopardy of losing those services and supports beginning July 1st; 
 - Thousands of staff would either be permanently laid off, face workload reductions, mandatory furloughs, or reduced hours; and
 - Community agencies will be at risk of closing.
 
The "50% budget" passed by the General Assembly and the corresponding cuts outlined by Governor Quinn cannot be allowed to stand or they will devastate the community safety net and nearly all social service providers in Illinois.  Hundreds of individuals with developmental disabilities will lose their only forms of employment and job training, thousands of individuals with mental illness in residential settings will lose their homes. 


As individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness, family members, caregivers, friends, employees of community agencies, and concerned citizens, we respectfully ask our elected officials to work together to pass a budget and the new revenue to support it by July 1st.  Furthermore, this budget must prevent draconian cuts to community services and provide the revenue necessary to sustain services.


Petition:
We, the undersigned individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness, family members, caregivers, friends, employees of community agencies, and concerned citizens call upon the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois General Assembly to pass a balanced budget and the new revenue to support it by July 1st.  This budget must prevent draconian cuts to community services for persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness, and provides revenue necessary to sustain community services.

Preamble:
Illinois ranks behind all other states and the District of Columbia in funding for community residential alternatives of 6 or fewer beds, and is 47th in the nation in funding for community based waiver programs. Illinois has also failed to provide adequate funding for services that support persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illness.  Thousands of individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness are in need of services and supports, but aren't receiving them because Illinois hasn't properly funded the community system to support them.  And thousands more who currently receive services wonder whether their goals of independence, self-sufficiency, or recovery will be realized.

Now, in response to a "50% budget" (SB 1197) passed by the General Assembly, Governor Quinn has directed state agencies - such as the Department of Human Services - to notify community provider organizations  and families that funding for services and supports will be drastically cut in the FY10 budget.  This will mean:

 - 200,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness receiving services and supports in community services all over Illinois are in jeopardy of losing those services and supports beginning July 1st; 
 - Thousands of staff would either be permanently laid off, face workload reductions, mandatory furloughs, or reduced hours; and
 - Community agencies will be at risk of closing.
 
The "50% budget" passed by the General Assembly and the corresponding cuts outlined by Governor Quinn cannot be allowed to stand or they will devastate the community safety net and nearly all social service providers in Illinois.  Hundreds of individuals with developmental disabilities will lose their only forms of employment and job training, thousands of individuals with mental illness in residential settings will lose their homes. 


As individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness, family members, caregivers, friends, employees of community agencies, and concerned citizens, we respectfully ask our elected officials to work together to pass a budget and the new revenue to support it by July 1st.  Furthermore, this budget must prevent draconian cuts to community services and provide the revenue necessary to sustain services.


Petition:
We, the undersigned individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness, family members, caregivers, friends, employees of community agencies, and concerned citizens call upon the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois General Assembly to pass a balanced budget and the new revenue to support it by July 1st.  This budget must prevent draconian cuts to community services for persons with developmental disabilities and mental illness, and provides revenue necessary to sustain community services.

