BUILD UP ILLINOIS

Healthcare Providers Urge General Assembly and Governor to Address Critical Healthcare Needs, Transformation in State Capital Program

May 16, 2019

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SPRINGFIELD - At a State Capitol press conference Thursday, healthcare providers called for the enactment of legislation for a capital program that includes funding to support the transformation of the state's healthcare delivery system to meet the healthcare needs of Illinoisans well into the future. The providers are members of Build UP Illinois, a coalition advocating for building projects, also known as "vertical construction," as part of a comprehensive capital plan.

Leaders from community health centers and hospitals said it is critical that the state help providers across the healthcare delivery system, especially providers that serve vulnerable populations who have substantial health disparities. They said capital investments would be used to upgrade and modernize facilities, equipment and technology, enabling providers to expand access to healthcare in under-served urban and rural communities.

"We are urging the General Assembly and the Governor to invest in healthcare as part of a state capital program, "said Larry McCulley, President and CEO of Touchette Regional Hospital and SIHF Healthcare in Centreville and Chair of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association's Board of Directors.  "Such investments will improve the health of our most vulnerable urban and rural populations, as well as improve the economic health of our low-income communities - creating jobs in the immediate future and a sustainable economic stimulus for the long-term future." Touchette is a safety net hospital based in the nation's poorest city; SIHF Healthcare is one of the nation's largest federally qualified health centers (FQHC).

The Illinois Primary Health Care Association, which represents community health centers that operate 380 sites in Illinois, lowa and Missouri, is proposing a $125 million investment in health centers to build new sites, upgrade current facilities and purchase medical equipment to expand access to care in underserved communities.

"Community Health Centers deliver high quality, patient-centered care that improves lives and lowers costs," said Jordan Powell, President and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association. "They are also economic engines, generating $2.4 billion in economic activity each year. An investment in community health centers is an investment in Illinois' health and financial well-being."

"With the support of a capital funding bill, ACCESS can continue to meet the complex healthcare needs of our patients and build modern, integrated healthcare practices that incorporate primary care, behavioral health and other specialty services right in our most underserved communities," said ACCESS Chief Executive Officer Donna Thompson, who oversees one of the largest FQHC networks in the U.S.

Many hospitals in Illinois, including safety net hospitals, face ongoing financial challenges and are not able to access private capital funding to modernize their facilities to meet the needs of their patients and communities. More than 40 percent of the state's hospitals are operating in the red or on very thin margins, many of them predominantly serving Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.

"Due to our payer mix and dependence on the Medicaid program for funding, safety net hospitals cannot make capital improvements without help from the state," said Tim Egan, CEO of Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago. "It is imperative that any capital funding bill include vitally needed funds for safety net hospitals to ensure that all people in Illinois have access to quality care, regardless of where they reside."

With the healthcare landscape changing dramatically from an inpatient-based system to an outpatient-focused system, hospital buildings constructed over the past century to provide inpatient care need to be modernized, and in some cases, re-purposed to fit an evolving healthcare model for today and tomorrow. And there is a growing demand for a coordinated system of care that involves partnerships with various stakeholders to address social determinants of health, such as violence, housing, food insecurity and health behaviors that are critical to advancing the optimal health of individuals and communities.

To help hospitals transform their aging facilities to build a coordinated person-centered system of health and human services, the Illinois Health and Hospital Association is proposing that the state invest $500 million in state capital funds for a Hospital Transformation Capital Program.

Illinois' last major infrastructure program passed in 2009, a $31 billion plan called Illinois Jobs Now.

Build UP Illinois is a coalition of diverse groups advocating for and promoting "vertical construction (i.e., buildings) as part of a comprehensive capital bill. The coalition includes P-20 education - K-12 school districts and private and public colleges - the Illinois hospital system (Illinois Health and Hospital Association and Association of Safety Net Community Hospitals), community health centers (Illinois Primary Health Care Association), the AFL-CIO and affiliated building trades unions.

For more information about the organizations included in this press release, visit: ACCESS Community Health Network: www.achn.net

Build Up Illinois: www.buildupillinois.com

Illinois Primary Health Care Association: www.iphca.org

Roseland Community Hospital: www.roselandhospital.org

Saint Anthony Hospital: www.sahchicago.org

SIHF Healthcare: www.sihf.org

Touchette Regional Hospital: www.touchette.org

Build UP Illinois - Vertical Construction Coalition to Advocate for Comprehensive Infrastructure Plan

May 14, 2019

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SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers and superintendents from across Illinois joined together Tuesday to demonstrate the need of a comprehensive capital bill that includes vertical projects for Illinois public school districts.

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Superintendents shared stories about how investing in vertical projects would allow them to reduce classroom sizes, meet the demands of 21st century learning, improve access for students with disabilities and provide safe and equitable learning environment for students in their districts.

