3/7/23
Dear Choate Staff,
The Illinois Department of Human Services deeply values the hard-working and compassionate staff that have dedicated themselves to Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, especially through the last several challenging years under COVID-19. Today we write to share important information about a transformation initiative at Choate that we believe will best serve residents, patients, families, staff, the Southern Illinois community, and the State of Illinois.
Over the next several years, IDHS plans to transform and repurpose parts of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center to make progress on crucial State needs. Highlights of this transformation include:
- Safely transitioning DD residents at Choate to CILAs, smaller ICF settings, or other State Developmental Centers.
- Launching a new partnership with SIU School of Medicine to assess State strategic needs and make recommendations regarding the future uses of the Choate.
- Appointment of a new Chief Resident Safety Officer to help the Choate campus reach its full potential.
As a part of this transformation, the psychiatric hospital operations at Choate will expand. In addition, the forensic I/DD unit forensic I/DD unit (Sycamore Lower), the related "stepdown" unit (Sycamore Upper), and the two dual diagnosis units (Redwood/Dogwood), will be evaluated by SIU School of Medicine to determine whether they should continue to operate on campus or elsewhere.
To be clear, IDHS is not closing the facility. IDHS is committed to ensuring that every hard-working, dedicated, and compassionate Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center worker continues employment with the State. As Illinois and the rest of the country experiences a workforce crisis, it is crucial we work together to retain the strongest possible workforce.
This three year initiative will include careful, deliberate, and thoughtful planning to ensure that the State maximizes support for vulnerable populations, meets workforce needs, and respects public servants in good standing by hiring and retaining them in critically-needed roles that serve the public interest. We consider AFSCME, INA, and the trade unions to be essential partners in this transformation and we will work with them in good faith to ensure that the needs of their members are met. As employees you will receive regular updates about the pace of resident transfers, re-purposing, capital improvements, and any other potential changes to the Choate campus.
Also, as we further invest in the Choate facility, IDHS is taking additional action to enhance quality, safety, and staffing for residents across Choate and all State-Operated Developmental Centers by appointing a new IDHS Chief Resident Safety Officer, Ryan Thomas. Ryan will be working in partnership with Tiffany Bailey, Deputy Director for SODC Operations, and the leadership team at Choate, led by Bryant Davis, to bolster the culture of safety, accountability, and quality care that is our top priority at IDHS.
We will partner with you every step of the way as we carefully navigate these changes. We urge you to reach out to us with your hopes, ideas, questions, or concerns. Please contact Bryant Davis at 618-697-7487 or bryant.davis@illinois.gov.
Thank you for your crucial and compassionate service to the State of Illinois. We look forward to planning for this next chapter at Choate Developmental Center alongside you.
Sincerely,
Grace Hou
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