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We signed the "Save Our Services!" petition!
# 9,742:
5:31 pm PDT, Jul 1, Paula Easton, Illinois
May God have mercy on us because our elected officials certainly don't. What kind of souless cowards take funding away from those who already have so little but award themselves raises and $132 a day for their "special sessions" which never resolve anything? Very few things I've ever heard of rise to this level of absolute evil.
# 9,741:
2:36 pm PDT, Jul 1, Name not displayed, Illinois
For more impact, add a personal comment here
# 9,740:
12:00 am PDT, Jul 1, Matthew Schultz, Illinois
# 9,739:
11:54 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 9,738:
11:26 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 9,737:
11:00 pm PDT, Jun 30, Bill Benson, Illinois
# 9,736:
10:42 pm PDT, Jun 30, Eileen Woosley, Illinois
# 9,735:
10:04 pm PDT, Jun 30, Molly Harrigan, Washington
# 9,734:
9:48 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 9,733:
9:30 pm PDT, Jun 30, Jane Uckerman, Illinois
These people with special needs need help to become productive in our society. These programs give these individuals a sense of belonging and a sense of self esteem.
# 9,732:
9:29 pm PDT, Jun 30, Stacy Wuebbels, Illinois
# 9,731:
9:26 pm PDT, Jun 30, N Cranston, Illinois
# 9,730:
9:18 pm PDT, Jun 30, Bonnie Hassan, Illinois
# 9,729:
9:14 pm PDT, Jun 30, Eric Foote, Illinois
In my experience the agencies providing these services are not wasteful and do a good job with their limited resources. The past due payments by the state and lack of concern for this population of people via budget and government support have strained even the best of these agencies, however. Services are being cut, people are not getting the help they need and people are losing jobs. I strongly support an effort to keep the financial promises we've made and actually increase the level of services so the citizens of Illinois can feel proud of how their fellow citizens are cared for and not fear for the safety of themselves, their neighbors, and their future.
# 9,728:
9:11 pm PDT, Jun 30, Jenny Smith, Illinois
It has been said that every society is judged by how it treats the least fortunate amongst them. What is happening to our great state of Illinois? Is this the best we can do - taking away money and services from our most vulnerable and needy citizens? Please - do not cut these services. How about we reign in some of the wasteful spending instead of taking money away from our most needy?
# 9,727:
9:09 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 9,726:
9:05 pm PDT, Jun 30, Lynese Wallace, Massachusetts
# 9,725:
9:01 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
# 9,724:
9:00 pm PDT, Jun 30, Patrice Marks, Illinois
Having a daughter with Down Syndrome has been a blessing, and a challenge. The problems with funding for persons with disabilities cannot be ignored. Many children, young adults and adults do not have family who can care for them without assistance. Cutting funding would be a travesty for these families and devestate their financial balance. As a parent of a child with developmental disabilities I respectfully ask our elected officials to work together to pass a budget and the new revenue to support it by July 1st. Furthermore, this budget must prevent draconian cuts to community services and provide the revenue necessary to sustain services
# 9,723:
8:57 pm PDT, Jun 30, Kathleen Kohnke, Illinois
# 9,722:
8:57 pm PDT, Jun 30, Daniel Rago, Illinois
Please don't cut funding!
# 9,721:
8:54 pm PDT, Jun 30, Tracy Jones, Illinois
I know that budget cuts are sometimes necessary, but not here please
# 9,720:
8:53 pm PDT, Jun 30, Jocelyn Pritchard, Illinois
Please don't abandon our children - special needs, home day care, etc. are already vastly underfunded. Please don't cut their resources further!
# 9,719:
8:52 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Illinois
It would be a wonderful and most beautiful thing if the gov't would not cut funding, however as a sign of Jesus' return. he said there would be a lack of love in the world. it's sad that those who are in need may be affected. The only hope for man is to continue to pray " thy will be done on EARTH as it is in heaven." God will soon take over and all needs will be equally satisfied!!!! on Earth as it's already in heaven.
# 9,718:
8:47 pm PDT, Jun 30, John Elder, Illinois
# 9,717:
8:47 pm PDT, Jun 30, Marc Dorner, Illinois
Marc J. Dorner
# 9,716:
8:41 pm PDT, Jun 30, Robert Dillingham, Illinois
We are dramatically undercutting services to folks who are least able to fend for themselves. These clients are being provided badly needed training and daily care that must be continued for their health, dignity and well being.
# 9,715:
8:39 pm PDT, Jun 30, Michael Murray, Illinois
This "doomsday" budget would have consequences that cannot even be imagined right now. Please work to find a solution that prevents the massive social services funding cuts.
# 9,714:
8:37 pm PDT, Jun 30, Michelle House, Kansas
# 9,713:
8:33 pm PDT, Jun 30, Cheryl Johnson, Illinois
Please consider the voices, quality of life, safety and future of the thousands of individuals with physical and mental challenges. My brother and son are 2 of these individuals that will be impacted by the cuts in funding. Remember ANYONE can become a member of this impacted community by an accident, illness or a birth of a new child. The future of you, your family or loved ones could be impacted.
# 9,712:
8:32 pm PDT, Jun 30, Katie Redwitz, Illinois
# 9,711:
8:30 pm PDT, Jun 30, David T. Carpenter, Illinois
# 9,710:
8:25 pm PDT, Jun 30, Lori Rago, Illinois
# 9,709:
8:19 pm PDT, Jun 30, Diane Hodges, Illinois
Cutting services such as Home Based Support would really impact our family. My 26 year old mentally challenged son relies on these funds for his daily program and would regress if he doesn't get these services daily. PLEASE RESTORE THEM NOW!
# 9,708:
8:18 pm PDT, Jun 30, Mary Ann White, Illinois
# 9,707:
8:15 pm PDT, Jun 30, Rebecca Burlingham, Illinois
# 9,706:
8:10 pm PDT, Jun 30, Ralph Burlingham, Illinois
# 9,705:
8:09 pm PDT, Jun 30, Suzanne Lewandowski, Illinois
# 9,704:
8:02 pm PDT, Jun 30, Erin Lopez, Wisconsin
# 9,703:
7:59 pm PDT, Jun 30, Name not displayed, Florida
# 9,702:
7:55 pm PDT, Jun 30, Marcos Herrera, Illinois
It is greatly disheartening,even shocking, to see the threat of reducing basic services for those specific populations (such as adults with developmental disabilities/mental health diagnosis) be embedded as a pawn for the persuasion of politics. Those populations, whose voices are compromised, have a history of institutional abuse and neglect caused by ignorance and insensitivity. Unfortunately, like many other social movements basic rights for these individuals are sometimes a struggle in a lifetime to achieve. Reductions of basic services (places to stay, things to and eat simple choices of love/community.) are a potential downward slope leading to the antiquated places we thought we left behind. What is left of the morality and ethic to care for innocent people who haven't the voice to secure these basic rights for themselves? What are next civil rights, women’s rights? Will it cost too much to secure that these rights are worth preserving? Would we have an annual dialogue to discuss the worth and cost of maintaining these basic privileges? Please do not reduce the modest hard fought basic choices of independence and furthermore please cease from the re-occurrent political dialogue that creates an enormous hardship for vulnerable populations. It is hard to believe, for example, in my city Chicago (city of Olympic bids, skyscrapers and a parking meters built for every man/women/ child) that we don't have the resources to ensure basic dignities. What has happened to the leadership in this great state? Thank you for listening.
# 9,701:
7:54 pm PDT, Jun 30, Liz Collins, Illinois
I am a huge supporter for people with disabilities! Please help us keep the funding! I have been in the field for basically my whole life. My father and sister are both disabled and I have chosen disability services as my career. Thanks!
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