From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0000

From November 2nd to November 9th

Community Crisis - The Chicago Tribune, 11/2/09

State Income Taxes Pushing Many Working-Poor Families Deeper Into Poverty - Reuters, 11/4/09

Illinois Residence Can Apply For Energy Assistance - The Quad-City Times, 11/4/09

1,500 Suburban Kids to Sleep Outside As a "Wake-Up Call" for Homelessness - Reuters, 11/5/09

Englewood Shelter Struggles to Survive Without Funding - Medill Reports Chicago, 11/5/09

For CHA "Transformation" Success Still Elusive - Chicago Gazette, 11/6/09

Budget Crisis Creeps Into Schools - Progress Illinois, 11/6/09

Program Gives Teens More Than Shelter - Chicago Tribune, 11/8/09

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

From October 26th to November 2nd

Supplies Tight at Local Food Pantries - The State Journal-Register, 10/26/09

Unemployment May Be the Political Story of 2010 - The Wall Street Journal, 10/26/09

State Budget Crisis Nowhere Near Over - The Times-Herald, 10/27/09

Health Care Round Up - Progress Illinois, 10/27/09

5000 Protest Bank Power, Abuses, as Showdown Escalates - Working In These Times, 10/27/09

Teachers Cite Poverty, Not Violence As the Key Issue In Schools - Medill Reports, 10/27/09

City to Spend Extra $1.4 Million on Homeless in New Daley Budget - Chicago Tribune, 10/28/09

UN Investigates Whether Chicago Housing Violates Human Rights - Medill Reports, 10/28/09

Homeless Citizens: Champaign Lacks Needed Resources - The Daily Illini, 10/29/09

Homeless Students: Increasingly, Families Taking Shelter Anywhere They Can - Chicago Tribune, 10/29/09

Homeless Students: We Have Everything We Need - The Chicago Tribune, 10/29/09

New State Law Goes Into Effect to Protect Renters by Foreclosure - E-News Park Forest, 10/29/09

Illinois School Test Scores: Income-based Gap Proves Hard to Close - The Chicago Tribune, 10/30/09

Aid System Frustrates Refugees - The Chicago Tribune, 10/31/09

Illinois' Poverty Commission is Up and Running - Details from the First Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Schenkelberg) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:17:00 +0000

Close to 40 individuals from across Illinois gathered yesterday in Springfield to launch the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty. As w e have written about before, the Commission was established by law in 2008, and is now finally beginning its work. Members of the commission from as far south as Cairo and as far north as Zion came to Springfield to begin the difficult, but critical task of crafting a Poverty Elimination Strategy for Illinois that will cut extreme poverty in half by 2015.

The meeting focused laying out the task before the body and on organizing the work of the Commission moving forward. The Social I MPACT Research Center of Heartland Alliance's Director, Amy Rynell, presented a detailed look at who is experiencing extreme poverty in Illinois. This information, and more like it as the commission moves forward, will drive the recommendations.

In addition to a look a the data, the Commission held a conversation around how they will employ international human rights standards in their work. As you may recall, the Commission's statute dictates that all the work of the commission must be consistent with international human rights standards. The Commission's co-chairs, Dr. Toni Irving of the Office of Governor Pat Quinn and Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn of Heartland Alliance, walked the Commission members through some of the guiding principles - progressive realization, engagement of impacted populations, affirmation of dignity - that will shape how the Commission does its work.

In addition to these broader conversations, the Commission formed three Working Committees:

Living with Dignity - Solutions for those that are not expected or are not able to work. (Children, Seniors, Individuals with Severe Disabilities)
Committee Chair - Dwight Lucas - East Central Illinois Community Action Agency

Making Work Accessible - Solutions for those detached from the workforce.
Committee Chair - Al Riddley - Illinois Coalition for Community Services

Making Work Pay - Solutions for those engaged in work, but still living in extreme poverty.
Committee Chair - Maria Whelan - Illinois Action for Children

These committees will begin meeting in the coming weeks and will engage commission members and non-commission members alike in their deliberations. In addition, they will a co-chair will be identified for each one.

The Commission is planning on issuing its final Poverty Elimination Strategy in mid-August 2010. Between now and then, there will be a series of Working Committee meetings and public hearings (to begin in 2010). The Commission stressed the importance of engaging the broader public, especially those that are experiencing extreme poverty, in the process.

The From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign will work diligently to make sure that those engaged in the Campaign are involved in all aspects of the process. Those interested in helping strategize on how to ensure that engagement should plan on joining the From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign's next meeting on November 11 at 3 p.m. Contact us for more information on how to join.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

From October 20th to October 26th

Layoff Notices for Bus Drivers, other CTA Workers - The Chicago Sun Times, 10/20/09

Chicago Housing Authority and Operation Warm to Give Away 10,000 Coats to Chicago's Public Housing Kids - Chicago Now, 10/21/09

Elgin Salvation Army Closing Due to Slump In Sales - CBS 2 Chicago, 10/21/09

Poll Shows Illinoisans Want Big Budget Cuts But Oppose Trimming in Many Areas - The Journal Gazette Times-Courier, 10/21/09

Voters Want Cut in Budget, Not Services - The Daily Egyptian, 10/21/09

Refugee Teens Make Film About Their Confrontations With Violence in Chicago - The Chicago Tribune, 10/23/09

Cook County Health, Hospitals Issue Layoff Notices - Chicago Sun Times, 10/25/09

Paxton Among 30 DCFS Offices Set to Close - The News-Gazette, 10/25/09

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:54:00 +0000

From October 11th to October 18th

Pantry's Supplies Wanes Amid Rising Need - The Naperville Sun, 10/11/09

Job Fair Sponsors Hope to Improve Unemployment Rate - The Northwest Indiana Times, 10/13/09

Grant to Benefit DuPage County Food Pantry - My Suburban Life, 10/13/09

Postal Authorities Discuss Plan for Main Post Office - Chicago Sun Times, 10/13/09

Deputies Protest Planned County Budget Cuts - The State Journal-Register, 10/14/09

State Government Faces $900 Million Budget Shortfall - ABC 7 Chicago, 10/16/09

Foreclosure Rescue Scam Artists Still At Work In Chicago - Medill Chicago Reports, 10/16/09

Illinois Unemployment Rate Rises to 10.5 Percent - The Examiner, 10/17/09

Illinois' Commission on the Elimination of Poverty Set to Meet on October 28

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Schenkelberg) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:19:00 +0000

One of the major accomplishments of the From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign in 2008 was the creation of the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty. As you may recall, this Commission was created to give the state the blueprint it needs to end poverty in a manner consistent with international human rights standards. The initial task of the Commission is to create a substantive, measurable plan that cuts extreme poverty in half by 2015.

