The follow is a State of Illinois FY2012 BUDGET FACT SHEET; pertaining to the State of Illinois and People with Disabilities, . Illinois ranks 51st in the nation for supporting citizens with developmental disabilities to live in their home communities; The Arc of Illinois has been a major supporter of People with Disabilities for Equality in Illinois, TY..
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FY2012 BUDGET FACT SHEET
RESTORE THE $76.3 MILLION THAT FUNDS CRITICAL SERVICES FOR ILLINOIS’ MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS!
END THE WAITING LIST FOR THE 21,000 ADULTS AND CHILDREN IN THE PUNS DATABASE!
The LIFE Campaign supports the funding of individualized, comprehensive and integrated community based services for persons with disabilities. The proposed budget will cut the lifeline of critical community-based services that support children and adults with significant disabilities in their homes and communities and their ability to live Life with Independence Fairness & Equality. Illinois ranks 51st in the nation for supporting citizens with developmental disabilities to live in their home communities.
THE 2012 PROPOSED BUDGET HAS ALL THE WRONG PRIORITIES
• $76.3 million in cuts from community developmentally disability services will
o Reduce rates for community services by 6% (while saving the state only 3%)
o Reduce the Children’s and Adults Home-Based Support Services available monthly allotment by 10% (while saving the state only 5%)
o Eliminate these critical programs: all Respite grants, all Dental grants, Family Assistance Program, UIC Family Clinic, UIC Assistive Technology Unit, all Epilepsy grants, and SIU Telemed grants.
• The cost to institutionalize people with disabilities far from family and friends will rise to $192,000 per person and not one of the 21,000 children and adults will move off the state’s waiting list
• Illinois institutionalizes more people than any other state
• The average cost to support one person living in the community is $50,000 compared to $192,000 per person in one of the eight state institutions
• An estimated 3,052 local community employees will be laid off while this budget proposes a 8.25 % wage increase for state employees AND the hiring of 950 NEW state employees
• An additional $30 million will be invested in state institutions while cutting community services by $76.3 million
• No provision is made to pay community providers promptly - currently a six month backlog
• Illinois will be turning away $31.15 million dollars in 50 % federal match
• This budget will de-construct the current DD system, forcing many agencies to simply close and many people with very significant disabilities out “on the curb”.
An estimated 220,000 persons with developmental disabilities live in Illinois. People with disabilities have the right to enjoy the same freedoms and responsibilities as all Illinoisans in the community of their choice.
For more information, contact Tony Paulauski at (815) 464-5292, tony@thearcofil.org or visit www.thearcofil.org.
The Arc of Illinois represents 220,000 infants, children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
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