Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Governor Pat Quinn, IADDA, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, Illinois budget, Illinois Budget — Tags: Don Moss, Illinois Department Human Services, Illinois Doomsday Budget, Illinois Human Services Coalition, Illinois poltics, Sara Moscato Howe
(Springfield, IL) – Governor Pat Quinn joined more than 5,000 human service supporters, clients, and workers at a rally at the state capitol in Springfield today to protest the looming 50% funding cuts to human service providers under the Illinois General Assembly’s “doomsday” budget that begins on July 1.
Under the “doomsday” budget, Quinn’s administration is warning 65,000 people will lose drug
Doomsday rally in the state capitol today. (Photo posted originally at Capitol Fax Blog) treatment, 175,000 will lose mental health care, 40,000 seniors will no longer have home healthcare aides, 9,000 foster parents will have their expense reimbursement halved, and more.
“This budget will destroy Illinois’ addiction healthcare system,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. “Little will remain standing on July 1.”
The fiscal year 2010 state budget is facing a $9.2 billion deficit. Of that amount, $5 billion will cut from community human service providers.
The legislature cut $2.24 billion from the Illinois Department of Human Services, reducing, for example, Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse contracts to community services providers by 75%.
Lawmakers are in the state capitol this week mulling over possible options to avoid the human service budget cuts that Quinn has warned are coming without an income tax increase.
“It is absolutely essential that the legislature pass an income tax increase,” said Don Moss, Coordinator of the Illinois Human Services Coalition.
“For the sake of the private nonprofit human service delivery system throughout our state, the alternative, as they say, is too horrible to contemplate.”
The Illinois Human Services Coalition and SEIU joined IADDA as the rally’s co-hosts.
The legislature is in special session this week to grapple with the budget crisis.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Doomsday budget, Howe, human services, IADDA, Quinn
(Chicago, IL) – More than 5,000 human service supporters, clients, and workers will rally at the state capitol in Springfield on Tuesday, June 23 to protest the looming 50% funding cuts to human service providers under the Illinois General Assembly’s “doomsday” budget that begins on July 1.
Governor Pat Quinn will address rally participants.
Under the Illinois “doomsday” budget, Quinn’s administration is warning substance abuse prevention and treatment services will witness the elimination of 65,000 people from care, according to Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).
IADDA, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Illinois Human Services Coalition are the rally’s co-hosts.
The rally begins at 11:30 a.m. in the capitol rotunda.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: IADDA, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, Illinois politics, nickel a drink tax increase, Sara Feigenholtz, Sara Moscato Howe
(Springfield, IL) – Illinois’ leading addiction prevention, treatment and mental health advocates today unveiled legislation at a Springfield press conference that increases the state’s alcohol tax by nickel a drink to help fund state human services and reduce drinking.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago)
The bill, HB 4557, sponsored by State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), would raise $254 million for cash-strapped Illinois and boost addiction healthcare services by $140 million and mental health care services by $92 million and the remaining $22 million would be deposited in the state’s general revenue fund—its daily checkbook.
“A nickel-a-drink increase will raise $254 million to help offset the state budget deficit and provide critical investments to addiction healthcare services,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).
Watch news video report from WAND-TV Ch. 17 (NBC) of Springfield. WLS-TV Ch. 7 (ABC) of Chicago has a brief story. And WTVW-Fox 7 of Evansville, Indiana carries a piece. And from the Chicagoist.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Community Behavioral Healthcare Association, community mental health, Dave Winters, Deborah Mell, Esther Golar, Frank Anselmo, Governor Pat Quinn, Greg Harris, Illinois alcohol tax increase, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, Illinois politics, Kathy Ryg, Naomi Jakobbson, Sara Feigenholtz, Sara Moscato Howe
(Springfield, IL) – Illinois’ leading addiction prevention, treatment and mental health advocates today unveiled legislation at a Springfield press conference that increases the state’s alcohol tax by 5¢ a drink to help fund state human services and reduce drinking.
State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago)
The bill, HB 4557, sponsored by State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), would raise $254 million for cash-strapped Illinois and boost addiction healthcare services by $140 million and mental health care services by $92 million and the remaining $22 million would be deposited in the state’s general revenue fund—its daily checkbook.
