CMHC celebrates 125th anniversary
Chester Mental Health Center is celebrating its 125th year this year and administration, staff, retired employees and local and state dignitaries attended a function at the facility on Oct. 26.
Retirees were given a tour of the facility, during which they took in the changes CMHC has made since they left the facility a decade ago.
The most striking change for one of the retirees was the fact that the facility now does its own laundry. For the first 38 years of the new facility's existence, laundry was contracted out and done off-site.
Hospital Administrator Joseph Harper unveiled a new facility sign and gave a brief account of its history.
Chester's first mental health facility, then-called Illinois Security Hospital, sat high upon the bluffs overlooking what was then called Menard Penitentiary and the Mississippi River.
The limestone blocks that were used in the construction of the new sign at were saved from the original facility, which began accepting patients back in 1891.
Harper also said that facility staff have good retention rates of up to 25 to 30 years and they devote themselves to the care and treatment of patients on a daily basis.
He noted that some parents and family members of patients sometimes request for their relatives to return to CMHC once they have been transferred, or to remain at CMHC to continue to receive such great care.
"Staff at CMHS has the task of dealing with the most difficult population in the state," said James Dimas, secretary of the Department of Human Services, who attended the ceremony. "The forensic population is hard to deal with and CMHC staff do it well utilizing a recovery mode utilizing a best-treatment approach."
Dimas praised the efforts over the 125 year history of CMHS to move from an initial "corrections" model of treating patients to the new and innovative "full recovery" model that now exists.
"We will always need a maximum-security setting at which to house and treat violent, difficult populations," Dimas said. "Chester Mental Health Center serves that need within the state and does it with a great caring and therapeutic approach."
State Rep. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) recalled a story about CMHC.
"I remember about five years ago when I and one of my aides were driving through the area and on the radio we heard a news brief that said Chester Mental Health Center would possibly be closed," he said. "I immediately stopped the car and told my aide to cancel all of my appointments for the rest of the day.
"We drove to CMHC and I asked to speak to administrators and staff. I promised to do everything possible to keep CMHC open and I continue to hold that promise today."
Chester Mayor Tom Page proclaimed Nov. 2 as "Chester Mental Health Day" and noted that services provided by the facility will continue to make a positive impact on community and citizens.
Shane Wagner, a CMHC educator, provided a rather lengthy, informative and detailed history of the facility.
"I am grateful for my job here at CMHC," he said. "I receive a fair wage and I can live right here in Chester.
"I grew up here in Chester and still I knew very little about CMHC or what they did here."
The final speaker of the program was long-time facility psychiatrist Dr. Nageswararao Vallabhaneni, otherwise fondly known at CMHC as Dr. Rao.
Vallabhaneni stated that he had been serving patients at CMHC since 1979 and that it has been the greatest experience of his life being at Chester.
"We have the highest level of security of any facility in the state," he said. "We get the worse patients. Every employee does his or her part to provide the very best care for our patients.
"We use every tool available."
Vallabhaneni also further commented on the facility's reputation.
"Everyone in the state system knows about Chester Mental Health Center," he said. "If they can't handle patients, they now we will take them and treat them well.
"We use a 'recovery-based system' and treat patients well, especially for a forensic facility. I am proud to work here and proud for the good work we do for our patients."
The Event Committee wished to thank several entities that contributed to the success of the 125th Anniversary celebration: CMHC Tree Committee, Brakes Landscape and Supply, Rick Schroeder BBQ, Corey Steibel, the City of Chester, American Legion Post 487 of Chester, Veteran's of Foreign Wars Kaskaskia Post 3553 of Chester and Menard Correctional Center.