Urge legislators to stop psychiatric hospital closings

Feb. 27, 2008 - Over the last two days community stakeholders told the House Finance Committee that closing state psychiatric hospitals in Dayton and Cambridge is bad for patients, their families, and the community.

Legislators heard testimony this week on $733 million in proposed budget cuts ordered by the Strickland Administration.

• Take Action - Email legislators today. Urge them to stop MH closures

In response to Gov. Strickland's call to cut agency spending, the Ohio Department of Mental Health announced recently that it would close the Dayton and Cambridge psychiatric hospitals.

Mental health advocates say the proposed closures would trigger a harmful domino effect for the already-crowded local emergency rooms due to longer patients stays in the psychiatric intensive care units of community hospitals.

In addition, families and clients will suffer when patients are moved hours away without regard to the travel burdens placed on families or decreased support during the recovery process.

• Take Action - Email legislators today. Urge them to stop MH closures

Stand up for the Ohio families and the OCSEA members who serve them. Urge your legislator to stop the closure of the mental health facilities in Dayton and Cambridge.

See Related

Legislator look up for statehouse phone numbers

Local plea to stop closure (Cambridge News: The Jeffersonian - Feb. 28, 2008)

Twin Valley supporters protest proposed closure (Dayton Daily News - Feb. 27, 2008)

Group turns out to protest closing of Twin Valley (Dayton Daily News - Feb. 22, 2008)

Our View: Twin Valley's closing demands "tooth and nail" fight (Dayton Daily News - Feb. 18, 2008 )

Ohio House Finance Committee List