“A nickel-a-drink increase will raise $254 million to help offset the state budget deficit and provide critical investments to addiction healthcare services,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA).
Sara Moscato Howe, CEO, IADDA
“Without a financial rescue, without $92 million invested in community mental health care, more than 45,000 will lose mental health services by June 30, 2010 according to our new survey,” said Frank Anselmo, CEO of the Community Behavioral Healthcare Association.
“Illinois’ chronically under funded addiction and mental health care services need dedicated money from an alcohol tax to maintain care and taxpayers need to know their money is being wisely spent,” said Feigenholtz, Chair of the House Human Services Appropriations Committee and a state budget negotiator, who noted Governor Pat Quinn’s budget cuts the programs further.
“Instead of throwing these services a lifeline, Governor Quinn’s budget throws then an anchor,” said Feigenholtz.
State Rep. Dave Winters (R-Shirland)
The nickel-a-drink tax would be applied on wholesale alcohol by the gallon that is distributed as packaged beer, wine, or distilled spirits to stores or as beverages purchased at bars, restaurants, and hotels.
A “drink” is 12 oz of beer (bottle), 5 oz of wine (glass), and 1.5 oz of liquor (1.5 shots). Using this definition, a nickel-a-drink tax would add 30 cents per six-pack of beer, 25 cents per bottle of wine, and 85 cents per 750 ml bottle of liquor.
In addition to funding state addiction prevention, treatment and mental health services, the nickel-a-drink would reduce drinking consumption by five million gallons or 2 percent annually. The estimated drop in consumption would be up to 3.94% for beer and cider, 2.5% for wine, and 6.76% for spirits
State Rep. Naomi Jakobbson (D-Champaign)
“We will reduce the probability of accidents among adults and youth alike,” said Howe.
Howe noted alcohol abuse and drunk driving continue to exact a terrible, deadly toll on youth and children in communities throughout Illinois.
She pointed to the most recent media reports of drug and alcohol-related driving tragedies which reinforce the need for adequate addiction healthcare funding.
- February 5 Edwardsville, IL – “A wrong-way driver whose license was yanked several times for alcohol-related offenses caused the crash early today that killed two adults and a boy and left an 11-year-old girl hospitalized.
- February 17 Johnsburg, IL –“Police are investigating who provided alcohol to a 17-year-old Johnsburg High School student who froze to death after a minor car accident last month.
- February 18 Elgin, IL – “The blood-alcohol level of an Elgin teen who crashed into a house last fall, killing his passenger, was nearly three times the legal limit for driving, police said…
Howe also noted an Illinois Department of Human Services study revealed that in 2006 nearly 40 percent of Illinois 12th graders had ridden in a car with a drunk or high teenager in the last year and 30 percent had the same experience with a drunk or high adult.
Illinois last raised the alcohol tax in 1999 and before that in 1969.
State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago)
Joining Feigenholtz as co-sponsors of the legislation are State Representatives: Dave Winters (R-Shirland) Deborah Mell (D-Chicago), Greg Harris (D-Chicago), Kathy Ryg (D-Vernon Hills), Esther Golar (D-Chicago), Naomi Jakobbson (D-Champaign).
Advocates are also looking to gain Governor Quinn’s support for the nickel-a-drink tax increase to reverse his initial budget cuts.
Lawmakers are expected to vote on the final state budget by their scheduled May 31 adjournment.
A simple majority of lawmakers is required to pass a budget if voted on or before May 31. If after May 31, a 3/5th super-majority would be needed to approve the annual state spending plan.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: operaton snowball, sticker shock, underage drinking
Sticky Situation Kicks Off
Alcohol Awareness Month
Statewide “Sticker Shock Day” to Target Adults who Provide Alcohol to Youth
(Springfield, IL) – Operation Snowball members kicked off “Project Sticker Shock,” a youth-led initiative to change adult attitudes about selling and providing alcohol to minors at over 50 locations throughout Illinois on April 2, 2009. This public awareness campaign will take place in stores statewide this month. The project is sponsored by Operation Snowball, Inc. and the Don’t Be Sorry public education campaign to bring attention to the issue during Alcohol Awareness Month.
