Today’s number: 10 of 16
Wednesday, Jul 6, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Advocates and families dealing with autism say they are hopeful that $4.2 million earmarked for autism services in the state budget deal approved last week will restore programs and services shut down because of funding shortages during the impasse. But service providers say the year spent unfunded — which forced the closure of 10 of the 16 state-funded organizations catering to families with children on the autism spectrum — has been devastating and can’t be repaired quickly.
“To some degree, the damage has been done, and if we get money tomorrow, I can’t go back and replace the expertise that I’ve lost over the course of this year,” said Valerie Boyer, director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Southern Illinois University. “It will take years for us to build up what we lost.”
For 12 years in a row, the Autism Program of Illinois operated under a state grant that provided $4.3 million for autism screenings, therapy, support groups, parent workshops and other resources. When the program failed to get funding beginning July 1, 2015, families with children with autism were forced to join long waiting lists in hopes of getting services from private providers. Many low-income families, who could not afford expensive testing and therapies not covered by Medicaid, stopped receiving services, said Clint Paul, president of the Hope Institute, the nonprofit organization responsible for doling out grants from the Autism Program of Illinois.
Advocates say it was a heartbreaking scenario as children were turned away despite well-documented research that proves early intervention and consistent therapy give children with autism the best chances for success in school and independence as adults.
Ugh.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:35 am:
Rauners enduring legacy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:39 am:
The non-passed reforms, reforms yet to be passable legislation was more important these last few months than a budget.
Here is another clear example… of the frustration.
- Dr X - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:43 am:
Why does it surprise the masses when politicians do what they say they will do. When runnning, Rauner referenced Pence, Walker and others. Anyone paying attention would forsee the consequences (admittedly not as bad as it has gotten). These services are not important, they are waste, they can and should be privatized was the theme. But the masses thought the waste was someone else in some other district or region. As a cynic, I doubt any other this will really matter in a few years when Rauner is reelected.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:48 am:
“It will take years for us to build up what we lost.”
I told you guys this, over and over. Social Services take a long time to build and rebuild. Not to mention that qualified counselors and employees have moved on and will not be willing to put themselves at risk again.
And So..I’ll say it again. This will be the case for the State workforce if Rauner starts the Labor War. It all depends on what verdict Rauner wants from the ILRB.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:49 am:
The important framing context here is to understand this decimation of social services is on Rauner. It’s not Madigan who decided to leverage these agencies to extract something from Rauner.
It’s all Rauner. Rauner came to the table wanting as much leverage as possible. This, apparently, was how the superstars decided to do it. I also love the fact that many of the superstars are gone — whether by choice, force, or mutual decision. Obviously, I’m not in the “know” — and perhaps the exodus is par for the course — but it seems (to me, at least) telling.
- Illinois Bob - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:57 am:
My cousin’s son was diagnosed with autism at preschool age, but he was diagnosed at about age 3 and got services from the local school district to help prepare him for schoolwork and socialization in school. What were these programs doing that local school special ed staff are not able to do? Who really has the responsibility for this? Isn’t this funded through K-12 special education funding rather than separate grants for outside service providers? Duplication of services going on here?
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 9:59 am:
FKAFM, nope the superstars are leaving because they know it’s going to get a whole lot worse when the Labor War commences. Rauner’s bet the whole farm that the public will scapegoat the public servants and make them eat the sin. It’s frankly not a bad bet. I get it. But there in lies the incredible work that has to be done to expose the perfidy.
- illinois Bob - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:03 am:
BTW, the local school district (Gower in Willowbrook) did an excellent job with him. His ability to focus and communicate was greatly improved, and he was able to be “mainstreamed” into honors classes at a Hinsdale HS, and then went on to get a dual degree from Illinois State U. When I see such great work being accomplished by some educators, I have to admit that I become a bit intolerant of those who give excuses for failure rather than a plan for success.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:04 am:
===”It’s not Madigan who decided to leverage these agencies to extract something from Rauner. It’s all Rauner.”===
This conclusion quite frankly doesn’t make sense. It condemns Madigan and Rauner jointly, yet concludes that “It’s all Rauner.”
So Madigan was busy “leveraging” things while he was condemning Rauner for doing the same thing? That conclusion I can actually agree with.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:06 am:
I deal with adults who have been diagnosed with autism. Every single thing that an individual is taught to do for himself as a child is one less thing that you will have to hire someone to do for him as an adult.
Forcing those programs to shut down or resort to waiting lists wastes valuable time and opportunities that taxpayers will most definitely pay for in the future by requiring additional adult services. And where will all these services come from? Qualified people aren’t looking for jobs in Illinois. They’re going to other states where they can have some sense of job security and not being treated like a ping pong ball. Where are the new graduates going? The same place many college students are going; to other states.
Illinois’ human services already rank towards the bottom because of decades of underfunding. In the race to the bottom of the rankings, we’re winning.
