Envision Unlimited President and CEO Mark McHugh was featured in a Chicago Tribune story about efforts to convince state lawmakers to provide adequate funding for organizations serving Illinoisians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Despite a consent decree, a judge's mandate, and an independent study outlining how much money should be allocated, providers say Illinois' current budget proposal falls far short of the recommended funding level.
According to the article, a five-year spending plan recommended a first-year increase of $329 million to the roughly $1.1 billion currently allocated. Reportedly, providers say they are in a persistent state of crisis. McHugh said Envision hasn’t expanded its services in years because of a lack of funding.
“Unless I can raise more money, I can’t expand services. And yet there are thousands upon thousands of people on the waiting list for services, and I’m ready to expand,” McHugh said. “This is our mission — to serve people.”
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