Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Associaiton CEO Sara Moscato Howe

(Springfield, IL) ­– January 20, 2012. Illinois’ leading drug prevention and treatment advocacy group today welcomed Governor Pat Quinn’s signature on legislation that helps to disrupt Illinois meth production, but also warned the governor that the state’s efforts to combat drug abuse will falter if the already shrunken funding for prevention and treatment is reduced further in next year’s Illinois budget.

The new law signed by Quinn makes permanent a pilot program initially created to electronically track pseudoephedrine purchases that could be used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

“This program is a valuable tool that helps us prevent meth from getting into our communities by stopping production,” said Quinn. “Tracking the sales of items commonly used to manufacture meth has enabled us to nip production in the bud, and it is important to continue this program.”

The Methamphetamine Precursor Tracking Act took effect in 2009 and required pharmacies to track and block excessive purchases of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Since its implementation, the program has blocked more than 103,319 boxes – or 230,330 grams – of pseudoephedrine from being used for methamphetamine production in communities throughout Illinois, according to Quinn.

“Because this is an important tool to disrupt meth production, we welcome Governor Quinn’s signature on this law,” said Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe.

“However, the principal line of defense against drug abuse in Illinois is drug prevention and treatment, for which state funding has been cut 30% since 2007,” said Howe. “To protect communities, we need Governor Quinn to shield the Illinois prevention and treatment budget from further cuts next year.”

Illinois’ non-Medicaid funding for prevention and treatment has fallen from $118 million in 2007 to $83 million this year, reducing the number of Illinois residents in treatment from 84,167 to 45,149, according to the most recent data.

“Unfortunately, meth production is starting to increase again across the state,” Attorney General Lisa Madigan said.

“Attorney General Madigan’s warning about rising meth production underscores the consequence of Illinois’ prevention and treatment budget cuts,” said Howe. “That’s why we need Governor Quinn to preserve Illinois addiction prevention and treatment funds.”

Quinn is scheduled to unveil his fiscal year 2013 Illinois budget proposal on February 22.

Illinois will be facing an $800 million deficit within three years, despite tax revenue projected to grow by more than $1 billion a year.

Illinois’ fiscal reality is bleak, said Kelly Kraft, the governor’s budget spokeswoman.

“These projections clearly demonstrate that action must be taken to control not only Medicaid costs but also (pension) costs or all other areas of government will continue to be squeezed,” Kraft said in a statement.

Quinn on Tuesday released his three-year budget projection in which Illinois in fiscal 2013 is expected to spend $33.7 billion, about $1.5 billion more than this year. By fiscal 2015, Illinois’ expenditures will reach $34.2 billion, or $2 billion more than the current budget.

The governor’s fiscal outline is part of the state’s Budgeting for Results initiative. Lawmakers created this process in 2011 to force the governor to craft a realistic budget within the financial means of the state.

The majority of the additional spending will be on public employee pensions.

Quinn’s own numbers project an $818 million deficit by 2015, even after holding spending flat on Medicaid, elementary and high school funding, and state government services.

Illinois’ pension payment jumps $1.1 billion in fiscal 2013, from $4.2 billion this year to $5.3 billion. By 2015, Illinois will be making an annual pension payment of $5.9 billion.

Republican State Treasurer Dan Rutherford said the state cannot afford a nearly $6 billion pension payment.

“If we don’t respond to the spending increases built into the governor’s budget for public pensions, Illinois is going to face a major cliff,” said Rutherford.

The treasurer said lawmakers are going to have to lower the pension costs for current state employees, despite the stance by Illinois Senate President John Cullerton’s office that legislation to alter current pension benefits is unconstitutional.

“Go and take the constitutional fight,” Rutherford said. “If it has to be litigated all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court, then so be it.”

State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, who is the Democratic budgeteer in the House, said he doesn’t think lawmakers will go that route this year.

“We’re starting to see some savings, because pension costs are already going down,” Mautino said. “The big savings come in 2018. That’s when you’ll have more people in the new system than the old system.”

Lawmakers created a two-tiered pension system in 2010. Any state employee hired after Jan 1, 2011, has to work until they are 67 to collect a full pension, five years later than state workers on the job in 2010.

Mautino said the only place lawmakers can find immediate savings is in Illinois’ Medicaid system.

“There are some people who are getting benefits now that might not be getting benefits next year,” said Mautino, who would not speculate on how many recipients would be dropped from the Medicaid rolls.

