Amita plans to close mental illness units in Elgin, Elk Grove Village, boost Aurora, Hoffman Estates units
Plans by Amita Health to close two acute mental illness units at hospitals in Elgin and Elk Grove Village dismayed one local lawmaker
“This is shameful,” state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin said Thursday. The news of Amita's intent came without notifying Elgin city officials or other stakeholders, she said. “By pulling out they are damaging lives.”
Amita intends to move its inpatient psychiatric unit from Amita Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin to Amita Health Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, and the inpatient geriatric psychiatric unit from Amita Health Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village to Amita Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates.
Amita Health Senior Vice President and CEO of Behavioral Health Clay Ciha said the change allows the organization to “enhance and grow our behavioral health services so we can care for even more patients.”
“These changes better allocate specialized clinicians at a single, stronger program within each region,” Ciha said, noting the organization is one of the largest providers of mental health care in the state.
“We are establishing centers of excellence for behavioral health services in our Fox River Valley region and Northwest region.”
The proposal first must go before the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board for approval.
Saint Joseph's is authorized for 184 beds with 30 reserved for acute mental illness patients, according to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
The psychiatric unit is vital to the community and a crucial resource for homeless people and minorities with mental illness, Castro said, noting it comes after downsizing at the Elgin Mental Health Center.
“This will put a tremendous strain on the community,” and turn jails into mental health wards, she said.
Alexian Brothers Medical Center is authorized for 401 beds with 25 allocated to acute mental illness, the state reports.