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Harrisburg State Hospital Closing
Delay sought in hearing on state hospital
closing
Friday, December 31, 2004
BY MEGAN WALDE
Of The Patriot-News
Area legislators plan to ask the state's Department of Public Welfare
for more time before a public hearing on the proposed closure of
Harrisburg State Hospital.
A formal announcement of the proposal is expected Thursday, and
the hearing is set for Jan. 19.
Legislators said that's not enough time for community mental health
providers to make their case.
They plan to send a letter to public welfare officials Monday asking
for the full 30-day notice.
"We realize transferring these folks from a hospital back into
the community is the right thing to do," said Dauphin County
Commissioner George Hartwick III, who oversees human services for
the county. "The issue becomes: Are we providing the right
support network and what this means to providers? We need the full
30 days."
Harrisburg State Hospital is the oldest of the state hospitals,
which treat the mentally ill. It has about 260 patients and 539
employees.
State officials said they plan to close the hospital by the end
of 2005 and move some patients back to their communities for treatment.
Many mental health advocates said they support the plan if the state
backs it up with enough money to expand community services.
The request for postponing the public hearing comes after a meeting
yesterday of midstate legislators, county commissioners and mental
health service providers.
The meeting was called by Rep. Patricia Vance, R-Silver Spring Twp.
-- who recently won a seat in the state Senate -- and Sen. Jeffrey
E. Piccola, R-Dauphin County, the Senate majority whip.
"The purpose was to assess the needs of the communities and
how well they're being met," Vance said. "You can't make
any intelligent decision unless you have all the facts."
But the closure could mean other patients would move to state hospitals
more than an hour's drive away, and some employees would lose their
jobs, Department of Public Welfare officials have said.
State and local officials also worry about the trickle-down of funding.
They said they fear there aren't enough community-based services
in place to meet the need and not enough money available to fix
the problem promptly.
For instance, about 20 percent of all inpatient hospitalizations
from Dauphin County occur outside the county due to a lack of inpatient
beds here, according to county data.
Dauphin County is authorized to place 83 patients at Harrisburg
State Hospital each year, but has averaged 86 a year.
The county's mental health plan for 2005-06 said it would cost about
$12.8 million each year for five years to expand the community-based
mental health program. That would help shorten waiting periods for
patients.
Dauphin County's 83-patient cap would be reduced to 48, for long-term
critical needs.
If the state hospital closes, Dauphin County would plan to move
about 40 patients to community care.
That means the county would have to accomplish in one year essentially
the same reduction its 5-year plan calls for.
"We need a significant amount up front to start putting this
infrastructure in place to meet the needs," Hartwick said.
MEGAN WALDE: 255-8454 or mwalde@patriot-news.com
Copyright 2005 PennLive.com.
All Rights Reserved.
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