House Republican budgeteer state Rep. David Harris, R-Arlington Heights, said he expects Medicaid costs to grow at nearly 8 percent a year for the next few years. Illinois is slated to spend $7 billion on Medicaid in the current state budget, about a fifth of the $33.2 billion spending plan.

“The Medicaid system is going to have to recognize that the dollars from Springfield are not going to be there like they were in the past,” Harris said.

Harris and his fellow Republicans have said Illinois could save billions of dollars by “trimming” people from Medicaid.

Kraft said the governor proposed a Medicaid rate cut last year, but lawmakers and Medicaid providers “did not have an appetite” for that. Instead providers and legislators opted to delay payments.

Mautino said that’s not an option next year.

“The state is going to have to find another $700 million for rising Medicaid costs, and you have about $1.5 billion unpaid bills that will have to be addressed in next year’s budget,” Mautino said. “The spring session will be all about trimming Medicaid costs.”

Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News

The legislation, Senate Bill 2412, reallocated money within the current Illinois budget to reinstate the treatment funding.

“We are thankful to Governor Quinn for signing the measure into law,” said Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe.

The following budget line items were restored:

• Addiction Treatment Medicaid: $7.6M
• Addiction Treatment Services: $16.9M
• Addiction Treatment for DCFS Clients: $2M
• Addiction Treatment for Special Populations: $1.5M

The bill also includes $30 million for community-based mental health services, mental health centers, burial services for the homeless and the poor, homelessness prevention programs, and need-based financial aid for college students.

Finally, the legislation will ensure that no state-run mental health or developmental disability centers will be closed this fiscal year.

“The tireless advocacy efforts of IADDA and its member agencies were key to achieve this significant victory,” said Howe. “And the leadership and the commitment of State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz and State Senator Heather Steans were absolutely central in the successful restoration.”

The current state budget runs until June 30, 2012.

The legislation, Senate Bill 2412, which reallocated money within the current Illinois budget, now moves to Governor Pat Quinn‘s desk.

“Governor Quinn is expected to sign the measure into law,” said Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe.

The following budget line items were restored:

• Addiction Treatment Medicaid: $7.6M
• Addiction Treatment Services: $16.9M
• Addiction Treatment for DCFS Clients: $2M
• Addiction Treatment for Special Populations: $1.5M

The bill also includes $30 million for community-based mental health services, mental health centers, burial services for the homeless and the poor, homelessness prevention programs, and need-based financial aid for college students.

Finally, the legislation will ensure that no state-run mental health or developmental disability centers will be closed this fiscal year.

“The tireless advocacy efforts of IADDA and its member agencies were key to achieve this significant victory,” said Howe. “And the leadership and the commitment of State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz and State Senator Heather Steans were absolutely central in the successful restoration.”

The current state budget runs until June 30, 2012.

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago)

(Rockford, IL) – In remarks made in Rockford last week, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) laid out his state budget priorities for next year, which include protecting key groups of vulnerable Illinois citizens.

“There are certain items I think should happen such as money for mental health, money for community service providers that deal with substance abuse, domestic violence, Madigan says, “But beyond that, we need some tough negotiating, because Illinois doesn’t have that much money to spend today.”

Madigan’s comments drew praise from the state’s leading substance abuse prevention and treatment advocacy group.

“After suffering more than a 50% reduction of state funding in the last few years, we welcome Speaker Madigan’s willingness to back substance abuse treatment services, which save the state money, and to draw a line in the sand against further budget cuts,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.

Since 2009, substance abuse treatment money from the state’s General Revenue Fund has dropped from $120 million to $47 this year.

Despite Madigan’s pledge, Illinois’ budget situation for next year remains precarious.

Although the Illinois Commission on Budget Forecasting and Accountability, the legislature’s fiscal arm, expects state revenues to grow $1.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2013, which begins on July 1, 2012, new data reveals that the state’s pension payment, which includes debt service, will rise by approximately $1 billion to $7.4 billion. The pension tab totals $6.4 billion this year.

The total state budget for this year that is derived from only state revenues is $33.173 billion. The pension payment swallows more than 20% of the state’s annual spending plan.

“The dire budget means that we still need to convince other House lawmakers, the state Senate, and Governor Pat Quinn of the need to preserve substance abuse prevention and treatment funding,” said Howe.

IADDA CEO Sara Moscato Howe, State Senator William Delgado (D-Chicago), IADDA Board Chairman Peter Palanca.

