Health
Health Departments Published May 24, 2016
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Illinois residents are served by 97 health departments throughout the state. These organizations support public health through a variety of services, including:
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The Illinois Public Health Association recently surveyed local health departments throughout the state (3). Of the 51 responding agencies:
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Sources: (1) Illinois Public Health Association January (2) abc 7 Chicago (3) Illinois Public Health Association April
Autism Published May 17, 2016
The Autism Program is a network of 19 organizations which provide autism diagnostic and support services (e.g., social skills training) throughout the state. The network relies on $4.3 million in state funding annually. Without these funds, the program has closed in several locations. Throughout the state, services have been reduced. In particular, service providers are no longer able to offer reduced fees for services, reducing low-income families' access to autism support services. For example, in Springfield, fees for a two-hour social skills group rose from $25 a session to $180 a session (1). As a result of these fee increases, over half of the 2,500 children served annually will no longer be able to receive services (3). Children with autism benefit from early intervention, reducing the need for special education and social service benefits later in life (1).
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The Autism Program also provides training to educators and parents, but these services have been largely cut. Program closures impact thousands of Illinois residents. For example, in the case of The Autism Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign which expects to close June 30, 2016, the following free services will be lost:
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Mental and Behavioral Health Published May 20, 2016
Mental and behavioral health service providers have closed offices and reduced staff during the budget impasse (1). Some agencies are unable to purchase basic supplies, like toilet paper, for their offices (3). Even before the impasse, mental health funding has been consistently cut year after year (2). Advocates point out that investing in comprehensive mental health services can reduce costs elsewhere. For example, 20% of Illinois' prison population require treatment for mental illnesses (4).
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Sources: (1) Progress Illinois 3 May (2) NAMI Chicago (3) Progress Illinois 19 May (4) Reboot Illinois
Epilepsy Updated May 31, 2016
The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago provides a variety of services to support people living with epilepsy, for which it receives state funding. Without funding in the future, the organization will have to reduce the services it provides to 130,000 greater Chicago residents living with epilepsy (1). It has laid off three staff due to the budget impasse (2).
The Epilepsy Resource Center in Springfield closed permanently as a result of the budget impasse (3). |
Sources: (1) The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago (2) Email from the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago Interim CEO, Kurt Florian (3) The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago Action Letter
HIV Published May 20, 2016
State funding for HIV prevention programs has stalled during the budget impasse. The Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative (PACPI) provides services to pregnant HIV-positive women to prevent HIV transmission to their babies. The organization has a 99% success rate in preventing HIV transmission, and estimates that it saves the State over $35 million in lifetime treatment costs each year. The State owes PACPI $848,000. Without these funds, the organization will be forced to cut services (1).
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