Budget Impasse Continues to Devastate Illinois Families and Communities FINAL

8/18/2019 Budget Impasse Continues to Devastate Illinois Families and Communities FINAL

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Budget Impasse Continues to Devastate Illinois Families and Communities

Illinois is now in its ninth month without a budget for the current fiscal year,even as Illinois lawmakers consider next fiscal year’s budget. While courtorders, federal pass through funding, and piecemeal legislation have

restored some services, the impact of the failure to enact a budget hascaused critical programs serving people in every corner the of state,including low-income children, seniors, and those with disabilities, to shutdown.

The failure of our elected officials to put people first by carrying out theirmost fundamental duty – enact a state budget – is dismantling thefoundations of Illinois’ health and human service system, resulting in long-term damage to our state that will take years to repair. And, all this damagewas entirely preventable. By failing to prevent the 25% income tax cutsfrom taking effect at the beginning of last year, lawmakers drained the stateof about $5 billion in annual revenue. Since then, both the governor and theGeneral Assembly have failed to restore the revenue required to enact afully funded, year-long budget.

The harm is widespread — ranging from afterschool programs and autismservices to lifesaving cancer and HIV screening and support services forseniors. While many providers of these critical services have been given

contracts to continue to provide services at the level of the last fiscal year(which ended June 30), others have been issued new contracts with lowerservice levels. In either case, outside of consent decrees and federal pass-through funds, many critical state priorities still lack funding. As a result,even providers that are pillars of the public service delivery system such asLutheran Social Services have been forced to lay off staff, turn away those inneed, and shut program doors.

Whether Illinois completely dismantles key service delivery systems iscompletely in the hands of Governor Rauner and the General Assembly. Toprevent further damage to children, families, and communities, lawmakersand the governor need to take responsibility for funding our state’spriorities by restoring the revenue we need so that we can begin to repairthe damage and put the people of Illinois first.

Issue Brief

March 2016 Update


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Failure to pass a fully funded, year-long budget is obstructing the operations of these and other criticalprograms and services:

After school programs Autism services Adult education and literacy programsBilingual education Best Buddies Adult incarceration reduction programsCommunity-based youth crisis interventions Breast and cervical cancer screenings Aid to public colleges and universitiesDevelopmental therapies for kids under age 4 Centers for Independent Living Career and technical educationEduc. & employment programs for adults Disability resource hotline Child care assistanceFranklin County Juvenile Center Epilepsy grants Civil legal aidHealth care for kids from families w/HIV or AIDS Family planning programs Conservation policeHome visiting programs Funeral and burial assistance Construction of new affordable housing

Programs for healthy pregnancies & babies HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services Emergency and transitional housingSchool assessments Home-delivered meals for seniors Employment and training programsTeen parent services In-home & community-based senior care Homeless prevention assistanceTeen pregnancy prevention Long-term care Ombudsman Homeless supportive housingTransition services for former DCFS wards Mental health crisis training for police Homeless youth servicesViolence protection for families w/young kids Mental health supportive housing (non- Williams ) Illinois State MuseumsYouth incarceration reduction programs Mobile health clinics Immigrant services

Non-Medicaid mental health rehab services Public transit operating assistance grantsPsychiatric care for community mental health Reentry and rehabilitation servicesRespite programs Soil and water conservation districtsSenior protective services Tuition assistance (MAP grants)Sexual assault services and prevention Veteran's homesSickle cell clinicSubstance use and prevention programsSudden Infant Death Syndrome ProgramSupport services for seniors


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A closer look at some of these areas reveals the “on the ground” impacts in effect across the state:

Service Funding Status Impacts as of September 2015 Update as of March 2016

Children and Youth’s Education and Healthy Development

Children’s Place No state funding flowing(about $400,000 inFiscal Year 2015)

Medical, mental health, andtransportation services at risk in comingmonths for over 100 children and 86families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Uncertainty about funding continues to put medical, mentalhealth and transportation services at risk for over 100children and 86 families affected by HIV/AIDS. Cash flow forthe program is extremely tight. The program is continuing toprovide services through some reserve funds in hopes ofmaking it through the end of the fiscal year.

ComprehensiveCommunity-BasedYouth Services

No state funding flowing(over $16 million inFY15); federal pass-through dollars releasedmake up less than 17%of FY15 program budget

Reported provider closures, reductionsin services to mandated clients only,transferring cases, and staff layoffs.September a crucial month for mostagencies’ cash flow.

CCBYS programs across the state have continued to lay offstaff and reduce services such as providing emergencyhousing and intensive case management to roughly 7,000runaways and other youth in crisis annually (ages 10-17). AsCCBYS programs suspend mandated services for runawaysor youth locked out of their home, these youth will bereferred directly to the Department of Children and FamilyServices.

Children’s Home + Aid has suspended state-mandated 24-hour crisis services this month cutting off crisis interventionservices for runaways in Englewood and West Englewood .


