Politics & Government
Lawmakers Question Timeline to Close Health Center, Call it 'Too Aggressive'
A panel of lawmakers held its second public forum since autumn this week regarding the closure of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center. They said they believed the timeline to shutter its doors isn't reasonable.
Lawmakers again ridiculed this week of the , specifically saying the timeline to shutter its doors is too short.
A public hearing Tuesday focused on what were referred to as aggressive measures—all in all, —to narrow the state's $313 million budget gap, reports indicate. The stars of the show included those on the , an advisory panel to Quinn that's voiced opposition to all seven closures.
The forum, , was the second on the issue since November.
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"You have some explaining to do and you're going to have to deal with the folks in these communities and sell them on it," Rep. Al Riley, D-Hazel Crest said, according to a Chicago Tribune story. "This struggle continues."
Debra Ferguson, senior deputy director of the Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health, addressed the panel Tuesday, the Tribune story said.
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"She said the department has been meeting with stakeholders to better outline the community reinvestment plan that will replace the Tinley Park facility's services," the story states. "On April 4, community providers were asked to submit proposals for services they could provide by April 20. Ferguson said the department hopes to review them in one week and begin distributing contracts to providers by May so services can be in place by July."
She noted that the timeline is tough but not impossible, according to the story. The state estimates a cost savings of about $8 million and will reinvest almost $10 million back into community-based services, the story said, citing the Division of Mental Health.
Though it once had room for 150 patients, . It has two patient care units and an intake and assessment unit. Both treat patients from a geographic area that extends from the south side of Chicago, as well as all southern Cook townships and Will, Grundy and Kankakee counties.
Read the full Chicago Tribune story for additional information.
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