From State Senator Karen McConnaughay:
Funding guaranteed for early intervention, benefits for the deceased and more…
Karen McConnaughay
Recipients and providers of early intervention services can breathe a sigh of relief this week after Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger announced her office will begin making payments to providers after they receive vouchers from the Department of Human Services (DHS).
It has certainly not been an easy year for anyone, as threats to critical services become greater with each day that we go without a budget. Years of fiscal mismanagement has backed us into a corner as we try to determine the best way to balance the budget and fully fund our core services. I know the end of this budget gridlock looks bleak, but we have a great opportunity to change the status quo and the direction of Illinois if we can put aside our political views and compromise on a solution that both balances the budget and makes major reforms to how we do things in this state.
In my continued effort to provide my constituents with greater access to local and state resources, I will be hosting a Senior Health Fair on Wed. Oct. 21 from 9:00a.m. to Noon at Hosanna Lutheran Church, 36W925 Red Gate Road, St. Charles. Several local businesses and organizations will offer useful information on how to care for your health. Please share this information with your families and friends! Click here to view the event flyer.
As always, I hope you will contact me or my office with questions or concerns you may have. You can also visit my legislative website at www.senatormcconnaughay.com.
Sincerely,
Karen McConnaughay
State Senator for the 33rd District
Comptroller Munger guarantees funding for early intervention
Threats that the state budget impasse would suspend funding for critical early intervention services for delayed and disabled infants and toddlers have been put to rest this week as Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger announced her office will begin making payments to providers soon.
“Thousands of Illinois families rely on the state’s early intervention programs to provide resources and support for their children who have been diagnosed with a disability or a developmental delay,” said State Senator Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles). “While we still have work to do to ensure funding for all of our critical core services, it is a reassuring to hear that these programs will be able to operate during this budget gridlock.”
Preliminary PARCC results released
Preliminary statewide results from last spring’s Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Exam (PARCC) were released this week, causing concern for some as a number of Illinois students fell short of expectations. State Schools Superintendent Tony Smith, however, stressed that these results should serve as a baseline for schools and student and cautions against using them to “shame or punish” anyone.
Benefits for the deceased
According to a report from the Better Government Association released earlier this week, more than 1,000 deceased Illinoisans received pension payments from 2010 to 2014.
Night and day, Illinois and Indiana
A recent article from Reboot Illinois takes a look at the night-and-day differences between Illinois and neighboring Indiana. The analysis looks at finances of state and large city governments, and the implications these finances have on migration patterns.