The pound foolish impasse
Monday, Feb 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Nancy Ronquillo of Children’s Home & Aid in Chicago writing in Crain’s…
Seven months into the fiscal year, with no end to the state budget stalemate in sight, my organization, Children’s Home & Aid, announced the suspension of a program that has been working: our Comprehensive Community-Based Youth Services program. The decision was a direct result of the budget impasse: The state has not paid nonprofits for contracted services since July.
Let me tell you about the CCBYS program. A few months ago, like most every day, we received a call about a teen living in a foreclosed building with another homeless friend. Her mom was very ill and was struggling to provide even the most minimal care for her child. After the police investigated, we were called to work with the teen and her family to remedy their issues. Because we had been redirecting funds from other programs to keep CCBYS afloat, we were able to take the call and help her find a safe place to stay with another family member. After working with her for a few days, it was clear that while she was now safe and off the streets, she would need a long-term plan if she was going to have a brighter future. We helped her enroll in Job Corps, a federal education and jobs training program, where she has spent the past few months completing her GED and training to work in a medical office.
Now that our program is suspended, when the police reach out for help, options are limited. Rather than reaching a trained social worker who is on call 24/7 to work one-on-one, the police will be referred to a hotline.
CCBYS costs about $200 per month for each youth—that’s right, less than $10 a day—and it pays for our dedicated staff to be on call 24/7 to help kids who flee dangerous homes. We find a way to reconnect kids with their families. In over 90 percent of the cases, our staff members help kids to be safe at home and in school.
When this happens, we prevent kids from entering juvenile detention or the foster care system—alternatives that cost much more. CCBYS costs, on average, $1,883 a year per youth. The cost of incarceration for a youth totals roughly $111,000 a year. Homelessness risks a youth’s entire future and, in the worst cases, their very life.
- Union Leader - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 9:58 am:
Another hostage heard from. How heartbreaking and sad!
- The Man on 6 - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:04 am:
Pound foolish for the State of Illinois, but big bucks for the privatized prison industry.
- Honeybear - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:06 am:
Usually I issue a rant about how these private social service agencies will not come back, the damage is permanent, etc. Not these folks. They will come back. They are survivors. Wow, this is the way it’s done. But they need funding. The people who will suffer are the ones they serve. Look, these are very complex relationships and networks that got a teen of the streets and towards a better life. This is not a want here. This is a societal need. The system is working. Governor Rauner has placed us here by not negotiating until his agenda is adopted, which would kill both unions and his political opposition. It is immoral and shows the “malignant callousness” that is the hallmark of his administration.
- Langhorne - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:18 am:
Radogno says some shakeout w social agencies might be a good thing.
- Cubs in '16 - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:32 am:
“When this happens, we prevent kids from entering juvenile detention or the foster care system—alternatives that cost much more. CCBYS costs, on average, $1,883 a year per youth. The cost of incarceration for a youth totals roughly $111,000 a year. Homelessness risks a youth’s entire future and, in the worst cases, their very life.”
THESE are real numbers–quantifiable and understandable. And, they are hard to argue against. Meanwhile, everyone waits for the gov. to produce quantifiable, understandable numbers to justify the demise of programs such as CCBYS.
- @MisterJayEm - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 10:35 am:
From his tailored business suits, to his spotless Carhartt jacket, to his motorcycle leathers, Bruce Rauner is a series of empty affectations. People should not waste their time trying to figure out who he is based on the costume he’s wearing or the sounds that issue from his mouth. Those are just meaningless distractions.
Bruce Rauner is what he does.
This is what he does.
– MrJM
- Earnest - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:01 am:
I quibble with the headline because “pound foolish” is often paired with “penny wise.” I see no penny wisdom here. However much you support his policy goals, Rauner’s tactics are abhorrent.
- The_Truth - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:01 am:
I have posted before and will so again.
Until the general public is directly effected, they simply do NOT care.
Closing SOS offices would directly effect folks.
It is a shame that no one seems to care for the most vulnerable folks.
- Big Joe - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:14 am:
Sadly, since Bruce Rauner doesn’t read the papers, or pay attention to the media, he won’t know about the pain he is causin’. Maybe one of his minions will point this out to him, but we can’t forget that we need some short term pain for that promised long term gain. Tell those agencies to hang in there, it will all be worth it.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 11:33 am:
I am literally ill after reading this.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 7:13 pm:
Great organization, but:
1) Where was this oped 10 months ago?
2) If CEO’s of major nonprofits can’t say “tax increase” out loud, they can’t expect legislators to pass one or the governor to sign it. There isn’t an iota about additional revenue in this piece.
- Tinsel Town - Monday, Feb 1, 16 @ 7:21 pm:
Some concerns develop with Rauner’s intent to privatize social services at all levels, directing services to for profit organizations.
You have got to ask was this plan hatched thru friends of Rauner friends direct social services to for profit organizations?
- MrSimple - Wednesday, Feb 3, 16 @ 9:24 am:
- Yellow Dog Democrat -
“Where was this oped 10 months ago?” - There have been hundreds of stories, op-eds, press conferences, protest etc. by providers for many months. This is far from the first time that any of this has been said. Illinois Coalition on Youth (ICOY), United Way and many others have come out with many surveys and white papers outlining the long-term costs of not having a budget. But specifically about youth and long-term costs of cuts, this is about 9.5 months ago… http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/04/responsible-budget-coalition-rejects-accepting-rauners-budget-cuts
“If CEO’s of major nonprofits can’t say “tax increase” out loud…” That is what they have the Responsible Budget Coalition for.