Illinois slashes ALL state funding for drug and alcohol abuse treatment

Disability and child care services could be next

Tens of thousands of Illinois residents are expected to be affected when drug and alcohol treatment and prevention centres across the state have their budgets cut from March 15.

The harsh budget cuts, proposed by Illinois governor Pat Quinn, who is a Democrat, will mean that from next month, all state funding will be cut.

After that date, only federal (national) Medicaid dollars will be available to fund the state's drug and alcohol treatment and prevention programmes, which means that some centres are facing closure.