Back in March, administrators at the Department of Human Services unveiled a plan to consolidate 17 field offices in Central and Southern Illinois with neighboring locations. When we talked with representatives from the department, they stressed it was not a budget-driven decision.  In fact, the change would have only saved the state an estimated $800,000. By shuttering offices with small numbers of employees (AFSCME created a map of the proposed closings here), DHS argued that the state could better distribute caseloads and make operations more efficient for its clients. 

The plan left social service advocates perplexed. More distant locations would create new burdens for those Illinoisans seeking limited assistance, including paying extra for gas or public transportation.  The lengthier travel times, along with the extended waits that would presumably come with larger offices, would also eat up valuable work-day hours. Meanwhile, the number of people relying on those services is growing; an additional 100,000 people qualified for food stamps in the first four months of 2009.  "Consolidating now is one of the most non-sensical plans I've ever heard of," Illinois Hunger Coalition director Diane Doherty tells us.

That's why Doherty and other advocates have been working overtime to block the plan. And those efforts have paid off. Lee Newspapers' Mike Riopell reports today that the plan, scheduled to take effect this month, has been shelved by the governor's office: 

Quinn wanted to close 17 Department of Human Services offices, merging their offerings with other nearby locales in an effort to save the state money. The offices can help people get food stamps or take part in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

But as the state's budget crunch continues and public outcry about the closures persisted, Quinn isn't pushing the closures forward right now.

"The office consolidations are on hold at this time," said Tom Green, spokesman for the Department of Human Services.

DHS spokesperson Tom Green stressed that the situation will remain under review, so there is still work to be done. "I really hope it's not a temporary hold," says Doherty, adding that the governor should "make it permanent."