SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services announced a transformation initiative Wednesday that will change how the State approaches care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The plan includes:
· Repurposing the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center (“Choate”) over three years in partnership with the SIU School of Medicine, and
· Implementing new safety enhancements at Choate and across all State-Operated Developmental Centers including appointing a Chief Resident Safety Officer, and
· Expanding support for families and individuals to pursue opportunities for community-based living while continuing to invest in provider capacity.
"Individuals with mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve respect, dignity, and the highest quality of care to assist them in living healthy, fulfilling lives,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This transformation initiative, spearheaded by IDHS, will standardize and improve conditions across the system and prioritize community-based solutions to ensure vulnerable Illinoisans receive care in the best possible setting.”
With support from the SIU School of Medicine, most current I/DD residents at the Choate Center in Anna, Illinois will be able to transition into community-based settings or other State centers where they will get comprehensive, personalized care.
The State has a legal duty to ensure residents with disabilities have a full opportunity to live in the least restrictive environment of their choosing.
During the next three years, portions of the Choate campus will be repurposed to meet patient capacity and other State needs.
The 229-acre Choate campus also includes a psychiatric hospital, an IDHS local public benefits office, and two case processing centers. Improvements and upgrades will be made to put the buildings and grounds.
“All people with I/DD deserve opportunities to live, work, and thrive in the least restrictive setting of their choosing. IDHS is grateful to all of our partners, including family and resident advocates, SIU School of Medicine, the Illinois Council for Developmental Disabilities, Equip for Equality, and the Arc of Illinois, for working with us in good faith to build a system that better supports person-first, community-focused care for all people with disabilities,” said Grace B. Hou, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The initiative will be carried out over several years, but IDHS is taking more, immediate action to protect resident safety, including hiring ten new staff for the Office of the Inspector General and appointing Ryan Thomas as IDHS’ first-ever Chief Resident Safety Officer.
IDHS is also partnering with the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Arc of Illinois to launch a Family Liaison Team to support families, guardians, and residents with questions and concerns about the change. This team will be meeting regularly over the next several years.
“The safety and well-being of the residents we care for is the cornerstone of our work. In the months and years ahead, we will do even more to ensure safe, dependable, and equitable care for those residing in IDHS’ 24/7 facilities,” said Ryan Thomas, Chief Resident Safety Officer, Illinois Department of Human Services. "The transformation of the system will best position our residents for comprehensive care moving forward. As Chief Resident Safety Officer, I am committed to developing and carrying out a comprehensive approach to high-quality and safe care through continuous improvement in safety policies, assessments, systems, and processes.”
Over the last 20 years, Equip for Equality, the independent, federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization, the IDHS Inspector General, and the Illinois State Police have all been instrumental in reviewing abuse and neglect allegations at the Choate Center and making recommendations to the State about the Center’s future.
“The IDHS OIG commends IDHS for recognizing that the status quo at Choate is not acceptable and for taking tangible steps to reduce abuse and neglect at the facility. OIG will continue to be a dedicated watchdog at Choate and throughout the state to ensure that the vulnerable populations OIG serve receive the respectful care they deserve,” said Peter Neumer, Inspector General, IDHS Office of the Inspector General.
With the investments included in Governor Pritzker’s FY24 budget proposal, IDHS will have increased funding to the Home and Community-Based System by $800 million. This brings total funding to $1.7 billion.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities at the Illinois Department of Human Services operates seven State-operated developmental centers across Illinois.
Heidi Dalenberg, Managing Legal Director at the ACLU of Illinois released the following statement:
"The Governor’s announcement today regarding changes at Choate is a good first step. We fully support the smooth transitioning of people out of Choate who are living with developmental and intellectual disabilities. These individuals need to reside in the community, in the least restrictive setting possible. While this transition moves forward, we will continue to monitor efforts to ensure the on-going safety of those who remain at the facility. We hope this is just a first step toward ultimate closure of all state operated development centers in Illinois."
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