THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2008
Letters To Our Editor
Gambling Won't Help
Editor, Journal:
The state has had the lottery and casinos for many years, but the state is in worse financial condition now than when we started.
There are some politicians who would like to expand gambling to the Internet (Senate Bill 2009) and the Gaming Board is considering allowing casinos to be open 24 hours a day every day.
Gambling has not and will not improve the financial condition of the state of Illinois. It will make it worse.
Please write or call your representative, senator and the state Gaming Board and ask them not to expand gambling in the state.
Hubert Dodge, Des Plaines
Need To Address Autism More
Editor, Journal:
As April, National Autism Awareness Month, draws to a close, Illinois residents need to continue to learn more about this developmental disability that affects over 1.5 million Americans. The struggle to provide greater access to services and programs that support children and adults with autism goes on year-round. Raising awareness of this issue will be especially important during the next month as the General Assembly works to assemble a state budget for the next fiscal year.
According to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, a part of the National Centers for Disease Control, one in every 150 children born today will have autism. Autism is a complex developmental disability that usually appears in the first few years of life and affects the individual's ability to communicate. It is considered a "Spectrum Disorder" and affects different individuals to varying degrees. A general lack of understanding of this disability has left it often underfunded or ignored.
Last year the General Assembly passed a law that requires schools to consider specific needs related to autism when determining what services special education students require. These include verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction skills, needs that result from engagement in repetitive activities, and support to address any behavioral difficulties from autism spectrum disorders. This year, pending legislation would require insurance companies to cover up to $36,000 a year for the diagnosis or treatment of autism spectrum disorders.
The state of Illinois must work to fully fund services and educational programs for people with autism. We cannot deny people living with this disorder the help they need to live full, healthy and meaningful lives.
Elaine Nekritz, State Representative, 57th District
Help Provide Insurance
Editor, Journal:
At Resurrection Health Care, we believe we have a special responsibility to improve the health and well being of the community, both inside and outside our hospitals. That is why we are constantly working to identify unmet community needs and develop programs and services to address them.
Resurrection Health Care supports and participates in the annual "Cover the Uninsured Week" campaign, April 27-May 3, to help raise awareness of the plight of uninsured persons and share how our own financial and charity care programs and eight accessible, affordable community clinics are dedicated to helping the underserved. Providing health care to the uninsured improves their lives, keeping them healthy, more active and better prepared to learn and succeed in school and at their jobs. In support of Cover the Uninsured Week and our mission at Resurrection Health Care, we ask that you please write a letter to your elected officials and ask them to make health care coverage for all Americans a priority.
Ivette Estrada, CEO, Our Lady of the Resurrection
Thanks For Donation
Editor, Journal:
The Optimist Club of Des Plaines would like to thank you for donating a 6-month subscription to the Journal for a raffle held at our Spaghetti dinner held on the 13th of April. Our Spaghetti dinner was a great success this year enabling our organization to support youth programs in Des Plaines.
Thanks once again.
Dianna Edwards, Optimist Club of Des Plaines Secretary