The Illinois State Budget?

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . .

The Illinois State Budget?   

The Illinois State Budget was sent to Governor Quinn on Monday. I know that all of you are very concerned and trying to understand how services for folks with DD were impacted.

If you’re confused, you are in good company. There is a lot that has to play out yet. This is what I understand.

Rates for Medicaid programs such as Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILA), both the Adult and Children’s Home-Based Support Services Programs, Developmental Training WERE NOT cut. However payments to the providers of these services will be further delayed. That means that many of our providers will be at risk of closing as they have already used up their lines of credit.

The budget does not seem to include funding for respite grants, dental grants, epilepsy grants, or the UIC Family Clinic and Assistive Technology grants. From all indications these grants have been eliminated unless the Governor chooses to keep them up and running with other resources.

One resource shared with me that the Senate has included a $450 million restoration in the Capital Budget. But we don’t really know what is in it. And just call me clueless, I thought the Capital Budget was for one time spending, not ongoing services.

Below are some links I’ve seen over the last couple of days, that I think you will find interesting.

You know that we will keep you up-to-date as we have more information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG1GFqunnIg&feature=youtu.be

http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6265/senate-adds-431m-to-illinois-budget/

http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6276/illinois-budget-spends-less-but-doesnt-cut-more/

Announcing The Arc of Illinois Medicaid Managed Care Advocacy Toolkit 

Folks, the following message is from Faye Manaster at The Arc of Illinois “Family to Family Health Information Center”.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has now launched its Integrated Care Program, requiring enrollment of Medicaid recipients aged 19 and over who receive SSI and reside in suburban Cook, DuPage, Kankakee, Kane, Lake and Will counties.

Persons who have Medicaid plus private insurance, or Medicaid plus Medicare, are not eligible.

Individuals required to enroll must select either Aetna Better Health or IlliniCare as their managed care organization or HMO (Health Maintenance Organization). In order to assist consumers and families to understand this change to Medicaid health insurance and make informed decisions, staff of our Family to Family Health Information Center have prepared a Medicaid Managed Care Advocacy Toolkit.

This easy-to-use toolkit covers basic information about each HMO and worksheets to assist in the decision-making process. This toolkit will help enrollees explore providers and covered benefits and consider alternatives, including requesting a Single Case Agreement. Information on appeal rights and possible sources of advocacy assistance are also included.

The toolkit is available for free download from our website at http://www.familyvoicesillinois.org/documents/documentdetails.asp?did=2851.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call our Family to Family Health Information Center at 866-931-1110. 

 Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

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The Final Days of the Budget Battle…

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . .

The final days of the budget battle are upon us.

We know from experience that these can be very powerful days. Many others have given up and gone home. The Capitol becomes a bit quiet. Sometimes magic can happen in those moments.

As Tony shared earlier this afternoon, “We’ve told our stories. We’ve fought the good fight. No matter what happens, we’ll know we used every resource we have, marshaled every bit of our energies, and gave our hearts and souls to ensure the futures of adults and children with disabilities in Illinois.

Thank you all for your continued passion!”

We cannot let up in these last few days.

We’re calling upon you to make yet another round of phone calls… to the Governor’s office… 217-782-6830… and to YOUR State Senator and Representatives… Look up their addresses at www.ilga.gov.

Please make those calls tomorrow and Friday…

These are your messages…

1.      Do not support a budget that cuts disability services.  Disability services have taken a disproportionate share of cuts already and there are over 21,000 children and adults on the waiting list. Do not support a budget that cuts disability services.

2.      Please support Senate Bill 342 Amendment 1. Community providers are now waiting 5 to 7 months to be paid for disability services.  Senate Bill 342 Amendment 1 will dismiss the wait for payments and ensure that community providers are paid much more promptly.  Please support Senate Bill 342 Amendment

Pictures from yesterday’s LIFE Rally in Chicago are on our Facebook page…

 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147957625276863.37433.137495486323077&l=163f5313ac

Consider sending a link to your State Representative and Senator. Look up their e-mail addresses on the General Assembly website: www.ilga.gov

If none is listed, call their office for an e-mail address.

 Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

A Fabulous Rally at the Thompson Center!

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . .

A Fabulous Rally at the Thompson Center!!

Over 350 advocates attended the LIFE Rally at the Thompson Center in Chicago. Eight THOUSAND (8,000!!!) signed petitions opposing the cuts to disability services were delivered to the Governor’s Office..

Want to see some pictures? Here’s a link to our Facebook page… http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.147957625276863.37433.137495486323077&l=163f5313ac

Watch for links to media coverage on our Facebook page “LIFE – Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities”

Here’s a thought… Send an e-mail with the links above to your State Representative and Senator. Look up their e-mail addresses on the General Assembly website: www.ilga.gov. If none is listed, call their office for an e-mail address.

Tell them, “It’s not too late to remember our most vulnerable citizens.”

Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

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TUESDAY! Rally at the Thompson Center! Downtown Chicago!

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . ..

Rally at the Thompson Center!!

11:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Thompson Center in the Plaza at 100 West Randolph, Chicago. 

We will need hundreds of people with signs.

This is the moment for your family make itself seen. This is the moment for your agency to load up its vans and get downtown. We need to put faces on our issues.

The Chicago media will be  there. Families will be speaking about the cuts to disability services. Our LIFE Petitions will be delivered to the Governor.

Plan to attend this LIFE Event and bring a crowd of friends with you.

Please have other advocates, staff and friends sign our petition. Right now, we have over 4,000 signatures. We need more!

Have YOU signed the “LIFE – Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities” Petition?

Here’s the link: http://www.thearcofil.org/LIFE/LifeCampaignPetition.aspx

Now go find at least five more people who will sign it too.

And, for Pete’s sake, “friend” us on Facebook. Search “Life- Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities”.

Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

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THe Battle of the Budget…The Last Two Weeks

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . ..

Have YOU signed the “LIFE – Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities” Petition?

Here’s the link: http://www.thearcofil.org/LIFE/LifeCampaignPetition.aspx

Now go find at least five more people who will sign it too.

And, for Pete’s sake, “friend” us on Facebook. Search “Life- Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities”.

This Week at the Capitol… We NEED You…

The budget debate is drawing close to an end. We have about two weeks. It’s unlikely that the budget debate will go beyond June 1^st as then a “super majority” is needed… that means the budget will need to be passed by a two third majority instead of just over half.

It’s scary. We don’t know what will happen. Everybody thinks that their program is the one that needs to be saved in this dire economic year. The futures of the folks we love is in danger.

As the final budget decision draws near, we are busy doing everything we know how to do. But we need your help.

Most critically… Call your legislators again… TODAY!

Then make sure your friend and family are also calling their legislators.

Tomorrow! A Press Conference at the Capitol… Join us if you can…

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

10:00am

The Capitol Press Room… (Press the 2M button in the elevator to the right of the grand stairs)

The LIFE Campaign will hold a press conference in response to the proposed budget cuts affecting community based disability programs. We will be discussing the impact of the proposed budget cuts on people with disabilities and their families and discuss the “A Day in My Life” Facebook campaign and call on the public to join its petition drive

Join us if you can. Then we can spend the rest of the day visiting legislators.

Next Week in Chicago… Rally at the Thompson Center!!

DETAILS to be announced

We will need hundreds of people with signs.

This is the moment for your family make to itself seen.

This is the moment for your agency to load up its vans and get downtown.

We need to put faces on our issues!

Editorial in The Bloomington Pantagraph…

Last week, the LIFE Coalition has participated in THREE editorial boards; the Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs), the Bloomington Pantagraph, and the Peoria Journal Star. Sunday, the Bloomington Pantagraph wrote this great opinion. Here’s the link: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_521adbd4-7db0-11e0-94fe-001cc4c002e0.html

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Disabled would be hit hard by proposed cuts

By The Pantagraph Editorial Board | Posted: Sunday, May 15, 2011 7:00 am

Agencies that provide services for people with developmental disabilities have as good an argument as any — and better than some — for pushing back against proposed state budget cuts.

