TRENTON — The Sen. Garrett W. Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital will continue accepting patients of any age from Hunterdon County and geriatric patients from across the state, a Deputy Human Services commissioner today told members of an Assembly committee who insisted he not make any decisions about the facility's future. Assembly Human Services Committee Chairwoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) told...
Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital.TRENTON — The Sen. Garrett W. Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital will continue accepting patients of any age from Hunterdon County and geriatric patients from across the state, a Deputy Human Services commissioner today told members of an Assembly committee who insisted he not make any decisions about the facility's future.
Assembly Human Services Committee Chairwoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) told Deputy Human Services Commissioner Kevin Martone a new legislative task force would examine the department's proposal to phase out the 310-bed hospital in Lebanon, which specializes in treating senior citizens.
"Factors need to be considered before we just decide to close it down,'' Huttle said. "The task force will review and assess the viability of the department's plan.''
The task force's report is due Feb. 1, 2011.
Huttle also admonished Martone for what she described as "blurry communications'' over changes he was prepared to make this week that would have halted the admission of adults 18 to 64 years old living in Hunterdon County. Martone on Friday decided to postpone doing so, in deference to the task force. He blamed misleading press accounts for the confusion that suggested no patients at all would be admitted.
"Thank you for the clarification, but it's not good enough today,'' Huttle told Martone at the conclusion of the 2-1/2 hour hearing in Trenton.
The state had stopped sending adults under 65 from Warren County to Hagedorn two years ago and from Somerset County this year, referring them instead to Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, Martone said.
Gov. Chris Christie's administration had proposed closing down the facility within a year to save $7.6 million. In June, the governor and the Legislature agreed to set aside closure while a separate committee studied mental health treatment needs throughout the state. Then in a surprise move last week, Christie issued a "conditional" or partial veto of the task force bill, limiting its focus to the department's plan to close Hagedorn and eliminating any focus on other hospitals.
The legislature must approve Christie's more narrow version of the law for the 21-member task force to be created.
Previous coverage:
• Hagedorn supporters fear state's latest move is a step toward closure
• N.J. human services head reassures lawmakers on Hagedorn hospital closure
• Patients, families relieved that Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital will stay open