All posts tagged Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

Our View: Senator Heather Steans’ Proposal to Cut Drug Treatment Budget 50%, Eliminating Care for 35,000, Is Misguided

State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago)

WHILE we recognize the State of Illinois continues to confront daunting budget deficits and the Illinois Senate Democratic caucus’ willingness to cuts its caucus budget 5% from last year is welcome, the proposal offered this week by State Senator Heather Steans (D-Chicago) to cut state drug treatment funding by 50% and drug prevention by 100% is entirely misguided.

The Illinois General Assembly has bludgeoned and slashed the Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse budget for last several years, reducing the number of men, women, and children in treatment from 84,167 in fiscal year 2007 to only 70,378 in 2009.

The 50% reduction proposed by Steans, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee for human services, means the number of people in addiction treatment services would drop precipitously to 35,189, causing the unemployment of 750 treatment staff under this scenario.

The 100% elimination of addiction prevention would deny service to 229,536 youth statewide and push 350 prevention staff out of jobs.

Meanwhile, Steans is proposing increased spending in other parts of the Illinois human services budget.

“State Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago, said that chamber most likely will be increasing funds for community care programs and keeping child care funding level,” according to a report in the Illinois Statehouse News on May 4.

Of course, we believe community care and child-care program are also important human service programs. However, Steans’ plan to increase spending for some programs while slashing funding by 50% for critical addiction health care services that save the state $7 for every $1 spent on treatment is imprudent and ill-advised.

Fortunately, State Senators William Delgado (D-Chicago) and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) recognize the value of substance abuse prevention and treatment services and oppose the proposed cuts.

Upon further review, we hope Senator Steans and other senators will too recognize the vital role addiction health care service plays in the Illinois health care system and propose a budget that equalizes necessary sacrifices.

Leave a comment
by Jud DeLoss on May 5, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Illinois Budget, Illinois General Assembly
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by Jud DeLoss on May 5, 2011

https://ilabh.net/2011/05/05/our-view-senator-heather-steans%e2%80%99-proposal-to-cut-drug-treatment-budget-50-eliminating-care-for-35000-is-misguided/

Chicago Area Heroin Abuse Worst in the Country; Governor Pat Quinn Cuts Illinois Drug Prevention, Treatment Budget 30%

Heroin leaves its mark.

(Chicago, IL) — While the Chicago-area has been earning the infamous distinction of having a heroin abuse problem more extreme than anywhere else in the country in the last decade, according to a new report, Illinois has cut its drug prevention and treatment by more than 30% in the last two years.

The new state budget proposed by Governor Pat Quinn will slash Illinois drug prevention treatment for more than 2,500 Illinois residents, including drug prevention for 1,000 youth.

“For those of us in the drug prevention and treatment system, the explosion of heroin abuse among suburban Chicago youth is something we already knew,” said Eric Foster, Chief Operating Officer of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, referring to a new heroin usage report released today by Roosevelt University.

“In fact, all year, we were warning lawmakers and the governor’s office of the escalating heroin problem, pleading with them not to cut prevention and treatment funding,” said Foster. “But funding got cut anyway.”

“Governor Quinn’s budget cuts to the Illinois addiction healthcare system will eliminate care for more than 2,500 people, including drug prevention for1,000 youth,” said Foster.

Since 1995, the number of Illinois women in drug, alcohol treatment has surged 41%, but Quinn this year is still cutting treatment services by 8%, which will toss more than 2,500 out of treatment, of whom nearly 1,000 are women.

Quinn’s budget cuts to the Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse budget for community treatment providers and funds for addiction prevention for community prevention providers are on top of a 22% cut last year.

“Relentless budget cuts are forcing the Illinois addiction healthcare system into a death spiral and women and youth confronting heroin are increasingly suffering the brunt of the budget pain,” said Foster.

In FY 2009, there were 89,909 individuals receiving treatment services, down from 101,105 in FY 2008, an 11.6% decrease.

“By further strangling the drug treatment system, threats to public safety by heroin will boil over,” said Foster.

In 2009, a resurgent heroin crisis killed more than 100 people in Northern Illinois alone, a crisis that is zeroing in on local teens. Meanwhile, Quinn’s proposed budget will eliminate drug prevention for more than 1,000 youth.

“The threat to public safety is not a hypothetical threat,” said Foster. “There are young people whose lives will be sacrificed to heroin because of prevention funding cuts.”

“We urge Speaker Michael Madigan, Minority Leader Tom Cross, Senate President John Cullerton, Minority Leader Christine Radogno and Governor Quinn to adjust the new state budget to eliminate drug prevention and treatment budget cuts.”

Leave a comment
by Jud DeLoss on June 28, 2010  •  Permalink
Posted in Heroin & Illinois Teens
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Jud DeLoss on June 28, 2010

https://ilabh.net/2010/06/28/chicago-area-heroin-abuse-worse-in-the-country-governor-pat-quinn-cuts-illinois-drug-prevention-treatment-budget-30/

Quinn Budget to Eliminate 2,500 People—Including 1,000 Women—from Drug, Alcohol Treatment

(Springfield, IL) – As Illinois lawmakers work to assemble a final Illinois budget, substance abuse prevention and treatment advocates today urged legislators to reverse the budget cuts proposed by Governor Pat Quinn that will slash Illinois drug and alcohol treatment for more than 2,500 Illinois residents, including 1,000 women.

“Governor Quinn’s cuts to the Illinois addiction healthcare system will eliminate care for more than 2,500 people, 1,000 of whom are women,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. “Lawmakers need to reverse the cuts.”

Since 1995, the number of Illinois women in drug, alcohol has surged 41%, but Quinn this year is still cutting treatment services by 8%, which will toss more than 2,500 out of treatment, of whom nearly 1,000 are women.

Quinn’s budget cuts the Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse budget for community treatment providers and funds for addiction prevention for community prevention providers are on a top a 22% cut last year.

“Relentless budget cuts are forcing the Illinois addiction healthcare system into a death spiral and women are increasingly suffering the brunt of the budget pain,” said Howe.

In FY 2009, there 89,909 individuals receiving treatment services, down from 101,105 in FY 2008, a 11.6% decrease.

“By further strangling the drug treatment system, threats to public safety will boil over,” said Howe.

In 2009, a resurgent heroin crisis killed more than 100 people in Northern Illinois alone, a crisis that is zeroing in on local teens. Meanwhile, Quinn’s proposed budget will eliminate drug prevention for more than 1,000 youth.

“The threat to public safety is not a hypothetical threat,” said Howe. “There are young people whose lives will be sacrificed to heroin because of prevention funding cuts.”

“We urge Speaker Michael Madigan, Minority Leader Tom Cross, Senate President John Cullerton, Minority Leader Christine Radogno and Governor Quinn to adopt a budget to salvage addiction healthcare in Illinois.”

Leave a comment
by Jud DeLoss on May 20, 2010  •  Permalink
Posted in Governor Pat Quinn, Illinis Substance Abuse Treatment Funding, Illinois Budget
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Jud DeLoss on May 20, 2010

https://ilabh.net/2010/05/20/quinn-budget-to-eliminate-2500-people%e2%80%94including-1000-women%e2%80%94from-drug-alcohol-treatment/