Three administrators at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna, including its director, have been charged with interfering with an investigation into patient abuse.
The Choate Mental Health and Development Center is a state-operated developmental center in southern Illinois that consists of six living areas and offers a variety of treatment programs and services.
The three administrators were actively employed at the Choate Mental Health facility for more than a week after they were indicted on charges. However, due to backlash, the Illinois Department of Human Services eventually reassigned the administrators to a different facility “until the judicial process yields new information or reaches a conclusion.”
Senator Fowler issued a statement saying “As administrators, these individuals had a responsibility to protect those entrusted with their care. If it is proven that these officials ignored their duty and acted in any way to prevent justice for the residents harmed within Choate, they should be held accountable for their actions.”
Republican members on the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee came together to formally request that the Senate committee meet to review the ongoing issues within the facility. Senator Fowler supports the call for a hearing in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the vulnerable residents who are entrusted to the state’s care.