Since the bill was signed into law back in the summer of 2008, we have waited. And waited. Appointments needed to be made that did not happen. Making things more complicated, a governor was arrested, a new governor sworn in, and a massive budget crisis (which has not gone way) jumped in front of many other issues.

Through all these roadblocks, the campaign's members have continued to push for the Commission to meet and begin its work. In September, the final appointments to the Commission were made by the leaders in the Senate. Since then, the Campaign has been working closely with the Governor's office to prepare for the Commission's first meeting, October 28 in Springfield.

This first meeting is not small accomplishment. With all the roadblocks mentioned and the fact that dozens, if not hundreds, of commissions and boards established via legislation never get off the ground, the progress on the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty is a sign of both the commitment to this issue of the thousands of individuals and organizations across the state and the importance of the issues the Commission must tackle.

As we have pointed out before, a lot has changed since we launched the Campaign in 2006, but one thing, unfortunately, remains the same. Too many people are experiencing extreme poverty in Illinois. (pdf)

Now is the time for action.

There will be numerous opportunities for people throughout the state to make their voice heard about what is needed to realize the human rights of those experiencing this extreme level of hardship. If you have not endorsed the Campaign, do it now to stay informed, show your commitment to the Campaign's goals, and help hold the Commission accountable.

An Update On Budget Cut Impacts

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:53:00 +0000

This week it will be 3 months since the state of Illinois passed its budget. As the economy worsens, money dwindles and need for social services increases, the impacts of this budget has become more pronounced. Our office, working collaboratively with the Responsible Budget Coalition has been contacting human service agencies to try and accurately gauge the depths of these cuts across the state. The findings have been clear: the enactment of budget cuts have compounded an already dire situation. Budget cuts, combined with delays in payment and increased demand for services have kept human service organizations scrambling just to keep their doors open. Below we provide a small sample of how these three factors plays out at actual agencies and what they implications they may have.

Budget Cuts

Ranges in the size of cuts to each agencies have varied across the state. These cuts have ranged anywhere from $15,000 to over $1.7 million for any given individual agency. For example, The Anna Bixby Women's Center saw a $150,000 reduction in their budget, which constituted approximately 15% of their overall budget. In response to this cut, the Center, which provides social services to survivors of domestic violence, had to lay-off 50% of their entire staff.

Impact INC, which is an independent living center providing services to the disabled lost 15% of their general revenue which amounted to $132,110. As a result of this cut the center had to layoff two specialists and one program coordinator, causing over 200 disabled citizens to lose services - services that were key in helping them live self-sustaining, dignified lives. Sadly this scenario has played out at Independent Living Centers across the state, as 1.6 million dollars were cut from 22 centers.

County Health Departments, which provide low-cost vaccinations, administers WIC program for women and children and conduct health inspections of restaurants also saw significant state funding shortfalls. For example, The Vermillion County Health Department, facing an $81,000 budget reduction was forced to eliminate its Teen Parenting Program and lay off five of its workers.

Delayed Payments

Equally as damaging to organizations as the aforementioned budget cuts has been the state government's inability to make timely payment for rendered services. The Shawnee Alliance for Seniors, which provides Adult Day Care for the elderly were waiting on $500,000 worth of bills, which the state was 97 days late in paying. The Fellowship House Rehab Center in Anna, which specializes in substance abuse, waited over 6 months for the state to pay $1.5 million from services rendered last fiscal year.

Given the already precarious nature of human service fiscal health, many organizations are struggling to keep their doors open waiting for the governments tardy payments. In fact, to make up for these missing funds, some organizations have sought out additional loans or lines of credits. These additional loans and lines of credit come with hefty interest rates and administrative costs. While waiting for the state's payment The Fellowship House Rehab Center in Anna was forced to take out a loan which had a six percent interest rate. In an ironic twist, when the Rehab Center is forced to make interest payments, they will be unable to use money from their state budget but rather will have to find those funds elsewhere.

Increased Demand For Services

Unemployment and poverty rates are on the rise throughout Illinois hitting low-income populations the hardest. With the recession exposing more and more families to the ills of poverty, these families are turning to human service organizations in droves. Bethany Village, which runs a food pantry in Anna, Illinois, saw a 20 percent increased demand for their services. So, while Bethany Village didn't see a reduction in their budget from last fiscal year, retaining current budget levels is in essence a 20% reduction.

The picture gets even bleaker for other agencies. Embarras River Basin Agency which administers homeless prevention programs for the low-income and the elderly, saw their budget get slashed by $67,000 despite the demand for these reduced services increasing 30% from last year alone.

Still, it is hard to grasp the full impact of how this year's state budget is affecting service rates because of the nature of these programs. Agencies have responded to this budget crisis by reducing services, increasing furlough days and reducing hours of operations. Hence, it is impossible to fully gauge how many clients are seeking services because these agencies may never even see these people.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The agencies and organizations mentioned here are only a fraction what is happening all over Illinois. The combination of budget cuts, delayed payments and increased demand for services has created an economic climate that human service organizations in Illinois cannot expect to sustain. Social service agencies may be able to survive day-to-day for the remainder of this fiscal year, but what will happen come next fiscal year? With the absence of American Recovery and Reinvestment funds to fill budget holes this problem could prove to be fatal to organizations that dedicate themselves to helping the the vulnerable in the state of Illinois. How will this impact our communities, our families? Is this really our vision for what our state should look like?

If it is not, than do your part to support the effort of the Responsible Budget Coalition in insuring that the Illinois General Assembly does what it is morally obligated to do: pass a responsible budget that increases revenue sources so as to offset these budget cuts. A rally is being held at the State Capital in Springfield this Thursday at 12:00 pm to stop these cuts that hurt Illinois families.

