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Lincoln Developmental Center may be closer to reopening
By Kurt Erickson
kurt.erickson@lee.net
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SPRINGFIELD -- Efforts to reopen part of a state home for developmentally disabled residents may have gotten a small boost earlier this week.

The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board gave its approval to allow the state to operate four, 10-bed homes for developmentally disabled residents on the grounds of the former Lincoln Developmental Center.

State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, said he was “encouraged” by the health board’s decision. He supports opening the four homes because it could allow residents of the facility to be closer to their families.

Similarly, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, which once represented hundreds of workers at the facility, said it was welcome news.

“There is clearly a need for housing these individuals in the Lincoln area,” said AFSCME Council 31 spokesman Anders Lindall.

But a spokesman for the agency that oversees the facility downplayed the latest move as little more than shuffling paperwork.

“Nothing has changed,” said Tom Green, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Asked what the board’s move means for the future of the facility and the 60 jobs it might create, Green said, “Truthfully, nothing.”

The institution was shuttered five years ago by former Gov. George Ryan after incidents of abuse and neglect began surfacing at the facility.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich promised to reopen the institution when he was on the campaign trail in 2002, but backed off after opponents of large institutions such as LDC waged a campaign to move the state toward providing more small, community-based settings for people with developmental disabilities.

As a compromise, officials agreed to build the four homes on the 103-acre grounds at a cost to taxpayers of about $4.6 million. But, they have sat empty and unused, costing the state nearly $1 million per year to keep from deteriorating.

Green said the governor hopes to get funding to operate the four homes in this year’s budget, which remains unfinished.

The estimated $5.9 million operating price tag is buried in the governor’s original budget proposal in a spending request by the Department of Human Services.

“DHS is working on plans to use the buildings, but no final decisions yet,” said Green.

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Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Can't wait wrote on Jul 26, 2007 6:16 PM:

" It is much needed. However Blago has been known to throw ice water on other projects on a whim. Will believe it when we see it ! "
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