They have been dealing with spending reductions and delayed payments for years.

We have seen the impact of these budget decisions with the closing in 2009 of the Occupational Developmental Center in Bloomington-Normal that provided much-needed training and jobs for people with disabilities.

But many others are in that same situation in the state.

What makes this group different, noted Tony Paulauski, is it is offering a solution.

Paulauski, executive director of The Arc of Illinois, said his organization, which represents 60 agencies throughout Illinois that care for people with intellectual and development disabilities, is calling on the state to close four of the eight state-run institutions that serve the developmentally disabled.

The idea is to switch money from the closed state institutions to community-based facilities, which are less expensive to operate and which advocates have long said provide better, more personalized care than large institutions.

Most of the residents from the closed institutions would go to community facilities, although some could go to remaining state institutions, if that was deemed more appropriate.

In addition to the Fox Developmental Center in Dwight, the state operates developmental centers in Anna, Centralia, Dixon, Jacksonville, Kankakee, Park Forest and Waukegan.

We don’t doubt that there are many dedicated, caring people working in those state facilities. However, the trend in recent years has been moving toward community-based settings — and Illinois lags far behind other states that have scaled back or eliminated state-run institutions for those with developmental disabilities.

It is important that any closing of facilities be done with adequate planning and consultation with the families involved, unlike what happened when the Lincoln Developmental Center was closed in 2002.

 Paulauski said the average annual costs to care for a person in one of the state institutions is $192,000 compared to $50,000 in a community-based facility.

However, moving to close any state institutions would run into the ill-advised agreement Gov. Pat Quinn made last fall with the state’s largest public employees’ union not to lay off state employees or close any state facilities.

The question becomes whether that agreement is binding on the General Assembly.

This isn’t something that is likely to be settled quickly. That means it might not provide the reallocation of money that Paulauski is seeking in this budget. But it is still a matter worthy of consideration — for financial as well as humanitarian reasons.

Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

LIFE! Update and Budget News

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . ..

Budget Update

The House Human Services budget has been introduced. It is HB 3717, House Amendment #1.  Here’s the link:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HB/PDF/0970HB3717ham001.pdf

The Department of Human Services (DHS) budget starts on p. 45. There is not a lot of detail and there are no comparative numbers, so you would need to know what last year’s funding levels were in order to determine cuts.

Tony Paulauski has heard reports out of the Capitol which indicate DHS is being cut by $500 – $600 million for possible across the board cuts of 10% to 12% but he cannot confirm those numbers at this time. Tony has also heard that the state institutions are also being cut.

There are now three budgets on the table, each based on different estimates for the State of Illinois’ anticipated revenue next year. The House Budget is by the far the most draconian. The Governor’s Budget is next. The Senate Budget seems to be the most friendly “only” cutting services by 3% and restoring DD grants but reducing them by 25%.

Call your legislators… TODAY!

Today we posted video from Juli Cicarelli talking about the importance of her son’s services, his desire to live in the community, and her concern for the 21,000 children and adults on the “PUNS” database.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJpuWh1Y_j8    

Did you know that you can view data from the “PUNS” (Priority of Urgency of Need for Services) waiting list? Here’s the link: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=51905

LIFE Coalition on Illinois Channel!

http://www.illinoischannel.org/Network%20F.htm

Last week while we were in Springfield, Tony Paulauski, Dorelia Rivera, and I were interviewed by the Illinois Channel. It was quite an experience. But I think it went really well. The link is above. Please share it with your legislators and fellow advocates.

More Advocacy Efforts

This week, the LIFE Coalition has participated in THREE editorial boards; the Daily Herald (Chicago suburbs), the Bloomington Pantagraph, and the Peoria Journal Star. Watch for opinions from each of those papers soon.