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Early Intervention No state funding flowing(over $85 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued, but no paymentsbeing made withoutenacted budget

Update: Paymentsbegan in Septemberafter the StateComptroller determinedEarly Interventionservices fell underconsent decrees

At least four Child and FamilyConnections agencies expected to runout of money by mid-September, andwill close unless additional funding isreleased, resulting in 97 employeesfurloughed or laid off, suspendingservices for over 4,000 families, and noway to serve hundreds of new childrenin need of services every month.Providers with access to more cash willstart cutting transportation services inthe coming months.

Reported impacts: Providers remain concerned that the ongoing budgetimpasse will lead to payment delays.


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Home Visiting (Childdevelopment andfamily coaching forat-risk new parents)

No state funding flowing(combined $16.5 millionin FY15); FY16 contractsissued, but no paymentsbeing made withoutenacted budget

Providers are doing everything they canto avoid disrupting services thatpromote positive parenting and healthygrowth and childhood developmentamong new and expectant parents,including reducing staff, not fillingempty positions, instituting travelrestrictions, and furloughingadministrative staff. More disruptivesteps will need to be taken each month.

Limited federal funding has been paid out, which provided asmall amount of relief to a portion of home visitingprograms. State-funded home visiting serves about 5,000families statewide; additional federal funds leveraged bythat investment serve another 900. Some federal funds areat risk due to the lack of state funding needed to meetfederal maintenance of effort requirements. This putsservices for roughly 6,000 at-risk families in jeopardy.

Examples of Community Impacts:Of the more than 40 home visiting programs around thestate, at least half have reported significant changesincluding reductions in families served – from 25% - 75%,staff layoffs and furloughs (often to four days per week). Atleast four programs either have suspended or are providingonly minimal services. Several others are facing decisions inthe next month as they exhaust lines of credit and reserves.In other programs, travel restrictions are impacting homevisitors ability to regular see some of the most isolatedfamilies in very rural areas. Staff members also are limited intheir ability to attend trainings.

Metropolitan Family Services has cut four staff positions,eliminating services for 80 mothers and infants – one-third

of their total clients. Vital services and supports have beensuspended for young mothers and their children - includingeducation groups, field trips, and financial assistance fordiapers, formula and other basic needs.


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Intensive Prenataland Family CaseManagement

No state funding flowing(about $36 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued (cut significantlyfor non-FederallyQualified HealthCenters), but nopayments being madewithout enacted budget

Update: A Februarycourt order mandatespayment for the FamilyCase Managementprogram ($30 million)

Pregnant women and infants are atincreased risk of poor birth and healthoutcomes due to anticipated programdelays and service reductions by evenlarge providers.

Local public health departments report that the budgetimpasse has had a devastating impact on these and otherservices, particularly for Illinoisans in the downstate region.The Southern Seven Health Department reduced services toone day per week in satellite offices, forcing residents totravel long distances for services. East Side Health District (serves four townships in St. Clair County, including East St.Louis) laid off half of its staff, with registered nurses morelikely to be laid off.

In February, a court order mandated that family casemanagement funds be paid out by the state. Despite thepromise that funds will begin to flow, programs will faceadditional costs to rehire and train new staff. The effort torebuild programs will be a long-term project for manycommunities with limited resources and high needs.

Redeploy Illinois No state funding flowing(about $4.8 million inFY15)

Compromised services for hundreds ofteenagers at high-risk of incarceration.

Twenty-three counties are no longer serving youth throughcost-effective programs that divert youth away from costlyincarceration. In FY15, these counties served 275 youththrough community-based diversion programs. Theapproximate cost to serve 275 youth would be $1.6million in the Redeploy Illinois program compared to $30.5million to incarcerate youth through the Department of

Juvenile Justice (DJJ).

LaSalle, Bureau, and Grundy are reviewing the need forclosure in March: these counties served 41 youth in FY15. Ifthese three additional programs close in February, the totalimpact for the 26 counties would put roughly 316 additionalyouth at risk of incarceration. The approximate cost toserve 316 youth through Redeploy programs is roughly$1.9M compared to $35M for incarceration through the DJJ.


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Safe from the Start(violence protectionfor kids)

No state funding flowing(over $1 million inFY15); providers toldthey may be reimbursedfor expenses incurredthrough July 1, 2015unless grant programsuspended

Therapist layoffs leading to reducedservices for fragile families exposed tofamily or community violence. Providerswho can are continuing services withprivate support but at reduced hours,which won’t be sustainable in comingmonths.

Compared to the same period a year earlier, from last Julythrough December roughly 100 fewer children ages 0-5 (andtheir families) have received therapy for childhood exposureto violence. There has been a 28% reduction in the numberof direct service hours provided to families. These servicehours include assessment, case management, therapy, andcrisis intervention. Prevention programming services havealso been reduced with 230 fewer people being served.

All nine implementation sites have reduced theircollaboration and public education efforts, thereby reducingthe number of new clients that come to the agency throughreferrals. Seven sites have either stopped accepting newfamilies or have limited the number of new families they are

able to serve. The agency responsible for evaluation has notconducted any activities on the effectiveness of serviceprovision that has been provided since July 1, 2015.

