Governor Blagojevich signed the FY 08 budget package, with Director Lilia Teninty allocating 1.5% to 2.5% in increases for developmental disability programs FY 08. 

While any increase is welcome, this funding falls far short of what is needed to support existing community programs for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s Syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities in Illinois.   

FY 2008 would have been the third year in a row of no increases to help individuals with disabilities currently supported in community programs around the state.  However, these increases are not sufficient when utility costs are up 20%, insurances over 10%, along with gasoline, maintenance and other costs of maintaining important disability support programs.  Since 1990, the State of Illinois has under-funded community developmental disability programs by over 30% when compared to what the state paid itself for the same support services.

Community providers, mostly non-profit charitable organizations, are becoming increasingly unable to support the over 45,000 individuals who depend upon them each day for needed support.  This increase is a paltry attempt by Illinois toward maintaining the quality of community disability services. 

Not included in this increase was any funding needed to expand services for the over 10,000 individuals currently waiting for residential, day and employment support services.  Additionally, no improved wage support for direct care and clinical staff supporting persons with disabilities was considered.  According to a report from the University of Illinois, community direct support workers remain 28 to 64% behind their colleagues working in the state institutional system. 

Advocates for persons with disabilities and the community-at-large should now contact the Governor and Legislature to develop future support for annual indexed increases and direct support worker parity with state institutional programs.  These are still necessary to prevent a crisis in care from taking hold.   

Contact the Governor and Legislature today!