FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 2, 2017

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Rauner’s Budget Crisis Fuels Treatment Program Cuts, Foster Care Delays, and Employee Turnover

Chicago, IL – Yesterday, JB Pritzker joined dedicated staff and leaders at Caritas Family Solutions in Belleville for a tour and roundtable discussion to highlight the direct impact of Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis on essential family services. Caritas Family Services provides a range of child welfare and family services to 4,400 families in Southern Illinois.

After over 700 days without a state budget, the high number of families needing services continues, but the capacity of social service agencies is diminishing. For Caritas Family Solutions, massive cuts to treatment services mean parents struggle to access programs that will help correct behaviors associated with abuse, trauma, drug abuse, or alcoholism. The lack of a budget is also fueling employee turnover, resulting in overworked and underpaid employees, and delays in the process for children leaving foster care and being reunited with their parents.

“Caritas Family Solutions provides essential services to our most vulnerable children and families. Their work is critical, but it is suffering at the expense of Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership,” said JB Pritzker. “Our social service agencies deserve a governor who can pass a budget and allow them to continue doing their work for Illinois families. I’m grateful to the hardworking staff at Caritas for all that they do and I am committed to working with them, and social service agencies across as the state, when I’m governor to help us get our state back on track.”