The Mississippi Department of Mental Health will close more than 30 beds serving psychiatric patients and its entire male chemical dependency program, The Clarion-Ledger reports.
Here are five things to know about the closures.
1. The closures are a result of pending state budget cuts approved by Mississippi lawmakers earlier this year. According to the report, lawmakers cut $8.3 million from the mental health department's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
2. The 29-bed acute medical psychiatric service unit at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield is closing and five beds for psychiatric patients at South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis will no longer be used.
3. Other services that will be impacted by budget cuts, according to the report, include:
- Closure of the 42-bed male chemical dependency unit at Mississippi State Hospital
- Closure of the 25-bed male chemical dependency unit at East Mississippi State Hospital in Meridian
- Discontinuation of the provision of early intervention services at Ellisville (Miss.) State School, which will result in the loss of special instruction services to 128 children between birth to age 3
4. Department of Mental Health Spokesman Adam Moore told The Clarion-Ledger although state-operated male chemical dependency beds will no longer be available, other treatment options are available through the department's certified providers that offer primary residential services for adult males on a sliding scale fee.
5. Mr. Moore also told the publication other department programs are currently looking at the impact of the budget cuts, and any additional budget cuts will result in additional cuts to services.
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