Lake County Gazette

On July 13, Illinois State Rep. Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) made a Facebook post accusing the Department of Human Services and the Pritzker Administration of failing protect disabled residents residing in state-run facilities. Weber is raising awareness about the issue and wants change as soon as possible to ensure the safety of these vulnerable residents.

"The Department of Human Services and the Pritzker Administration has failed to protect developmentally disabled Illinoisans at state-run facilities," Weber wrote in a July 13 Facebook post. "We need legislative hearings and immediate action to ensure the safety of these residents."

According to patch.com, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Illinois Department of Human Services released a report last month recommending changes be made to address issues of abuse that have been occurring at the Choate Mental Health and Development Center in Anna, Illinois. Allegations of abuse at the Choate Mental Health and Development Center have been circulating for years, and Illinois lawmakers are seeking changes to be made as soon as possible.

"We need new leadership and directors. When you have a facility that has everything going on like Choate, and the director is still there, I think that's a problem," said Illinois State Rep. Charlie Meier (R-Okawville), according to patch.com. "We have gone on record asking for a new director, and we believe this should happen. We have to speed up the reevaluation of the Inspector General coming in and inspecting." 

The OIG notes that more than 1,500 incidents of abuse and neglect were reported over the last decade, according to patch.com. Allegations include complaints of physical harm and lack of attention towards disabled patients. The report also states that employees cover for each other in such cases and provide false information to investigators. 

Among the latest cases include an incident accusing a technician of hitting a patient with a broom, which caused bleeding from the patient's right ear, patch.com reported.