Massachusetts Psychiatric Hospital Could Close Due to $30M in Cuts to State Mental Health Services

The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health might need to close a psychiatric hospital because of about $30 million in cuts to mental health services recently approved by state lawmakers, the Boston Globe reports (Dembner/Klein, Boston Globe, 11/28). Faced with a $1.4 billion budget deficit, state lawmakers on Nov. 26 approved a $22.6 billion budget that cut $650 million from earlier spending plans, including $22 million earmarked to place mentally disabled adults in group homes (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/26). Mental Health Commissioner Marylou Sudders said the department would need to eliminate 170 beds in its psychiatric wards -- 11% of the eliminated beds are for children, and 5% are for adults in group homes. All those beds are filled, and there are "long" waiting lists for them, the Globe reports. The mental health department has yet to determine whether it will close one ward at each of the state's nine inpatient facilities or an entire hospital to reduce the number of beds. The Globe reports most "long-term" inpatients would be moved to group homes or supervised apartments, but only after about 400 patients already in those facilities are "quickly discharged." Sudders said, "This budget creates holes in the safety net for some of our most vulnerable citizens. In some cases, we will not be able to provide the kind of services that will help people recover from their illnesses."

Response from Advocates, Governor
Last year, the Center for Public Representation filed a suit against the state for failing to provide community-based mental health treatment; with the budget cuts, the advocacy group again is considering filing a legal challenge against the Department of Mental Health for the "lack of residential care." Robert Fleischner, an attorney with the group, said, "We believe the state has certain obligations to institutionalized people with mental illness, under the Americans with Disabilities Act." Stephen Crosby, budget chief for acting Gov. Jane Swift (R), called the mental health cuts approved by state lawmakers "mind-boggling" and questioned why mental health was cut "so deeply." He added that Swift will propose a supplemental budget of $6.3 million to cover child mental health services and adult community mental health. However, the supplemental funding would not appropriate funding for the inpatient beds slated to be eliminated. State Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Mark Montigny (D) said funding may be restored to the Department of Mental Health if money becomes available because the agency "was among the hardest hit in the budget compromise" (Boston Globe, 11/28).