(Chicago, IL) — August 4. The total Illinois budget cuts by Governor Pat Quinn to drug treatment is 29.2 percent and the total cut for addiction prevention is 22 percent–this does not include any block grant funding or Medicaid.

Overall cuts to the addiction healthcare system as compared to FY 09 restored funding levels are as follows:

Treatment

• 29 percent cut to GRF
• 19 percent cut including the block grant and GRF
• 13 percent cut for all funding lines – GRF, Medicaid, Block Grant and Dedicated Funds

Prevention

• 22 percent cut to GRF
• 5 percent cut to GRF, block grant and dedicated funds

The Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA) anticipates there will be no change to these numbers will change. In order for there to be any hope of an increase in our funding, Illinois needs to pass an income tax increase or additional revenues need to be identified for the state coffers.

At the earliest, the General Assembly may discuss a tax increase during veto session in October but we are hearing that it is more likely that the issue of an income tax increase won’t come up again until January.

IADDA has already began working on a media strategy to highlight the impact of cuts to lawmakers. CEO Sara Moscato Howe was the lead human service quote in a Chicago Tribune article on August and was interviewed by Springfield ABC-TV/CH. 20 on August 4. (Watch video).

And IADDA Board Chair Anthony Cole was on Chicago Tonight, hosted by Carol Marin, on Monday evening, August 3.

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more about “Carol Marin on Illinois Budget“, posted with vodpod

Finally, IADDA will also be addressing the disproportionate funding cuts to addiction healthcare at the state agency level in order to paint a statewide picture of how devastating these cuts are to Illinois’ communities.