Legislators call on Quinn to reverse cuts for drug programs

SPRINGFIELD -- A Chicago legislator says she will request a symbolic vote in the Illinois House today that calls on Gov. Pat Quinn to rescind an immediate $28 million cut in state funding for substance-abuse treatment programs.

Swift action by Quinn is needed to avoid drastic downsizing and elimination of programs in Springfield, Jacksonville and the rest of the state, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, said at a news conference Wednesday.

The Democratic governor's surprise decision to eliminate state funding for 80 percent of clients in state-subsidized treatment programs in the middle of the current fiscal year "is an unacceptable approach to trimming the budget," Feigenholtz said.

"This is actually more like taking a battle ax and a hatchet job to some very, very serious services," she said.

For the second consecutive day, Quinn administration officials didn't return phone calls from The State Journal-Register seeking comment.

Quinn earlier this month proposed eliminating all $55 million in general revenue fund spending for substance-abuse treatment in the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2011.

Surprise cut

But his decision to eliminate GRF funding for treatment for the remainder of the current fiscal year, effective March 15, surprised lawmakers and treatment providers. They learned about the cut late last week.

"It essentially would eliminate community-based treatment centers," said Kent Holsopple, the Springfield area administrator for TASC, a Chicago-based drug counseling and assessment agency.

TASC would have to lay off about 130 of its 360 workers statewide, he said.

House Resolution 106, which Feigenholtz introduced Tuesday, had about two dozen co-sponsors - most of them Democrats - by Wednesday night.

She said she expects "broad-based support" for the measure if it receives a vote today.

"I believe the resolution is a strong statement, and I'm not certain the governor would want to buck that," Feigenholtz said.

Quinn doesn't need approval from the Illinois General Assembly to institute the mid-year cut.

If the cut isn't rescinded, the only remaining state funding for drug treatment would be for Medicaid recipients - mainly women raising children - but those clients represent only about 20 percent of the total.

The cut would result in an estimated 55,000 low-income clients being denied residential or outpatient services over the next 12 months and more than 5,000 workers at treatment centers being laid off, according to the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.

Some clients seeking services would be turned away, while others actually would be discharged from treatment centers and detoxification units, advocates said.

'Thousands of addicts' on street

"There are going to be tens of thousands of addicts out there on the street with no treatment, nowhere to turn," said state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago. "I see very dire consequences on every level."

For every $1 spent on treatment, $9 in other health-care costs are saved, according to Bruce Carter, executive director of The Wells Center in Jacksonville.

He said Quinn's cut would force Wells to close its 32-bed residential unit and its six-bed detox unit by the end of March and lay off 40 of 47 staff members in Jacksonville.

The Gateway Foundation in Springfield also is preparing to lay off staff and close most of its 16 adult beds.

Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, told the State Journal-Register's editorial board that he opposes the cuts.

"It's not the right move," he said.

The cut would follow a 25 percent state funding cut in drug treatment over the previous two years.

Dean Olsen can be reached at (217) 788-1543.