In a report
titled “State Funding of Community Agencies for Services
Provided to Illinois Residents with Mental Illnesses and/or
Developmental Disabilities” and commissioned by the Illinois
Senate Appropriations I Committee, Dr. Elizabeth Powers of the
Institute on Government and Public Affairs at the University of
Illinois concludes:
“Illinois needs to proceed with substantial
reforms in order not only to preserve but to enhance the role of
its community providers”.
One of the major findings of Dr. Powers
report is that
wages in community developmental disability programs range from
28 to 64% less than comparable positions in Illinois’
state operated facilities.