RELEASE: April 5, 2001

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The Department of Human Services today released a preliminary plan to make broad improvements to the state's system of mental health services which include building a smaller hospital on the grounds of Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital, greatly expanding community-based services for people with mental illness in all 21 counties and improving staff-to-patient ratios at all of the state's adult psychiatric hospitals.

Under the preliminary plan, Greystone would be replaced by a 390-bed complex that would include a new 250-bed hospital; 80 beds at the renovated Ellis Complex; and 60 beds at the Mountain Meadow Cottages, on the hospital grounds. The plan calls for utilizing 170 acres of the 671-acre grounds. The remaining 500 acres would be transferred to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

A total of 388 patients from the state's four, adult psychiatric hospitals -- all of whom were deemed clinically appropriate for less restrictive settings -- would be served in the community under this plan, which is known as Redirection II.

"We believe the Redirection II plan provides an opportunity to improve all of our facilities and strengthen our community mental health system," Acting Commissioner Smith said. "It is also important to note that this will result in no hospital layoffs and no privatization of existing services."

The population of the state's psychiatric hospitals -- including the five hospitals for adult patients and one for youth -- would decrease from 1,945 to 1,557. Community services to be expanded include: group homes and supervised apartments and support services for those residents; crisis/respite care; substance abuse programs; case management; and supportive housing and rental subsidies.

Meetings will be held with interested groups and a public hearing will be scheduled in May in the Morris County area to obtain public input before the plan is finalized in June. Acting Commissioner Smith and Alan Kaufman, director of the Division of Mental Health Services, will be available for press inquiries today. Call the above number to schedule an interview.