Teen PregnancyPrevention Grants

No state fundingflowing; FY16 contractsissued (cut significantly& capped at $50,000),but no payments beingmade without enacted

budget

Planned sex education programming forareas with high-STD and teen pregnancyrates (e.g., Decatur) no longer possiblewith funding reductions and paymentdelays.

Local public health departments report that the budgetimpasse has had a devastating impact on these and otherservices, particularly for Illinoisans in the downstate region.The Southern Seven Health Department reduced services toone day per week in satellite offices, forcing residents totravel long distances for services. East Side Health District

(serves four townships in St. Clair County, including East St.Louis) laid off half of its staff, with registered nurses morelikely to be laid off.


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Teen REACHafterschoolprograms

No state funding flowing(over $13 million inFY15)

16 program closures and 79 staff layoffs,leading to more than 1,500 youth losingprogramming with another 572 atimmediate risk.

Funding that supported afterschool programs for 14,000teens was eliminated. A minimum of 18 programs haveclosed and 94 staff have been laid off statewide. FormerTeen REACH sites still operating have reduced programoptions, cut hours, cancelled field trips, changed locationsfor reduced rent, and replaced staff with volunteers.Metropolitan Family Services has suspended enrichingafterschool programming serving Chicago’s Southwest Sideand Belmont-Cragin community, impacting over 100 youthand families. Because of the loss of funding, three full-time jobs were lost.

Health, Disability, and Senior Care

ARC of Illinois LifeSpan Project(disability hotline)

No state funding flowing($471,400 in FY15)

Referral services suspended July 1,2015, leaving families with special needsto navigate complex insurance,educational, institutional, and legalsystems unaided and at greater risk ofnot receiving needed support.

Seven staff members have been laid off. Referral serviceshave closed, leaving roughly 100 people seeking servicesthrough the referral system without assistance. The projectis no longer able to provide important advocacy trainings forpeople with developmental disabilities.

The Autism Programof Illinois (TAP)

No state funding flowing($4.3 million in FY15)

Program closure in Charleston,eliminating services for over 100children and their families andtrainings/consultations for about 900educators and health providers. Otherproviders operating at significantlyreduced staffing levels, drasticallycutting or eliminating services, andeliminating sliding scale paymentoptions, all limiting access to life-changing services for children and theirfamilies.

Nearly 1,800 families across the state have either lostservices or are at risk of losing critical autism services. TheAutism Program of Illinois , the largest network of autismservice programs in the country, closed its central officedoors indefinitely on September 30, 2015. The TAP programin Chicago closed in the fall of 2015. The Rockford programreports reduced capacity. TAP has been a national leader inproviding services and supports to children with autismspectrum disorder (ASD). In 2014, the Center for DiseaseControl estimated that one in 68 children has beenidentified with ASD.


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Breast and CervicalCancer Screenings

No state funding flowing($13.5 million in FY15);federal pass-throughdollars released makeup just over 30% ofFY15 program budget

Without state funding, an estimated15,000 fewer women will receive thesepotentially life-saving services comparedto FY15.

Agencies have been forced to reduce hours and services,waitlist women seeking care, or close their programsaltogether. These services are often the only availableresource for low-income, uninsured women who needbreast cancer screenings or treatment. Because of programsdownsizing and drastically scaling back a range of services,including lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings,Illinoisans in the downstate region have been hit particularlyhard. The Southern Seven Health Department reducedservices to one day per week in satellite offices, forcingresidents to travel long distances for services. East SideHealth District (serves four townships in St. Clair County,including East St. Louis) laid off half of its staff, withregistered nurses more likely to be laid off.

Centers forIndependent Living(CILs)


Impact not included in Septemberreport

Centers for Independent Living (CIL) equip people withdisabilities with resources, supports, and skills to l iveindependently. CILs across the state including centers inChicago, Swansea, Joliet, and Alton , have institutedfurloughs and layoffs. In fiscal year 2014, CILs served 95 ofIllinois’ 102 counties. CILs also provided roughly 63,430direct services and information and referral contactscombined during FY2014.


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Community CareProgram

No state funding flowingfor non-Medicaidseniors; state not payingproviders of Medicaidseniors until compelledby court to do so

Update: Medicaidpayments are beingpaid through a courtorder, no state fundsflowing for non-Medicaid seniors

Department on Aging won’t transferprovider bills to the Comptroller, makingit difficult for providers to extend creditlines. Cash reserves are expected to runout by the end of September. Someproviders have already had to transfertheir clients and close their doors,leaving older adults more likely to needto move into nursing care rather than beable to stay in their homes.

Examples of Community Impact:Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has closed seven homecare and adult day care centers, cutting off services to 2,355seniors in Canton, Chicago, DeKalb, Freeport, Moline,Peoria and Rockford . LSSI also closed its case managementand adult protective services programs for 2,713 seniors inSterling. The Neighborhood House in St. Louis has closed itsadult day care program. No state-sourced funds are flowingto Catholic Charities for home care services leaving morethan 25,000 seniors at risk of losing services across Cook andLake Counties .

