Democratic and Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday lambasted Gov. George Pataki's plan to close five of New York's 26 psychiatric hospitals by 2005, saying the pain caused would not be worth the savings realized -- even in tough fiscal times.
At a joint budget hearing, Senators and Assembly members said the plan would force patients to travel too far to receive treatment and would also remove jobs from already-struggling communities. They warned the closures could lead to more mentally ill prisoners at local jails -- particularly if the savings aren't used to expand community-based mental health programs.
Sen. John Kuhl Jr., a Steuben County Republican, …
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