Stretched Thin Series

The poverty rate has inched slightly lower in Illinois but still remains well above the rate that existed before the Great Recession began in 2008.

The state has restored funding for one of the programs Children's Home and Aid cut two years ago, the Butterfly Project.

In McLean County, some 222 children in foster care are currently waiting for the chance to find a permanent home. 

Of those children, 88 are African American. They make up about 40 percent of the children in foster care, but last year accounted for only about 26 percent of the permanent adoptions.

The Baby Fold's Residential Treatment Center for children and teens who suffer emotional difficulties due to abuse and neglect will close at the end of the month -- another casualty of the Illinois budget impasse.

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents.  

Several months ago the Bloomington based social service agency Providing Access To Help kept its doors open and made payroll after much searching and stress about searching for a loan. 

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents.  

Many human service agencies were forced to react immediately at the end of last June when Governor Bruce Rauner and Lawmakers chose not to agree on a state budget. Among them was Mid Central Community Action in Bloomington.

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents.

The YWCA offers services from the cradle to old age, but one of its biggest outreach efforts involves early learning programs for children.

Editors Note:  Stretched Thin is an ongoing series of interviews with those managing social service agencies through an unprecedented state budget stalemate.  

The CEO of the Baby Fold said she is thrilled that higher education received part of its needs from the state, but human services is at the end of the line. In another part of the GLT series Stretched Thin, Charlie Schlenker talked with Diane Schultz, who said the Baby Fold had already downsized its residential treatment effort and laid off 20 people starting last June.

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents.
The McLean County YWCA is mandated by the state of Illinois to offer a variety of services to adult residents who are elderly or disabled. But in a Catch 22 for the agency, the state has not provided funding for these services for several months, according to Liz German, the YWCA's vice president for operations.

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents. 

The head of the Children's Home and Aid Society in Bloomington says the last ten months has done a lot to her organization. During Sound Ideas, Lisa Pieper talked WGLT's Charlie Schlenker about the impact on human services from the state budget standoff over Governor Rauner's turnaround agenda.

Editors Note:  "Stretched Thin," is examining the effect of the state budget impasse on local social service agencies to put a human face on how the stalemate is affecting the daily lives of Illinois residents. 

A growing number of human service providers are suggesting Illinois residents express their dissatisfaction in the voting booth over the state's nearly year-long budget impasse.

Editors Note:  Stretched Thin is an ongoing series of interviews with those managing social service agencies through an unprecedented state budget stalemate.

It's getting harder for rape victims to obtain free services in McLean County.

Despite signed contracts with the state, the Stepping Stones Rape Crisis program at the McLean County YWCA is operating with only half its annual $150,000 budget. Stepping Stones has contracts with the state to provide rape prevention classes, a 24-hour hotline, accompaniment to the hospital, and support throughout the prosecution of a case.

Editors Note:  Stretched Thin is an ongoing series of interviews with those managing social service agencies through an unprecedented state budget stalemate. 

After ten months without payment on signed state contracts, many social service agencies in Illinois have gone under. Others are scraping the bottom of their reserves. Some have taken out loans. Others are having difficulty because banks don't view the state as a good credit risk and doubt the agencies will be paid.

Editors Note:  Stretched Thin is an ongoing series of interviews with those managing social service agencies through an unprecedented state budget stalemate.

The state budget crisis is eroding social service agencies. The political standoff over Governor Rauner's turnaround agenda is also reshaping the way the state functions in unintended and potentially long lasting ways.