Domestic ViolenceShelters and Services

No state funding flowing(over $18 million);federal pass-throughdollars released makeup less than 9% of FY15program budget and arenot available to non-shelter providers ofdomestic violenceservices

Update: State fundingapproved in December2015

Services for 75,000 survivors ofdomestic violence are at risk. Manyproviders reducing hours and staff andexperiencing difficulty extending creditlines due to uncertain state funding.More reductions and closures areexpected in September, compromisingneeded services for over 20,000 womenand children in Cook County alone.

While the Legislature approved funding in December 2015,agencies are holding off on rehiring positions due to theuncertainty of future funding. Some agencies are leavingnon-personnel cuts and salary reductions in place.


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Epilepsy Grants No state funding flowing(about $2 million inFY15)

Epilepsy Resource Center in Springfieldclosed June 30, 2015, with no plans toreinstate the organization or theservices provided. Other providers arecanceling certain services andanticipating staff layoffs and/or servicereductions in the coming months,compromising care for tens ofthousands of Illinoisans living withepilepsy.

The Epilepsy Foundation Rockford affiliate has cut threestaff members, leaving only one staff person to deliverservices. State funding for the Epilepsy Foundation ofGreater Chicago has been eliminated, resulting in layoffs forthree staff positions that provided counseling, transitionprograms, art therapy programs and Hispanic outreach.There are roughly 130,000 people, including children, in theChicagoland area in need of Epilepsy resources and services.

Family PlanningPrograms

No state funding flowing($2 million in FY15)

Reduced hours, nurse layoffs, andclosing of laboratory services at localhealth departments, all of which impair

family planning services.

Local public health departments report that the budgetimpasse has had a devastating impact on these and otherservices, particularly for Illinoisans in the downstate region.

The Southern Seven Health Department reduced services toone day per week in satellite offices, forcing residents totravel long distances for services. East Side Health District (serves four townships in St. Clair County, including East St.Louis) laid off half of its staff, with registered nurses morelikely to be laid off.

Funeral and BurialAssistance


Without funeral or burial assistance thatin FY14 helped about 9,000 families,many will be turned away from funeralhomes, have to locate scarce donatedservices, or rent caskets followed by thecremation of loved ones they areculturally or religiously expected tobury. As in past years, costs may fall oncounty coroners, and morgues mayexceed capacity.

Costs have shifted to local governments. Some countiesreport picking up the cost of funerals for families unable topay for funeral and burial services.


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HIV/AIDS Preventionand TreatmentServices

No state funding flowing(about $28 million inFY15); federal pass-through dollars releaseddon’t cover over 30% ofFY15 program budget

Update: No statefunding flowing toPediatric AIDS ChicagoPrevention Initiative(over $750,000 in FY15)

Without state funding, thousands of HIVtests will not be administered. Federalfunding is estimated to only support HIVPrevention Lead Support Grants intoOctober, depriving thousands of at-riskresidents access to life-saving education,prevention services, counseling, andtesting.

The HIV/AIDS organization Pediatric AIDS ChicagoPrevention Initiative , which operates a statewide safety netof prevention to ensure that pregnant women with HIVdeliver HIV-negative babies, will have to close its doors bythe end of 2016 if the state fails to restore funding. Theresult would be an increase in the number of babies inIllinois born with HIV, the vi rus that causes AIDS. PACPIprograms save the state at least $35 million.

The Illinois Public Health Association represents 30 HIVservice providers who are all without contracts and have notbeen reimbursed during the budget impasse. Three of thelocal agencies no longer participate in the program.

The Center on Halsted HIV Testing Program lost two staffmembers. Overall, the Center’s testing is down 43%between fiscal year 2015 and 2016, and has diagnosed 12fewer people through the 2 nd quarter of this fiscal yearcompared to last year. This is particularly alarming as theCenter is the largest testing resource for youth and gay men.HIV testing ensures more people infected with HIV willaccess important treatment and help curb the spread of thedisease.


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Home-deliveredMeals for Seniors

No state funding flowing(over $11 million inFY15); federal pass-through dollars releaseddon’t cover about 50%of FY15 program budget

Without a state budget this year anduncertain federal funding next year,more than 6.5 million meals deliveredfive days a week to homebound elderlyeach year are at risk. Five meal agenciesin Monroe, Randolph, and St. Claircounties closed as of July 31,terminating over 7,000 meals per monthfor more than 400 seniors. Theseprograms have since reopened due tothe availability of federal funds, but howlong they will be able to remain open isuncertain.

At least 3,200 seniors have lost home-delivered hot mealservices statewide. Programs report staff layoffs, cutbacks inthe total number of meals delivered weekly, reduceddrivers’ hours, and utilizing lines of credit.

