Strickland to close Dayton mental health facility.

[AngryOldDem]

I'll look for a link, but this was breaking news at noon here -- Ted apparently just released his budget. Twin Valley Mental Health Center is on the list to be shut down.

This is very, very bad news. Many homeless people are referred to, go to, or come from Twin Valley. Now, they will have one less place to access mental health care, which may make the difference between life and death for some of them.

Way to go, Ted. :mad:


ON EDIT: http://www.whiotv.com/news/15185267/detail.html

[gemdem]

1. More information

This is from the Dayton Daily News website:

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/01/31/ddn013108statebudgetweb.html

The "justification" is the age of the physical plant and the fact that there are state psychiatric hospitals in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo. Sure doesn't do Dayton any good.

[west5548]

2. Tough decision

I'm sure this was not an easy decision, but what exactly is Strickland to do? This state is in a big mess right now with no way out. Ohioans can't afford to pay more taxes either and I'm glad this isn't an option. He's a smart guy and will get this state through the mess left by Republican rule, I commend him on facing reality of the situation instead of trying to brush it under the rug.

[AngryOldDem]

3. What can he do?

What can any government official do? Leave health care and health care services, especially mental health services, alone, unless there is absolutely no choice but to make cuts in those areas.

Twin Valley, by the way, treats many of the criminally mentally ill. Squeezing mental health services down to a few sites will mean that many who need help will simply go without it, which means they are not only potential dangers to themselves, but to the community at large. As I said, TV also treats many homeless, who suffer from mental illnesses ranging from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia. Some at times need to be hospitalized -- you tell me: What are true chances of a homeless person in Dayton getting to a facility in Columbus, Cincinnati, or Toledo, or wherever the hell else another hospital is? It's hard enough getting decent medical care here, let alone psychological help.

This reminds me of Reagan's mentality of "mainstreaming" the mentally ill back into society, which led to the ultimate consolidation/losing of thousands of mental health facilities across the U.S. This, in turn, led to a decrease in the availability of competent, comprehensive psychological care, which placed many of today's homeless on the streets.

Please -- you can't tell me that other cuts could not have been made, let alone considered.

Once again, mental health care gets short shrift by the government. The sad thing is, I'm not the least bit surprised.

ON EDIT: Welcome to DU and the Ohio board, by the way.

[ckimmy57]

4. Cambridge's is getting shut down also

but the last I heard (this morning) was Jennifer Garrison is fighting to keep it open.I know cuts in the budget are necessary but it's easy to say when it's doesn't effect you. I also worry about what they will do with the residents there. I don't blame Strickland as he certainly inherited this states mess from Taft the shaft.

[rg302200]

7. Of all the facilities to close

Why did Cambridge have to be one of them? S.E. Ohio is already hurting for jobs and now the state wants to shut down one of the facilities that offer decent paying jobs in the area! I know Strickland is trying to fix a decades old mess but I have to think other options (i.e. facilities to close) were available to him!

[liberalnurse]

5. I worked an extra shift at Miami Valley last night on Psych

which I often do that or ER. The psychiatrists are angry! The staff nurses, they are dumbfounded and feel pre-stress. The Jail, Good Samaritan, Miami Valley and Grandview are going to have more complex, aggressive, chronic clients with no where to discharge them, the Units will be a much higher level of acuity, and staffing will not accommodate. What a nightmare this will be for Dayton.

Don't blame Ted for this; why? Because John Husted, Speaker of the House and the republican controlled Ohio General Assembly, they will not permit one tax increase. Ohio has had a big sucking sound of jobs moving to India, Asia etc....GM, Delphi, Chrysler and all the other now departed labor corporations jobs for example are now closed down which evokes that trickle down effect to the community..........thus no tax money from the business end.

What a mess.

Time to bring in Larry Flynt and Card Room Gambling in North Dayton by the Airport and I-70/ I-75. That's a start. Then a Prison for just sex perverts across the US.......lock-em up in Montgomery County. Next, use that work stimuli funding to do stem cell tissue research in conjunction with the Community Tissue Bank. Medtronix does a tremendous business there with new bone graft techniques from cadaver bone,...expand this area.

Okay, it's something.

[AngryOldDem]

6. It IS bad.

And I know all about the stress. I am so close to burnout at my job, mainly because I see so damned much, feel so helpless, and have the distinct impression that nobody in any position of authority gives a shit. Out of sight, out of mind, that's all they seem to care about, especially if the people in question already have two strikes against them -- homeless and mentally ill.

I know Ted is in a bind. But dammit, so are hundreds of poor people here.

At least someone knows what we're up against with the closing of Twin Valley, and believe me, I appreciate that.