Residential mental health facilities in Pennsylvania are slated for closure as part of the state's desire to serve more community members, reduce reliance on institutional care, and improve access to home- and community-based services, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Here are six things to know.
1. DHS Secretary Ted Dallas announced Wednesday that his department plans to close the Hamburg (Pa.) State Center for people with intellectual disabilities. At present, Hamburg serves 80 residents at its 154-acre campus.
2. In announcing the closure of Hamburg, Mr. Dallas cited a nearly 70 percent decrease in the resident population at Pennsylvania's state centers over the last two decades. He also said the closure of Hamburg "will enable the residents to live in the community when possible."
3. DHS will also close the civil section of Norristown (Pa.) State Hospital, one of six state hospitals with services for those with mentally illness. The civil unit at Norristown currently serves 122 individuals.
4. During the closure process at Norristown, Mr. Dallas said his department will also temporarily repurpose some civil beds at Norristown to create "forensic step down or transition" beds for those individuals committed through the criminal justice system to the forensic section of the Norristown campus.
5. The closure of Hamburg and partial closure of Norristown are expected to take approximately 18 to 24 months to complete, according to DHS.
6. As a result of the closures, approximately 734 state workers would lose their jobs, reports The Morning Call. DHS said it will work to provide both hospital and center staff viable employment opportunities at other state-operated facilities or with new or existing community programs.