Illinois Governor May Close Additional Mental Health Facilities To Cover Budget Shortfall

Illinois Gov. George Ryan (R) has ordered a halt to maintenance projects at 42 state facilities, a move that indicates more mental health centers might be closed to cover the state's $800 million shortfall in the current budget cycle, the AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. An April 10 memo from Stephen Schnorf, Ryan's budget director, stated that the administration is considering closing three facilities --- Alton Mental Health Center, Choate Developmental Center and Kiley Developmental Center -- that are under control of the state Department of Human Services. No final decision has been made yet, and Ryan said the cutbacks outlined in the memo are "under consideration." The governor earlier had announced the closing of other mental health facilities, but the Illinois House last week voted to reverse the closures. Ryan criticized the state House vote, saying that lawmakers have not cut expenses to cover the state's budget deficit (Wills, AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 4/11).