In an open letter dated June 23rd, Marvin Lindsey writes to Governor Bruce Rauner that the budget impasse has, "...crippled Illinois' behavioral healthcare system." Lindsey is CEO of a non-profit called Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois.
It's been just about a year since many agencies in the state have seen no government funding. Lindsey says that means those who need behavioral healthcare support are on longer waiting lists for counseling and rehabilitation services. And he says, sometimes that wait is just too long.
As he writes: "Regarding the waiting list, many of these individuals usually end up in more expensive emergency rooms, hospital inpatient facilities, jails or, even, dead. Yes, dead." Lindsey talks about one such case in this interview, and tells us more about how service providers in the state are making ends meet, while others are having to shut down programs:
