SPRINGFIELD – Following a line of questioning from State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) in the Senate Appropriations Committee, the governor's office has released funding that will allow the Rosecrance Triage Center to stay open through June 30.

“The Triage Center has been effective at keeping those with mental illness out of jail and out of the hospital, saving taxpayers thousands of dollars,” Stadelman said. “However, while this funding is a start, it still does not resolve the governor's long-term opposition to the program.”

In 2012, when Singer Mental Health Facility was shut down by the state, Rosecrance was promised more funding to allow them to serve patients through community based programs, such as the Triage Center. Until these funds were released, Governor Rauner had broken this promise.

To provide additional stability for the center, the Illinois Senate also passed Senate Bill 2059 through the Appropriations I Committee, which will provide funding for Rosecrance. It now heads to the full Senate for a vote.

“I strongly encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to support this proposal, to help fund services that our state so desperately needs,” Stadelman said.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D – Rockford) released the statement below following Governor Rauner’s budget address today:

“I share the governor’s frustration that Illinois has been without a budget for over eight months now. He had an opportunity today to lay out his plan to resolve the crisis we are in, which has forced layoffs at Rock Valley College and eliminated programs for children with autism.

“Instead, today we heard more partisan rhetoric and few answers. The governor and legislative leaders have to come together to find a bipartisan solution to stop the damage that is being done to our state.”

Despite the historic budget impasse Illinois is facing, Democratic lawmakers and Governor Rauner came together last Spring to pass a budget to fund K-12 education. Even though the education budget was signed into law, the Illinois Comptroller can still choose to divert available funds to other areas of the budget. I believe we must continue to prioritize education funding. Below is a letter I sent to Comptroller Munger today asking her to do the same.