Community Impact:In DuPage County at least 1,500 seniors participate in themeals on wheels and community dining programs. TheDuPage Senior Citizens Council has cut program staff by55% and has closed its community-dining program. As ofJanuary, a Meals on Wheels program in Rockford eliminated250 meal slots, bringing the number of seniors on the waitlist for meals to 400. The provider, Lifescape CommunityServices, reports serving 17,000 fewer meals in the first

quarter of 2016 compared to the first quarter of 2015.

Sexual AssaultServices andPrevention

No state funding flowing(over $6.5 million inFY15); federal pass-through dollars releaseddon’t cover 40% of FY15program budget

Rape crisis centers are facing layoffs of30-40%, which would result in turningaway 3,400 victims of sexual violencewho need advocacy and counseling.Pending closures due to lack of funds forrent, phone, utilities, and other essentialcosts. Another 3,700+ victims who needcrisis intervention and information aftera sexual assault will not receive thiscritical care.

All 29 agencies serving survivors of sexual assault haveinstituted furloughs and left staff vacancies unfilled sinceJuly 2015. Some agencies report salary reductions of up to25%. While 24-hour hotline, hospital support services, andcriminal justice services continue, agencies across the statehave instituted waitlists for counseling services. As a result,survivors of sexual assault across the state are not receivingcritical trauma-centered counseling to support theirrecovery. One center reports 65 survivors are waiting forcounseling services in the Chicago area alone.


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Substance Use andPrevention Programs

No state funding flowingfor non-Medicaidservices (over $67.5million in FY15); FY16contracts issued (cut25% from FY15), but nopayments being madefor non-Medicaidservices withoutenacted budget (roughly$300 million)

Services and treatment are at risk for70,000 Illinoisans. The Delta Center insouthern Illinois closed in August 2015,increasing the demand for substanceabuse treatment in two of Illinois’poorest counties—Alexander andPulaski. An agency in central Illinoisanticipates closing all its detox programsin October, laying off staff and leavingresidents in the position of having totravel to Bloomington for services.

At least 1,000 mental health workers and substance abuseclinicians have been laid off or have had their hours reducedstatewide. An estimated 47,000 individuals have beendenied services or received reduced service delivery as aresult of no payments being made for non-Medicaidpatients. Programs or services that have been shut down orreduced: Inpatient and outpatient substance abuse useprograms; crisis services; services for the uninsured;therapy; psychiatric services; mental health housingservices; and child adolescent mental health services. Mostagencies have a waiting list of 3 months or longer, leavingmany adults with substance abuse disorders at risk ofentering the criminal justice system and children at greaterrisk of developing long-term mental health disorders due to

lack of treatment for affected family members.

Examples of Community Impact:912 participants in Lutheran Social Services of Illinois substance abuse treatment programs have lost servicesstatewide. Haymarket Center closed its social settingdetoxification program. The program served 903 people inFY15. Wells Center in Jacksonville closed its medicallysupervised alcohol and drug detoxification unit in October2015. The unit provided critical services to 360 people

struggling with substance abuse each year.

Psychiatric services are at risk for over 9,980 clients servedthrough Metropolitan Family Services. The loss ofpsychiatric care funding could result in layoffs of up to fivedoctors and psychiatric nurses whose services are central tomental health services across the Metropolitan service area.At least 41 uninsured non-Medicaid clients are at risk andthe program has halted intake for new patients. Thesepatients have no other source for treatment.


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Sudden Infant DeathSyndrome Program


Program no longer able to providehundreds of families with low-cost,portable cribs, leaving many low-incomefamilies vulnerable to accidental infantdeaths. Staff of sole provider for theentire state reduced to one person,leading to substantial reductions in life-saving educational trainings for parents,health providers, and law enforcement.

This program is no longer providing free trainings forparents, health providers, and law enforcement. Theprogram receives approximately 4-5 requests for cribsweekly, but is unable to provide equipment or services. Theprogram has not given out any cribs since September.Despite efforts to trim program costs by reducing personneland travel costs, the program is still running a deficit. Deathreports are coming in regularly of infants who died in unsafesleeping environments.

Support Services forSeniors

No state funding flowing(about $8 million inFY15); federal pass-through dollars released

don’t cover 40% of FY15program budget

Nonprofits relying on extended lines ofcredit and spending down cash reserves.Reduced capacity to provide seniorsupport services including housekeeping

assistance, friendly visiting, homerepair, housing, respite, senior centers,telephone reassurance, transportation,and an information and referralnetwork.

A lack of state funding for the Long-Term Care OmbudsmanProgram has resulted in program closures, staff layoffs andprograms dipping into reserve funds to maintain currentoperations. Ombudsmen visit residents in long-term care

facilities to monitor their care and ensure protection againstabuse, neglect, poor care, isolation, and lack of choices andmeaningful activities.

Home Care & Adult Day Care:Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has closed seven homecare and adult day care centers, cutting off services to 2,355seniors in Canton, Chicago, DeKalb, Freeport, Moline,Peoria and Rockford . LSSI also closed its case managementand adult protective services programs for 2,713 seniors inSterling . The Neighborhood House in East St. Louis hasclosed its adult day care program.

