State failure to pay overdue bills to Human Services Center forces shutdown
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The failure of the Illinois Department of Human Services to pay overdue bills of more than $400,000 to Human Services Center of Southern Illinois forced a shutdown on Monday, September 29, the agency announced at a press conference held Friday afternoon.
As of Monday, Human Services Center laid off 27 employees-32% of staff. The staff layoff has reduced mental health and development disability care to 100-300 current clients and denied care to the 35-40 new individuals who seek care each month. The Chester facility, located at 115 E. Stacey St., has been reduced to two days of operation; the Sparta facility, located at 104 Northtown Dr., will now be open Tuesday and Thursday while the Red Bud facility, located at 10257 State Route 3, will remain open all five days due to the onsite day treatment program.
"We have pleaded with the Department of Human Services and Secretary Carol Adams for payment of its overdue bills, and we have warned the state that we would have to fire staff, slash care, and turn people away without immediate payment," said Gary Buatte, Executive Director. "The state has failed to pay-so that day has come."
According to Buatte, the Department of Human Services owes the Human Services Center $433,551.
Buatte noted DHS expedited an emergency payment of $137,116 on September 17, but the amount falls short of the agency's average monthly operating costs of $361,000.
"We can't pay all our bills and meet payroll with only the partial payment that the state sent on September 17," said Buatte.
Buatte says he could stave off the staff layoffs and continue providing full care if the state pledged to pay another $250,000 by October 1 in order to allow Human Services Center to make payroll on October 3.
"If the state can pay $250,000 of its overdue bills by October 1 to help us make payroll on October 3, Human Services Center can continue providing the mental health care on which the men, women, and children of Southern Illinois depend," said Buatte. "If not, staff will go and so will the care for nearly 300 people."
If payment is not received from the state the center will be forced to continue to cut staff and services.
Since 1975, the Human Service Center has been providing a wide range of professional mental health and developmental services to meet the needs of residents in Southern Illinois. Last year, the Human Service Center served over 1,400 people through adult and youth mental health services, services to people with developmental disabilities, adult and youth substance abuse services, assistance to people experiencing an emotional and behavioral crisis, community support and case management services, home-based care and group living services for people with a mental illness and people with developmental disabilities.
"We are serving the most vulnerable and fragile citizens in our community," stated Buatte. "Our organization has been the place for people to turn to in times of great need, This is an organization with committed and caring employees that put the needs of the people we serve above all else. It is unfortunate that such a well-respected and compassionate organization would find itself in such dire financial straits through no fault of its' management, staff or board of directors," he added.
In a press release sent out by U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello earlier this week, he stated that he called on Governor Blagojevich to urge him to take the necessary action to see that funds owed Human Services Center of Southern Illinois are paid.
"Essential mental health services will be eliminated due to this staff reduction," said Costello. "The State of Illinois must honor its commitment to service providers such as Human Services Center of Southern Illinois."