The governor is figuring out how to deal with big cuts in the budget of the Department of Children and Family Services.
The spending plan which Gov. Pat Quinn says he is reviewing “line by line” would cut the DCFS budget by $85 million. The dollar figure equates to firing 375 workers or ending grants to social service agencies. “I’m not happy with the work of the General Assembly in this area,” Quinn said.
DCFS does have statutory obligations, including investigating reports of child abuse and supervising foster care. Because of those responsibilities, cutting staff further may not be an option. Instead, programs and services that provide outreach to families before a crisis occurs would likely be cut. That includes programs like Intact Family Services and Prevent Child Abuse Illinois.
Quinn had initially proposed $35 million in cuts to the department but the General Assembly added $50 million in cuts.
Quinn says he plans to address more on the issue at a later date.
