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* Beth Hundsdorfer and Molly Parker…
Newly released reports from the Illinois Department of Human Services’ watchdog office reveal shocking instances of cruelty, abuse and poor care of patients who have mental illnesses and developmental disabilities at a state-run facility in rural southern Illinois.
The eight reports, obtained last month under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, provide new evidence of an ongoing crisis at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center, which has been the subject of numerous investigative articles by Lee Enterprises Midwest, Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica.
In one report from November, the IDHS inspector general wrote that two Choate employees who had broken a patient’s arm in October 2017 bragged about how staff got away with abusing patients by providing scant details on reports and blaming resulting injuries on accidental patient falls. The staffers also boasted about intimidating and bullying other employees to keep them from reporting abuse and bragged that they retaliated against those who spoke up.
In another report, the inspector pointed to years of concerns about the care provided to patients who have pica, a disorder in which people feel compelled to swallow inedible objects such as coins and zippers.
Several nurses told an investigator that it was common practice to force patients with pica to dig through their own excrement with gloved hands or a spatula to determine whether objects they swallowed had passed, the inspector general found. The investigation was triggered by a complaint to the agency’s abuse hotline made last spring by a facility monitor who observed a patient walk out of the bathroom with a bag of feces. Patients questioned by investigators said they felt disgusted by the practice and viewed it as punitive. […]
Further, an incident in November 2021 extended beyond neglect. A mental health technician was found to have also mentally abused and retaliated against a patient who wet himself after the tech rejected his request to use the bathroom. The worker made the man mop up the mess and tossed his personal letters in the bucket of dirty water, according to the inspector’s report. When questioned by an investigator, one of the patients who witnessed the incident and corroborated the account began to cry and said he “was tired of being abused.”
Go read the rest. Just sickening.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 9:58 am
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The level of evil that constantly permeates such wide swaths of our society where people hold power over others which we constantly tolerate continues to shock and sicken me.
These stories pop up periodically all the time, all over the country, and yet society as a whole always seems to tolerate it. I can only imagine how much is happening that is never reported on.
Comment by Homebody Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:16 am
We’ve known for a long time that putting people in positions of power over other people leads to abuse (Standford Prison experiment from the 1970s). We have to find someone way to mitigate that risk.
A good start would be moving Choate to somewhere with a larger employee pool where the management could be choosier about staff. Then requiring a psych eval before hiring said staff. And ongoing psych care. And payment sufficient so that staff will put up with it. And enough staff so people aren’t overworked and stressed.
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:23 am
The Chaote problems have been festering for years. Yet JB just re-appointed Grace Hou to continue to serve as Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services. She has been either Secretary or Asst Secretary for decades - all while this abuse was taking place.
“From 2003 to 2012, she served as the Assistant Secretary at the Illinois Department of Human Services where she was responsible for the oversight of the agency’s six program areas”
https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.25941.html
“
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:23 am
Way past time for the Gov to lay down the law to AFSCME and close this place. For too long govs of both parties have kept these places open to keep labor peace with AFSCME.
They are major employers in southern Illinois and the make government smaller GOP members will raise heck about closures.
But Illinois keeps trying to have a community and institutional model of care for this population which keeps both systems underfunded and in a constant state of need. AFSCME needs to understand this population is more than a meal ticket for their members.
Comment by Give Me A Break Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:28 am
Governors own.
They always do.
I’ve stated for far too long… DCFS, DOC, DNR… agencies by their own existence are places where the worst situations can occur, and not just bad PR things.
That’s not an excuse, it is actually a call to action.
You can’t look at agencies and the continuous bad things, horrible actions, and lacking for safety and well being of Illinoisans as mere “issues” or “institutionally baked in bad”. You can’t. That’s not doing what is necessary in governing.
Another thing… governors open buildings, not shut down things.
When it becomes as bad as the existing facility, program, or even agency branch needs to be closed because on ongoing bad or horrific… then it’s best to do what’s right a quickly as possible for the betterment of those effected, and do right by all those effected, the victims, the people… and let the agency chips fall where they may.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:36 am
Reminds me of when horrifying reports came out of the Lincoln Developmental Center 20+ years ago and Governor Ryan showed up unannounced to see for himself. It was so awful he shut it down — in the face of tremendous opposition as I recall.
Shutting down these facilities is not a long-term answer, but it is unconscionable to allow this abuse to continue. We know it is happening.
Comment by Union Yes Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:40 am
Say what you want about Pat Quinn but he closed Howe when the center couldn’t maintain certification and was subject to multiple abuse allegations. Quinn also closed Jacksonville as a means to move more individuals to community settings and decrease the reliance on state operated facilities.
Comment by We’ll See Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:49 am
So what legislation or administrative rule will fix this amoral behavior? I believe the answer remains none.
Fire the offenders. Keep firing them until they get the message or the place is forced to close. Let the union work hard to get their jobs back and expend lots of legal fees. Fight any awards of back pay for termination. Make the amoral who behave this way miserable. It will still pale by comparison to their behavior towards the victims.
There, I vented.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:49 am
Shut it down. Way past time. We need a new facility, not tied to the failures and culture of the past. This is a cause we all should adopt with passion for the residents and families of Choate. As someone from Northern Illinois, I care deeply about radical change needed here. Enough.
Comment by West Wing Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:51 am
===I believe the answer remains none.===
You can believe whatever you want, but witnesses who remain silent and even lie to cover up the problems currently face no consequences.
