Please, governor, pick a lane
Wednesday, Sep 13, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It seems like just last week (actually, it was last week) that Gov. Rauner unveiled his new opioid task force. This is the same governor who vetoed a bill addressing the heroin epidemic, by the way. Luckily, his veto was overridden. And now we learn this from Rep. Litesa Wallace…
Yesterday, I learned some disturbing news; the Governor’s Office and DHS are not going to spend the $1.2 million for Rosecrance I fought to get appropriated and funded. That money was for a triage center that has proven itself a powerful tool to address the behavioral health and substance abuse issues in our region. It was funded under Quinn after the Singer mental health center was closed and has suffered under the budget impasse. I supported the budget because it funded services we need in our area.
We have a heroin epidemic (more deaths from drug overdose than gunshots). We deserve to see our increased taxes come back to our community in the form of infrastructure, social safety nets and much more. With a fully funded budget in hand, this is an act of cruelty on the part of Bruce Rauner and will NOT help us address this critical need in our region.
She’s a Democrat running for lieutenant governor, but the partisan politics aside, she makes some good points. The Rosecrance triage center does good work. It almost went under last year during the impasse and was saved with some money from Rockford.
I asked the Department of Human Services for a response, but have yet to hear back.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 3:59 pm:
Call me when they start addressing the pill mill that is our workers’ comp system. https://www.illinoispolicy.org/physician-dispensing-illinois-2011-workers-compensation-reform-revisited/
- Anon221 - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:02 pm:
Editorial- Danville Commercial News (09-13-2017)
“If this were a single person killing more than a dozen people in Vermilion County, we would throw every asset available asset into the task of finding and eliminating that threat. The response to killer opioids should be no different. Illinois needs to devote more resources to eliminating the poison, treating its victims and putting them back on a path toward sobriety so they can lead productive lives.”
https://tinyurl.com/y7vcjwdt
****
Rauner has shown absolutely no perspective on so many issues, this one included. If it’s not a win for him, it’s broken. And he has proven time and time again that he is no handyman despite his spotless “shop”.
- Linus - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:07 pm:
Feels like Autism Day all over again. And again.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:17 pm:
Squeeze the beast by other means.
Stick it to those collectivists.
Let’s talk, at the North Shore cocktail parties.
IPI dorm-room dingbats like Rasmussen and Looch should not be anywhere near public health policy.
Their incompetence on matters small and large is a matter of public record.
Maybe go back to that think-tank, and sweet-talk the old sugar daddies out of their money by saying naughty things. Some old rich dudes go for that.
Do no harm, in public health policy.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:25 pm:
Here’s what “real”…
The “Superstars” who spent, it appears 24/7 trying to hold back the RaunerS from destroyin’ Illinois the “best they could”, also had the “Good Friday Massacre” and the conscious to make sure they got shamed into a resolution.
The BTIA(tm), with Kristina Rasmussen, they have no conscious, and if you read things that IPI felt and perused that IPI budget that Jeanne Ives touted… you could see real quick Diana Rauner more worried about her brand and not worried about the ramifications, which speaks volumes.
The RaunerS were/are obsessed with IPI messaging to sell the “destruction” as good.
Here’s an opportunity for Rasmussen to show us that messaging Diana Rauner is obsessed about and tell us why this is so good.
- Henry Francis - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:31 pm:
The Guv is being entirely consistent. Talk big, say whatever you think will please your audience best. And when it comes time to put the money where your mouth is, avoid paying until absolutely forced to pay (either by court order or political damage).
Are we competitive yet?
Then we can’t afford to be compassionate.
Entirely consistent from day 1.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:42 pm:
His inability to deliver for anyone is his biggest political problem, but it’s especially acute when it comes to rural, downstate citizens.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 4:58 pm:
$250K from DHS could pay for five substance abuse counselors…or one “education czar”.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 6:26 pm:
25% reduction in prison population without effecting public safety…..several thousand drug offenders in prison…..eliminate funding for drug user interdiction to reduce those incarcerations….. yep, thoughtful reasoned approach to our big issues. /s
- Mr B. - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 9:24 pm:
Heroin is truly an epidemic. I’ve seen it rise the last five years in Chicago. Lots of young people, damaged. Fighting heroin is not only about law enforcement, but treatment and prevention.
- The young gov - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 10:15 pm:
Great job by Rep Wallace. Not a great job by the gov’s administration. I visited the Triage Centeri in Rockford a few years ago and was just blown away by how comprehensive and accessible to the community it was (however small). It was an antidote to our fractured social safety net. The bottom line is, we don’t have enough treatment in this state (beds, length of time, etc.) and what we do have is just flat out bad**. To expect someone to “recovery” in 30 - 90 day with treatment provided by severely underpaid staff with a high turnover rate is insanity.
Related, from Illinois Issues a few days ago where they interviewed Andrew Dewey, re: the new Opioid Task Force:
“I’m a strong proponent that we are underfunding treatment in a big way in Illinois. This comes with a $40M grant from the federal government to work on this issue. The problem with treatment centers in Illinois today is that everybody (drug courts, judges, police departments) are all wanting to send people to treatment and that’s become the first choice, which is fantastic, the problem is, that’s like having a whole town of people with the flu, and you go to the hospital and there’s no beds in hospital. And that’s what’s happening: we’ve got a lot of sick people who need help and there’s nowhere to send them. So if we really want to attack this epidemic, one of the places we have to start is funding it.
http://nprillinois.org/post/face-addiction-new-il-opioid-task-force
**I have been impressed with the service provision I’ve seen at Roseocrance.
- blue dog dem - Wednesday, Sep 13, 17 @ 10:37 pm:
I vote to raise income taxes to pay for this program.
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- MyTwoCents - Thursday, Sep 14, 17 @ 5:32 am:
Meanwhile the Lt. Governor visited Rosencrance yesterday:
www.mystateline.com/news/lt-gov-sanguinetti-visits-stateline-about-opioid-epidemic/810715323
- PublicServant - Thursday, Sep 14, 17 @ 6:01 am:
“Even if (Democrats) got a major majority against us, you know what? They can’t stop us. They won’t stop me if I want to dramatically spend less. You need the legislature if you want to spend more. If you want to spend less, they can’t stop me.”
Bruce Rauner at the Tazewell County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner, March 2013