Dean Baker nicely sums up the important role that rallies, such as the one this Thursday, can play in affecting public policy:

The elites hate to acknowledge it, but when large numbers of ordinary people are moved to action, it changes the narrow political world where the elites call the shots. Inside accounts reveal the extent to which Johnson and Nixon's conduct of the Vietnam War was constrained by the huge anti-war movement. It was the civil rights movement, not compelling arguments, that convinced members of Congress to end legal racial discrimination. More recently, the townhall meetings, dominated by people opposed to health care reform, have been a serious roadblock for those pushing reform.

Now is the time to come together and stand in solidarity for a budget that does not cut services to men, women, and children precisely at the time they are needed most. Much damage has already been done as a result of these budget cuts, but together, with your help, we can avert further damage by passing a responsible budget that allows us all to do better.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:21:00 +0000

From October 5th to October 12th

Spotlight: Any health reform must address disparities in care to poor, minorities - The Peoria Journal-Star, 10/5/09

Primary Care Shortage Worsens and an Illinois Clinic Experiments With a Program To Train More Nurses - Kaiser Health News, 10/5/09

Lunch Waivers on the Rise in Schools Across Illinois - Chicago Tribune, 10/5/09

Rally Cap: Chicago Family Saved From Eviction - Progress Illinois, 10/5/09

Anti-poverty Advocate Calls For End of Hunger - The Argus Leader, 10/6/09

Champaign County Gets $9 Million Grant to Help Kids - The News Gazette, 10/6/09

A Closer Look At the Responsible Budget Coalition - Galesburg Register-Mail, 10/6/09

Social Service Agencies Say Budget Problems Haven't Been Fixed - The State Journal-Register, 10/7/09

Participants Experience The Lows of Poverty - My Web Times, 10/9/09

How Domestic Violence Services Make the Case for New Revenue in Illinois

noreply@blogger.com (Nadeen Israel) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:25:00 +0000

There has been lots of discussion around why it just makes more sense to fully fund human service providers. The moral argument has already been laid out explaining that the State of Illinois owes it to its people to provide these services.

Well, here is an economic argument as to why, when considering the dollars and cents of the matter, it still makes more sense to fully fund human service providers so as not to have to spend more in other costs (e.g. healthcare, lost work)

In the specific case of Domestic Violence (DV)/Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), funding human services NOW means saving on hundreds of thousands of dollars on healthcare and workplace costs in Illinois.

The most recent report addressing the costs of IPV comes from the Department of Health and Human Services - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Entitled Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States the 2003 report estimates the national costs of intimate partner violence against women ages 18 and older. These costs include the costs of intimate partner violence-related injuries, costs of lost productivity resulting from intimate partner violence, and the economic costs of lives lost to intimate partner violence homicide.

The data from the report was collected in 1995 but adjusted to 2003 dollars. All of these costs contribute significantly to the economic burden of intimate partner violence that falls on the shoulders of tax payers both at the Federal and State level.

Below are some highlights from the report:

-Stat: The report found that the costs of IPV against women in the United States exceed an estimated $5.8 billion in 1995 numbers. When updated to 2003 dollars, the cost is more than $8.3 billion

The majority of these costs (about 70%) are in the direct costs of medical care and mental healthcare; the remaining 30% stem from the indirect costs of lost productivity and Present Value of Lifetime Earnings (PVLE).

NOW CONSIDER THIS: Mental health services and DV services received anywhere from 10-20% cuts to their budgets in the FY2010 IL State Budget, still need to get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars from the State of Illinois from Fiscal Year 2009, AND have seen an increase in the need for the services they provide partly because of the current state of our economy.

-Recommendation: Considering the current debate over healthcare reform and the myriad ways that both parties have come up with to save on healthcare costs, an easy step Illinois can take to help bring down its healthcare costs stemming from IPV/DV is to fully fund the human service providers who work to help reduce, and one day eliminate, IPV/DV.

-Stat: 30% of the total costs of IPV reported came from the indirect costs of lost productivity and Present Value of Lifetime Earnings (PVLE)

-NOW CONSIDER THIS: Seeing that the U.S. is in an economic recession right now and that Federal, State, and Local governments are all working towards bringing down the unemployment rate and putting Americans to work again, doesn't it make sense to help those who already have jobs to keep them? The services provided by Domestic Violence service agencies play an essential role in doing just that by providing counseling, legal advocacy and referrals, as well as TANF advocacy for those who qualify for it.

-Recommendation: Restoring full funding to IPV/DV agencies in Illinois will allow them to continue their pivotal work in helping hundreds of thousands of victims maintain their employment or gain access to new employment opportunities.

In addition, further breaking down this data shows that in 2003 dollars, it cost the Illinois tax-payers about $1566 per IPV/DV victimization in healthcare and lost work (time and potential wages) costs!

According to Nadeja Wesley, Program Manager in Heartland Human Care Services' Violence Recovery Services Program, in 2004, VRS spent a total of $746 per client on providing essential domestic violence and sexual violence services including counseling, case management (e.g. legal advocacy, housing advocacy and referrals, employment referrals), and parenting classes.

So, doesn't it simply make more economic sense to provide full funding to DV service providers as opposed to paying higher costs in lost work time and healthcare bills?

If you agree, then here is one easy way for you to do something about it: Endorse the Responsible Budget Coalition's (RBC) work advocating for a fair and balanced 2011 Illinois State Budget.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

For September 28th to October 5th

Orphans Facing Homeless: Community Trying To Intervene - Chicago Now, 9/28/09

Governor's Plan To Layoff State Employees Goes on Hold - Chicago Tribune, 9/29/09

US Census Data Shows More Illinois Residents Living In Poverty, Median Income Drops - Washington Examiner, 9/29/09

Program To Aid Unemployed Youth Extended - The Daily Chronicle, 9/29/09

New Coalition Calls For Moral, Ethical Budget - Progress Illinois, 9/30/09

AARP Wants Illinois Governor To Halt Budget Cuts - CBS 2 Chicago, 9/30/09

Housing Acts as Health Care For Homeless - Medill Reports Chicago, 9/30/09

Chicago Lost Most Jobs Nationwide in August - Medill Reports Chicago, 10/2/09

Nepal Exit Becomes City School Entry - Chicago Tribune, 10/3/09

Legal Aid Safety Net Stretched Thin - Progress Illinois, 10/3/09

Poverty is up in Illinois & How we bring it down.

