Thursday, July 25

(Posted Thursday afternoon)

[JULY 25, 2002]  The Illinois Supreme Court today blocked any further involuntary moves of residents from the Lincoln Developmental Center until it decides whether to hear the case brought by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and other plaintiffs.

The order grants another reprieve to the 125-year-old Lincoln facility for the developmentally disabled, which has been fighting to remain open since June, when the Department of Human Services and Gov. George Ryan announced a decision to close it completely. DHS and Ryan charged that incidents of abuse and neglect made LDC unsafe for its residents.

The Supreme Court’s action reinstates the second temporary restraining order issued by Logan County Circuit Court Associate Judge Donald Behle on July l. On July 10, the 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield dissolved Judge Behle’s temporary restraining order, because, they said, the plaintiffs, as private citizens, did not have the right to take legal action.

Plaintiffs, along with AFSCME, which represents most LDC employees, are Don Todd, AFSCME Local 425 president; state Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield; and Norlan and Eleanor Newmister, parents of an LDC resident.

Anne Irving, AFSCME Council 31 director of public policy, said there is no firm date by which the Supreme Court must decide whether to take the appeal, but the court could decide as early as next week.

The appeal would decide whether DHS can move residents from LDC without the permission of the residents or their guardians until the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board decides whether to issue a permit to close the Lincoln facility.

[to top of second column in this article]

That board is expected to meet and make a decision on Aug. 15. A July 15 hearing in Lincoln before a representative of the board brought overwhelming support from members of the Lincoln community, parents and LDC employees for keeping LDC open.

Before making its decision the board will study a transcript of the hearing and a review by the Illinois Department of Public Health as well as written material submitted by the Department of Human Services, LDC parents and employees, and community members.

Dan Senters, local AFSCME spokesman, said that since the Appellate Court dissolved the injunction on July 10, 17 residents have been moved to other facilities without their consent. About 50 residents, many of them wards of the Office of the State Guardian, had received consent to move before Judge Behle’s July 1 ruling and have also been moved, most of them to other state-operated facilities.

At present, Senters said, 171 residents still remain on the LDC campus. He said the AFSCME local is working to let guardians know about their current right not to have their family members moved from LDC. The union is also asking that it be notified of any former LDC resident who has been moved because of the downsizing and who is having problems adjusting to a new placement.

Senters also said members who want to attend the Aug. 15 planning board meeting should call the office at 735-1342.

[Joan Crabb]

Friday, July 26, is the last day
to get your LDC opinion heard

(Posted Thursday afternoon)

[JULY 25, 2002]  Friday is the last day to get your LDC opinion heard when and where it counts. You can still get your written comments into the hands of those who will soon be deciding the fate of this institution. Written documentation must be received by the office of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board by the end of the day Friday.

You can do this by faxing your comments to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board.

Fax: (217) 785-4308

Addressed: Lincoln Developmental Center Hearing

Use the following five criteria set forth by the board to make your plea opposing closure of LDC:

(Criteria for closure)

•  First, that the reasons for the discontinuation are valid.

•  Second, that the discontinuation will not adversely affect services needed by the planning area.

•  Third, that the discontinuation project will not have an adverse effect on the health delivery system by creating demand for services that cannot be met by existing area facilities.

•  Fourth, the discontinuation project must be in the public interest and not cause area residents unnecessary hardship by limiting access to needed services. It must consider the effect of the proposed discontinuation on the ability of low-income people, racial and ethnic minorities, women, handicapped people, the elderly and other under-served groups to obtain needed health care.

•  Fifth, the applicant must state the use to which the physical plant and equipment will be put once discontinuation takes place.

[to top of second column in this article]

The board will be meeting Aug. 15 to discuss closing the facility.

Lincoln Developmental Center, Lincoln (#02-042)

In accordance with the requirements of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, notice is given of receipt of an application for permit for a proposed construction and/or modification project (#02-042) from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Disabilities, Springfield, Illinois. The applicant proposes to discontinue the entire facility, located at 861 S. State St., Lincoln, Illinois. There is no project cost.

The application was declared complete on June 14, 2002. Consideration by the Health Facilities Planning Board has been tentatively scheduled for the Aug. 15 board meeting. Requests for hearing must be received no later than July 5, 2002.

Any person wanting to submit written comments on this project must do so by July 26, 2002.

[LDN]

Gov. Ryan welcomes home troops from European mission in support of the nation’s war on terrorism

Signs bill providing re-employment rights for
National Guard personnel called to state active duty

[JULY 25, 2002]  CHICAGO — On Wednesday Gov. George Ryan welcomed home members of the Illinois National Guard who have been on active duty in Europe for more than seven months. The soldiers have been part of Task Force Santa Fe, a force of nearly 2,200 National Guard personnel providing force protection and installation security at various locations in U.S. Army Europe.

“Your country called upon you, you answered the call, and served with honor and distinction,” Gov. Ryan said. “On behalf of the people of Illinois I thank you for serving, but we are also thankful you are home, safe and sound.”

The Illinois National Guard mobilized more than 1,300 soldiers for Task Force Santa Fe, the largest call-up of Illinois National Guard personnel since the Korean War.

Approximately 450 soldiers were among the first to arrive in Illinois today; the remaining 900 soldiers will be returning in separate elements, with all soldiers scheduled to be home by early September.

"The soldiers of the Illinois Army National Guard did what they always do when called on — they answered the call to duty. They knew their mission, and they set and achieved a superior standard in their performance of duty,” said Maj. Gen. David Harris, adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard. “They gave personal sacrifice to answer the call, and we are glad to have them home."

The soldiers returning home today are from several units of the Illinois National Guard including:

•  About 100 soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry based in Chicago at General Jones Armory.

•  More than 100 soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry based in Elgin.

•  About 150 soldiers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry based in Mattoon.

•  More than 100 soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th infantry based in Effingham.

[to top of second column in this article]

During the welcome-home ceremony Wednesday Gov. Ryan also signed House Bill 4457, which provides re-employment rights for Illinois National Guard personnel called to state active duty. This legislation mirrors the job rights and reinstatement privileges outlined in the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act for active-duty soldiers.

“This law will help you and the men and women who follow in your footsteps,” Gov. Ryan said. “It gives you the same rights of re-employment when you are called to active duty that you have when you are called to federal active duty.”

Under House Bill 4457 members of the National Guard called to state active duty have the right to be re-employed at the position he or she left, with the same status, seniority and wage increases that were earned during the member’s time of state active duty by people in similar positions. It also provides for rights in connection with other employee benefits, such as health insurance, and provides for stays of civil proceedings, rights in connection with attendance and the payment of tuition to any state university or community college.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

Return to current Top Stories page

Back to top