Choate to stay open after lawsuit, new bills filed
[October 21, 2026]
By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – An Illinois state representative says the
attempted closure of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center shows
that the Illinois Department of Human Services is failing vulnerable
residents and taxpayers.
Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp announced on Tuesday that IDHS
withdrew its request for closure application to shut down Choate.
State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, filed four bills last Thursday
aimed at protecting Choate residents and jobs.
“Very long I've said that DHS is mismanaged, and they didn't even
realize that they couldn't shut it and shut those beds down like they
were planning,” Meier told The Center Square.
Meier said the department had to prove there’s no need for hospital beds
at Choate before closing it.
“They spent about $30 million on Choate, then they announced they're
going to basically close most of it. How smart is that for the Illinois
taxpayer?” Meier said.
House Bill 5825 restricts further bed reductions at state-operated
facilities for people with developmental disabilities.
“It's saying you have to abide by the law. This is just enforcing it.
They can't take somebody from an SODC site and say they don't need these
services when they really do,” Meier said.
Meier also filed legislation allowing Choate to receive temporary
admissions for certain defendants and readmissions at state-operated
developmental centers.
House Bill 5823 would require IDHS to pay sheriffs who provide housing
and mental health services for defendants if the agency does not place
them after 20 days.
IDHS did not immediately respond to The Center Square’s request for
comment.
According to Tripp, the IDHS decision on Choate came in response to his
lawsuit seeking an injunction against closure.
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The Illinois State Capitol is shown in Springfield. Photo: Greg
Bishop / The Center Square
AFSCME Local 31 also sued and named Gov. J.B. Pritzker, IDHS and
IDHS Secretary Dulce Quintero as defendants.
Homer “Chip” Markel is the Democratic candidate challenging
Republican state Rep. Scott Doody in House District 118.
“I’m glad to hear the lawsuits worked in a sense. That’s still not
good enough. Cutting the beds at Choate is still unacceptable,”
Markel told The Center Square.
Tripp said IDHS plans to reduce the number of mental health beds at
Choate from 75 to 25 and also plans to remove up to 15 more beds
serving people with developmental disabilities.
Markel said he would work to keep Choate as it is or expand
services.
“One of the things I've found out is the worst thing you can do for
a patient is to disrupt their normal routine,” Markel said.
IDHS has also faced criticism over Illinois’ Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program error rate of 14.67%, which is higher than all
but four other states.
If the rate doesn’t improve, Illinois taxpayers will be on the hook
for more than $700 million.
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