Progress Illinois

By not calling his chamber back to Springfield until November, retiring Senate president Emil Jones has caught flak over the perception that he is trying to kill the ethics bill. But perhaps more critical, Jones' decision is also delaying a fund sweep that would restore crucial spending to drug treatment agencies facing devastating cuts. The Galesburg Register-Mall provides the gory, updated details:

As part of a massive $463 million statewide budget cut made in July by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, funds for Illinois drug and alcohol treatment were slashed by $55 million. Federal matching money of an additional $55 million will also be lost, making the cut $110 million or 43 percent of the total state addiction treatment budget. The cuts are expected to eliminate services for more than 40 percent of the approximate 98,000 people — nearly 40,000 — who get treatment each year and come at a time when many advocates are seeing an increase in clients.

Andrew Young, administrator of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, says his organization could see 73 percent of its budget slashed, which puts his clients and the broader community at risk:

With more than half the clients in treatment from the criminal justice system, Young said the long-term result will be a worst case scenario. Thousands of people wanting or needing treatment will be denied services or be forced to leave treatment early.

“We will see less-safe communities because more people will be on drugs,” Young warned. “In just a year’s time, it will make a huge difference.” He said most people don’t get concerned about drug treatment programs unless they know a person who needs treatment. “But a cut like this will affect all of us. It will cause more crime in our towns. For every day that goes by, more damage is being done.”

While a new ethics bill is sorely needed in Illinois, it is even more infuriating to watch as the morass in Springfield puts common-sense public health and safety measures in jeopardy.