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Representative questions state plan to replace Choate beds with Chester and Alton openings
Summary
On-air, Rep. Meyer said DHS’s plan to open beds in Chester and Alton would not make up for the beds and specialized services lost at Choate, and he disputed the state's net-bed math.
Rep. Charley Meyer said a DHS flyer announced plans to open 125 beds at Chester and Alton but argued that most of the announced beds would simply accommodate residents already at Choate rather than serve additional people in need.
"75 of them are going to be instantly filled by these residents that are at show right now. So we're gaining 50 beds," Meyer said on the program, and he added that the facility currently serves more than 250 people who had been found unfit for trial and were awaiting placement for more than 60 days. He said that the announced relocations would force families to travel long distances to visit and would hamper continuity of care.
Meyer recommended expanding beds at Chester and Alton where possible but said the state should prioritize keeping local capacity open to preserve training programs, family contact and forensic treatment options.
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