Politics & Government

Bjorklund House Again Calls for Funds Owed by State

The Bjorklund House is owed $600,000 by the state of Illinois: funds that cover payments from July of last year through January of this year. A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services says the situation is not unique.

The cash-strapped Bjorklund House is once again calling for money owned to the facility by the state of Illinois, which Bjorklund House officials say is seven months behind on payments, Sun-Times Media reports.

Bjorklund House Director Julie Smith issued a release in December stating the state owed the group home $753,000. The release immediately drew a check from the state for $450,000, according to the report.

Now, Smith is calling for more state-owed monies, to the tune of $600,000 to cover the expenses of resident care and treatment from July of last year to January of this year. Smith said the facility is home to 16 residents, along with eight more residents in a nearby apartment building, according to the report.

Find out what's happening in Oak Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

An email from Illinois Department of Human Services spokeswoman Januari Smith, said that the state currently has $8 million in unpaid bills and that the situation for Bjorklund House is not unique, according to the report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here