IDHS Announces Bed Expansion at Choate Mental Health Hospital

ANNA, Ill. (KFVS) – The Illinois Department of Human Services announced Monday, October 28, that plans are in the works to increase the number of mental health beds in the civilian units of the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna.

The add-on is scheduled to launch on November 1st.

The hospital currently has 50 beds and plans to add 25 more beds in the next few months.

This is part of a three-year transformation initiative. announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker and IDHS in March 2023.

The 229-acre Choate campus will be repurposed to meet patient and other state needs, according to IDHS.

IDHS said the initiative aims to repurpose parts of the Choate campus and change the state’s approach to caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Below is a summary of the plan announced in 2023:

Repurposing the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center over a three-year period in partnership with the SIU School of Medicine.
Implementing new measures to improve security at Choate and all government development centers, including the appointment of a Chief Resident Security Officer and now an Agency Security Officer.
Expanding support for families and individuals to realize community living opportunities while continuing to invest in the capacity of local service providers.

“As the state continues to support the needs of residents at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, we are putting safety, respect and community at the forefront,” Governor Pritzker said in a released statement. “This new expansion, part of our ongoing transformation plan, provides personalized care options for patients with significant mental health needs.”

Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine, along with IDHS’s Division of Mental Health and Division of Developmental Disabilities, made recommendations to increase the number of beds at the facility.