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Hi all - below you will find a link to the contact information for each of the Il Senators. Also attached is a forwarded email, action alert, from the Child Care Association of Il. It's a little thick - but if you scroll down to the section that talks about "Act today - shift focus to the Senate, and Here is the Message for the Senate" about mid way through the text, you'll get a fair idea of what to say when you leave messages or talk to staffers when you call senator's offices. The key things to keep in mind: Let them know that constituents in their district will be directly and immediately impacted by these DCFS budget cuts. Families, children, and staff will greatly suffer, across the board, in the immediate future if funding is not restored. Now that the IL House has vetoed the Governor's budget cuts, you are urging the Senators to vote in favor of restoring DCFS funding. When you open the below link - you want to do a search within the legislative district for your state senator. Once you open that link - you can search via your address (or your placement site's address) by hitting the "by address" tab. You'll then see all the elected officials within your district. The IL senator link will then connect you to their contact info: You should call their in-disrtict number, as well as their Springfield number. http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1 Subject: HUMAN SERVICE CUTS RESTORED BY HOUSE---CONTACT SENATORS NOW!! CHILD CARE ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOISSTATE BUDGET ALERTTO: CCAI CEOs/Executive Directors, Policy CommitteeFROM: Marge Berglind DATE: September 11, 2008 RE: Victory Over Human Service Cuts in HouseMore Work To DoFocus Shifts to Senate Act Today!! Victory Over Human Service Cuts in HouseThe Illinois House last evening approved a Fund Sweeps package that will serve to restore many of the DCFS, DHS State Parks and Constitutional Officer cuts made recently by the Governor. The House Approved Three Measures: Approval of a Spending Plan based on the Fund Sweeps to restore cuts and reductions made by the Governor, valued at $218,137,864 Approval of a Fund Sweep totaling $221,500,000 Approval of a 3rd General Revenue bill that restores many of the state agency cutbacks, valued at more than $655,000,000 The VICTORY is the good news that the House approved restoration of many human service cuts. CCAI members worked hard with staff and our contract lobbyist to make the impact of the cuts on our clients and agencies well known to House leadership and representatives. During the House hearing on the fund sweeps concept and spending plan, the committee chair specifically requested that CCAI CEO Marge Berglind provide testimony on behalf of the human service sector on the necessity of the fund sweeps for all human services (and we were honored to do it!) For DCFS , the bills restore $14,871,200 targeted for private agency foster care cuts (this would include recent SOC cuts that are funded from Foster Care), $5,446,800 targeted for SASS cuts and $8,100,000 to prevent DCFS staff layoffs. For DHS, the bills restore Drug and Alcohol treatment cuts and restores youth service and ICG lines to ’08 levels. (See specific DHS information below.) The unfortunate news is that any new spending originally appropriated in the ’09 budget was not included in the fund sweeps. Any cuts made to lines that were actually increased in ’09 also were not restored. The intent of the fund sweeps was to restore human service budgets to ’08 levels (remember that DHS and DCFS basic budget were maintenance and had few increases for ’09). Additionally, the General Assembly has no authority over the Governor in his exercise of withholding allocated funds in reserve as a management tool. Although the House is well aware of the impact on agencies of the reserves already levied by DHS and on the table for DCFS, they are not legislatively able to confront that problem. Unfortunately, the $5 million in additional funds targeted for foster parent increases was not included. Several new DHS-funded initiatives were also not included. Reserves to programs are still on the table. The Fund Sweeps concept involves review of more than 300 funds specifically held in the State Treasury for special use. These involve funds as diverse in scope and size as the Whistleblower Reward and Protection Fund with $8,250,000 extracted for sweeps to the State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp Fund, with $500,000 extracted for sweeps. They are primarily funded from specifically earmarked revenue or fee sources. Sweeps are not intended to reduce the value of each fund to zero. The value extracted from each fund depends on excess funding as well as projections for use. The third bill passed restores an additional $10,380,500 to DCFS to prevent staff reductions, and an additional $6,621,100 to DHS to prevent staff reductions and $20 million for intermediate care and alternative community placements. This bill also contains huge amounts to fund various