ANNA, Ill. - On September 28, Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey visited Anna to voice concerns regarding cuts to the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. The facility is facing potential layoffs as part of Governor JB Pritzker’s initiative to overhaul care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Recently, the Illinois Department of Human Services postponed the planned removal of certain services from March to April of next year. Bailey, however, emphasized that this delay does not equate to a reversal of the cuts. He stated, "A bed in Cook County does not replace a bed in Anna. When a family here is facing a crisis, they don’t get to use a press release. They don’t have a promise that there will be a bed somewhere else in Illinois. They need care that they can reach sooner."
In defense of the decision to reduce operations at Choate, Governor Pritzker reiterated his commitment to transitioning toward more modern, improved care solutions.