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DCFS cuts service providers 10 percent

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Illinois

* There is no budget. They’re under a federal court order to provide services at the same levels. So, this cut looks like they’re ratcheting up pressure on the majority party…

With no signs of a long-term budget agreement, or break in the political stalemate, contractors with Illinois’ Dept. of Children and Family Services are being told to prepare for 10 percent cuts.

The threat of reduced services comes as a federal judge mandated the state continue the same level of care for vulnerable children during the ongoing impasse as it did at the end of the previous fiscal year, which ended June 30. The agency has given no indication of when the 10 percent reduction in contracts would be implemented, leaving child welfare service providers little direction for how to plan their own budgets.

The order from DCFS to its contractors does not contradict Judge Jorge Alonso’s ruling on the existing consent decree, which was intended to provide consistency to service providers. The threat of reductions adds to the uncertainty many child welfare providers, including Children’s Home and Aid, have faced since July 1. Those groups are now left to balance maintaining the same level of services for now, while potentially facing a condensed schedule later in the fiscal year to enact drastic cuts. […]

“In response to ongoing budget negotiations, we have been required to initiate steps to responsibly manage the departments (sic) finances and have cut contracts by 10 percent,” DCFS spokeswoman Veronica Resa said in an emailed statement responding to questions about how the department settled on telling contractors to cut 10 percent when there hasn’t been a set budget agreement.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:33 pm

Comments

Wonder how Ounce feels about this?

This “10% Cut” … baloney… isn’t the way to work for common ground either.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:36 pm
One side is as petty and ridiculous as the other. This is nothing more than vicious.

Comment by LincolnLounger Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:45 pm
Vicious is what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:50 pm
They might have an interesting time explaining to that federal judge why they can’t get the same level of service for less money.

Comment by JackD Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:57 pm
==They’re under a federal court order to provide services at the same levels==
But the Executive branch thinks it is “responsible” to cut contracts by 10%. Why not eliminate the PR department in DCFS for a start to get the 10% back and find some other administrative areas to whittle away.

Comment by AJ_yooper Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:58 pm
These cuts are the consequence of the governor signing a $244 million increase in K-12 education.

Also, i doubt the courts will allow the rate cut to stand, since they would severely impair the department’s ability to fulfill the Consent Decree.

Let’s see what the ACLU has to say….

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:01 pm
JackD:

Will the Judge laugh, or not? I cant wait.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:04 pm
And have Executive IG do the internal investigations, instead of a separate (contract heavy) DCFS/IG.

Comment by south side Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:05 pm
I don’t see how this ratchets up any more pressure on the majority party than it does the Governor. The Constitution says its the Governor’s responsibility to produce a budget and one that is balanced. The GA is still waiting on the Gov’s budget bills. They waited so long that they finally had to come up with their own budget bills. The only bills they get from Rauner are turnaround agenda bills.

Comment by Joe M Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:05 pm
So the K-12 budget rates, gets a bump even, but DCFS providers do not.

Why is that exactly, governor? Please explain in regards to the rest of state services, as well.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:05 pm
This is not the first time an entity, public or private, has been forced to “do more with less”. Budgets have consequences, as does not having a budget at all.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:08 pm
4:05 Joe check the constitution again. The constitution does not make a balanced budget just the responsibility of the gov. The gov must introduce a balanced budget and the ga must pass a balanced budget. You can see how well that is all working out.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:14 pm
Rauner and his superstars continue to misunderstand leverage. This only ratchets up pressure on them.

Getting tiresome watching them flounder about.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:19 pm
On the upside, they’re explictly owning this decision.

Comment by Elo Kiddies Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:28 pm
I just realized, this isnt trover, ck, goldberg, nuding, or the gov making the announcement. It is a dcfs spokesperson we havent heard from before, that i know of. As if, shucks, just bidness. No particular rhyme or reason. Not part of a greater whole or a plan. Just pain. Just because he can.

Good press on the museum? Good press on possible override? Heres your payback.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 5:31 pm
If everyone remembers, Rauner introduced a Balanced Budget to the GA in Feb…. and Madigan has done nothing but fought every part. one part he couldn’t do that he put in it and I believe he revised it and resent it as well. Lets be honest it is going to hurt to put ILLINOIS’s house back in order, but that is what needs to happen. Too long has creative financing ran us into the ground.

Comment by Allen D Wednesday, Jul 15, 15 @ 8:11 am
- Allen D -,

Bruce Rauner did NOT propose a balance budget. It was at least $3 billion short on revenue and included phantom savings from pensions.

Are you paying attention, or are you blinded?

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 15, 15 @ 8:24 am