Senate Republicans are applauding a decision from Illinois Department of Human Services to halt proposed budget cuts to the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (I/DD) community. The Pritzker administration’s proposed cuts would have amounted to 2.5 million fewer hours that Direct Support Professionals (DSP) could provide services in group homes, where approximately 10,000 adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities reside. The proposed reduction would have totaled nearly $90 million dollars, affecting 90% of all group home residents.
The proposal generated strong bipartisan pushback from lawmakers who are concerned about the I/DD community. Every member of the Senate Republican caucus signed their name to a recent letter pleading with the Pritzker administration to call off the cuts. This is in addition to other letters and petitions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
During the week, the Pritzker administration confirmed that the cuts will not happen until at least the end of the fiscal year.
Senator Anderson said that pausing these cuts is a good step in the right direction, adding that he is committed to continuing to advocate to get the administration to put a permanent stop on the proposed cuts.