Local youth from individual Operation Snowball chapters are part of a movement of youth statewide working with participating stores to spread “Sticker Shock” waves across Illinois in an effort to reach adults who might be tempted to buy alcohol for youth under 21 who can’t buy it legally themselves. The florescent orange-and-black stickers and decals stand out on multi-packs of alcohol and glass refrigerator doors for all to see, and provide a strong reminder: Providing Alcohol to Minors is Illegal, Unhealthy & Unacceptable!
“This activity sends an important message we can all learn from,” says Mary Jo Peavy Davies, Operation Snowball’s program manager. “One of the unique aspects of this program is the fact that our teens are teaching the adults how to act responsibly.”
Parent Sharon Brown echoes this sentiment. “As a parent, it is comforting to know we have teens who can educate those parents who tolerate underage drinking in their home,” says Brown, the mother of a teenager. “Too often, parents condone their child’s alcohol use by saying ‘at least they weren’t doing illegal drugs,’ even though underage drinking is illegal.”
This attitude is all too common in today’s society, according to teen Sticker Shock Day participants. “One of the biggest problems I see is older people buying for younger people,” says Kaila Errett, a sophomore at Springfield Southeast High School. “This is one of the main reasons why I think Sticker Shock is such a great program!”
Adds fellow Southeast High student, junior Melissa Randolph: “Prevention is a powerful tool at our school. Anything that keeps teens away from alcohol, and stops people from buying for minors is a good idea.”
Youth leaders statewide and participating retail stores are working together to create a safer, healthier lifestyle by combating the problem of underage drinking. Alcohol has been identified as the number one drug of choice among Illinois youth, and according to local youth, one of the easiest substances to obtain. The Sticker Shock campaign hopes to cause adults to think twice before making it any easier for youth to access alcohol.
Materials for Sticker Shock Day were created through the ILCC’s public education arm—the Don’t Be Sorry program—which is partially funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety. For more information about this public awareness campaign and to order the FREE Project Sticker Shock materials, please visit www.DontBeSorry.org.
Project Sticker Shock is sponsored by Operation Snowball, Inc. and the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Operation Snowball, Inc. is a program of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association and is funded in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Community Health and Prevention.
Morris and Minooka High School Youth give the thumbs up for a Sticker Shock project well done on April 2, 2009 at U.S.A. Liquors in Channahon. Channahon Community Service Officer Dan McDonald (back) is shown, left to right, with Nicole Ellison and Victoria Regalato of Minooka High School, and Katie Yard, Doug Schluntz Ashleigh Lopez, and Jeremy Murphy of Morris High School.
The Amethyst Initiative was launched in July and has support from approximately 130 college and university leaders who believe that the 21-year-old drinking age is not working and has aided in creating a culture of binge drinking. http://www.amethystinitiative.org/
Operation Snowball promotes a healthy lifestyle and has a no use alcohol policy for persons under age 21. Lowering the drinking age would have terrible consequences for youth. Alcohol use by those under 21 is related to numerous health problems including injuries and death results from car crashes, suicide, homicide, assaults, drowning, and recreational mishaps. Operation Snowball opposes any attempt to lower the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA).
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking reports that alcohol is the drug of choice for America’s young people. The leading cause of death for those under 21 is from alcohol related injuries. Alcohol increases the risk of sexual assault and unhealthy sexual behavior including unplanned pregnancy and sexual transmitted disease. New research indicates that alcohol may harm the developing young brain. The highest prevalence of alcohol dependence in America is among 18 to 20 year olds who typically began drinking at a younger age.
Alcohol abuse puts lives in danger, ruptures families and hurts communities. Colleges and universities should implement research-based alcohol prevention programs, social norms marketing campaigns, offer alternative programs and activities instead of lowering the drinking age.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: alcohol and drug prevention, good choices, healthy lifestyles, operation snowball, pleasant plains, substance abuse prevention
Sisters Senior Koti Pier (left) and Junior Kari Pier (right) share a hug during Operation Snowbal...
By MYCHAEL OVERTON/ VOICE CORRESPONDENT
Most weekends, teenagers head to the mall, go to the movies or just hang out at home.
