4um: Illinois: Drug programs to lose funding

The harsh reality of the budget cuts proposed by Illinois governor Pat Quinn will become very real for tens of thousands of residents, as the state prepares to kill all funding for its drug treatment and prevention programs.

Only federal Medicaid dollars will fund drug treatment centers starting March 15, meaning that services at centers statewide will face drastic cuts.

Sara Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association told the News-Gazette that "80 percent of our clients on March 15 would be thrown out of care." That adds up to around 55,000 people who will lose their help battling drugs.

"It's the most devastating picture possible," Howe said.

According to Eric Foster, also of IADDA, that includes up to 32,000 youth who will lose access to prevention programs, with disastrous possible ramifications, The Telegraph reports.

With a mounting budget crisis over the past several years, funding for treatment and prevention programs has already been seriously eroded, as a separate News-Gazette piece reads:

Prairie [Treatment] Center's funding was cut by $900,000 in 2008, forcing it to close its detoxification program and lay off 22 employees. The detox program reopened after some of the money was restored and six nurses were rehired. [Prairie Health Systems CEO Bruce] Suardini pledged to fight the latest proposals as well.

"It seems to me he's taking the most vulnerable and making those people come to Springfield and cry and beg and get legislators to change their minds on what programs to cut," he said.

They should all be given one final "hot" load and save the state even more money. (1 image)

What kills me about stories like this is that they will cut this program but not cut all those expensive commissions that they appoint their cronies to.

Tough women come from New York, sweet women from Texas, prissy women from Southern California, but we NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMEN have fire & ice in our blood. We can ride 4-wheelers, be a princess, throw a left hook, pack heat, hunt with the men, bake a cake, love with passion, and if we have an opinion, you know you're going to hear it!!

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Ben Franklin

IMO, they are cutting this one intentionally. They want legions of strung out junkies roaming the state. It's like when the State Fathers propose opening up the prisons as a starting point in budget negotiations. We need to understand the politicians are literally about to unleash a very unsavory element into the populace. Arm up.

I would completely agree on the intent. I'm just saying if they really cared about cutting the budget etc...

What will these poor well meaning, overpaid, cancer on the Self-Governing/Self Reliant.. Bureaucrats do without riding the Socialism / Proletarian (Soviet System..Proletariat ..Roman System Prols..lol) gravy train? lol

Yours in Observing Our Glorious Nanny State Collapsing on Its Collectivist Cottage Cheese Filled Ass,

In effect, it’s (The Holacaust Inc.) become like a grotesque doll wielded by witch doctors, used to keep individuals from asking too many questions, from thinking for themselves and stepping out of line.

How about cutting all the funding for the "war on drugs". Cops, lawyers, prosecutors, judges, all the prisons. Over 50% of all incarceration is drug related. Since Nixon, 1 trillion has been spent.

If America is destroyed, it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers - normally good Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free - Americans who have been lulled into a false security (April 1968).---Ezra Taft Benson, US Secretary of Agriculture 1953-1961 under Eisenhower

I'd agree except for one detail; there never was a war on drugs. The term is a lie. If this nation was serious about stopping the flow of narcotics into the country, it could reduced by 70% (+/-) in a month. I contend there is no political will to stop drug traffic, so frankly I could care less whose kid(s) become hooked.