- Chester Mental Health Center
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The Chester Mental Health Center is a mental health facility for criminals operated by the State of Illinois in Chester, Illinois. It is adjacent to the Menard State Prison.
History
The Board of Charities recommended a separate institution for the criminally insane as early as 1878. In 1879, the legislature authorized such a facility, but the appropriation was not used for this. In 1883, the governor again tried to fund a new institution, but there was disagreement over the site with both Springfield and Joliet as possibilities. In 1899, the legislature established the Asylum for Insane Criminals, and it received its first patients within two years. W.T. Patterson transferred from the staff of Elgin State Hospital to become its first Superintendent. Control of the institution was placed with the Commissioners of the Southern Penitentiary at Menard. The original building on the penitentiary grounds was poorly constructed and was eventually torn down. A replacement was built on a separate campus near Chester, Illinois.[1]
The board of trustees and the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities were abolished in 1909 when control of all state charitable institutions passed to the newly created Board of Administration. As part of this reorganization the institution became Chester State Hospital effective January 1, 1910. In 1917, the Department of Public Welfare assumed responsibility for Chester State Hospital and retained control until the creation of the Department of Mental Health in 1961 (L. 1961, p. 2666).
In 1975, the hospital changed its name to the Chester Mental Health Center.
Today
The hospital is primarily used to care for "forensic patients" who have been found "not guilty by reason of insanity," and those persons found "unfit to stand trial," but who are required by Illinois law to remained confined in a mental hospital for a period of time.[2]
As of the end of fiscal year 2008[update], Chester had 550.7 employees and an appropriation of $44,378,900.[3]
References
- ^ Briska, William (1997). The History of Elgin Mental Health Center: Evolution of a State Hospital. Crossroads Communications. pp. 83–84. ISBN 0916445453.
- ^ "Forensic Services". http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30459. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- ^ "Chester Mental Health Center – GRF". http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=36215. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
Coordinates: 37°55′52″N 89°51′25″W / 37.9311°N 89.856886°W
Illinois State Hospitals State Hospitals Other Categories:- Hospitals in Illinois
- Buildings and structures in Randolph County, Illinois
- Psychiatric hospitals in Illinois
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