The “LIFE – Fund Critical Services for People with Disabilities” Petition

We have a goal to send 10,000 signatures to this petition to our Governor and the Caucus leaders…. Have you signed on yet? It takes less than a minute. Then make sure that all your friends and family sign on. AND, OF COURSE, send it to your fellow advocates and advocacy groups.

This is the message:

“I support LIFE – Living with Independence, Fairness & Equality! Fund critical services for people with disabilities! 

It is time to balance the Developmental Disability System in Illinois to provide quality of life for people with disabilities and for the State of Illinois to spend taxpayer money in the most economical and responsible way. We need to end the waiting list for the 21,000 adults and children in the PUNS database and restore $76.3 million that funds critical community developmental disability services and adopt a four-year plan to phase out the funding of state institutions!”

This is the link: http://www.thearcofil.org/LIFE/LifeCampaignPetition.aspx

Another Great Resource and Petition

I’m having a great time reviewing the videos and information on the website www.fundourfriends.com.

They’ve got a great petition, too. I say, “If one petition is good, TWO is better.” So please sign them both!

Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte

LIFE! Share a Video?

Family Support Network Members and Friends. . ..

Did you all see our wonderful friend, Bridget Brown, describe why quality services are so important for people with disabilities in Illinois?

We taped some video, did some editing and posted it on YouTube.

Now you can see it too. Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LIFE-Fund-Critical-Services-for-People-with-Disabilities/137495486323077.   

We can post your video too. Please take five minutes.

Use your cell phone, your flip camera, whatever digital camera you have and take five minutes. Talk about what your life is like. What are your dreams? What are your challenges? Are you waiting for services? Are you afraid that you will lose services? Connect with the Family Support Network. We will edit it down to a minute or two and post on our website. Our legislators will be able to see just how important services are.

Contact me (Charlotte) at fsn@thefamilysupportnetwork.org to figure out how to get your video to us.

You can share your story. You can share the story of your loved one. You can share the story of someone you support in your organization. All stories are important.

Michele Westmaas!

Last Thursday, lightening struck the home of our great friend and fellow advocate, Michele Westmaas.

A fire started in her attic. While Michele and the firefighters were able to save their most treasured belongings (and paperwork, ugh), their home is in a shamble.  They don’t expect to be back in their home for many months.

As you can imagine, Michele has had to completely change her focus from managing our Key Communicator effort to just plain focusing on the needs of her family in this difficult moment. If you’d like to send your greetings, search for her on Facebook: Michele Shannon Westmaas.

Carrie Bosch, my young assistant, and I are taking up the slack. If you are willing to become a Key Communicator, please contact us at fsn@familysupportnetwork.org. If you are currently a Key Communicator and have questions, please use the same address. More information is available on the Family Support Network homepage: www.familysupportnetwork.org…. on the right hand side, easy to find.

The Community for All Coalition Rally is This Monday

Save the Safety Net!!! Cross-Disability and Senior Rally  

Time	Monday, May 16 · 11:00am – 4:00pm
Location	Illinois State Capitol Rotunda (West Side Door; Wheelchair access) E Capitol Ave. and S 2nd St., Springfield, IL
More Info	Rally begins at 2:30pm; Legislative visits prior to rally Call your legislators to make an appointment during your Capitol visit–to find your legislator, visit (www.ilga.gov). Bring posters with your message about how you would be impacted by cuts to community-based services and how important those services are to you. We will collect them at the Capitol’s west side accessible entrance and create a mosaic of all of the posters for visual impact. For more information, contact the Community for All Coalition at: (217)-493-5445. Organized by: Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois, Campaign for Real Choice in Illinois, Access Living, Chicago ADAPT, Progress CIL, People First of Illinois Equip for Equality, Springfield Area Disability Activists, FITE CIL, Institute on Disability and Human Development.
Find them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122629241151127 Here’s a link to their fact sheet: http://www.realchoiceinillinois.org/documents/CFAC%20Budget%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

  

Thank you, thank you, thank you….  Charlotte