No state-sourced funds are flowing to Catholic Charities forhome care services, leaving more than 25,000 seniors at riskof losing services across Cook and Lake Counties .


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University of IllinoisSickle Cell Clinic


Community screenings for the sickle cellgenetic trait on hold until FY16 budgetimplemented, leading to increased riskof sickle cell disease occurring amongthe offspring of unknown carriers of thetrait.

Sickle cell screenings still on hold, as well as publication ofthe Sickle Cell Patient's newsletter.

Strong Workforce and Local Communities

Adult Education andLiteracy Programs

No state funding flowing(about $36 million inFY15 to IllinoisCommunity CollegeBoard and Secretary of

State literacy programs)

Update: Federal passthrough dollars werereleased in late 2015,covers roughly 40% offunding through ICCBprograms

State funds released forliteracy programsadministered throughthe Secretary of Statebetween December andFebruary ($3.7 million)

With many education programsscheduled to start in September,community-based providers are beingforced to gamble—those that can areusing other dollars to cover the costs of

their adult, parent, and family educationprograms and hoping the state dollarseventually come through.

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) adult and familyliteracy programs are operating on roughly 40% of federalpass through dollars. ICCB’s adult education and literacyprograms serve more than 85,000 adult learners each year.Some programs are laying off workers, reducing services or

closing their doors in high-need areas of the state. Largecutbacks in adult and family literacy have resulted in servicereductions for adults in need of English as a second languageand basic literacy instruction to put them on a path to stableemployment. As of the end of February, 21 programs havereduced support services and classes, 16 staff have been laidoff and six programs have closed. In addition, the twostatewide professional development conferences for AdultBasic Education and Literacy providers have been cancelleddue lack of funding.

Examples of Community Impact:At least three adult education providers in Chicago closedprograms in several Chicago neighborhoods, includingEnglewood, South Loop, Uptown , and Belmont Cragin .Literacy Volunteers of DuPage has a wait list of 200 countyresidents in need of literacy instruction. Kaskaskia College has suspended its adult education programs, including 14classes during the spring semester. Five staff members andall instructors have been laid off.


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Adult Redeploy No state funding flowing(about $7 million inFY15)

Services that treat and supervisehundreds of non-violent offenders eachyear in their communities instead ofprison are at risk, threatening $17million in annual cost-savings to thestate.

Twenty-one sites serving 39 counties, including 14 of the 20counties with the highest rates of commitments of non-violent offenders to Illinois prisons are at risk of closure. Inthe first five years of operations, these programs havediverted 2,500 non-violent offenders away from costlyincarceration.

Six sites expect to suspend or close programs by the end ofthe fiscal year, affecting 600 current participants across 18counties. Kane County —the 11 th highest committingcounty—has closed its Adult Redeploy program. Nine othersites are uncertain of the sustainability of their programsthrough the end of the fiscal year.


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Aid to PublicColleges andUniversities

No state funding flowing(about $1.6 billion inFY15)

Without state aid to higher education:Chicago State University would have toraise tuition by 55% to make up thedifference; Northern Illinois Universitywould need to cut recruitment, staff andstudent retention, support services, andany raises for students; Eastern IllinoisUniversity would need to furlough or layoff 250 people; Western IllinoisUniversity would need to increasetuition by 65 percent (which isimpossible since over half the studentpopulation is low-income) or closeprograms and lay off/furlough

significant numbers of staff; andSouthern Illinois University, the largestemployer south of Springfield, wouldhave to furlough or lay off staff toreduce payroll by $500,000.

Public two- and four-year colleges and universities aredipping into reserves, instituting furloughs and staff layoffs.Some institutions are considering borrowing against futurestate appropriations to cover costs while they wait for astate budget.

Update on Institutions:Chicago State University has declared “a state of financialexigency”—a declaration of a financial emergency that willenable the university to begin to lay off employees andfaculty. CSU has cancelled spring break to shorten the schoolyear and save money. The university continues to signal thatthe university may close before completing the springsemester. Closure of the nearly 150-year-old institution,

serving a predominately black student body, would set backmore than 4,500 students pursuing their college education.

Eastern Illinois University will lay off an estimated 200employees and institute furloughs of administrative andprofessional staff.

Southern Illinois University has laid off at least 25employees; eliminated or left vacant 50 positions; researchand training programs have stopped operating.

Northern Illinois University reports unfilled vacancies duringthe impasse. The University of Illinois Chicago is continuingoperations through reserve funds.


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Child CareAssistance Program

No state funding flowing($500 million to equalFY15 program budget);federal pass-throughdollars released coverroughly 66% of costs

Update: Center-basedprograms continue tooperate on pass throughdollars. Home-basedprograms are being paidthrough a court order

Providers are just now starting to bepaid for expenses incurred since July 1.Without full funding for the program,providers who are already strugglingsince the new eligibility restrictionseliminated access to the program for90% of families that do not meet thelower poverty level threshold (50% vs.previous eligibility at 185% of thepoverty level) also face uncertainty overwhether the state will have enoughmoney each month and over the courseof the fiscal year to pay them forservices rendered.

