The Illinois Department of Human Services has withdrawn its application to eliminate inpatient psychiatric services at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, but significant reductions in treatment capacity are still planned.
Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp announced the development Tuesday, October 20, following a lawsuit he filed seeking to prevent the removal of treatment beds at the Southern Illinois facility.
The original application, submitted to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, sought permission to close Choate’s entire 75-bed inpatient psychiatric unit.
However, IDHS has now requested withdrawal of that application while maintaining plans to reduce psychiatric capacity from 75 beds to 25, eliminating two-thirds of the available beds.
The department confirmed that the remaining 25 psychiatric beds would continue operating beyond July 2027.
Tripp welcomed the withdrawal but said the proposed reductions would still negatively affect access to mental health treatment throughout Southern Illinois.
He pointed to the growing demand for inpatient psychiatric services, including individuals being held in county jails while awaiting court-ordered admission to state treatment facilities.
Tripp also expressed concern about access to emergency care for individuals with developmental disabilities.
According to his office, the state continues to plan the removal of up to 15 additional beds serving people with developmental disabilities.
However, IDHS says Choate’s 40 forensic beds for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities will remain in operation.
Those beds are separate from the psychiatric unit and other developmental disability services facing reductions.
Tripp filed his lawsuit September 8. His office previously reported that legal challenges had pushed the anticipated removal of services from March to June 2027.
While the state has abandoned its original proposal to eliminate all psychiatric beds, Tripp says preserving additional treatment capacity remains necessary to meet the needs of Southern Illinois residents.