By Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Closing mental health and developmental institutions in Illinois will save at least $50 million a year — eventually. Lawmakers earlier this week ensured that the Tinley Park, Singer and Chester mental health centers and the Mabely and Jacksonville developmental centers will stay open by shifting nearly [...]
November 1, 2011
Guest Column: Closing Dixon’s Mabley affects Rockford
The Rock River Times By Ron & Carole Bergman Jacksonville Coalition to Save Our State Facilities This is a local news topic because Rockford residents have family members at Mabley in Dixon and other state-operated facilities for the developmentally disabled, including Singer. We are struggling to avoid the closing of Mabley, as are families of [...]
October 26, 2011
IARF Recommendations to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability: Proposed Closures of Chester, Singer, and Tinley Park Mental Health Centers
The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) represents over 90 community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental illness, and/or substance use dependencies in over 900 locations throughout the state. For over 35 years, IARF has been a leading voice in support of public policy that promotes high quality community-based services in healthy [...]
October 22, 2011
Commentary: Facts supporting JDC’s closure are overwhelming
The Jacksonville, Ill Journal Courier – Oct. 22, 2011 – William L. Gorman – A public hearing concerning the proposed closure of the Jacksonville Developmental Center will be held Monday at 5 p.m. at Illinois College’s Bruner Fitness Center. The purpose of the meeting is for the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to hear [...]
October 21, 2011
Behind on its bills, state shares $5 billion shortfall with businesses, nonprofits
NapervilleSun – Sun-Times Publication – October 21 – Susan Frick Calrman Little more than three years ago, Illinois had a one-week turnaround for cutting checks to the entities submitting bills. By last June, the average delay had stretched to almost four months, according to the office of state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Now the lag [...]
October 17, 2011
Human services hammered in budget mess
Chicago Sun-Times – October 17, 1022 – Sophia Tareen – www.SunTimes.com As Illinois’ budget crisis worsens and the state lags further behind in paying bills, those that serve the state’s neediest are being forced to make dire decisions and at-times heroic sacrifices to pick up the slack. “The burden of survival for human services has [...]
October 17, 2011
Gov. Pat Quinn Proposes the Closure of the Mabley and Jacksonville Developmental Institutions.
AID – Association for Individual Development There are times when a fiscal crisis can provide an opportunity to do the right thing and also save money. This is one of those times. The State of Illinois is considering closing two of the State’s eight institutions and transitioning the individuals to Community Integrated Living Arrangements [...]
October 17, 2011
Disability Advocates attend State Hearing to urge closure of institution for people with developmental disabilities
Access Living – http://www.accessliving.org – Oct. 17 2011 On Monday, October 17, 16 advocates from the Access Living community will travel to Dixon, Illinois to testify at a hearing on the closure of the Mabley Developmental Center. In September, Governor Quinn announced the closure of Mabley and other institutions for people with disabilities. Access Living [...]
October 13, 2011
William Gorman and Ruth Burgess Thompson: Closing 2 centers is sensible
GateHouse News Service – October 13, 2011 – http://www.sj-r.com – Opinion Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed the closure of Mabley and Jacksonville developmental centers because of fiscal reasons. There are times when a fiscal crisis can provide an opportunity to do the right thing and also save money. This is one of them. The Statewide [...]
October 13, 2011
Nonprofits bear burden of Illiniois unpaid bills
by Sophia Tareen – The Associated Press – October 13, 2011 – The Beacon-News – Chicago Sun Times – http://beaconnews.suntimes.com CHICAGO (AP) — When the owner of a southern Illinois child care center didn’t get the state funding he was promised on time and faced laying off employees and cutting service to low-income children, [...]
October 7, 2011
Closing time
Chicago Tribune – October 6, 2011 – Letters to the editor – Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed the closure of the Mabley and Jacksonville Developmental Centers based on fiscal reasons. There are times when a fiscal crisis can provide an opportunity to do the right thing and also save money. This is one of them. [...]
October 6, 2011
Gov. Quinn Q&A Part 2 Video
Illinois Statehouse News – October 5, 2011 – Gov Pat Quinn answers more questions about state facility closings, and Illinois reputation as a bad for business state.
October 5, 2011
Gov. Quinn Q&A Part 1 Video
Video from Illinois State House News – Oct. 5, 2011 Gov. Pat Quinn answers questions about Ford, Mitsubishi Electric Car, the state budget, and state facility closings.
October 3, 2011
Billboards to help disabled residents find jobs
Deanna Bellandi – the Associated Press – Oct. 2, 2011 – Southtown Star – Chicago Sun-Times Publication Updated: October 3, 2011 2:06AM Billboards are the latest tools being used by the state to help disabled Illinois residents find jobs, a task that’s been especially tough during a downed economy. A new statewide campaign is the [...]
September 27, 2011
Lots of concerns, few answers in Quinn closing plan
September 27, 2011 | By Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — New reports from Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration say that closing seven state facilities will cost Illinois 2,660 jobs and nearly $300 million in lost economic activity. The governor’s office gave the Legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or COGFA, the closing [...]
September 14, 2011
Opposite sides voice opinions in possible JDC closure
September 14, 2011 6:00 AM – Journal Courier – Jacksonville, IL CODY BOZARTH With thousands of signatures in hand, Rep. Jim Watson is making ready his effort to show Gov. Pat Quinn how a community is railing against a plan to close the Jacksonville Developmental Center. While facing serious political obstacles, the movement also faces [...]
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