FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Jason Gerwig
630/407-6022
August 26, 2008

MCMAHON CALLS FOR FULL FUNDING OF STATEWIDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM

Michael McMahon, Chairman of the County’s Judicial and Public Safety Committee, is calling on Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois State Legislature to restore funding to the Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA). 

DASA has implemented a reduced budget for Fiscal Year 2009 (July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009) that is 43 percent lower that the Fiscal Year 2008 budget.  If the budget cuts are not restored to adequate levels, notes McMahon, then the reduced budget will “decimate the statewide substance abuse treatment system.”

“The cuts in this important program have already resulted in substantial reductions in, and in some cases the termination of, services provided by agencies that serve DuPage County, including Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), Serenity House and Breaking Free, which provides services to some of the must vulnerable residents of our County,” said McMahon.  “I implore the Governor and the Legislature to do what is right and restore funding for these critical services.”

The budget cut to DASA represents an initial $55 million loss in funding for critical, and often court-mandated, services.  Additionally, this budget reduction will result in another $55 million loss of Federal matching funds, which brings the total reduction to $110 million.

McMahon notes that the failure to treat alcoholism and substance abuse will result in increased costs to the County’s criminal justice system and other costs to society, which far outweigh the cost of providing treatment. 

“Chemical dependence and substance abuse causes more deaths, illnesses and disabilities than any other preventable health condition in America,” says McMahon.  “The ability to fight these afflictions is greatly reduced with DASA, and I hope a restoration of funding can be accomplished at the earliest possible date.”

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