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Dr. Brent Clark, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, provided opening remarks about why it is important to invest in school construction.

“Illinois public schools have not received funding for school construction projects in almost a decade,” Clark said. “We appreciate the governor’s comments reminding lawmakers that vertical construction projects need to be part of capital conversations.”

State Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood, joined the group of superintendents in support of including vertical projects in a capital bill.  

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“By including money for schools in a capital bill, we not only have an opportunity to create jobs, but also improve learning environments for students across Illinois,” Davis said. “That’s clearly a worthwhile investment.”

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IASA, ED-RED, LEND, SCOPE, LUDA and IHSDO are all members of the Build Up Illinois Coalition aimed to advocate and promote a vertical construction program as part of a comprehensive capital bill.

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Here is what superintendents had to say about why school construction should be included in any capital bill:

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Dr. Brian Ganan, superintendent of Komarek SD #94

“By far, the most difficult challenge I have faced as an educational leader is providing a safe, equitable learning environment in a failing facility that requires millions of dollars in health life safety work. Air quality and the physical and emotional effort students with disabilities must endure when navigating a non-ADA compliant facility are two of the biggest challenges that cannot be seen in a photo, explained in a speech or comprehended via the most talented piece of writing.”

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Dr. Courtney Orzel, superintendent of Lemont-Bromberek CSD #113A

“Like many districts, we need the support of the state to continue to fund necessary construction projects to help alleviate crowded classrooms and space issues. We have health life safety needs and renovation needs.”

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Dr. Jennifer Gill, superintendent of Springfield School District #186

“We have just identified more than $300 million in construction needs that will take 30 years to complete through a facilities master plan process involving extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis and community input. We are fortunate to have passed the countywide sales tax increase that will help us get started on these projects, and have prioritized our first 10 years of work. The reality is, however, all of our needs have compounded over time, especially after having funding fall through in 2004. We recognize the importance of investments in transportation infrastructure, but the urgency for K-12 vertical construction is great. We could do more quickly to improve safety, create 21st century learning spaces and meet the needs of all students given additional capital funding.”

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Dr. Kevin Blankenship, superintendent of Scott-Morgan CUSD #2

“Architectural design and construction from the 1910’s does not meet the demands of 21st century learning.  If we expect our teachers to prepare our students for future jobs and develop skills needed for those jobs, we must provide a learning environment that is conducive to that instruction.”

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Christopher Grode, superintendent of Murphysboro CUSD #186

“We are in need of facility work in every building. Our newest building is in the best shape, but it still needs at least six new classrooms simply to allow our regular education class sizes to be reduced to the recommended amounts. This doesn’t include the needed classrooms to increase our special education services. Our oldest building has ADA issues that make some areas of the building unusable. Without a capital development project, Murphysboro CUSD #186 will not be able to implement many of the recommendations to boost student achievement included in the Evidence-Based Funding Model.”

Higher Education Unites to Support Build Up Illinois Push for Capital Funding

May 8, 2019

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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ public and private colleges and universities have suffered through many challenges in recent years. While declining enrollment and budget shortfalls have grabbed the headlines, every campus has seen its foundation start to crumble – from classroom buildings with leaky pipes and roofs to activity centers needing upgrades for more than a decade.

Leaders of the state’s public and private campuses united Thursday to say now is the time for a solution. They offered full support of the Build Up Illinois coalition push for a vertical capital construction program that could funnel millions of dollars in funding to colleges and universities to catch up on years of neglect and decay.

Build Up Illinois is a coalition of groups and associations representing all levels of education from preschool through advanced college degrees, Illinois hospitals and organized labor and building trades. The group is ramping up pressure on legislators and Gov. Pritzker to approve a robust capital program, 10 years after Illinois last invested in capital in 2009.

The list of needs is overwhelming. Build Up Illinois points to state statistics showing repairs hitting nearly $10 billion for pre-K through 12th grade schools, and nearly $8 billion for state facilities. Higher education needs fall in line at nearly $10 billion for Illinois’ colleges and universities.

College and university campuses have seen declines in state funding support for nearly 20 years, forcing them to shift dollars that could be used for maintenance and repairs into preserving educational choices for students. The cumulative pain of funding shortfalls – exacerbated by a two-year state budget impasse – is a clear example of cause and effect: as buildings deteriorate and campus costs grow, students choose to go elsewhere. Campuses then have less revenue to make repairs and keep up with changing technology, so more students leave or choose not to come.

In Charleston on the campus of Eastern Illinois University, a science building uses tarps to protect research materials and equipment from leaky pipes and roofs. At Governors State University, young children were sent home when a failing HVAC system forced closure of the Family Development Center. At Western Illinois University in Macomb, book stacks in the library are covered in plastic to protect them from roof leaks. And the University of Illinois system has a deferred maintenance backlog topping $2 billion across its three campuses.

