Many Cook County Offices Closed For Business Friday
UPDATED 04/22/11 5:56 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many local residents who were hoping to pick up a copy of their birth certificate at the Cook County Building or get prescriptions filled at county health clinics were greeted with closed signs Friday. Most county offices were closed for a government shutdown day to save money.
As CBS 2's Susanna Song reports, this is the first of five county shutdown days, which means an estimated 20,000 employees will have to stay home without pay.
It also means all 16 county health clinics in the city and suburbs will be closed. The Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, facilities for the Cook County Department of Public Health, all hospital-based specialty clinics, and all county pharmacies and labs will also be unavailable.
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Patients who visited the Near South Health Center, 3525 S. Michigan Ave., were greeted by locked doors and a sign announcing that he clinic will not reopen until 8 a.m. Monday.
Sylvia Stanley, who works at the clinic, said she can't believe medical care won't be provided at the location.
"It's bad, because these patients, they need to come in," she told CBS 2's Pamela Jones.
But Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin (D-13th) said essential services will be provided. The three county hospitals – Stroger, Oak Forest and Provident hospitals of Cook County – are open, and so are their emergency rooms. The Fantus Health Center, which operates an urgent care walk-in clinic, will also remain open, although other offices in Fantus will be closed.
"We'll be able to deal with critical needs of patients (Friday), but those who have ordinary visits or follow-ups will find out that their clinics will be closed," Suffredin said.
But several Stroger Hospital nurses staged a protest of the closings of clinics and other health services.
"Cook County has defaulted on their mission statement. That mission statement is to take care of patients. We are here today to tell Cook County to be true to your mission statement," Martese Chism said.
Hospital and clinic patients spoke out too.
Samuel Jackson said he needed to pick up a pair of prescription glasses, but couldn't.
"I'm disappointed. I come from like 159th Street in the cold and rain, I really need my glasses," he said.
Sharon Taylor needed to pick up prescription medication.
"I'm not a very happy camper right now and I hope some changes are made to save money but, yes, to take care of the service, the people, the citizens of Chicago as well," she said.
Many said the most frustrating thing was they had no warning about the closings. They said they hope there's a better way to notify patients in the future, like a phone call.
One man traveled for three hours on a bus, only to find out he couldn't pick up his medication.
Cook County courts also were open, but the county Clerk's office, where marriage licenses and birth certificates are issued, was closed.
Danny Tan was hoping to get a copy of his birth certificate on Friday, but couldn't.
"I was like, 'What the hell?' because I wasted my time," Tan told CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot after he found out the Cook County Vital Records Office was closed.
Ruth Jackson made the trek from far south suburban Dixmoor to get a much-needed copy of a birth certificate.
"I understand cuts, but you know, you've got to consider the people too," Jackson said.
Tan and Jackson were among the many who learned the hard way that Friday was the first of five government shutdown days for some Cook County offices. The mandatory move was done to help tame a large budget deficit.
Suffredin called the furlough day a learning day. It's the first shutdown day in Cook County history.
"I talked to one union today that was threatening an unfair labor practice against us because there wasn't enough planning time," Suffredin said. "I think it is clear that the planning process has not been the best it could be."
A union representing county nurses said its members were not notified about the furlough until two days ago. But Lucio Guerrero of the Cook County Health and Hospitals system says employees have known longer than that.
"I think it's been a month now that we've known, so people are prepared," Guerrero said.
The shutdown is projected to save the county $3.5 million. Shutdown days are also scheduled for May 27, July 1, Sept. 2 and Nov. 25.
