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Governor Blagojevich’s Budget Cuts Push Homeless Women, Children out of Housing, Drug Treatment in Alsip, Illinois

(Chicago, IL) – Yesterday more than 50 women and their kids were kicked out of their housing and drug treatment programs in Alsip because of Illinois budgets cuts made by Governor Rod Blagojevich to alcohol and drug abuse treatment and recovery programs.

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). The Illinois House voted to override $43 million of the $55 million that Governor Rod Blagojevich vetoed for substance abuse treatement.

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago). The Illinois House voted to override $43 million of the $55 million that Governor Rod Blagojevich vetoed for substance abuse treatement.

A Safe Haven, a facility for homeless and drug-addicted mothers and their children, lost the majority of funding for their “Women with Children Program.” The $1.3 million program lost $900,000 of their state money, says Brian Rowland, the founder and C.E.O. of A Safe Haven.

About 51 of the 120 women and children in the program are being redirected to a local church, says Rowland.

“It’s devastating,” he explains. “These are people who have nowhere to go. You can’t just put women and children in the street.” Oh, yes you can. It’s politics.

Blagojevich gouged $55 million from the base budget of addiction treatment services and also line-item vetoed money from specific programs: victims of domestic violence, women returning from incarceration, youth treatment, and women receiving federal financial aid who require treatment to be employed.

Only July 16, the House was able to override only $43 million of the vetoed money. The Senate has yet to act. (Holding your breath is not recommended).

Senate President President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) has been fussing and fuming that he will not return to Springfield until House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) approves new revenue. Blagojevich wanted the Senate-approved $530 million special funds sweeps bill. Madigan drafted a $300 million bill. Jones fussed and fumed about Madigan’s version “that is a drop in the bucket”.

Your Two Cents Less thinks the homeless women and tots drop-kicked from their Alsip shelter and treatment wouldn’t object to the Madigan “drop in the bucket” compromise.

August 2, 2008 - Posted by David Ormsby | Substance Abuse & Addiction | , , , , , | 2 Comments

2 Comments »

  1. His cuts are affecting a lot of treatment centers. Although it’s not yet gotten down to adolescent cents, it will later this year. Where is NOW, I contacted them and they have not responded. Where is Jesse Jackson, he’s been contacted and NOTHING. The alternative to these treatment centers is JAIL for both adults and adolescents and the kids … they’ll go into foster care, which is already burdened. CALL YOU REPRESENTATIVES NOW!! Call your community organizations … do something before it’s too late!!!

    Comment by Tom Brechlin | August 12, 2008

  2. The Governor doesn’t “get” the impact on Women and Children when he slahed funding for A Safe Haven and other treatment prpgrams. I am not an employee of this organization trying to save my job. No, I am a 65 year old tax paying resident of this state and this move is an out and out mistake. For those people addicted to substances the Women’s program is a lifeline and a chance to straighten out their lives while still mothering their children. Otherwise tax payers pay more because the children go into a more costly state run system. Could that be the reason Why?

    Comment by Janet Alexander Davis | September 2, 2008


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