Continued Southwestern maintenance in budget quandary

THOMASVILLE — A requested state budget reduction could end state maintenance of abandoned Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville and at a similar former state mental health hospital in Rome.

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities plans for cut 14% from its budget, a cut of $172.3 million.

Health and disabilities agency officials would not comment specifically about the Thomasville facility, which closed Dec. 31, 2013. More than 600 people lost their jobs in the closure.

"In order to reach this challenging goal, our team worked collaboratively to enact reductions with the goal of preserving the core mission as Georgia’s public safety net for people with mental illness, substance use disorders and intellectual and developmental disabilities," DBHDD Commissioner Judy Fitzgerald said in a release. "After extensive strategizing to mitigate the effects of the proposed budget cuts, we developed a reduction plan which includes a combination of furloughs, contract and administrative reductions, staff reductions and cuts to services and programs. The proposed reductions impact the people we serve, their families, hospital and community providers, as well as our staff."

The Southwestern property maintenance cost was included in the budget for community health and behavior health, said District 173 state Rep. Darlene Taylor, R-Thomasville.

"It is still in partial use and has great value to the state and our community," Taylor said. "Maintaining the property is costly, but again the facility is still being used, and it is only one of many suggestions. It too will be assessed, and all aspects will be taken into consideration."

A state probation and parole office is on the 400 South Pinetree Blvd. campus. People on probation or parole report to the office, said Dan Stewart, building and grounds supervisor for the 205-acre campus.

A building is leased for use as a drug rehab facility, and a behavioral health office is on the campus.

Stewart, who has been employed at Southwestern for 21 years, said more than 20 buildings are on the Southwestern campus. He is aware furloughs and more than 300 job cuts are being discussed, but he does not know what will happen to his job or anyone else's.

Taylor said maintenance of the Southwestern property costs state government more than $1 million annually.

"They've just got us all in limbo," Stewart said. "We're just waiting to see what the budget for next year will be."

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820

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