9,600 children previously eligible for child care subsidies areno longer able to access quality child care due to GovernorRauner’s executive actions that have left the current incomelimit of 162% of the poverty level below the 185% level thatwas in place prior to last July. (Governor Rauner had placedthe income limit at 50% of the poverty level beginning lastJuly, but raised it to 162% of poverty in November with apromise to restore the limit to 185% once a full budget isenacted.) Center-based programs are operating on federalpass though dollars. Home-based providers are receivingfunding through a court order. Due to previous eligibilitychanges, providers are working to bring their programs backto their full operations.

Civil Legal Aid No state funding flowing($1.4 million in FY15)

17,500 fewer vulnerable Illinoisansimpacted by domestic violence, eviction,and financial exploitation may loseaccess to the civil justice system.

Programs are operating on reserve funds, leavinguncertainty about the sustainability of certain state-fundedlegal services, including advocacy for seniors, veterans, andsurvivors of domestic violence.

Conservation Police No state funding flowing($1.25 million in FY15)

33 conservation police officers havebeen laid off, leaving natural resourcesunprotected from hunting violations,illegal wildlife takings, or propertydamage. The state is no longer equippedto conduct river rescues, which couldresult in otherwise preventabledrownings.

In addition to the layoffs earlier in the fiscal year, Illinoisdoes not have enough conservation police to enforceexisting endangered species law.


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Emergency andTransitional Housing

No state funding flowing(over $9 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued (cut from FY15),but no payments beingmade without enactedbudget

90% of homeless service providers inIllinois have or will be forced to reduceintake of new clients, decrease oreliminate services, layoff/furlough staff,eliminate programs, or close their sites,making it harder for individuals andfamilies who are homeless to accessemergency shelter and transitionalhousing.

5,458 current clients already have had their services reducedor eliminated. An additional 2,729 clients will likely havetheir services reduced or eliminated if the budget impassecontinues through the end of March 2016.

Employment andTraining Programs

No state funding flowingfor the Job Training andEconomic DevelopmentGrant Program (about

$1.7 million in FY15),EmploymentOpportunities GrantProgram (about $1.4million in FY15), orEmployer TrainingInvestment Program(about $7 million inFY15)

Hundreds of unemployed, low-income,or low-skilled workers don’t have accessto employment training that helpsimprove employment rates and increase

earning potential.

Workforce development providers are reducing the numberof classes offered and are using furloughs to cut staff hoursresulting in fewer low-skilled and low-income adultsreceiving needed skills training to move into more stable

jobs. Providers are telling businesses that the EmployerTraining investment program (ETIP) will not be available in2016. The ETIP serves employers by training currentlyemployed individuals at businesses, often in manufacturing.The Urban Weatherization initiative, which has a workforcetraining component, has suspended trainings and servicesfor home energy improvements for low-income residentsacross 14 urban counties.

HOME InvestmentPartnershipsProgram

Federal program, but nofunding because notincluded in SB 2042 ($35million in FY15)

Contractors building new affordablehousing in Illinois and working onemergency repairs in mostly ruralcounties are not being paid.

No federal funds are flowing to the HOME InvestmentPartnership Program. The Chicago Coalition for theHomeless and Housing Action Illinois Supportive HousingProviders Association estimate that these funds, along withdedicated state funds for homeless prevention grants,emergency shelters, and foreclosure prevention counselingwould serve the affordable housing needs of 172,350people; and provide funding for 14,640 units of affordablehousing.


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HomelessPreventionAssistance

No state funding flowing(about $4 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued (cut from FY15),but no payments beingmade without enactedbudget

90% of homeless service providers inIllinois have or will be forced to reduceintake of new clients, decrease oreliminate services, layoff/furlough staff,eliminate programs, or close their sites,increasing the likelihood that thousandsof individuals and families in arrears willbecome homeless.

5,458 current clients already have had their services reducedor eliminated. An additional 2,729 clients will likely havetheir services reduced or eliminated if the budget impassecontinues through the end of March 2016.

The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and Housing ActionIllinois Supportive Housing Providers Association estimatethat state dedicated funds for homeless supportive housing,emergency shelters, and foreclosure prevention counseling,along with the federal HOME Investment Partnershipprogram federal funds would serve the affordable housingneeds of 172,350 people; and provide funding for 14,640units of affordable housing.

HomelessSupportive Housing No state funding flowing(about $30 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued (cut 49% fromFY15), but no paymentsbeing made withoutenacted budget

90% of homeless service providers inIllinois have or will be forced to reduceintake of new clients, decrease oreliminate services, layoff/furlough staff,eliminate programs, or close their sites,leaving recently homeless individualsand families without the tenant servicesthey need to help them stay in theirhomes.



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Homeless YouthServices

No state funding flowing(about $5.5 million inFY15); FY16 contractsissued (cut from FY15),but no payments beingmade without enactedbudget

90% of homeless service providers inIllinois have or will be forced to reduceintake of new clients, decrease oreliminate services, layoff/furlough staff,eliminate programs, or close their sites,leaving youth who are separated fromtheir families without access to sheltersthat keep them safe and off the streets.


