The union representing most employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop planned service reductions and layoffs at the southern Illinois facility.
AFSCME Council 31 filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Union County Circuit Court. Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp and AFSCME Local 141 President Tina Winfield are also named as plaintiffs. The lawsuit names Gov. JB Pritzker, the State of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Human Services and IDHS Secretary Dulce Quintero as defendants.
The lawsuit alleges the state violated three Illinois laws governing health facility changes, state facility closures and access to inpatient mental health treatment. The plaintiffs are asking the court to halt further cuts and layoffs while requiring the state to comply with those laws. The allegations have not been decided by the court.
Under the state’s announced plan, Choate’s general residential program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is scheduled to end September 30. The facility’s 75 civil mental health beds are scheduled to be phased out by March 2027, while additional beds are planned at Madden Mental Health Center in Chicago. Choate’s 40-bed forensic developmental disabilities unit is expected to remain in operation.
AFSCME says the changes would result in layoffs affecting about 250 of Choate’s more than 500 employees. The union is also asking the court to require the state to maintain Choate’s 75 psychiatric inpatient beds until 75 additional beds are created elsewhere in the state system.
State Senators Terri Bryant of Murphysboro and Paul Jacobs of Pomona issued a joint statement supporting the legal challenge, raising concerns about the impact of the reductions on southern Illinois patients, employees and access to care.
IDHS has previously said the changes follow a decline in Choate’s resident population, increased interest in community-based living arrangements and changing service needs across Illinois.