Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pressing ahead with a plan to phase out large state-run mental health institutions in favor of smaller group homes for developmentally disabled residents, despite mounting local resistance and serious questions about public safety and jobs in southern Illinois.
According to Just The News, union members and local officials in Union County rallied this week against the states planned downsizing of the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna. The Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) announced last month it intends to eliminate roughly 250 positions at Choate and shift mental health beds to facilities in the northern part of the state.
Pritzker defended the move during remarks at an event in Elgin, framing the cuts as a byproduct of relocating residents. The reason there are staff reductions is because we literally have moved the developmentally disabled patients, residents there, to better facilities, other facilities, Pritzker said.
The restructuring comes as the U.S. Department of Justice continues an investigation launched last year into Illinois treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities. Republican state Rep. Brad Fritts office told The Center Square the federal probe is focused on Choate, Jack Mabley and Samuel Shapiro developmental centers.
Pritzker has signaled he is prepared to shutter facilities that do not meet his administrations standards, even as critics warn of the consequences for vulnerable patients and rural communities. I said from the beginning when we heard about the troubles there, that if the staff there, if the agency couldnt get it right, that the right thing to do was to close the facility. And that's precisely what I have pledged to do and then done, Pritzker said.
The governor further argued that Illinois is merely following a national trend away from large congregate institutions. It saves money, but it's also a better situation for those residents, Pritzker said.
Local lawmakers, however, say the administration is ignoring both the human cost and the security implications of the decision. State Rep. Scott Doody, R-Anna, has launched a petition drive urging Pritzker to reverse DHSs downsizing plan and reconsider the future of Choate.
Doody warned that the governor is not fully informed about the stakes, particularly regarding forensic patients who may pose public safety risks if not properly housed and supervised. I dont believe the governor understands the gravity of the situation and whats going on in terms of forensics, so were working hard to make sure hes brought up to speed on whats going on with that, Doody said in a video posted on social media.
The Republican lawmaker also pointed to a state-commissioned study from Southern Illinois University that recommended expanding jobs at Choate rather than eliminating them, underscoring the disconnect between expert recommendations and the administrations agenda. The recently-appointed representative noted that Choate remains in the state budget for $50 million through July 1, 2027, raising further questions about why the governor is accelerating cuts while funding is still in place.
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