Illinois Plans to Cut 250 Jobs at Choate Mental Health Center Amid Union and Local Opposition

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 5, 2026

The Illinois Department of Human Services has announced plans to lay off approximately 250 of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center's 524 employees and eliminate its general developmental disabilities residential program by March 2027. AFSCME and local officials rallied Tuesday in Anna, Illinois, arguing the cuts will worsen an already strained mental health system in southern Illinois. The layoffs follow relocation of residents after reporting on patient mistreatment, though local prosecutors and lawmakers contend demand for mental health beds remains unmet statewide. For staffing agencies, the displacement of 250 healthcare and mental health workers in a rural region signals a potential surge in available specialized talent and client demand from community-based providers.