The American Civil Liberties Union has a long-standing lawsuit against Illinois’ child welfare system. And now they’re threatening to apply that lawsuit to Governor Bruce Rauner’s proposed cuts.
Governor Rauner offered a budget this week in which the Department of Children and Family Services would eliminate services for people between the ages of 18-21.
Ben Wolf is an attorney with the ACLU which has a court order to monitor DCFS. If young wards have to leave the system at 18, Wolf says the state may need more cash down the road for mental health treatment and prison costs.
“What the governor’s doing is penny wise and pound foolish. He’s trying to save a few dollars throwing these 18 year olds out on the street but in the end, it’s going to cost the state more money.”
Wolf says if Rauner’s cuts pass the legislature, he’ll try to block them in court.