- Illinois Bob - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:08 am:
OK, honeybear, and where exactly does an autism expert go outside of government work? Let’s just say that their options are likely severely limited, and private services are likely to be non-union anyway. My guess is that many get into special ed in public schools with a great need or for special ed co-ops, which perhaps serves those with special needs better than these organizations.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:08 am:
Just out of curiosity, is anything being discussed about the impact this court-order-driven funding will have on future state budgets? That a huge part of the state can be run without appropriations should be troubling to anyone hoping we ever get closer to actually spending the same or less than we bring in. Whether it’s just two more years or six more years, I hope the governor can force some level of restraint on our out-of-control spending in this state. However, if so much of it is mandated by the courts, it’s difficult to see much use in the other two branches of government.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:12 am:
Some “homework” for services Birth to 3-
Go to https://www.autismspeaks.org/resource-guide/state/IL
Scroll down to •Early Intervention - Ages Birth-3
Click on each of the two sections to compare and contrast where State services are offered, and where private/state contracted services are offered. You will need to click on each page on the maps shown to get an overall view of where those services are located.
Hint- the answer is more are available through partnerships with the state, than through the state alone.
- Lakefront Liberal - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:17 am:
Illinois Bob — these questions are great questions to ask BEFORE signing a contract for these services. Looking for ways to streamline things or avoid duplication of services would have been a great thing for Rauner to do IN PREPARATION for submitting a budget/spending plan that would take these savings into account. Laying out plans for a new system of doing things that you think is better and more efficient is a great thing to do PRIOR to dismantling the existing system.
I could go on and on — but it is how any reasonable person would approach things. Instead it feels like Rauner just walks through the state like Godzilla, smashing everything in his path, with some vague notion that the people he just stepped on will magically re-build everything better.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:20 am:
I will not feed trolls today as it encourages their provocative comments.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:24 am:
I agree. Went around:)
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:25 am:
I’m still wondering why some or all of these services are not covered by Medicaid, and/or by private insurance. Is this part of the ongoing parity issue-coverage for behavioral therapies not receiving the same coverage under health insurance as is coverage for “physical” conditions, despite federal efforts to reduce these inequities.
I don’t think the Affordable Care Act is supposed to be static. It’s a starting point for health care for all, not an end point. But it seems to me that broader insurance coverage would be more reliable that relying on the ups and downs of state budgeting-in any state.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:25 am:
===”It’s not Madigan who decided to leverage these agencies to extract something from Rauner. It’s all Rauner.”===
This conclusion quite frankly doesn’t make sense. It condemns Madigan and Rauner jointly, yet concludes that “It’s all Rauner.”–
There is no joint condemnation in that statement. Your reading comprehension skills are compromised by your lap-dog obeisance.
The twisted rationalizations you have to go through to avoid responsibility for supporting political tactics of premeditated bad faith to break contracts with social service providers to extort a purely political agenda.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:28 am:
Autism services coverage and the ACA-
https://www.autismspeaks.org/advocacy/insurance/affordable-care-act
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:37 am:
–I’m still wondering why some or all of these services are not covered by Medicaid, and/or by private insurance.–
These services don’t have highpaid lobbyists pulling for them. It’s up to the “precariot” (New word I found combining proletariat and precarious meaning those who are living paycheck to paycheck and in danger of slipping) to advocate and force change. And thank you for not bringing up taxes on the middle class in your post. I know I tend to say the same things over and over. I’m glad to hear you in other arenas.
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 10:57 am:
Maybe not, but mental health parity has a champion in Patrick Kennedy (son of Ted). He highlighted the issue in his recent memoir, having had his own struggles. Having a Kennedy scion in your advocacy corner is a plus.
Ref: middle class taxes. How about, I keep saying-the rich have to pay more. A lot more.
And in present-day Illinois, that’s unlikely.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 11:08 am:
“It will take years for us to build up what we lost.”
I think that’s probably not the last time we will see that quote.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 11:26 am:
Juvenal- the trouble is, memories are short. If the decimation isn’t kept front and center, and personal, then many will wonder why these services were needed in the first place. They won’t realize the value they had in their communities until long after Rauner has “retired” as Illinois’ CEO. The realizations will come, as will the costs to our communities, our schools, our families, and our friends.
- Illinois Bob - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 12:07 pm:
@Lakefront Liberal
I agree 100% with you. It would seem that that kind of systemic “reform” is what he’s supposed to be about.
- ThisLittleHoggie - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
Anon202: Unfortunately, what the ACA *doesn’t* necessarily do is mandate ABA therapy and other autism treatments. In Illinois, if there’s a fully-funded insurance plan, ABA has to be covered.
If you’re self-pay/private insurance, good luck.
To add to the discussion: Rockford’s TAP location is staying alive thanks in part to the generous donations from the Rockford IceHogs. The community is lucky there.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 6, 16 @ 4:47 pm:
Cassandra
Ref: middle class taxes. How about, I keep saying-the rich have to pay more. A lot more.
And in present-day Illinois, that’s unlikely.
I’m with ya sister!