Prairie State Wire

Jeanne Ives, a former state legislator and founder of Breakthrough Ideas, said that City Journal advocates for the intellectually and developmentally disabled in Illinois.

"When outsiders get the story better than the insiders," said Ives. "City Journal stands up for IL I/DD community needs as Pritzker administration ignores with solutions families know are best."

City Journal has reported on an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that some fear could threaten Illinois' care facilities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although there have been calls to close the state's seven institutions, they remain operational. Approximately 80% of individuals with these disabilities reside in Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs), where many have established homes and relationships that could be jeopardized if the DOJ mandates closures. The state's protection and advocacy organization has previously filed lawsuits on behalf of residents, arguing that these institutions isolate individuals and restrict their basic liberties.

Screenshot of Jeanne Ives' June 17 post on X | X

According to ProPublica, which reported on the DOJ investigation in March, the focus is on assessing the adequacy of resources for community living and ensuring protections against harm for residents. The investigation also examines allegations of abuse and neglect initially reported by ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois in 2022. ProPublica noted that the Illinois Department of Human Services has invested in home- and community-based options to assist residents with disabilities in living in the least restrictive settings possible.

This is not the first instance of DOJ scrutiny over Illinois facilities. In a 2007 investigation into Choate Developmental Center, the DOJ found staff failed to provide proper transition planning for new residents, did not adequately protect residents from abuse and neglect, and fell short in meeting their health, education, and treatment needs. The DOJ monitored Choate until 2013.

Ives is a former Illinois State Representative who served six years representing House District 42. She ran for governor in 2018 and sought election to represent Illinois’ 6th Congressional District in 2020.