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Schenkelberg) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:35:00 +0000

It is official. The number of people living in poverty in Illinois has grown. 12.2% of the population are now officially in poverty, translating to 1,532,238 million people.

Given the lag in official poverty statistics, this increase comes as no surprise. The recession has pushed more and more people below the poverty line. (Keep in mind, the current measure is in desperate need of updating.)

When we look at a sample of the different villages, cities, and counties throughout our state, we see a wide range of poverty rates:

Peoria - 21.4%
Arlington Heights - 3.4%
Rockford - 23.3%
Decatur - 16.3%
Vermilion County - 12.3%
Schaumburg - 6.1%
Elgin - 14.8%
Sagamon County - 11.3%

These numbers demonstrate one consistent fact - poverty is everywhere. Higher concentrations in some areas than others for sure, but no place is immune to poverty. No place is free of hardship.

So, what does this mean? A couple of things.

1) Now, more than ever, we need to focus on poverty.

When this Campaign was launched back on Human Rights Day in 2006, our world looked different. Rod Blagojevich was governor. George W. Bush was president. The economy was roaring. Unemployment was incredibly low. Poverty rates were holding steady, with some jumps and some declines.

Now, in 2009, we have a different Governor and a different President. Our economy has screeched to a halt. The state's budget woes are the worst they have been in years. Unemployment is the highest it has been in decades. And poverty is up.

As a result, our work to directly address poverty is all the more important. More people are facing lives without opportunity. Long-term solutions, that strengthen the infratructure for protecting families and human rights, are critical. People that were experiencing poverty before the recession hit are that much further from self-sufficiency, and the compliment of human services they turn to in tough times has been undermined.

There has been a curious shift during the recession. Before the recession, we commonly heard that those experiencing poverty had no one to blame but themselves. Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, too many people felt poverty was simply the result of an individual making bad choices.

There has been a shift - some of it good, some of it bad. Many are now ready to acknowledge that larger forces and systems push families into poverty. This realization has opened the door to new thinking about what as a society can do. On the flip side, there are those that say we cannot focus on poverty now. We need to focus on recovery. Well, the people that were living in poverty before the recession hit were waiting for recovery back then. If we are going to get our economy back in shape, we cannot set one group of people to the side and say we will worry about them later. It is all hands on deck. Everyone that is given true opportunity to move towards self-sufficiency helps themselves and society as a whole.

2) There are concrete things we can and are doing about poverty.

We can make a real difference in our communities and our state. Simple acts and innovative programs can go a long way to ensuring individuals and families have real opportunity. The pieces of the stimulus funding that has focused on supports has had a real impact, and we can and should continue those policies beyond the recovery act.

Here in Illinois, the most important thing we can do is fix our structural deficit. As we documented many, many, many times over the past few months, inadequate revenue has caused the programs and services that help the most vulnerable in Illinois to be threatened.

It is not an easy thing to do, but it is the right thing. There are other policies that need to be put in place, other changes that should be done, but until we fix our state's budget, we are tinkering around the edges.

3) We cannot be discouraged.

When you are working towards the goal of ending poverty, and you see the number of people in poverty increasing instead of decreasing, you may want to throw your hands up in the air and give up. That is, on some level, a rational response.

But here's the thing - we just can't.

Too many people are counting on us to keep trying. Too much good work has been done to date to stop now. Think about how much larger the number of people in poverty would be today were it not for the hard work and perseverance of dedicated people who refused to give up in the face of adversity.

No one said it would be easy. We cannot stop simply because some numbers are reminding us of this point.

We will make progress. We will work together to give families real opportunity. We will end poverty.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:29:00 +0000

From September 21st to September 28th:

CUB To Give Away Thousands of Money-Saving Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs - Citizens Utility Board, 9/21/09

Want Free Legal Advice? Pick Up The Phone - The Daily Herald, 9/21/09

Rock Island Will Use $3.1 Million For Affordable Housing - Quad City Times, 9/21/09

Third Week of School, Kids Still Lack Teachers - Chicago Public Radio, 9/21/09

Illinois Gets $350,000 Nutrition Grant - The Daily Herald, 9/22/09

Housing For Homeless Critical For Health Care - Chicago Tribune, 9/23/09

House Bill Adds To Jobless Benefits in 27 States - Associated Press, 9/23/09

Durbin Discusses Help For Homeless Vets - Chicago Tribune, 9/24/09

Double-Amputee is Unable to Get Job, Health Insurance - Belleville News-Democrat, 9/28/09

Fiscally Sound Policy: Health Care/Housing For the Homeless

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:21:00 +0000

As the debate over health care reform rages on, proponents for health care reform have been faced with a perplexing dilemma: Is the most effective argument for health care reform a moral or practical one? We here at the campaign usually take the moral route, arguing that health care is a human right that should be afforded to all men, women and children. Considering that health care reform, in all its current forms, would immensely expand health care access, the moral argument is a strong one. That health reform would expand coverage is a consensus that reaches across both sides of the political fence. Given that, opponents of reform have shifted the argument, debating whether the financial price of health reform is worth the moral benefits.

Thanks to a groundbreaking new study conducted by the Aids Foundation of Chicago, those moral benefits are now synonymous with cost efficiency. "The Chicago Housing and Health Partnership" report studied 405 chronically ill homeless, providing housing and intensive case management for health care to half the group, while letting the other half navigate the traditional system of homeless shelters and hospitals.

The results of this project, as Mark Ishaug, the President and CEO of the Aids Foundation details, were incredible:

Remarkably, homeless people who were housed were admitted to the hospital one-third fewer times than people in the control group. They also spent one-third fewer days in the hospital and went to the emergency room one-fourth fewer times.

For every 100 homeless adults offered the program intervention, there would be 49 fewer hospitalizations, 273 less days spent in the hospital, and 116 fewer emergency department visits.

