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Associated Press - June 24, 2009 5:14 AM ET
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - The state of Illinois' failure to fully fund McLean CountyÂ’s only non-medical, alcohol and drug detoxification program will force it to cease operatoin July 1.
Chestnut Health Systems Chief Operating Officer Alan Sender said the organization can no longer afford to cover the stateÂ’s underfunding of the program. He adds that closing the facility after providing service for more than 30 years was not a decision taken lightly.
According to Sender, Chestnut has received $285,000 from the state each of the past eight years to run the program, but the program costs about $380,000. Chestnut has made up the difference.
Sender said other Chestnut substance abuse treatment programs remain open. But with state funding reducing by 72% beginning July 1, the remaining funding will last only a few months.
Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com
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