Southern Illinois lawmakers are voicing strong opposition to the Illinois Department of Human Services’ decision to significantly scale back operations at Choate Developmental Center, warning the move will cost jobs and displace vulnerable residents.
Under the state’s plan, announced Thursday in a letter to employees, Choate’s intellectual and developmental disabilities residential units will close by September 30th. The facility’s 75 civil mental health beds will then be phased out by March 2027 and relocated to Madden Mental Health Center in northern Illinois. The 40-bed forensic developmental disabilities unit will remain open.
State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, called the decision “a devastating blow to Southern Illinois,” saying it will eliminate hundreds of jobs while forcing patients and their families to adjust to care far from home.
Bryant said she has consistently advocated for Choate to continue serving residents in the region and criticized the state for moving forward with the plan despite those efforts. She added that Southern Illinois cannot afford to lose hundreds of jobs and said patients should be treated as individuals rather than numbers.
State Sen. Paul Jacobs, R-Pomona, also criticized the move, saying the reduction in services will remove valuable jobs from the region while creating uncertainty for patients, their families and Choate employees.
According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, Choate currently employs more than 500 people and had 58 residents as of July 1st.