That needs to change. And not just at Choate.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 10:55 am
You have this mess and you have DCFS. The Governor should act and act fast. No band aids figure out something radical and change both cultures. That would be an historic difference maker. And yes we can afford it because we cannot afford not too. Also unfortunately I did not see anything about criminal charges. I hope they come and come soon
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 11:03 am
This is terrible. This is similar to the crap I heard goes down at Riverside Mental Health Facility in Kankakee. Knew someone who stayed there that was heavily abused and sexually assaulted under their supervision. Not sure why you would choose to work in a mental health facility if that’s the evil you are capable. of.
Comment by MollyB Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 11:03 am
Shut this evil place down immediately. This cannot stand.
Comment by Just a Citizen Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 11:12 am
Jesus. Arrest somebody
Comment by High Socks Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 11:17 am
This situation reminds me of Team Pritzker’s attitude toward the problems in the Veteran’s Home.
The bottom line here is that like DOC, DCFS and the Veterans Governor “Stuff Happens” fails again. His priorities are just not in line with these poor people.
Where is the General Assembly on these issues?
Comment by Back to the Future Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 11:25 am
This breaks my heart. There are good state facilities, but when DHS turns a blind eye to abuse in the state facilities, and the CILAs (small group homes) this tells staff it is OK. The union also defends bad employees. They know these things are happening and nothing is done. DHS needs to have a zero tolerance policy, but unfortunately they do not. Sickening!
Comment by Grateful Gail Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:11 pm
Where is the States Attorney in Union County ? Nowhere but at the school library probably banning books. This place needs policed, and p9liced strongly by the State. Bring someone in who’s not from this area, give them authority, and back them to the hilt. Give them 2 years to clean it up or shut him down. In the meantime start using capital spending to build another facility These stories are horrible.
Comment by Stormsw7706 Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:13 pm
Shut it down and start over somewhere else. The employees at Choate live and work together and some families have been employed there for generations. Lots of businesses depend on that state facility too. All of this interconnectedness and sense of entitlement explains the culture of silence and cover ups about the horrors that go on inside this facility.
Move it closer to St. Louis or Springfield where new people can get jobs there who aren’t beholden to small town bosses and small town pressures. Locating it near a larger population center will help it attract more potential employees and end the cycle of insiders using the place to serve their own interests instead of the interests of its vulnerable population.
Enough.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:18 pm
For all the talk about the Least of Us…yeah…seems like it’s just talk.
Shut it and start over…today.
Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:32 pm
It is this kind of stuff that might keep JB from higher aspirations, assuming he has them. Part of governing is big picture, which he is doing well, and the rest is small-time administrative details. He needs to dramatically improve in the latter. You can’t just delegate and call it a day. You need to ensure performance, sometimes personally.
Comment by Jibba Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:33 pm
===I’ve stated for far too long… DCFS, DOC, DNR===
The fact that OW has included DNR on this list really drives home how much of an expert he is on the inner workings of State government.
===Governors own.===
I am waiting for the update from the Governor’s office where they blame these structural failures on the fact that their employees are union represented as a poor attempt to punt the issue until the next negative press release instead of fixing it.
As the years go by more and more I am trying to convince myself that the Governor simply lacks personal knowledge of these issues and that is why they are allowed to persist. Perhaps as he continues to build his national media profile these problems of his will get the national attention they deserve and the People of Illinois will get a step closer to the Government they deserve.
Comment by Candy Dogood Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:35 pm
Publish their guilty names…once convicted as abusers.
Create a registry of known abusers.
Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:36 pm
Contact Dan Caulkins for advice?
Comment by Dotnonymous Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:37 pm
===You can believe whatever you want, but witnesses who remain silent and even lie to cover up the problems currently face no consequences.===
I agree. No argument from me on that one.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:38 pm
Small time administrative details? That comment belies an attitude that sickens me. One of governments BIGGEST functions is protecting those unable to protect themselves. I am sure Jay Bob agrees doing so is a small time detail. His absolute refusal to rectify the mess in his agencies proves it.
Comment by Captain Obvious Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:45 pm
==From 2003 to 2012==
Wouldn’t it also be a good time for the Governor to get rid of anyone in the administration who has ties to Blago or Quinn, and just have a “new administration” with “his people” only?
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 12:51 pm
===That comment belies an attitude that sickens me===
I think you’ve inferred more than what was there. There is nothing unimportant about the small details. He can’t be an effective governor unless he gets a handle on these types of situations, and details are as important as the big picture ideas. Especially for those in state care.
Comment by Jibba Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 1:19 pm
JB’s inattention to chronic scandal-ridden State departments can only be seen as a calculated acceptable political loss. Sure the stories look bad, but up till now no real traction in terms of his negatives. If the depravity of what happened at Choate was more widely known, I am betting he would then act. Hello ABC 7 I-Team, Ben Bradley WGN…
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 1:33 pm
(Tips cap to - Candy Dogood -)
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 2:11 pm
==Move it closer to St. Louis or Springfield where new people can get jobs there who aren’t beholden to small town bosses and small town pressures.==
Even moving it to Springfield does not eliminate the possibility of political-based hiring on both ends of the spectrum (e.g., old Cellini/Smith hacks, the Griffin Mafia, etc.).
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 3:07 pm
Maybe it’s time for a major network (CNN, FOX, NBC, etc.) to run a national story about this.
Comment by Appears Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 3:25 pm
There are roughly 1,600 people living in State Operated Developmental Centers, and many of those would prefer to live in a community setting. I think we can help at least 200 people per year who want to move to transition to a community setting. Maybe more if enough administrative infrastructure is put in place. Political will and financial support for the community system generally are the most critical elements of a successful strategy in my opinion. It is not rocket science, but it is hard work.
Comment by KeepItReal Friday, Feb 10, 23 @ 3:42 pm