Illinois has nearly gone a full year without a comprehensive state budget. In the past year - lawmakers and the governor agreed to pay for a patchwork of services.

But many programs were reduced - or ended altogether - because the government never paid for the services.

WBEZ has highlighted several programs caught in the middle of the state budget impasse. Now we want to check in with some people we met throughout the year as the state approaches a full year without a budget.

In one instance, Lutheran Social Services was forced to eliminate a program that took young Chicago children to visit their incarcerated mothers in downstate Illinois. Pearl Mullen used that bus program to take her two young grandchildren to visit their mother. Last month, Cabrini-Green Legal Aid was able to raise private money for a visit — but it’s not clear if they’ll be able to keep doing it without state funding.

Mullen joined WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz to talk about the effect this has had on her family. 

Illinois hasn’t had a budget since July 1, 2015. Listen through our collection of stories about the people Caught in the Middle of the impasse.