CENTRALIA/ANNA – Gov. JB Pritzker recently announced the state will restructure the Choate Developmental Center in Anna. That move will likely result in dozens of Choate residents being moved to a facility in Centralia and a sizeable number of people being hired.

State officials have announced a tentative plan for the southern Illinois facility that could mean close to 60 individuals of the 123 residents currently residing at Choate will be relocated to the Warren D. Murray Center in Centralia over the next three years.

The remaining residents will have the opportunity to transition into community-based settings such as CILA homes.

Investigative news reports recently uncovered evidence of staff assaulting residents, covering up abuse and intimidating other employees to either participate or keep quiet about the conduct.