Campus leaders said the situation is dire, but lawmakers’ choice now is clear. If Illinois is serious about restoring its reputation as a national leader in higher education, campuses need capital support to repair and improve the facilities that are critical to attracting and keeping top-tier students and faculty.

“When the Governor and members of the General Assembly act as advocates for higher education, transformative impacts can benefit the more than 166,000 students enrolled on our public campuses statewide. Every dollar invested in these students is an investment in the future of Illinois, and we know from our research that students who receive their higher education in Illinois tend to stay, work and become engaged, taxpaying Illinois residents,” said Illinois State University President Dr. Larry Dietz.  “While we understand and appreciate that Illinois is experiencing prolonged financial challenges, we also recognize that additional revenue is necessary to provide the level of support higher education needs.”

Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities President David Tretter added, “Illinois independent colleges and universities contribute over $20 billion annually to the Illinois economy at over 80 locations statewide, and educate over 170,000 Illinois residents every year. It’s important to the state that these institutions, along with our public and community college counterparts, remain vibrant to help retain Illinois residents to educate and build Illinois’ future.”

Build UP Illinois - Vertical Construction Coalition to Advocate for Comprehensive Infrastructure Plan

May 1, 2019

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SPRINGFIELD -- At a press conference Wednesday, lawmakers and organization leaders unveiled Build Up Illinois, a coalition advocating for building projects, also known as “vertical construction”, as part of a comprehensive capital plan.

The coalition is composed of groups and associations representing P-20 education – including k-12 school districts and both private and public colleges – the Illinois hospital system and the Illinois AFL-CIO and affiliated building trades.

“Capital projects put thousands of people to work in every corner of our state while making much needed investments to our aging infrastructure,” said Michael Carrigan, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “The 900,000 union members across the state are willing partners in support of a capital plan that addresses needed repairs and upgrades as well as new construction. The coalition is ready to support both lawmakers and the administration in moving a comprehensive plan forward.”

The state is facing billions of dollars in repairs and new construction requests for schools, public universities, sewer and water systems, roads, bridges and state facilities. Illinois’ state facilities occupy over 8,700 buildings and 101 million square feet of floor space. They serve diverse needs, ranging from prisons to universities, mental health hospitals, and state parks.

The Capital Development Board estimates for repairs to state facilities are projected to be $7.8 billion, just under $6.7 billion for public universities and $9.4 billion for preK-12 schools.

“We know there has been a lot of discussion about the need to repair our roads and bridges,” said AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. “But it is critical that the state invest in its healthcare infrastructure – specifically, the hospitals that are the economic anchors of our communities.”

IHA is proposing the Hospital Transformation Capital Program – to invest $500 million in state capital funds in hospitals that need to transform their aging facilities to build a coordinated, person-centered system of health and human services that will serve their communities for today and tomorrow.

“The healthcare landscape is changing dramatically from an inpatient-based system to an outpatient-focused system,” said Wilhelmi. “This means that hospital buildings constructed over the past century to provide inpatient care need to be modernized, and in some cases, repurposed to fit today’s healthcare model.”

With a rising backlog of deferred maintenance, the state’s public universities and community colleges are using money meant for their daily operations to pay for maintenance projects on buildings.

“Over the past five years, we have invested between $4 million and $6 million annually of our own resources in general revenue on construction of facilities to ensure that they remain safe and functioning,” ISU President Larry Dietz said. “Had capital funds been available, that money could have been used for scholarships, additional faculty and support staff or new technologies.”

“Illinois needs cranes on campuses and bulldozers at building sites. Construction projects signal that Illinois is open for business,” said State Senator Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who is leading conversations in the Senate about statewide construction priorities. “Highway and bridge repairs are vitally important, but any statewide infrastructure plan has to balance those priorities with our need for new schools, modern hospitals and 21st century college facilities. There has to be a healthy mix.”

“The list of construction needs continues to grow by the day, which is why it is imperative that we get a capital bill done sooner rather than later,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville). “But any plan must balance the need for transportation-related projects with new building construction and repair, which is what this coalition is calling for.”  

State colleges and universities have asked for around $2 billion in capital funds for the next fiscal year.

“Our needs are great. It’s been ten years since the state last approved a capital bill and during that time, our colleges and universities weathered a budget stalemate,” said Dr. Sam, President of Elgin Community College. “An infusion of capital funding for buildings and repairs will certainly help in our ability to attract students to our campuses.”

The last major infrastructure initiative passed in 2009, a $31 billion plan called Illinois Jobs Now funded through video gambling, online lottery profits, sales taxes on candy and alcohol and increased vehicle fees.

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