Local News

UPDATE: DeWitt County HRC Faces Severe Cutbacks by March if No Budget is Passed

 width=The worst case scenario has been laid out for one DeWitt County non-profit if a budget is not passed by the Illinois legislature.

A date of March has been set by leaders of the DeWitt County Human Resource Center for severe cutbacks to a point of core services only if the State of Illinois doesn't get its fiscal house in order. Executive Director Lynn Scovill (right) says they have already taken every measure possible to keep their doors open and their most vital services available and will continue to strive to serve the community in as much of a capacity as possible

[audio:1071682700-1716hrcbudget1.mp3] [/audio]

The Human Resource Center of DeWitt County is for many, the last line of help they could get access to. Scovill explains many cannot travel out of the county where help could be awaiting them and for many, the only proper care they receive is through an outside certified mental health official coming to DeWitt County help.

[audio:1071682707-11716hrcbudget2.mp3] [/audio]

The Human Resource Center has been able to patch together funding sources thanks to advances in funding from the taxing body the 708 mental health board but Scovill says those funds and others will run out in March.

[audio:1071682702-1716hrcbudget3.mp3] [/audio]

 width=HRC's Corey Baxter (right) says their absence in the community would be felt greatly by the hospital and law enforcement. He explains when they have a person in the community who would be in need of psychiatric help, they can prevent someone from being arrested and even put in jail, but without their services, that won't happen.

[audio:1071682704-1716hrcbudget4.mp3] [/audio]

Baxter says those types of scenarios play out two or three times a month locally.

Scovill says the potential of their doors closing has law enforcement agencies very concerned.

Additionally, she points out it is hard to find these people help close to home and if they can get them help out of state, mainly in Missouri or Indiana, even more challenges arise because these people don't have a support network in those places and then getting them back home once they've been treated is another challenge.

Scovill also adds, they have had to lay off or let go of much of their staff, and getting those people back or replacing them is going to be difficult.

Townhall Top of the Hour News

Local Weather - Sponsored By:

CLINTON WEATHER

Local News

DeWittDN on Facebook