Vt. Senate to get mental health bill
February 4, 2012
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MONTPELIER, Vt.—It's on to the Vermont Senate for a bill that would redesign Vermont's mental health system now that its centerpiece Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury has been flooded and closed by Tropical Storm Irene.
The House on Friday took final action to pass the bill, which calls for a new 25-bed hospital in central Vermont, with 20 more beds added to existing facilities in Brattleboro and Rutland, as well as increased use of less-restrictive community settings for some patients.
A sticking point is the size of the new hospital. While the House wants 25 beds at that facility, Gov. Peter Shumlin is predicting the Senate will go along with his proposal for 16 beds.
Shumlin says he wants work completed on the bill in two weeks.
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