To: The Illinois State House, The Illinois State Senate, and Governor J.B. Pritzker
Mental Health funding is not a political issue
Governor, your political posturing is endangering our most vulnerable citizens, people with mental illness. Having already suffered $113.7 million in cuts from 2009 - 2012, your proposed 2016 budget could now leave tens of thousands more without mental health coverage.
Rewrite your budget and fully fund mental health services in Illinois.
Rewrite your budget and fully fund mental health services in Illinois.
Why is this important?
Mental illness is a recurring cause in the news about injuries and deaths. We are told that the jails are now functioning as the storage places for the mentally ill where more than half the population is mentally ill.
If you do not think caring for the ill is the proper function of society, then you should consider the comparative costs of providing mental health care as opposed to the cost of crime, trial and incarceration of the actions of the mentally ill.
I believe that part of being human is working with others to provide a safe, healthy living environment for everyone. The government's job is to provide the services needed to protect and aid all citizens (living, breathing people with all their foibles).
If you do not think caring for the ill is the proper function of society, then you should consider the comparative costs of providing mental health care as opposed to the cost of crime, trial and incarceration of the actions of the mentally ill.
I believe that part of being human is working with others to provide a safe, healthy living environment for everyone. The government's job is to provide the services needed to protect and aid all citizens (living, breathing people with all their foibles).