From IARF webpage - 4/7/04

As a follow-up to the March 26th Newsnotes article on HB 5000 and our meeting with Speaker Madigan’s chief of staff, Tim Mapes, we wanted to provide you with some more information.

Speaker Madigan (D-Chicago) has created the Special Committee on Fee-For-Service Initiatives, extended the deadline for HB 5000 until April 30, 2004, and signed onto the bill as a chief co-sponsor with Rep. Lee Daniels (R-Elmhurst).

The Speaker has allowed us a window of opportunity to discuss the proposed changes by DHS in a forum that we hope to be conducive for an overdue discussion with IARF, the administration, DHS, and other interested parties.

Your message has been heard. Thanks again for your important contacts with legislators.

IARF received a letter from Speaker Madigan outlining the details of this new committee today. The Speaker calls for “a thorough, well-researched plan.” Otherwise, (he) “fears the switch from grant…to request for proposal and/or fee-for-service could wreak havoc with thousands of Illinois families.” Here are the details:

• Apoints Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), House Majority Leader as Chair;
• Appoints Rep. Lee Daniels (R-Elmhurst), Rep. William Delgado (D-Chicago), Rep, Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) as Co-Chairs;
• Establishes a schedule of hearings to determine the proper steps Illinois should take to ensure the quality of our state’s MI/DD treatment services;
• Provides for 10 Majority Member appointments and 10 Minority Member appointments
• Makes Majority appointments of the following: Rep. Jim Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park), Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), Rep. Connie Howard (D-Chicago), Rep. David Miller (D-Chicago), and Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago).

Action requested:

2. Also, if your Representative(s) is/are mentioned in this update, please contact them with the same messages as above.