(Chicago, IL) — November 14, 2009. The first early release of non-violent Illinois prisoners has begun.

Governor Pat Quinn initiated the early prisoner release as a means to reduce expenses to the deeply indebted Illinois budget. However, more than 70 percent of Illinois prisoners test positive for drugs or alcohol at the time of their arrest and treatment services are in short supply.

“To keep the early-released prisoners from returning to jail, Gov. Quinn will need to find extra money for treatment,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).

Anthony Cole, Executive Vice President of Haymarket Center and Chairman of the IADDA board of directors, says his agency is likely to be flooded with former prisoners seeking help, but Haymarket already has a waiting list, and without more money from the state, Haymarket will be hardpressed to provide treatment quickly to the former inmates.

Watch Cole’s speak to Chicago Fox-TV’s Jack Conaty here:

Sara Moscato Howe, CEO, IADDA

(Chicago, IL) – November 12, 2009. According to a new analysis of Illinois government data, the number of women receiving state-supported treatment for drug or alcohol addiction between 1995-2007 jumped 41%, compared to 21.7% for men.

“The face of addiction is changing across Illinois—and it is increasingly a woman’s face,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, who analyzed the historical data published by the Illinois Department of Human Services-Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.

(Listen Here to Podcast: Illinois Women in Drug, Alcohol Treatment Increases 41%)

In the state fiscal year 1995, 30,545 adult Illinois women received drug or alcohol treatment through local community treatment providers financed primarily by state government. In FY 2007, 52,045 received services, a 41% increase.

FY 2007 is the most recent data available.

During the same period, 65,992 adult men received services in FY 1995 and 84,326 in FY 2007, a 21.7% increase.

In FY 1995, adult women comprised 31.6% of the total adult population receiving treatment services. By FY 2007, their share of the treatment population had grown to 38.1%.

Young girls and boys in treatment are surging even more dramatically.
Female youth in treatment increased from 2,392 in FY 1995 to 5,087 in FY 2007—a 52.9% jump. Boys totaled 6,020 in 1995 and 13,188 in 2007, a 54.3% hike.

The growth in substance treatment use far outstrips the general population growth in Illinois. In 1995, Illinois had an estimated population of 11.8 million and 12.9 million in 2008, a 9.3% increase.

What troubles Moscato Howe even more is that Illinois is failing to meet the overall need for treatment services.

“The state’s own plan says they will serve 15% of the need,” said Moscato Howe, “However, using the most recent Illinois Household Survey Data from 2003, we are currently only serving about 5.25%.”

Moscato Howe noted when this year’s Illinois budget cuts are factored, that number will fall to about 4.09%, much lower than 7-9% served in previous years.

“More and more women and young girls are seeking drug and alcohol treatment and our ability to help them is diminishing with each passing year,” Moscato Howe said.

Moscata Howe noted that IADDA will be pushing Governor Pat Quinn and legislative leaders House Speaker Michael Madigan, House Minority Leader Tom Cross, Senate President John Cullerton, and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno to address funding issues next year.

(Lisle, IL) – September 29, 2009. White House special advisor Dr. Kevin Sabet participated in a policy panel discussion in Lisle today to address the challenges and opportunities that face the field of substance abuse prevention and treatment.

Sabet, 30, a special advisor for policy and strategic planning at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, joined two other panelists to discuss the “State of Addiction Healthcare” in Illinois and the U.S.

The panel presentation was hosted by the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA) as part of its annual conference.

“We are pleased that the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy recognizes our work and that someone of Dr. Kevin Sabet’s stature joined our conference,” said Sara Howe, CEO of IADDA.

Sabet, who joined President Barack Obama’s Administration in August, previously worked on policy and speechwriting at White House drug control office from 2003-2004 and 2000 in both the George W. Bush and Bill Clinton Administrations, making him one of the youngest people to have served in the last three Administrations as a political appointee.

In addition to Sabet, the other panelists included Paul Samuels, Director and President, Legal Action Center and Lonnetta Albright, Director, Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center.

Kevin Sabet

(Springfield, IL) — September 14, 2009. As part of its annual conference, the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association will host a public policy panel presentation on September 29 to discuss the challenges and opportunities that currently face the substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery field, and the panel will include Kevin Sabet, Special Advisor for Policy and Strategic Planning, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Other panelists include: Paul Samuels, Director and President, Legal Action Center and Lonnetta Albright, Director, Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center.

The panel presentation will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Lisle located at 3003 Corporate West Drive, Lisle and is scheduled from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Sara Howe, CEO, IADDA 217-528-7335, ext. 11.

(Chicago, IL) — August 4. The total Illinois budget cuts by Governor Pat Quinn to drug treatment is 29.2 percent and the total cut for addiction prevention is 22 percent–this does not include any block grant funding or Medicaid.

Overall cuts to the addiction healthcare system as compared to FY 09 restored funding levels are as follows:

Treatment

• 29 percent cut to GRF
• 19 percent cut including the block grant and GRF
• 13 percent cut for all funding lines – GRF, Medicaid, Block Grant and Dedicated Funds

Prevention

• 22 percent cut to GRF
• 5 percent cut to GRF, block grant and dedicated funds

The Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA) anticipates there will be no change to these numbers will change. In order for there to be any hope of an increase in our funding, Illinois needs to pass an income tax increase or additional revenues need to be identified for the state coffers.

