State Can Close Developmental Center

People with developmental disabilities in southern Illinois could soon be forced out of their homes.

A federal judge has ruled the State can shut down the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia. Governor Quinn has been trying to get the facility closed for several years, claiming it'll save millions if the residents were moved into group homes, but the parents and guardians of the residents have put up a strong fight. They say their loved ones would die outside of the institutional setting, because their disabilities are extremely severe.

Billboards like the one below have become a common scene near the facility, as proponents of Murray continue efforts to save it, including the city of Centralia which has a campaign underway called Save Murray Center. 

As of July 1, IDPH reports there are 232 residents at the Murray Development Center, located on the west side of Centralia on Highway 161.