(Springfield, IL) – The Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association yesterday recognized State Senator William Delgado (D–Chicago) for his long-time and vigorous advocacy in behalf of addiction health care, presenting him the group’s the 2011 Legislative Leadership Award.

“Senator Delgado has served as a champion for those seeking to recover from substance abuse addiction by ensuring that addiction healthcare services are available to them, including the working poor and women with children,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of IADDA.

“I have work hard alongside the IADDA to educate the general public about the disease of addiction, sharing the message that addiction can be prevented, it can be treated and people can recover from it,” stated Delgado, Chairman of the Illinois Senate Public Health Committee.

“I am honored by this recognition and look forward to continuing my work with the IADDA.”

Established in 1967, the IADDA is the only statewide advocacy organization in Illinois focusing solely on substance use disorder issues. The organization represents more than 50 prevention, treatment and recovery organizations across the state.

“Prescription drug abuse is rising. Drug fatalities have surpassed motor vehicle deaths, largely due to prescription drug overdoses,” Kirk said. “This bipartisan legislation makes common-sense reforms to the Controlled Substances Act that will help save lives from prescription drug overdoses.”

According to Kirk’s office, 2 1/2 times more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined.

“’Pill mills’, or doctors, and pharmacies that either inappropriately prescribe or dispense prescription narcotics for non-medical reasons is a growing drug abuse problem in the U.S.,” said Illinois Alcoholism Drug and Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe. “I applaud Senator Kirk’s efforts to tackle this problem.”

Pill mills are pain clinics that dispense prescriptions, often without physical exams or medical record assessments. Pill mill doctors generally let patients choose their drugs, treat ailments only with pain medication and direct patients to “their” pharmacies.

Kirk has teamed up with Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to introduce legislation, S. 1760, to help crack down on pill mill operators by doubling the prison sentence from 10 years to 20, and tripling the fines from $1 million to $3 million for illegal distribution of controlled substances.

The seized assets would be used to fund drug treatment programs and state drug-monitoring databases that collect information on prescription drugs prescribed and dispensed.  Illinois has a fully operational monitoring program that helps medical professionals ensure patients aren’t receiving prescriptions from multiple doctors.

“Given the punishing Illinois budget cuts imposed on our drug prevention and treatment providers, any additional money provided to these community agencies will be welcome,” said Howe.

Prescription drug abuse struck Illinois in June 2007.

Daniel Katz, an Illinois native, suffered from a fatal Oxycontin overdose at the age of 25. Katz obtained the narcotic from a patient of Dr. Gerald Kane who had been inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to multiple patients in Illinois. In addition to Katz, three of Kane’s patients also died from prescription drug abuse.

Kane pled guilty to reckless conduct for the deaths of these individuals, and was sentenced to probation.

The bill was unveiled during the 23^rd annual National Red Ribbon Week, our nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program.

IADDA CEO Sara Moscato Howe

(Chicago, IL) – Illinois drug prevention and treatment advocates, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL), and White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske will debate the impact of Federal and local initiatives to combat recidivism and substance abuse at a forum in Chicago on Monday, October 17.

The forum, which will include Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe, will feature two panels that will discuss Federal initiatives in the Chicago area.

Those initiatives include drug prevention programs and drug courts. Panelists will also discuss the successes of local drug treatment and adjudication programs benefiting the health and safety of local communities.

The forum will take place at A Safe Haven, 2750 W. Roosevelt Road in Chicago on Monday, October 17 beginning at 9:00 A.M.

Davis is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives, and lead sponsor of the Second Chance Act, which authorizes federal grants to entities that provide drug treatment, mental health care, housing and jobs for people newly released from prison.

Kerlikowske, who assumed his White House drug czar post on May 7, 2009, has served as Chief of Police in four cities and worked in the United States Justice Department. His longest term as a Chief of Police was between July 2001 and March 2009 in Seattle, Washington.

The panel participants include:

Panel 1

• Gil Kerlikowske, Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
• The Honorable Paul Biebel, Jr., Presiding Judge, Criminal Division, Circuit Court of Cook County
• Renee Oshinski, Deputy Director, Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 (VISN 12 /Great Lakes)
• Michael Finley, Michael Finley Foundation, NBA Champion 2007 (San Antonio Spurs)

 Panel 2

• The Honorable Mattie Hunter, Illinois State Senator – 3^rd District
• Neli Vazquez-Rowland, President, A Safe Haven Foundation
• Sara Moscato Howe, Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Alcoholism & Drug Dependence Association
• Joel K. Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Human Resources Development Institute, Inc.

