Following months of opposition to plans to eliminate mental health services at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced it will preserve 25 of the facility’s 75 inpatient psychiatric beds.
While Senate Republicans say the decision to maintain some mental health services at Choate is a positive development, they remain concerned that the significant reduction in beds will leave Southern Illinois families with limited access to critical mental health care.
In July, IDHS announced plans to close Choate’s general residential units serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by September 30, 2026, and phase out all 75 civil mental health beds by March 2027. Under the original plan, that capacity would instead be added at Madden Mental Health Center in the Chicago area, while Choate’s forensic developmental disabilities unit would remain operational.
Following pushback from local lawmakers, community members, and other stakeholders, IDHS announced in September that it would delay the elimination of psychiatric beds until June 2027. The latest announcement marks another change in the Administration’s plans, with 25 beds now expected to remain operational.
Senate Republicans say that while preserving some beds is a step in the right direction, reducing the facility’s psychiatric capacity by two-thirds is inadequate to meet the mental health needs of Southern Illinois.
Lawmakers are continuing to urge IDHS and the Pritzker Administration to work with local communities, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to preserve access to mental health treatment and ensure Southern Illinois families can receive the care they need close to home.
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