Two southern Illinois lawmakers are backing a package of three bills designed to address treatment delays for criminal defendants found unfit to stand trial while simultaneously preserving operations at the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna.
Legislative Package Targets Treatment Delays and Choate Facility Preservation
The proposed legislation responds to logistical bottlenecks inside the state’s mental health infrastructure. State Representative Scott Doody from the 118th District has joined forces with Representative Charlie Meier of Okawville to sponsor the legislative push. The primary measure in the package requires the Illinois Department of Human Services to place criminal defendants into appropriate treatment facilities within 30 days of receiving a formal court order. This specific bill mandates periodic reviews tracking each defendant's psychiatric status and ongoing treatment.
State systems have struggled to absorb defendants awaiting court-ordered psychiatric placement, leaving local law enforcement agencies to shoulder the burden. To address this fiscal and operational strain, a second proposal in the package mandates that the state reimburse county sheriffs for housing and mental health services whenever defendants spend more than 20 days inside local jails waiting for an opening at a state facility.
A third component focuses on the future of the Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. This bill gives former Choate residents who were previously relocated to community-based settings a clear choice: they can elect to return to Choate or transfer to another state-operated facility, provided physical space is available.
Representative Doody stated that the legislation aims to increase accountability within state agencies while making use of existing resources, such as Choate, to tackle ongoing challenges across Illinois’ mental health system.