But for one weekend every month or so, some teens spend their time with Operation Snowball, an anti-drug, anti-alcohol retreat program held at various high schools throughout the state.
Photo courtesy Pleasant Plains. Justin Coy gets roped during the Operation Snowball, an anti-drug, anti-alcohol retreat at Pleasant Plains High School.
In October, Pleasant Plains High School hosted its annual Snowball weekend. Participant Chrissy Miller, a senior at the school, called it “a place where no one forces their opinion on you. Nobody judges you here.”
Students who attend a Snowball retreat spend a weekend learning about the effects of drugs and alcohol and listening to other teens who have experienced those effects first-hand.
Plains is not the only school to host a Snowball retreat this year. Glenwood, Southeast and Sacred Heart-Griffin high schools all have retreats planned in upcoming months. Students do not have to be enrolled at a school hosting a retreat to attend.
Some of the teens who attend Snowball retreats come from families with alcoholics and drug addicts. A few others said they have friends who have essentially ruined their lives because of their addictions.
And a few come, as Plains freshman Justin Coy said, “because it’s a good time.”
At Pleasant Plains’ Snowball, organizers chose “Transformers” as the theme.
“If you make good choices, you can transform your future. The whole weekend was focused on not only transforming their future, but also building strong relationships,” said Rosiland Dennis, Plains’ Snowball coordinator.
Danielle Fox, a junior at Pleasant Plains, has experienced the destructive effects of alcohol addiction. Her dad died seven years ago in a motorcycle accident.
“He was an alcoholic and had been sober for four months. Some believe he was on his way to a bar when he got in the accident,” she said.
Danielle has been attending Snowballs and sharing her story with others.
“If you’re going through it, you’re not alone,” Danielle said during the Plains event to anyone who was struggling with the effects of drugs and alcohol. She also said friends who experienced difficulties after being pressured to drink and do drugs say they regret their decisions.
“All the opportunities they lost were not worth fitting in,” she said.
Pleasant Plains senior Koti Pier and her sister Kari, a junior, have been participating in Snowballs since each was a freshman. Both are now leaders. They also come from a family that includes alcoholics and come to Snowball because they want a different lifestyle.
They said they know teens need a good support group to stay away from drugs and alcohol. They also have learned that attending Snowball every year helps students become closer to everyone else who attends.
Throughout the weekend at the Plains Snowball, the students expressed themselves in different ways and applied the information they learned from the speakers.
One form of expression included “Warm Fuzzies,” which were balls of yarn every teen carried. If someone paid them a compliment, the recipient would give the person giving the compliment a piece of yarn. Eventually, the small balls of yarn turn into big, warm fuzzies.
Sunday morning of the Plains Snowball, the students had a choice of two activities: a Sunday morning worship service or Sunrise Sharing. The worship service offered a church-like setting with acoustic worship songs and small group discussions. In Sunrise Sharing, teens had the opportunity to share something that was special, such as a poem or a song, or thank anyone who has continually supported them.
They also had a “Someone Special” banner set up in the auditorium. The banner let everyone write down the name of someone special whom they wanted to thank for making a difference in their lives.
Many students said they loved being able to openly express themselves.
“It really impacts the people that come here,” said Rachel Hergenrother, a senior at Pleasant Plains and a Snowball volunteer organizer.
The weekend also included games and activities that promoted teamwork and unity.
In addition to all the fun the students had, “the ultimate high,” Koti said, “is to get people involved and to know you made an impact in their life.”
Mychael Overton is a sophomore at Calvary Academy.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Blagojevich, IADDA, Illinois budget, substance abuse treatment
November 24, 2008
(Springfield, IL) – Illinois’ leading state alcohol and drug treatment advocates today congratulated Governor Rod Blagojevich for restoring $55 million to the state’s alcohol and drug treatment budget.
On November 20, the Governor signed legislation SB 1103 which would restore $55 million to state addiction treatment services for Fiscal Year 2009 and restore care to 42,000 people across Illinois.
- Addiction treatment services were fully restored in the amount of $55,144,500. In addition toaddiction treatment services, several other programs and services were restored.
- Mental Health funds were fully restored in the amount of $8,851,200. Included in this amount was $4,285,000 for Supportive MI Housing.
