TY - JOUR T1 - Letters JF - The Nation's Health JO - Nations Health SP - 27 LP - 27 VL - 46 IS - 1 A2 - , Y1 - 2016/02/01 UR - http://www.thenationshealth.org/content/46/1/27.abstract N2 - Cuts in funding over several years and the state of Illinois’ budget impasse are eroding the capacity of local health departments in Illinois. Local health departments are taking drastic actions in response to this crisis: They are not filling positions or are laying off staff, reducing business hours and cutting services. Nearly half of Illinois’ 97 local health departments, serving 5.6 million people — about 43 percent of residents — have already taken these steps and more are expected to do so. ER -