Governor Rauner's FY16 Budget will cut nearly $2 billion to health and human services alone and would disproportionately affect low-income families and immigrants across the state.

The Governor's proposed disinvestment in education, youth and family supports will directly impact LSNA programs and constituents.  

Cuts to Teen Reach, Substance Abuse Prevention, and After School Matters programs will dismantle an array of positive prevention-focused activies for more than 450 local youth.

Cuts to Parent Mentor and Grow Your Own Teacher programs will negatively impact more than 2,770 local elementary-aged students who rely on 250 culturally sensitive parent role models and teachers trained through these programs.

Cuts to New Americans Initiative, Immigrant Family Resource Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs, negatively impact more than 1,600 local immigrant households who rely on services that support personal and family well-being and economic self-sufficiency.

In addition, Governor Rauner's Executive Order that "Non-Essential" FY15 contracts be reviewed and terminated "as soon as reasonably practicable" has put LSNA, several LSNA member institutions and non-profit human service agencies across the state in limbo while waiting for state officials to make decisions about current programs.

These programs are not luxuries. People's lives depend on these services.