MV Psychiatric Center employees say 140 jobs to be cut
By: WUTR Staff
Updated: April 11, 2012
Area officials are hearing from employees within the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Facility that almost 140 jobs will be cut.
This news comes after the center announced they'll be closing two adult wards and moving another ward to the Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse.
Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi and Senator Joseph Griffo say the N.Y. State Office of Mental Health has not confirmed that the layoffs are happening.
Both officials say the community needs answers.
"I think that the state is spending a lot of money in Syracuse to accommodate the patients. They were going to close the facility in 2003 and transfer patients to Utica, now I question what the change has been since that time. We certainly have a good facility here," said Assemblyman Brindisi.
"We're trying to show why this doesn't make sense from an economic standpoint or a programmatic standpoint. We want the commissioner to justify the decision factually," said Senator Griffo.
A representative from the Office of Mental Health says the plan to reconfigure Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center has been underway for some time.
The rep says they held a meeting yesterday to confirm that plans are moving forward.
