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First patients moved from Twin Valley
Supporters of health ward voiced anger about governor's decision to close psychiatric facility.
Friday, April 04, 2008
DAYTON — Hopes that Gov. Ted Strickland would back off closing Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare dimmed Thursday, April 3, as the state began moving Twin Valley patients to a state psychiatric hospital in Cincinnati.
The three patients are the first of 110 to move to Summit Behavioral Healthcare and similar hospitals in preparation for Twin Valley's June 30 closing, said Amy Cooper, Ohio Department of Mental Health spokeswoman.
Extras
"We're only moving forensic (patients) right now," Cooper said on Thursday, referring to patients ordered to Twin Valley through the court system.
About half of Twin Valley's patients are forensic, Cooper said. But whether forensic or civil, patients will be transferred on an individual basis, a process that involves the patient, patient's family, a clinical treatment team and coordination with the courts, if necessary, she said.
Twin Valley supporters, meanwhile, remained dismayed and bitter Thursday over Strickland's decision to close the hospital to help plug a projected $733 million deficit in the state's next two-year budget.
"It's been very disappointing," said Bryan Bucklew, president of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association and leader of a community-wide effort to keep Twin Valley open.
Among a host of issues, Bucklew's group fears Twin Valley's closing will strain already overcrowded emergency rooms and county jails and undermine psychiatry and psychology programs at Wright State University and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, which use Twin Valley as a training ground.
"It's incredible that they're moving ahead with this, and they have no plan, no plan whatsoever, on how the community is to deal with these issues," Bucklew said.
State leaders
to meet today
Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, will meet with leaders of Wright State University's Boonshoft School of Medicine today, April 4, to discuss the impact closing Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare could have on the school, which uses Twin Valley as a training ground, officials said Thursday.
Fingerhut will be joined by Sandra Stephenson, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health.
Dr. Howard Part, medical school dean, said he doesn't know what to expect. "The state so far has been fairly silent on this, but obviously I'm happy they're coming to explore this and hopefully it will have a positive outcome."
