Grundy Reporter

Choate Mental Health and Development Care Center is under fire for reported physical abuse and neglect occurring at the Anna-based center, and Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) recently spoke out about the issue and proposed changes that she is in favor of.

“House Republicans, led by Assistant Minority Leader State Rep. Charlie Meier and State Rep. Dr. Paul Jacobs are leading the charge with a plan to make improvements aimed at ending abuse and neglect, stopping the culture of cover-ups and silence, and holding the administration accountable to promises they have made to improve the developmentally disabled health care facility,” Haas said in a Facebook post on June 29, which also included a link to a News-Gazette editorial from June 18.

The editorial promoted by Haas had the headline, “Another shocking government failure in Illinois." Written by Jim Dey, it proposes changes to improve treatment of people at the center, and dealing with employees who keep quiet when a colleague is doing something wrong. A review of the facility was requested by Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Grace Hou.

Dey’s editorial quoted communication from Hou to Inspector General Peter Neumer, which said:  “DHS takes your findings and recommendations very seriously and will continue to work in good faith with your staff, along with our employees, and other crucial stakeholders, including parents, guardians, and disability civil rights advocates, to address them. The ongoing care, health, and welfare of our residents remains our top priority and we will continue to work diligently to provide the highest quality care.”

According to a report by WSIL, the announcement came in February that Choate would be repurposed and residents could be moved to other state-run facilities. In March it was reported that the “transformation initiative” would include safety enhancements at Choate and other facilities, as well as expanded support for families and those interested in community-based living.

In 2022, Pro Publica and Lee Enterprises published a report detailing years of abuse against patients at Choate Mental Mental Health and Developmental Center. One incident involved a a 24-year-old person diagnosed with autism who was severely beaten in 2014. The individual told investigators that it felt like he’d been punched 100 times.

The article also looked at more recent complaints which included a 2020 incident when an employee was charged with battery for allegedly using his belt to whip a resident, and in 2022 when an employee was charged with criminal sexual assault of an individual who lived at Choate.