At the earliest, the General Assembly may discuss a tax increase during veto session in October but we are hearing that it is more likely that the issue of an income tax increase won’t come up again until January.

IADDA has already began working on a media strategy to highlight the impact of cuts to lawmakers. CEO Sara Moscato Howe was the lead human service quote in a Chicago Tribune article on August and was interviewed by Springfield ABC-TV/CH. 20 on August 4. (Watch video).

And IADDA Board Chair Anthony Cole was on Chicago Tonight, hosted by Carol Marin, on Monday evening, August 3.

more about “Carol Marin on Illinois Budget“, posted with vodpod

Finally, IADDA will also be addressing the disproportionate funding cuts to addiction healthcare at the state agency level in order to paint a statewide picture of how devastating these cuts are to Illinois’ communities.

(Chicago, IL) — TASC (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities), a not-for-profit helps drug and alcohol addicts get into treatment, is losing 76 percent of its state funding in the Illinois doomsday budget crisis.

Beginning July 1, workers were forced to take two weeks off without pay.

The organization is mandated by the state to evaluate substance abuse addicts and determine an alternative treatment to jail. Without TASC services, addicts who fail to receive treatment are likelier to continue to abuse drugs and alcohol, sending them back in jail, again and again and again.

Governor Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton, House Minority Leader Tom Cross, and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno continue budget negotiations.

Lawmakers return to Springfield on July 14.

(Springfield, IL) – Governor Pat Quinn has made good on his promise to veto the Illinois doomsday budget or ‘50% budget’ – SB 1197.

Quinn delivered his veto message this afternoon at his office in Springfield.

“This bill … is a halfway measure that fails to address the dire consequences of the state’s declining revenues, widening deficit, increased demand for critical human services, and the weak U.S. economy,” Quinn wrote to lawmakers.

Governor Pat Quinn vetoed the Illinois doomsday budget yesterday.

Also, shortly before the Governor delivered his veto message, Senate President John Cullerton and House Speaker Michael Madigan announced a joint session of the Illinois Senate and House to:

‘take action on any vetoes, amendatory vetoes, or reduction vetoes by the Governor of legislation related to the budget for Fiscal Year 2010 and (ii) to consider any legislation, pending or otherwise, related in any way to the budget for Fiscal Year 2010, including but not limited to appropriation, budget implementation, or additional revenue resources.’

“While it is unknown what will transpire during the joint session on July 14, it does not change our message to legislators: they work must together with the Governor to find a permanent solution to this budget crisis when they return to Springfield,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).

If they fail, more than 65,000 Illinois residents will struggling to overcome drug or alcohol addiction will lose substance abuse treatment services, Howe noted.

(Springfield, IL) – Governor Pat Quinn joined more than 5,000 human service supporters, clients, and workers at a rally at the state capitol in Springfield today to protest the looming 50% funding cuts to human service providers under the Illinois General Assembly’s “doomsday” budget that begins on July 1.

Under the “doomsday” budget, Quinn’s administration is warning 65,000 people will lose drug

Doomsday rally in the state capitol today. (Photo posted originally at Capitol Fax Blog)

treatment, 175,000 will lose mental health care, 40,000 seniors will no longer have home healthcare aides, 9,000 foster parents will have their expense reimbursement halved, and more.

“This budget will destroy Illinois’ addiction healthcare system,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. “Little will remain standing on July 1.”

The fiscal year 2010 state budget is facing a $9.2 billion deficit. Of that amount, $5 billion will cut from community human service providers.

The legislature cut $2.24 billion from the Illinois Department of Human Services, reducing, for example, Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse contracts to community services providers by 75%.

Lawmakers are in the state capitol this week mulling over possible options to avoid the human service budget cuts that Quinn has warned are coming without an income tax increase.

“It is absolutely essential that the legislature pass an income tax increase,” said Don Moss, Coordinator of the Illinois Human Services Coalition.

“For the sake of the private nonprofit human service delivery system throughout our state, the alternative, as they say, is too horrible to contemplate.”

The Illinois Human Services Coalition and SEIU joined IADDA as the rally’s co-hosts.

The legislature is in special session this week to grapple with the budget crisis.

(Chicago, IL) – More than 5,000 human service supporters, clients, and workers will rally at the state capitol in Springfield on Tuesday, June 23 to protest the looming 50% funding cuts to human service providers under the Illinois General Assembly’s “doomsday” budget that begins on July 1.

Governor Pat Quinn will address rally participants.

Under the Illinois “doomsday” budget, Quinn’s administration is warning substance abuse prevention and treatment services will witness the elimination of 65,000 people from care, according to Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).

IADDA, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Illinois Human Services Coalition are the rally’s co-hosts.

The rally begins at 11:30 a.m. in the capitol rotunda.

(Springfield, IL) – The doomsday budget recently approved by the Illinois General Assembly cuts 50% from state human service programs, and Governor Pat Quinn’s administration is warning substance abuse prevention and treatment services will witness the elimination of 65,000 people from care, according to Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.

Haymarket Executive Vice President and IADDA Board Chair, Anthony Cole, explains the impact of the Illinois doomsday budget on Haymarket clients receiving addiction healthcare services to WBBM/CBS-TV in Chicago: