DEERFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is congratulating Maryville Academy in Des Plaines on receiving a $200,000 state grant for a six bed expansion to serve at-risk adolescent females.

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“Maryville and the other recipients of this grant have the critical job of serving the most vulnerable of our youth,” said Morrison, who has worked for years to improve the quality of care received by youth served by the Department of Children and Family Services. “It’s great that this grant will allow them to serve more young women.”

These DCFS-awarded Residential Capital Improvement Grants were funded by the General Assembly to increase bed capacity and program funding for medically complex youth and youth with severe mental health issues. 

“Expanding residential homes like Maryville means that girls and young women of Illinois get the help they need,” Morrison said. “With the ongoing public health crisis, supporting these populations is more important than ever.” 

Six residential and group homes were awarded grants, totaling $866,000, to help replace some of the more than 500 residential beds the state has lost in recent years.