In response to Governor Pritzker’s budget address, Illinois Partners has issued this statement regarding the proposed funding for Health and Human Services in the coming year.

Illinois Partners and 20+ statewide health and human service associations and coalitions are jointly advocating for prioritized investment for Health and Human Services in Illinois. Health and Human Services are an essential part of a robust economy and are critical to rebuilding Illinois. As such, they must be adequately funded, Our proposed “Guiding Principles for Health and Human Services Ahead of the FY22 Budget” can be found here. 

Illinois Partners wrote a letter to Governor Pritzker asking for clarity around the $200M in proposed budget reductions to health and human services, and 182 coalition partners signed on in support.  We are grateful to Deputy Governor Sol Flores, who responded immediately to schedule a call to discuss in early January.  For full letter content, read here

A number of issues were discussed at last week’s McLean County and Peoria Local Area Council meeting, including the effect of Covid-19 on Mental Health. According to studies, nearly 1 in 5 Covid-19 patients develop a mental illness within three months of testing positive for the virus, further emphasizing the need for fully funded and available human services.  Read more here.