Hospital official: Savannahs only private psychiatric unit may be closed

<p>Cost-cutting measures may force the closure of Savannahs only private psychiatric unit, hospital officials said Monday.</p><p>Memorial Health University Medical Center officials have proposed closing the Clark Center, the hospitals 64-bed psychiatric unit.</p><p>The closure would allow the hospital to provide more acute inpatient care, its core business, said Memorial Health president and chief executive officer Bob Colvin.</p><p>Pending approval by Colvin and the hospital board, the Clark Center could be closed in the next few months. But the units 120 employees would be absorbed by the hospital, Colvin said.</p><p>If the Clark Center is closed, other coastal Georgia agencies would have to provide mental health services for the area. The hospital will examine the effects of the closure and will try to help mitigate those before deciding to shut down the unit, Colvin said.</p><p>The proposal has been criticized, as health officials say insured people would have to be diverted to South Carolina and uninsured patients would have to receive public services in Milledgeville.</p><p>Taking any resource away from us is not a good idea, said Savannah police Cpl. Charlie Fields. The demand for services have hever been higher.</p><p>Earlier this year, state officials proposed moving mentally ill patients out of Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah until a revised Department of Human Resources budget took the state institution off the closing list. But another state hospital in the city still faces budget cuts.</p><p>The state has funded mental health in a very poor fashion and we think its going to get worse, Colvin said. That is the reason you look around and see no other hospitals providing this care.</p><p>In addition, Gateway mental health services, which serves eight coastal counties, is looking at 100 job cuts and four Savannah group homes that serve the chronically mentally ill who require 24-hour supervision, are at risk of closing.</p><p>Information from: Savannah Morning News</p>