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Kewanee facility slated
for closure; and more
Written By: Greg Bishop
KEWANEE FACILITY SLATED FOR CLOSURE
The proposed closure of a state juvenile detention center is good for
taxpayers, youth, families, communities and the entire state. That’s
according to the director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile
Justice. However, it’s expected to have an impact on that community’s
economy.
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 Director Candice Jones says in a news release the decision is about
transitioning Illinois to a new model of rehabilitating youth in accordance with
national best practices. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois also
says the closure is a good thing. ACLU staff attorney Lyndsay Miller says the
Kewanee facility was too remote to properly staff.
“With the decrease in population as we have seen over the last year, these youth
can better be served in other facilities that have better staffing levels.”
MILLER SAYS THE CLOSURE ALSO ADDRESSES CONCERNS RAISED IN A CONSENT DECREE
“The facility has traditionally housed some of the neediest youth requiring
mental health services as well as general services and education and others
required by the consent decree.”
That 2012 consent decree between the ACLU and IDJJ focused on five areas:
education services, mental health services, general safety and wellbeing, length
of confinement and the use of solitary confinement.
Jenny Vollen-Katz, executive director of the prison reform group the John Howard
Association, applauded the closure and said her group has been lobbying to close
the facility for some time.
Meanwhile Henry County Economic Development Partnership Chairman Lynn Sutton
said he didn’t know about the announcement and that it will be a blow to their
local economy. City leaders in Kewanee also say they were notified late Thursday
and expect the closure to impact the city of 13,000.
REPORT: ILLINOIS’ WORKERS’ COMP RATES ABOVE AVERAGE
When compared to Medicare rates, Illinois’ reimbursement rates for workers’
compensation claims are higher for most categories than most states with fee
schedules. That’s according to the latest report from the Workers’ Compensation
Research Institute on Illinois’ workers’ compensation system.
Olesya Fomenko, an economist with WCRI, says their report for 2015 shows
Illinois’ maximum allowable reimbursement rates are on average 69 percent higher
for most services.
“That place is Illinois and among this state was relatively high workers’
compensation fee schedule rates.”
Jay Shattuck, executive director for the Employment Law Council with the
Illinois Chamber of Commerce, says Illinois should do what it can to get back to
the middle of the pack.
“We are not going to be able to compete for those better paying jobs that also
offer outstanding benefits like healthcare and pensions, with the high worker’
comp costs that we have.”
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 Shattuck says the real fight among policy makers becomes what
Illinois’ rate should be.
“We are reimbursing how much above the medicare reimbursement level,
well that’s where the real fight becomes becomes the payors and the
medical providers.”
So where does Illinois currently stand? Fomenko says when compared
to Medicare, Illinois’ rates range quite a bit.
“Ranging from neomedical level for office visits to 339% above
medicare rates for major surgeries.”
Meanwhile, with the exception of Kentucky and Indiana, Illinois is
nearly surrounded by states without fee schedules something Shattuck
says allows states to negotiate rates with the base being the
Medicare levels.
Governor Bruce Rauner has been pushing for further reforms in
workers’ compensation. Democratic leaders contend further reforms
would push Illinois to the bottom while Rauner says Illinois should
strive to be average.
REP. FRANKS REQUESTS GOVERNOR CALL SPECIAL SESSION TO WORK ON BUDGET
Taxpayers could be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars if
the governor calls for a special session to pass a budget, as one
lawmaker has requested.
Just before adjourning from a short session Thursday Democratic
Representative Jack Franks said the governor should call a special
session for next week.
“To keep both the senate and the house in continuously. Our citizens
deserve better than what we are giving and I call upon the governor
to keep both the House in session until we get a budget done.”
When asked earlier this week why he doesn’t call a special session
to put together a budget, Governor Bruce Rauner said forcing members
to Springfield doesn’t work.
“It doesn’t work. What they should do is their job. They should be
in here passing a budget.”
Rauner noted lawmakers haven’t taken up a budget or any of his
proposed reform ideas like term limits, redistricting, workers’ comp
or a property tax freeze with local cost controls.
“Many of their members know we need reforms as part of a budget and
they’re just not doing their job.”
If the governor calls a special session for each of the 177
legislators, each would get their per diem and travel reimbursement
at an estimated cost to taxpayers of over $45,000 each day.
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