Grundy Reporter

In a March 17 Facebook post, Rep. Jackie Haas shared information on public reaction to the closure of Choate.

“Families of patients at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, along with workers and community leaders, reacted with concern after IDHS's announcement of plans to relocate more than 120 residents from the facility,” she wrote. 

Haas is a member of the Mental Health & Addiction Committee.

According to ProPublica, Choate is one of 13 psychiatric hospitals and developmental centers operated by IDHS. The 270-bed facility serves people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities, including people diagnosed with “profound” disabilities and some who are nonverbal. The ProPublica article also notes that all 59 Republican legislators in the Illinois General Assembly have sought answers regarding the situation and Choate and the closure, so Bryant isn’t alone in her concern.

Sen. Terri Bryant also added her voice to Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center closure.

WSILTV notes that Choate will be repurposed. Residents of Choate will have an opportunity to move into community-based settings or other state centers where they will receive comprehensive, personalized care, according to WSILTV. But advocates are still concerned about this change. "We’re extremely concerned about the fate of Choate Developmental Center residents and the employees who make Choate home for them," AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. "We intend to make certain that the well-being of the more than 200 residents of the Choate home is given the foremost consideration, now and in the future. AFSCME will work to protect the jobs of Choate's dedicated and compassionate employees, and our union will continue our close alliance with the Friends of Choate family group to ensure that no resident is forced out of their home without their consent."

Sen. Sue Rezin has brought concerns regarding the closure of a hospital. She noted St. Margaret’s Health temporarily closed the Peru Hospital.

On March 7, Capitol News Illinois reported on the state's decision to close Choate. The state's decision to repurpose Choate and move the residents to other facilities comes after months of reporting by ProPublica, Capitol News Illinois, Lee Enterprises which detailed abuse and coverups of abuse and neglect, and employee intimidation. Capitol News Illinois reported that a 1999 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Olmstead case spurred the closure of institutions like Choate. The publication reports that Illinois has been slow to transition compared to other states, although it has closed some of the larger institutions in the past two decades. Illinois “houses more people with developmental disabilities in large institutions and spends more to operate those institutions relative to statewide personal income than almost every other state in the nation, according to a review of data compiled by researchers with the University of Kansas,” the publication wrote.