SEPTEMBER
2015
Garden Center Services
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gerry & Muffin
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 DSP APPRECIATION WEEK Page 2 ADOPT A HOME PROGRAM Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
It is only because of a court decision that our state funders have been forced to fund the services we have been providing over the last two months of this fiscal year. An order from the court mandated that all claims for services covered under the Medicaid program must continued to be paid during the Illinois’ budget impasse. All of the agencies’ day and residential programs have been under the Medicaid umbrella for several years now, so this order is a godsend. I know of a number of our disability providers in the state that were beginning to struggle with how they were going to make their next payroll. But the relief of this temporary court ordered funding fix is tenuous at best. Until the governors’ office and the legislative leadership can work together on behalf of the citizens of
this state which they serve, and negotiate and pass a budget for this 2016 fiscal year, we cannot be sure of what our rates will be, or of the level of service we can deliver throughout the remaining year. I therefore must ask you to continue your calls to your legislators, imploring them to challenge their leadership to craft and pass a budget that certainly contains no cuts to the already inadequate funding that we have received for years, and in fact would include additional revenue to provide the quality of care that persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve.
“It is only because of a court decision that our state funders have been forced to fund the services we have been providing over the last two months of this fiscal year. ” One such service that our individuals deserve and that we need to figure out a way to provide, independent of whatever happens in Springfield, is the ongoing opportunity for our individuals to feel the satisfaction and meaningfulness of having real work experiences in businesses
throughout the community. We have a number of awesome shop and business owners in the Burbank/Mt. Greenwood/Beverly neighborhoods that truly embrace the persons that attend our programs, and have stated their willingness to provide work experiences for these individuals, if we can provide a staff to accompany and coach them. I would love to see a decent number of the individuals that spend their time at our day programs simply have the experience of working on site at a local business for even several hours a week. I can only imagine the immediate impact this would have on the pride, selfesteem, and true joy of the persons we serve. It would also bring a heck of a lot of happiness to the businesses and their customers! I have initiated an intense twoweek pledge drive to fund this position. Through the generosity of several individuals I have already received donations totaling $7,800! I am asking that you contact me directly at 708-560-4400 and let me know how much you can contribute to this worthwhile cause. Any contribution, at any level, can help us achieve something wonderful for the great people we support, and you will have my undying gratitude. Thank you, and be well.