As we explained a month ago, when homeless individuals do not have access to a medical home, they will seek care in an Emergency Room; this is a process that is expensive and inefficient. By providing wraparound services that coordinate programs that keep people out of poverty, this country can fulfill a moral obligation to allow its citizens to live a dignified, humane life. What's more, providing these wraparound programs can actually save large amounts of money in an era of billion dollar deficits and crippling budget cuts.

A similar program, which provides cost-efficient medical care to the uninsured and under-insured in Newark, New Jersey, will hopefully set a precedent that is imitated all across the country. Teresa Heinz who works for the foundation running the program, says her organization initiated it because "It's cost effective and it's kinder". In essence, that simple statement combines the moral argument for health care reform with the financial one.

If health care reform is morally right AND more cost effective than the current system, what exactly is the problem?

For that last statement to ring true though, the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. As seen in the "Chicago Housing and Health-care" project, expanding health reform will only truly be cost efficient if programs to end homelessness are simultaneously put in place. The same can be said for national health reform as a whole.

This is why the report is so important; it shows that by coordinating services together, a better, more affordable outcome can be achieved than by service's working independently of each other. Health reform, as pushed by the Obama Administration is making important strides. Let's not forget the need to address needs such as food and housing though. If citizens of this country don't have a safe place to sleep or food to eat, then ultimately, health reform will not be efficient no matter how expansive it is.

Judging by the current state of affordable housing in Chicago, it looks as if we have a long road of advocacy ahead of us.

As more reports come out detailing the cost efficiency of coordinated programs, hopefully this road will be a little easier to travel.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:48:00 +0000

From September 14th to September 21st

Congress Considers Second Unemployment Benefit Extension - Progress Illinois, 9/14/09

Chicago's Rental Housing Shortage - Progress Illinois, 9/15/09

Rent a Big Burden For Half of Chicago Renters - Chicago Sun Times, 9/16/09

Chicago Farmers' Market to Double Value of Food Stamps - Progress Illinois, 9/17/09

LGBTQ Youth Housing Program Launched - Windy City Times, 9/17/09

Food Bank Holds Event to Raise Awareness - 9/18/09

Quad-City Jobless Rate Outpaces Other Iowa Metro Areas - 9/20/09, Quad-City Times

Illinois Self-Sufficiency Standard Released Today

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Today our co-workers at the Social Impact Research Center released a report entitled "Getting By & Getting Ahead: The 2009 Illinois Self-Sufficiency Standard" which coincides with the launch of the innovative new website http://www.ilselfsufficiency.org/. The research is based upon findings from the 2009 Self-Sufficiency Standard, which was prepared cooperatively by the Social Impact Research Center and the University of Washington Center for Women's Welfare.

The report, using the Self-Sufficiency Standard to calculate a bare-bone budget for families of different sizes across Illinois, illustrates how much money a family would need to survive with no assistance, be it public or private.

The results were startling, to say the least.

For example, on average, an Illinois working parent of two has to make $49,030 to meet the family's most basic needs without any public or private assistance. Think that seems like a lot of money? You are not alone, as the report estimates that 1 million non-senior Illinois households make less than $49,030 a year.

This number is not derived from areas in and around Chicago, however, but the entire state. In southwest Randolph, the wage-earner in a family of three would have to earn $16.66 an hour (double the minimum wage) to reach the Self-Sufficiency annual income.

That income was based upon calculating the everyday expenses for a family: Housing, Child Care, Food, Health Care, Transportation, Taxes and Miscellaneous Items (clothing, household items, diapers, telephone service, etc). These expenses were adjusted to reflect the sliding costs for goods in each county.

What's disconcerting is what happens to the families who fall below this threshold - they either apply for public assistance or they cut back on their already depleted budget. Considering that Illinois is woefully underachieving in helping eligible families access public support programs, for many families, this is not a viable option. For the 652,000 households who have an income above the poverty line but below the Self-Sufficiency standard, many forms of income supports are not an option.

For these families, near-impossible decisions must be made.

Do you cut housing costs by moving into more affordable housing, but risk your family's safety since those units are typically in high-crime areas? Or, do you cut back on child care, but then risk losing your job since you'd then have to constantly scramble to find someone to watch your child while you are at work?

Do you buy less food, allowing your family to go hungry, or do you cut down on health care, putting the entire family at risk?

Do you reduce transportation costs, reducing already strained employment options, or do you avoid paying taxes, risking jail time?

Now think of the 680,000 Illinoisans who experience extreme poverty, which is defined as an annual income of half the federal poverty (between $5,500 and $9,000, depending on the size of the family). This population's income falls well over $30,000 short of the Self-Sufficiency Standard. Their decisions don't consist of what everyday necessities to cut, but what, if any, of these necessities they can afford to keep.

Another caveat that makes the economic realities of these families so grave is that the Self-Sufficiency incomes do not factor in accounting for savings, the monthly cost of debt and interest, or the costs associated with an emergency that would immediately drain financial resources.

This leads to more difficult decisions. For example:

Do you pay off your credit card to avoid falling into debt, do you fix your car so you can get to work on time, or do you get the tooth pulled that has been causing you extreme pain?

For a family of three who makes less than $49,030 you simply do none of these things: you don't have the extra finances to afford them anyways.

Unfortunately, there is no right decision in these scenarios; only hard ones. This is why "Getting By & Getting Ahead" will be an extremely useful advocacy tool. It contextualizes the economic struggles that low-income families in Illinois face on a daily basis. The Self-Sufficiency Standard, as opposed to the outdated Federal Poverty Line, is the new benchmark that should be used in shaping future public policy in this state.

So head over to www.ilselfsufficiency.org to access the report as well as a wealth of other valuable resources. You will find educational tools to help inform the public, counseling tools to help inform clients or friends, as well as powerful advocacy tools to educate policymakers and influence legislation.

