By Ellyn Fortino, Communications Intern
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois spoke out in favor of some of the reforms recommended Feb. 19 in the final report from Gov. Pat Quinn's task force on nursing home safety. The Associated Press said:
The report also addresses how funds might be shifted away from nursing homes and toward community-based services and supportive housing for the mentally ill.
The reforms are similar to the goals of a lawsuit the ACLU of Illinois helped file in 2005, which according to the AP, "claims Illinois violates mentally ill residents' rights by housing them in institutions."
Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the ACLU of Illinois, spoke about the task force's reforms:
The ACLU's Ed Yohnka said the task force report represents "a sea change" in state policy.
"The nursing home industry in Illinois has had such a stranglehold on state policy that it's led to dangerous, unhealthy and unproductive conditions," Yohnka said.
