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Gov. J.B. Pritzker was on hand Tuesday to unveil a new temporary
youth housing program at Maryville’s St. Catherine of Siena in
Chicago.
“I am deeply proud that support from DCFS could bring this
project to life with a $1 million capital investment as well as
a rate guaranteeing payment to support standard care, specialty
positions, and resources for nursing, case management,
transportation, and food,” said Pritzker. "This is just one of
many investments we’re making as part of a comprehensive effort
to increase capacity in youth care.”
DCFS will invest $4 million per year to pay for the cost of room
and board, specialized nursing care, case management services
and transportation.
DCFS has been under fire recently after allegations of sexual
and physical abuse surfaced at Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care
Center in Chicago. In July, at least two employees at the
facility had been arrested and charged with abusing kids in
their care.
DCFS began investigating the allegations in August of last year,
but did not stop sending children to the facility until this
past May.
Illinois Senate Republicans have called for an independent audit
of the facility and how staff members with criminal records were
hired.
“We have found that the security company is still being paid by
the state even though the facility is closed, so I think it just
merits more accountability and investigation,” said state Sen.
Jil Tracy, R-Quincy.
Tracy and Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove,
filed a resolution calling for an independent audit by the
Illinois Auditor General, because they say DCFS and Pritzker's
administration have not done enough to explain how Aunt Martha's
was allowed to continue caring for children in the system. |
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