health programs, much of which can be matched with federal funds. This is a general revenue bill that the House characterizes as giving the Controller additional spending authority and giving the Governor a message that no further cuts can be squeezed in service budgets. More Work To DoYesterday’s victory in the House via the funds sweeps and cuts restoration is STEP ONE of a multi-step process to getting cuts restored. The Senate must approve the three measures. The Governor will then determine how to respond to what the General Assembly has done. Until all those steps are finalized, the cuts and reductions continue. DCFS cuts-to-date total $21,219,715 in private agency and university programs and $17,145,170 in DCFS staff cuts. There is also loss of some Medicaid funds due to these cuts in the amount of $2,320,100. There is a cut of $5 million in foster parent increases. This totals more than $45 million targeted for cuts in DCFS. All CCAI members are strongly encouraged to advocate for restoration of the cuts, whether or not you have a program that has currently been eliminated or reduced. Cuts to the SOC program are going to have direct impact on all foster care programs’ abilities to stabilize children and on the available services for children transitioning out of residential into foster care. Cuts to support services to kids such as mentoring will have detrimental impacts. Cuts to the University research and support grants will slow our sector’s progress in pursuing change that truly helps kids and families. Cuts to the DCFS system will affect the children served in residential, independent living, foster care, counseling, Intact Families and adoption support in one way or another. Negative impacts on those children will impact your agency’s program outcomes. We all need to act now. CCAI members have not yet received the BRUNT of DCFS RESERVES that could be made according to the Governor’s directives. DCFS is directed to hold back spending in the amount of $25,947,970 in addition to the $45 million in cuts and reductions. DHS providers, including many CCAI members have already received contract amendments holding back more than 3% of your contracts. A reserve is the equivalent of another cut since there is no guarantee you will get that money. DHS substance abuse and mental health cuts are massive Cuts and reductions in those programs will have a direct impact on all the families and children you serve in any program. Focus Shifts Now to SenateAct TodayWe must work to convince the Senate to approve the funds sweep packages. We urge all CCAI members to activate your board, your staff, your donors, your volunteers, your foster parents and your young adults to contact all members of the Senate who serve districts in which you have programs. Here is the message for the Senate: Inform the Senate that the House approved a Funds Sweep package that restores more than $218 million in cuts to vital human services made by the Governor Ask the Senate to address this same Funds Sweeps package as soon as possible Urge them to ask Senate Leadership to accept the House actions to restore human services funding as soon as possible Talk specifically about the cuts to your programs, and the cuts to the overall DCFS and DHS budgets and how these will cause harm to children and families Follow-up with our House members to thank them for voting to restore human service cuts (this one vote received unanimous approval from all House members.) The longer it takes for the Senate to act on the sweeps package, the longer the cuts linger in our state agencies.ACT TODAY!!! Please keep CCAI staff advised of your progress and alert us to any areas of concern as you talk with Senators. Use the materials on our web site to help you plan your discussions with Senators. (www.cca-il.org BUDGET IMPASSE) DHS RestorationsSome prevention and youth programs not included in the restoration bill were Healthy Families, Redeploy and Parents Too Soon. With the Governor's reduction vetoes they still remained above the FY'08 funding level for those programs and would see an increase above the FY'08 funding level. The following lines were restored to the FY'08 levels. Mental HealthIndividual Care Grants for Mental Health - Restore $562,300 to $28,112,800 Children’s Mental Health Partnership - Restore $60,000 to $3,000,000 MH Community Grants Line - Restore $2,660,700 to $231,036,600 Mental Health Children & Adolescent - Restore $739,500 to $36,975,400 Addiction TreatmentCommunity Based Addiction Treatment Services - Restore $43,399,900 to $86,599,750 Addiction Treatment for Special Populations - Restore $9,057,400 to $9,057,400 Youth Services After School Programs (Teen REACH) - Restore $382,300 to $19,114,800 Teen Parent Services - Restore $143,300 to $7,163,900 Community Services - Restore $139,900 to $6,993,600 Juvenile Justice Reform - Restore $75,400 $3,771,500 CCBYS - Restore $260,300 to $13,017,200 UDIS - Restore $61,600 to $3,080,800 Delinquency Prevention - Restore $31,600 to $1,579,300 Homeless Youth Services - Restore $95,000 to $4,747,700