If you would like someone to come out and present the Self-Sufficiency Standard to your organization, you can contact the author, Amy Terpstra, at research@heartlandalliance.org

New Hunger Awareness Campaign Begins Today

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Feeding Illinois (formerly the Illinois Food Bank Association), a collection of eight food banks located throughout the State launched a new campaign today. The "Snapshot of Hunger Campaign" is being held to promote the annual Hunger Awareness Month. The campaign's goal is to educate the public about the important role that food banks play. It is doing so by asking people to take a picture of 28 dollars worth of food and upload it to their website. 28 dollars isn't an arbitrary number but the amount of money a low-income family of four has to spend on food, for the entire week. Pictures are already being uploaded to the website, which are humbling to say the least. The amount of food that 28 dollars can get you looks like barely enough for two people, let alone four. When you realize that plays out to four dollars a day per person, which is barely enough for one meal at McDonald's, it makes the hard work that Illinois Food Banks put forth on a daily basis all the more magnanimous.

We encourage you to take a look at the website where you can find insightful information about what food banks do, how hunger is impacting different populations throughout Illinois, and ways that you can help make sure that none of your fellow Illinoisans will go hungry in the upcoming year.

This campaign comes at an especially important time, as Governor Quinn is threatening to close 17 Department of Human Service Offices - the same offices that Illinois families go to apply for what can be life-saving Food Stamps. The closure of these offices would surely mean a reduction in Food Stamp program participants, which puts even more pressure on already inundated Food Banks.

Actively participating in and promoting the "Snapshot of Hunger Campaign" is to take a stand against hunger. If you believe that no child or family should go hungry, do your part and support the campaign today.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:33:00 +0000

From September 7th to September 13th

United Way Funding Season More Urgent Than Ever - North Illinois News Tribune, 9/8/09

Homeless Students On Rise - Northwest Herald, 9/8/09

25 Percent of Area Families are Asset Poor, Study Says - The Pioneer Local, 9/8/09

Foreclosures in Illinois Rise Sharply Last Month - The Daily Herald, 9/9/09

State Unemployment Fund Faces Big Deficit - The McCreary County Record, 9/10/09

Number of the Day: 305,000 - Progress Illinois, 9/10/09

Illinois Governor Will Wait Until After Primaries To Push For Income Tax Hike - Illinois Statehouse Examiner, 9/10/09

Will Illinois Forgo Millions More in Food Stamp Aid? - Progress Illinois, 9/11/09

Campaign to End Hunger Begins - The News-Democrat, 9/12/09

Naperville's Homeless Prefer To Live in Shadows - The Naperville Sun, 9/13/09

What Health Reform Will Actually Achieve

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:26:00 +0000

We here at the From Poverty To Opportunity Campaign believe that accessible affordable health care is a human right that should be afforded to every man, woman, and child. This country is at a crucial turning point in which, with the proper health care reform, this needed human right can finally be achieved. Pulling from extensive knowledge of providing health care services throughout Chicago, Heartland Alliance has developed 11 key principles that need to be included in any health care reform for it to have an actual, meaningful effect on the people of this country.

Given the expansive scope of health reform, 1,000 page reform bills and media focus on specific aspects of health care reform, it can be immensely difficult to determine what health care reform will actually accomplish.

Thankfully, the good folks over at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation have analyzed all of the major health care reform proposals and provided a side-by-side comparison of each one. Below is an analysis of the House Tri-Committee Proposed Plan, The Senate Finance Committee's Proposed Plan and the Senate HELP Committee's Proposed Plan as compared to three of our key principals. Those three principles: health coverage for everyone, prevention and wellness services and expanded primary care are key components in realizing health care as a human right.

Coverage For Everybody

All three of the bills propose to expand health care coverage by lowering eligibility requirements for Medicaid and offering health care subsidies for individuals and families who otherwise could not afford coverage.

The Senate HELP Committee's plan expands Medicaid to families who make up to 150% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), The House Tri-Committee's plan expands it to 133% and the Senate Finance Committee increases coverage to families up to 115% of the FPL.

This initiative is important because Medicaid does not currently cover everybody. According to Families USA 43 states do not provide Medicaid for low-income childless individuals, and only 16 states provide the program to individuals who live up to 100% of the FPL. Simply decreasing eligibility requirements could provide coverage to 17 million more citizens.

Each of the three bills would provide subsidies for individuals and families who make below 400% of the FPL. Currently, families who are ineligible for either Medicare or Medicaid receive no assistance from the government to purchase health insurance. This reform would aid this very population.

Prevention and Wellness

Each of the three bills plan to bolster prevention and wellness by providing incentives for health care providers to administer more preventative services while also increasing the amount of professionals who provide these services.

Primary care providers are the most effective at administering preventative treatments. Unfortunately, payment for Medicaid services is usually slow in coming, overly-complicated, and does not match the cost of services provided. This, combined with a lack of regulations forcing doctors to treat Medicare patients has created massive disincentives to treating Medicare clients. The House Tri-Committee's plan would fix this by increasing Medicaid payment rates to 100% of Medicare rates and providing bonuses for primary care practitioners.

The Senate Finance Committee's plan is more patient-based, with a focus on providing incentives to individuals, business' and states to provide and participate in prevention and wellness programs. Medicaid and Medicare recipients would receive "rewards" for completing behavior modification programs. Small businesses would receive grants for implementing wellness programs, while states would get grants to implement innovative wellness programs

The Senate HELP Committee's bill requires hospitals to report preventable readmission rates; hospitals with high re-admission rates will be required to work with local patient safety organizations to improve their rates. It also requires health insurers to provide financial incentives to providers to better coordinate care through chronic disease management.

Primary Care/Primary Care Workforce Development

Due to the increasing pay rates of specialty care, the USA is on the verge of a Primary Care Provider Shortage, that is only going to get worse. Primary care providers play a key role in providing holistic services that prevent chronic sickness and disease; therefore it is important to increase this dwindling population. Each of the health reform bills has specific language that addresses this shortage.

The Tri-House Committee and the Senate HELP Committee propose to reform the sustainable growth rate for physicians, with incentive payments for primary care services and for services in efficient areas while also reforming Graduate Medical Education to increase training of primary care providers by redistributing residency positions and promote training in outpatient settings and support the development of primary care training programs.

The Senate Finance Committee's proposal would provide bonus payments to certain primary care providers and providing reimbursements for certain care management activities for patients with hospital stays related to a major chronic condition.

Where We Go From Here

Although these health reform bills are on the table, consensus on what this health reform will actually look like is far from definitive. If these three bills are any indication, the reformation of this countries health care system would increasingly coincide with Heartland Alliance's principles for realizing health care as a human right. However, until the Senate, Congress and President agree upon reform and sign it into law, nothing is certain and nothing is guaranteed. It is important to continue the fight for health care as a human right. If you believe that health care needs to be reformed, let your voice be heard!

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:58:00 +0000

From August 31st to September 6th

Bankruptcy Filings Rising in 2009 - Northwest Indiana Times, 8/31/09

Early Applications Available for Illinois Residents to Receive Heating Assistance - WQAD, 9/1/09

Weak Economy Causes Downturn in Chicago's Rental Housing Market - Media-News Wire, 9/1/09

Homeless Shelter Hopes New Store Fills Funding Gap - News Tribune, 9/2/09

Cuts to Madison Co's Probation Department Stirs Outrage - Chicago Tribune, 9/2/09

Illinois to Receive $200 Million for Unemployment Insurance CBS 2 Chicago, 9/2/09

DuPage Sees Increase in Foreclosure, Unemployment - The Beacon News, 9/4/09

Unemployment Numbers Continue Upward Climb in Southern Illinois - The Souther, 9/6/09

Budget Cuts to Reduce Nursing Home Advocate Program - The State Journal-Register, 9/7/09

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +0000

From August 24th to August 30th

Governor Approves Social Service Help Line - State Journal-Register, 8/24/09

Quinn Grapples With Prison Cuts Amid Budget Mess - Chicago Tribune, 8/24/09

AFSCME Sues State To Stop Layoffs - Chicago Tribune, 8/24/09

WIC Clients Eligible For Free Bags of Fruits, Vegetables - State Journal-Register, 8/25/09

Home Service Grants To Be Cut October 1 - Illinois Issues Blog, 8/25/09

New Law Meant to Improve Child-Welfare in Illinois - The Pantagraph, 8/25/09

In Park Forest, Long Lines For Affordable Housing - Progress Illinois, 27/09

And They Wonder Why People With Disabilities Feel Oppressed - Accessibility NZ, 8/28/09

Another Perfect Storm: Falling Revenue, Rising Need - Change.org, 8/28/09

Advancing Human Rights: School-Based Health Centers

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Editor's Note: This post is the first in a new monthly feature - "Advancing Human Rights" - that is dedicated to highlighting programs that have been instrumental in advancing human rights through reducing poverty and affirming dignity. If you know of a program that deserves recognition, please feel free to contact us.
____________________________________________________________________

August is quickly turning into September, and school is beginning for students all across Illinois. While students are surely worrying about new clothes, new books, preseason sports, and socializing with fellow classmates, there is one thing that many kids won't have to worry about: staying healthy.

Thanks to School-Based Health Centers, Illinois students across the state have access to 46 high-quality diverse health resources that are located right on their school grounds. These centers provide an array of different services, such as primary care, medication distribution, mental health, health education and preventive services.

These centers need to be promoted for three reasons: Filling Service Gaps, Providing Dignified Services and Opportunity for Expansion.

Filling Services Gaps

Given that 16.6% of all Illinois children liven in poverty, School Health Center's play a vital role in ensuring that the state's youth are adequately prepared to succeed in school.

According to the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers, last year Illinois School Health Centers provided services to 25,825 different children, totaling 117,985 visits. Of those youth, 6,793 of them did not have health insurance. That is almost 7,000 children who got treated for things like depression, respiratory diseases, post-traumatic stress disorder and physical injury who otherwise would have gone without treatment.

For example, imagine a child who has undiagnosed attention-deficit disorder who is also suffering from symptoms of depression as a result of bullying. Or picture a child who has severe asthma, but does not have the means to purchase an inhaler. Is it realistic to think that either of these children is mentally or physically prepared to reach his or her full academic potential while battling these untreated ailments?

Advocates for School Health Centers don't think so, and they have done the research and have also found evidence to prove it. The 2007 Illinois Kids Count shows that:

Only half of Illinois children have a “medical home,” or access to a primary care provider from whom they receive comprehensive medical care.
38 counties have no pediatricians, 84 counties have no pediatric dentists, and 39 counties have no psychologists or psychiatrists

The Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers also cited a 2003 report done by the Illinois Children's Mental Heal Task Force that found that:

Nearly one-quarter of Illinois adolescents and one-third of Chicago adolescents self-reported signs of depression for two or more weeks in a row. Untreated mental health problems impact students’ ability to learn and increase their propensity for violence, alcohol and substance abuse and other risky behaviors that are costly to treat.

Illinois School Health Centers directly combat these barriers to academic success that a large number of this state's youth face. Youth are not the only benefactors of these programs, however, as teacher's and their families benefit as well.

Providing Dignified Services

School Health Centers provide teachers and parents alike with vital wraparound services. If a teacher suspects that a child is ill, either physically or emotionally, the proximity of available services makes it more likely that these teachers will make sure their students access said services.

The location of these health centers reinforce a person-centered approach to providing services.
Often families without medical homes have to travel long distances to below-average facilities for the most rudimentary of care. If the services they are seeking are mental health related, this carries along with it a stigma which can perpetuate disincentives to seeking services. This entire process can strip these families of their pride and dignity, which just adds to an already long list of barriers to accessing services.

By making services readily available on a daily basis, School Health Centers effectively encourage children and families to seek help in ways that other health care providers simply cannot. As we have said before, access to health care is a human right. Illinois School Health Centers have proven to be instrumental in realizing this right for the youth, and therefore the future, of Illinois.

Opportunities For Expansion

The effectiveness of services, along with evidence of cost-effectiveness made School Health Center implementation a national priority. The Senate HELP Committee, which has penned one of three major national health care reform bills, has specific language in their health reform legislation about investing in School Health Centers by:

Improving access to care by providing additional funding to increase the number of community health centers and school-based health centers.

Congress is also working to ensure that School Health Centers are eligible to be reimbursed by Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Considering that 55% of all Illinois children who accessed these services had Medicaid as their primary health insurance, this legislation would be immensely valuable. Expanding payment options would increase revenue streams for the program, which could expand and improve services. This trickle down affect would in turn, aid the youth of Illinois in reaching their full academic potential.

Locally, the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers are organizing a "Health is Academic" campaign that is designed to promote these programs throughout the state. You can find all pertinent material to help their advocacy efforts here.