Examples of community impact:One Chicago -based adolescent substance abuse andtreatment program closed in Illinois, cutting off 90 youth inneed. The eight-bed Mahoney Transitional Living homeyouth shelter serving Hardin County closed in February.

Illinois StateMuseums

No state funding flowing(over $6 million in FY15)

54 staff members have been laid off andclosures of five state museums arepending, which would lead to anestimated loss of $30 million per year inrelated economic activity, millions ofartifacts left at risk, violations ofcontracts, and the loss of Illinois historyand natural resource experts.

The Illinois State museum has closed indefinitely.


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Immigrant Services No state funding flowing($6 million in FY15)

Providers laying off staff and reducingnumber of immigrants they helpconnect to vital services and worktowards obtaining citizenship. MujeresLatinas En Accion in Chicago is operatingat 60% capacity. The Latino Organizationof the Southwest shutdown operationsafter more than 20 years of service.More organization closures areexpected.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights’partner agencies have eliminated 200 positions (two-thirdsof workers statewide). Roughly 102,000 immigrants are nolonger receiving services through the New AmericansInitiative and the Immigrant Family Resource program.These two programs delivered services such as applicationassistance for naturalization, ESL/Civics, assistance withpublic benefits, and interpretation/translations services in59 languages. Language and interpretation services ensurethe state fulfills its language access obligations under thefederal Civil Rights Act.

Monetary AwardProgram (tuition

assistance)


As many as 130,000 students whosecollege plans are dependent on MAP

funding will not have the financialassistance they need to pay for college.

Without a state budget, Illinois state colleges anduniversities covered the cost of MAP grants for their low-

income students during the fall 2015 semester. However,some public colleges have announced they are notcontinuing to extend during the spring 2016 semester. Whileother colleges and universities have continued to cover thecost of MAP grants this spring, low-income students couldstill be on the hook for their college tuition if the state failsto enact a budget and fund the MAP program. Uncertaintyin the MAP program and lack of tuition coverage at variousinstitutions has could lead to students dropping out orrelying on students loans—aid that must be repaid—tocover their college costs.

Southern Illinois University reports that 1,000 MAP grantrecipients did not return for the spring semester.

Public TransitOperating AssistanceGrants


20 staff were laid off and public transitservices for school children, and seniorsin cities like Waterloo, Red Bud, andSparta, Illinois were eliminated due tothe closing of the area transit district.

KAT transit services in Kendall County reports reducedtransit services. Senior Services Plus in Alton shut down itstransportation services.


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Reentry andRehabilitationServices

No state fundingflowing; FY16 contractsissued (cut 50% fromFY15), but no paymentsbeing made withoutenacted budget; federalpass-through dollarsreleased don’t coverrecovery homes orother residentialhousing programs

A provider in Chicago had to reducepayroll by $265,000 due to delays instate cash flow; they are trying topreserve a continuity of services, butcan’t do so without staff. Efforts to helpmen and women recently released fromprison transition successfully back intotheir communities through residentialhousing programs are undermined bycuts and reductions to other supportservices including child care assistanceand job training.

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has laid off 12 staffmembers and closed four reentry programs in East St. Louis ,Alton, Connections (Chicago) and Marion . These programclosures represent a loss of critical reentry services such as job placement and social services for 791 residents returningto their communities.

Soil and Water

ConservationDistricts Grants

No state funding flowing

(about $3 million inFY15); federal fundingimpaired ($400 million)

Half of the 97 soil and water

conservation districts will likely close bythe end of September, impairing federalconservation contracts, causingsignificant soil erosion, and increasingthe amount of nitrogen andphosphorous in Illinois waterways.

Staff layoffs reported. Rural counties have been hit the

hardest with layoffs and long-time staff members leaving formore stable employment in other sectors. Districtsstatewide have stopped processing farmer and landownerapplications for federally funded soil and water conservationprojects that require state matching funds.


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208 S. LaSalle St., Suite 1490 • Chicago, IL 60604 -1120

312-456- 0600 • www.voices4kids.org

_________________________________________________________

B U I L D I N G B E T T E R L I V E S

ABOUT THE FISCAL POLICY CENTER

The Fiscal Policy Center at Voices for Illinois Children provides timely, credible, and accessible information andanalysis on fiscal issues that affect children, families, and communities in Illinois. The FPC is a member of the

State Priorities Project, a network of nonprofit organizations in more than 40 states. The Project iscoordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C.-based research organizationand strategic policy institute that works on a range of federal and state issues.

The Fiscal Policy Center is funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Center on Budget and PolicyPriorities, and the Chicago Community Trust. We thank our funders for their support but acknowledge thatthe findings and conclusions presented in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of theseorganizations.

For additional information, please contact David Lloyd, Director of the Fiscal Policy Center, at

[email protected] or 312-516-5557.

Documents

Budget Impasse Continues to Devastate Illinois Families and Communities FINAL