Kankakee Times

Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) recently shared an editorial about the situation at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Care Center involving incidents of physical abuse and neglect. The Illinois Department of Human Services Inspector General released a report two weeks ago that recommended a series of major changes to the Anna-based center.

“House Republicans, led by Assistant Minority Leader State Rep. Charlie Meier and State Rep. Dr. Paul Jacobs are leading the charge with a plan to make improvements aimed at ending abuse and neglect, stopping the culture of cover-ups and silence, and holding the administration accountable to promises they have made to improve the developmentally disabled health care facility,” Haas said in a Facebook post on June 29, which also included a News-Gazette editorial from June 18.

The editorial, by Jim Dey, titled, “Another shocking government failure in Illinois,” discusses an investigative report focusing on the Illinois Department of Human Services. It included a series of suggested changes to improve treatment of individuals at Choate Mental Health and Development Center. It said that the positive thing is that IDHS Secretary Grace Hou herself requested the review. 

The editorial quoted communication from Hou to Inspector General Peter Neumer, which said:  “DHS takes your findings and recommendations very seriously and will continue to work in good faith with your staff, along with our employees, and other crucial stakeholders, including parents, guardians, and disability civil rights advocates, to address them. The ongoing care, health, and welfare of our residents remains our top priority and we will continue to work diligently to provide the highest quality care.”

The announcement came in February that Choate would be repurposed and residents could be moved to other state-run facilities, according to a WSIL report. In March, WSIL reported that the transformation initiative would include new safety enhancements at Choate and other facilities, and expanded support for families and individuals interested in community-based living.

In 2022, Pro Publica and Lee Enterprises published a report focusing on abuse at Choate Mental Mental Health and Developmental Center. The investigation by the Illinois State Police totaled 700 pages. The report included the investigation of the beating of a patient by employees in 2014. The victim, who has a diagnosis of autism, told investigators that it felt like he’d been punched 100 times.

The article also looked at other, more recent complaints, including in 2020 when an employee was charged with battery for allegedly using his belt to whip a resident, and in 2022 when an employee was charged with criminal sexual assault of an individual who lived at Choate.