IADDA CEO Sara Moscato Howe

(Springfield, IL) – Another punishing round of Illinois state government budget cuts to substance abuse treatment services approved by the legislature in May, averaging 26%, is triggering program closures and employee layoffs in Central Illinois.

“Though the Illinois General Assembly restored 75% of the substance abuse cuts proposed by Governor Pat Quinn, the 25% cut approved by lawmakers is still forcing program closures and employee layoffs,” said Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association CEO Sara Moscato Howe.

The Illinois fiscal year 2012 budget signed by Quinn, which began on July 1, reduces state funding for substance abuse prevention and treatment from $63 million in fiscal year 2011 to $47 million this year. In fact, over the past five years state funding has declined from $112 million to $47 million, according to Howe.

The latest round of budget cuts has forced the recent announcements of planned closures of treatment programs in both Champaign and Peoria.

The Urbana-based Prairie Center closed its detox program, which serves individuals from 62 Illinois counties, on September 1, eliminating service to 700 to 800 people and laying off 7 employees. The Illinois Department of Human Services, led by Secretary Michelle Saddler, cut $450,000 from The Prairie Center’s budget this year.

“Hospitals and emergency rooms will also be notified regarding the impact of these cuts,” said Bruce Suardini, The Prairie Center CEO. “Between 700 and 800 patients will lose services each year.”

In Peoria, the Human Services Center is closing its women’s residential treatment program, eliminating capacity for 125 women annually and laying off 27 employees on September 23, 11 of whom will come from the women’s program. Saddler’s agency cut $2,000,000 from the Human Services Center budget this year.

“It’s shameful that the State is limiting access to treatment for women in need and turning them out of their shelter” said CEO Fred Nirdé.

Howe is calling on the governor and top human service budget lawmakers to restore funding to this year’s budget for substance abuse prevention and treatment.

“Governor Quinn and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz and State Senator Heather Steans need to restore funding to prevention and treatment services as soon as possible to avoid the piece-meal collapse of an Illinois behavioral health care system that is already in shambles,” said Howe.

(Springfield, IL) –

Personal income tax revenue jumped by 68 percent for last month when compared with the same time in 2010, almost mirroring the personal income tax increase of 67 percent approved in January, according to a report issued by the Legislature’s Commission on Government Accountability and Forecasting, or COGFA, this week.

Overall, the state’s revenue jumped from $1.9 billion in August 2010 to $2.2 billion last month, an increase of 13 percent.

However, focusing on the month-to-month numbers won’t give an accurate picture of the state’s fiscal health, said Jim Muschinske, COGFA’s revenue manager and author of the August revenue report that outlines Illinois’ finances.

“I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years, and I don’t get excited over one month. There is just too much that happens on a month-by-month basis,” Muschinske said.

For example, income tax receipts from July through December, or the first half of fiscal 2012, might show big gains compared to last year. But those increases are only because of the income tax increase, and not because the state’s workforce or economy is doing better, according to the COGFA report.

The state also got a one-time shot of $73 million relating to the selling of a permit for and opening of the state’s 10th riverboat casino this summer in Des Plaines.

Higher revenue for August flowed in despite the state collecting less money from the federal government. The end of the federal stimulus package and the state’s extension on paying its social service vendors caused a decline of federal funding by $264 million, or 66 percent less, to $135 million last month compared with $399 million last August.

For the entire fiscal year, the state will lose about $1 billion in federal funding, Muschinske said. Under the federal stimulus, for every $2 the state spent on Medicaid, the federal government kicked in $1.20. But that extra 20 cents has been phased out, along with the strings attached to it.

“What happened under the stimulus plan was that the federal government said ‘we’ll give you the higher matching rates, but in order to qualify, you are going to have to pay (social service) providers in 30 days. That’s far quicker that we’ve ever paid before,” Muschinske said.

“Now that the match is gone, part of the way to manage our resources was the decision to allow approximately $1 billion in bills to be pushed back and the payment cycled moved to more historic levels” of 60 to 90 days, he said.

The state now has overdue bills from social service providers, schools and others totaling $3.8 billion, said Brad Hahn, spokesman for the state Comptroller’s Office.

Legislators, when crafting the $33-billion operating budget for the state, said that any extra revenue would go toward paying off the state’s backlog of bills.

However, Gov. Pat Quinn has said the budget sent to him doesn’t contain enough spending to operate at least 12 state agencies through the end of the fiscal year.

Andrew Thomason, Illinois Statehouse News