ILLINOIS – In response to the announcement by Governor JB Pritzker regarding changes at Choate Mental Health and Development Center, Heidi Dalenberg, Managing Legal Director at the ACLU of Illinois offered the following reaction:
The Governor’s announcement today regarding changes at Choate is a good first step. We fully support the smooth transitioning of people out of Choate who are living with developmental and intellectual disabilities. These individuals need to reside in the community, in the least restrictive setting possible. While this transition moves forward, we will continue to monitor efforts to ensure the on-going safety of those who remain at the facility. We hope this is just a first step toward ultimate closure of all state operated development centers in Illinois.