Chicago welfare and health care agencies have asked state lawmakers to find ways to close Illinois' $11.6 billion budget gap without cutting human services.

At a news conference Thursday, the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, the Chicago Department of Public Health and various community service organizations said cuts to their programs would weaken services Chicagoans depend on and possible cause larger problems.

State lawmakers approved a budget in June that would have cut state human services by 50 percent. In the official second day of the fiscal year, Illinois still doesn't have an approved budget.

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield on July 14 for further budget discussions.