SPRINGFIELD, IL (WSIL) -- 九游体育 Illinois legislators met to demand action on improving a state mental health facility in Union County.
Illinois State Senators Dale Fowler, Terri Bryant, and Jil Tracy gathered with other House Republicans at the Capitol on Thursday demanding urgent action in light of documented abuses of residents living at the Choate Mental Health Center in Anna.
鈥淭he crisis at Choate has gone on for far too long and it鈥檚 time we start getting answers so that we can properly make changes and the necessary fixes,鈥� said Senator Fowler. 鈥淲e must make Choate a facility family members can trust sending their loved ones to again, which is why I have called for immediate hearings on this matter. Mental health services save lives, while improving the outlook for people who may feel hopeless and lost. This facility is a vital resource and only option for some of our state鈥檚 most vulnerable residents. We cannot afford to lose it.鈥�
Legislators also showed support with what they detail is a solution-based plan. This includes implementing ongoing staff training, a mass hiring of qualified staff, tracking staff incidents by location and trends, increasing administrative and security inspections, improving overall accountability of staff performance and assigning and interim director or assistant director to Choate Developmental Center.
鈥淣o one has said that fixing these problems would be easy, but our state has to bear down, put in the hard work and find solutions,鈥� said Senator Bryant. 鈥淭hroughout this process, spanning over years and years, there鈥檚 been a lot of talk behind closed doors about the problems and finding solutions, but these talks have resulted in little tangible results. It鈥檚 time for action. The residents of this vital facility deserve nothing less.鈥�
鈥淭he facility is home to more than 270 of our state鈥檚 most vulnerable residents. What does the condition of the buildings and grounds say about the state鈥檚 concern for Choate鈥檚 residents? What does the condition say to new staff and visitors?鈥� asked Senator Tracy. 鈥淚t says to me that these residents are not a priority, and that the state鈥檚 lack of concern for them is reflected by the dismal, and arguably abandoned, appearance of the facility.鈥�
AFSCME Council 31 sent a statement on the Choate Mental Health and Development Center.
鈥淎s the union of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center employees, we welcome the support and partnership of anyone of good will who wants to work to improve it. Long before the current attention paid to the facility, AFSCME has urged legislators and the Department of Human Services to increase staffing (allowing for more programs and activities), expand staff training and invest in repairing and maintaining the buildings and grounds.
鈥淔or some 270 people with multiple challenges that require intensive supports, Choate is home. Its services have no analog elsewhere. That's why residents' families value Choate so highly, and it's a tribute to the dedicated employees who provide compassionate, attentive, round-the-clock care.
鈥淚t's regrettable that it took disturbing media reports of past misconduct to underscore the need for improvements at Choate, but the wrongful actions of a few cannot overshadow the deep commitment of the overwhelming majority of employees to Choate's residents and to making the facility the best it can be. That must begin with reversing its staff shortage and investing in its physical infrastructure.鈥�
