Editor’s note: In this part one of a four part series continuing the rest of this week and early next week, The Daily Illini takes a look at proposed state budget cuts and their effect on various human services programs in Champaign County.

After Gov. Pat Quinn unveiled his 2012 budget proposal, which includes nearly half a billion dollars in cuts to human services, the leaders of 38 local human services agencies met at the United Way of Northern Champaign County to draft a response to the cuts.

The ensuing document detailed the likely effects of the slashed funding, as all the organizations present reported potential changes to their services and certain layoffs if Quinn’s budget goes through.

The song was all the same, according to Andy Kulczycki of the Community Service Center of Northern Champaign County, located in Rantoul.

“Cuts need to be done surgically, not with an axe,” Kulczycki said. “All of our services are interconnected. If you eliminate a program in one place, it affects other programs directly and indirectly … and puts more strain on other services. We all know how to handle cuts, but program elimination is just not the way to go.”

One of the largest organizations that would suffer major losses is Champaign’s Center for Women in Transition, or CWT.

The agency offers comprehensive services, including housing to women and children in need of a safe haven from domestic violence or homelessness.

CWT has existed in some form since 1985, and since then has grown to include three transitional living houses, in which women can stay for up to two years, and one permanent housing building which provides by-the-room subsidized rent.

In fall of 2008, CWT opened up Transitions Resale Store in Lincoln Square Mall, whose proceeds help fund the organization, but also teaches those recently released from incarceration job skills through a 240-hour training program.

In July 2010, CWT took over A Woman’s Place in Urbana, a shelter for abused women, which had been defunct for a few months, leaving many women vulnerable and in some cases homeless.

Executive Director of CWT John Sullivan is in talks to acquire four, possibly five new properties, some being rehabbed and some being built from the ground up.

But with the governor’s budget cuts pending, Sullivan said he is nervous for his organization’s future.

“The timing for us is pretty spectacularly bad, especially having just taken over another organization,” Sullivan said, referring to A Woman’s Place. “We have to make quick decisions about what to cut.”

According to the United Way’s survey, CWT will lose $50,000 from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the remainder of this 2011 fiscal year. In fiscal year 2012, CWT will likely lose $181,000.

Sullivan said there are still many things up in the air, but according to the survey, CWT would have to lose four full-time employees and would be unable to pay utilities.

“Once we know, we’re going to have to look at the way we expend things,” Sullivan said.

“Whether that’s staff or services, if it became extreme, we’d just (eliminate) one of our buildings. We couldn’t afford to run it, which would mean more homeless people.”

The CWT has an annual budget of about $1.5 million. Although the Transitions Resale Store helps offset some administrative costs, according to CWT’s website, the average cost of supporting one person for a year is $10,500. This includes food, shelter, clothing, utilities, transportation, toiletries and other necessities.

Within CWT is a children’s classroom, which is affiliated with the Jump Start organization, helping to provide underprivileged children with educational tools from a young age.

Case management is also taken care of, and in the A Woman’s Place shelter, legal services such as orders of protection are offered to the clients.

There are also support groups through CWT, educational programs, and outreach services available, especially to the poor living in rural areas.

Sullivan believes CWT’s services need to be expanded, not cut.

“What would happen to the women and kids here?” Sullivan said.

“There are kids in this community that are living in cars tonight because there aren’t enough services. Why aren’t we addressing the people we’re not serving, let alone cutting back?” he added.

Editor’s note: The headline has been corrected from an earlier version that stated the center is slated to close. That is only one possibility among many, and not the most immediate. The Daily Illini regrets the error.