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:41:00 +0000

From August 17th to 23rd

Counties With Most Jobless Getting Less Stimulus Funds - The News-Gazette, 8/17/09

The Link To Putting a Stamp on Fresh Foods - The Peoria-Journal Star, 8/17/09

Reduced Services in Chicago - WBEZ, 8/18/09

Homeless Agencies See Trouble in Stimulus Money - Chicago Daily News, 8/19/09

Free Program To Bring Adults' Computer Skills Up To Speed - Chicago Tribune, 8/20/09

New College Scholarship For Laid Off Workers - US News and World Reports, 8/21/09

Clinic Feeling Effects of Budget Crisis - The Daily Vidette, 8/22/09

Nearly 14% of Illinois Mortgages Behind or in Foreclosure - Chicago Sun Times, 8/23/09

Illinois Poverty News Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:05:00 +0000

From August 10th to August 16th

State to continue paying for burials for the poor - The Dome, 8/11/09

Illinois board stymied by vacancies - State Journal-Register, 8/11/09

Layoffs mean more limbo for Lincoln Development Center - The Pantagraph, 8/12/09

As Niles jobless rate doubles, need for relief spike services - The Niles Herald - Spectator, 8/12/09

Free Haircuts for the Unemployed - Time Out Chicago, 8/13/09

Daley's Affordable Housing Imbalance - Progress Illinois, 8/14/09

Economy's plunge forcing more kids into school lunch plans - McClatchy, 8/14/09

New Law Gives those Experiencing Homelessness Access to ID's and Dignity

noreply@blogger.com (Tim Klein) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Yesterday Governor Quinn signed House Bill 897 into law. This amendment to Illinois Identification Card Act waives the fee persons who are experiencing homelessness have to pay to acquire an identification card. While this may seem like a relatively minor change in the law, the effect it will have on at-risk populations will be tremendous.

Proper identification is a key component to participate in society. For people experiencing homelessness, identification is regularly required to obtain both emergency and basic services, including:

Federal and state aid, such as food stamps, medical assistance, unemployment benefits, and cash grants
Job training and education programs
Substance abuse recovery and other medical services
Overnight Shelter and emergency housing assistance
Longer-term, transitional housing

In 2005, the cost for an adult to purchase a new identification card was tripled, increasing to 20 dollars. While that may not sound like much, to a person who is experiencing homelessness and barely sustaining on a day-to-day basis, that is 20 dollars they just do not have to spend on an ID. This is evident in the numbers: approximately 30% of homeless individuals do not have an identification card. The waiving of this fee will eliminate the barrier to attaining an ID card, which in turn will help in reducing the barriers that this population experience in climbing out of poverty.

For a person to have this fee waived, they must be "verified" as homeless. For this verification to occur, they must be vouched for by any one of the following:

State, county, or municipal funding to provide those services;
An attorney licensed to practice in the State of Illinois;
A human services provider funded by the State of Illinois to serve homeless or runaway youth, individuals with mental illness, or individuals with addictions.
A public school homeless liaison or school social worker;

Kudos goes out to the governor, the legislatures, the senators and advocates who helped get this bill passed.

Now we must all do our part to help make sure this bill is effective. This law will take effect July 1st, 2010, but now is the time to let lawyers, social service agencies and school officials know about it and what impact it can have on populations they serve.

Just More Questions on This Year's Illinois Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Doug Schenkelberg) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:10:00 +0000

We now have answers to what the state budget looks like for this fiscal year, right?

Last Friday, Governor Quinn gave the details on the how he is allocating the lump sums given to him by the General Assembly when they passed a budget on July 15. As you may recall, $2.2 billion was to be used for human services, with another $1.2 billion with no restrictions. The Governor did provide a great deal of detail in his budget, giving line item allocations for all the larger state agencies. From this information, we know a few good things. Childcare funding and HIV/AIDS funding, received more or less level funding as compared to Fiscal Year 2009 levels.

We also know some bad things.

Homeless Youth – cut by over 20%

Mental Health – Community Based Programs – Cut by over 20%

Refugee Mental Health – Cut by over 13%

Homelessness Prevention – cut by 80%

We will come back to homelessness prevention in another post, but lets go over what is going through the head of our state’s human service providers right now. It is not answers, but a lot of questions:

1) When will I get paid for my Fiscal Year 2009 contract?

Remember FY09? Providers do. They remember that they are owed months and months of back pay. Maybe they will see it by the end of August, maybe not. They have been dealing with intense cash flow issues as a result, even if they did layoffs and program cutbacks on July 1.

2) What will my Fiscal Year 2010 contract be?

While the Governor has announced his allocations, state agencies are still figuring out the exact contract amounts and what wiggle room they have to shift around dollars. and providers are still waiting to see the dollar figure on their formal contract.

3) What will the reserve be?

The Governor’s office had been talking about the need for a $1.1 billion reserve. Is that still on the table? How does that translate to human service provider’s contract? Will they have to hold back 5%? 10%? If the full contract has a cut in it, plus there is a mandatory reserve on top of that (which, lets be honest, is a cut), the amount of money available to run important programs is greatly diminished.

4) When will I get paid for my Fiscal Year 2010 contract?

You think the delay in payments for FY09 is bad, just wait for this year. Keep in mind, we are already over a month into FY10. So, they have not been paid for FY09 in many months. They have no contract for FY10, cut or not, and have no idea when they will get paid for that new contract. This all leads to the last question:

5) How am I expected to keep my doors open?

Whether we are talking about a program or an entire agency, it is hard to overstate the stress involved in managing this financial mess. Credit lines are tapped out, cash reserves are wiped out, and another payroll is around the corner. You can try to open another line of credit, but that has interest and fees, and you certainly are not getting more money from somewhere to cover those costs. You can turn to your donors and foundations, but they are just as hurt by the recession as everybody else.

We are not out of this mess.

Not by a longshot. In the days and weeks to come, we will probably hear of more providers that have to do layoffs and service cuts because the money is just not there to keep going. And we have not even touched on the fact that there is still a deficit and the state is going to run out of money before FY10 is out. And do not even get me started on FY11.

Answers? Not so much.