Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice officials say they're aggressively seeking mental health professionals to fill posts at the Illinois Youth Center at Kewanee.

A report Thursday by the public watchdog John Howard Association said mentally ill detainees at Kewanee should be removed until treatment options are adequate. It found only 8 of 17 mental health posts filled at the designated state facility for severely mentally ill delinquents.

The report says residents receive only half the therapy time provided to everyone at another, general-population site.

Juvenile Justice spokeswoman Jennifer Florent says the agency has worked for a year to fill vacant positions. She says Kewanee's remote location makes it difficult to recruit qualified people.

She says Kewanee added four weekly group-therapy sessions.