- Developmental Disabilities funds were fully restored in the amount of $1,094,800. In addition, $28,100,000 was restored for preventing rate reductions in ICF’s for MR programs, rate and service reductions in fee-for-service programs, and funding cuts in grant funded programs.
- Under Community Health funds, Domestic Violence Shelters and Services Programs were fully restored in the amount of $236,600. Teen Parent Services in the amount of $143,300.
“We congratulate Governor Blagojevich for his action to restore the addiction treatment money to the
Governor Rod Blagojevich
budget,” said Sara Moscato Howe, CEO of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association. “Thousands of lives will be saved from the scourge of substance abuse addiction.”
On July 9, Blagojevich cut $55 million from addiction treatment services and also line-item vetoed money from specific programs: victims of domestic violence, women returning from incarceration, youth treatment, youth in the court system, and women receiving federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families who require treatment to be employed.
The General Assembly approved overwhelmingly the supplemental budget in September.
Fiscal Year 2009 ends on June 30, 2009.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: IADDA, international snowball, operation snowball, snowflake, substance abuse prevention
Kane County Cronicle
November 17, 2008
By Brenda Schory
GENEVA – When Jack Irwin says, “Sniego Gniuzte,” there’s no need to say, “Gezuntiet.”
He did not sneeze. He said “Operation Snowball” in Lithuanian.
As President of the International Snowball Association, Irwin, 68, of Geneva, has been to Lithuania 42 times since 1992 to establish the alcohol and drug prevention program there.
“We now have 19 Snowball groups in Lithuania and two in Poland,” Irwin said. “And one of our new groups is on the Belarusian border. Because the school is predominantly Russian and Belarusian, we are training teens who speak both Lithuanian and Russian.”
Operation Snowball was founded in 1977 at a high school in Rockford by students who were trying to make a difference at their school, Irwin said.
The program is based on empowering community members to have healthy lifestyles based on alcohol and drug prevention strategies. It now has chapters in six states, Lithuania and Poland. Many Kane County schools have Snowball chapters.
A retired Kaneland High School counselor, Irwin has been involved in Operation Snowball since 1986. Operation Snowball and the Illinois Teen Institute are programs of the Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence Association, which lobbies for funding for treatment centers and prevention programs.
Irwin first introduced Operation Snowball to Lithuania because he is of Lithuanian descent. He wanted to present a healthy way to counter that country’s drinking culture.
“I had an experience in February that really is showing that what we’re doing is working,” Irwin said.
A young man who had been in a Snowball program in secondary school invited several American Snowball friends to the wedding, he said.
“Traditionally at a Lithuanian wedding, everyone gets drunk. Every guest has to stand up and toast the bride and groom and by the time 90 people toast the bride and groom, everyone is drunk,” Irwin said. “At this wedding, rather than toasting, everyone got up and told how they knew the bride or groom and something funny. It was just delightful. They had six bottles of wine and vodka, but half of them were not used. I see this as trendsetting. For him to break the social rule really says a lot.”
Operation Snowball is being true to its name – snowballing good intentions of prevention across areas of Europe afflicted with high rates of alcoholism, he said. This week, a woman and two teens came from Poland for more Snowball training.
Celina Kurkowska, director of the Zawiercie Snowball, one of her teens Karolina Szoltek, and Zuzanna Wisnicka-Tomalak from the Lodz Snowball in Poland attended the Greater Fox River Valley Operation Snowball retreat this weekend.
What Irwin and other Snowball members do is train adults and teens in other countries on how to do local programs, he said.
“There is nothing for them to do in these villages, so they are excited about the program,” Irwin said. “Snowball does a lot of activities that kids can get involved in planning. These little village schools are not used to having foreign visitors, so when we come, it tells them they’re important – and they are. One of our smallest Snowball groups is now mentoring a bigger city school and that gives them status.”
Starting Operation Snowball in Belarus, located between Russia and Lithuania, will present a new challenge. Under communism, no one shared family secrets, so no one knows how small groups will work there, Irwin said.
Still, the need for prevention programs in Belarus is dire.
“A psychiatrist told us they estimate there are 3 million alcoholics in Belarus,” Irwin said. “And they only have 10 million people.”
