A vacant office building within 0.3 miles of Vernon Hills High School in Vernon Hills might be repurposed as a psychiatric hospital providing specialized care to children, adolescents, adults and seniors.

Village officials have given the informal go-ahead to US Healthvest to proceed with the review and public hearing process to create a 100-bed hospital at the former CDW/Allstate Insurance building at 300 N. Milwaukee Ave., in the Continental Executive Parke.

The company is seeking a change in village code to allow the hospital as a special use in the business park.

While these hospitals do provide a valuable service, there are also stories of escapes and dangers posed to residents and nearby facilities.  While this is a elevated risk proposition in general, it is simply too high risk due to how very close it is to our high school and thus our children.  Please join me in signing this petition to encourage the Vernon Hills Board of Trustees to not permit the change in village code and urge the New York based hospital company to locate their new facility elsewhere.  Northbrook didn't want a facility like this one near their children and neither should we.  

We all need to step up, help our high school and protect our children.  Please sign this petition and share it with your friends and neighbors.