Following a $5 million state budget cut, East Mississippi State Hospital (EMSH) in Meridian will eliminate 74 positions and consolidate services with the main state hospital in Whitfield.

Recreational staff, administrative staff and teachers at the adolescent unit make up the 74 positions the hospital will have to abolish. 

EMSH, a state-run facitility, provides behavoiral health, chemical dependency and nursing home services to residents in East Mississippi. 

Charles Carlisle, the director of EMSH, said the hospital will try to move some employees to the main hospital, also known as the Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield, or arrange transfers to other government positions that will let them keep their retirement benefits.

“Several of them may be moved over to the main hospital, such as direct care staff, nurses and psychologists,” Carlisle said. “But there was a school (here), the Magnolia Grove School. It was a non-public, accredited school and we had (around 8) teachers there and all of them will lose their positions here at East Mississippi.”

For others, Carlisle said he hopes to find local government positions.  

“We’re going to see if we can find places for them. If not at this hospital then at those other state or county agencies that are part of the retirement system,” Carlisle said.

Agencies like Weems Community Mental Health Center, school districts, The city of Meridian, Meridian Community College and others needing administrative staff could potentially hire former EMSH employees. This would allow those workers to keep their retirement benefits and stay local.

But, Carlisle said, no services will be cut. Rather, the Bradley Sanders Adolescent Complex will be consolidated with the Oak Circle Center at Mississippi State Hospital in Whitfield to offer psychiatric treatment to children and adolescents. 

Carlisle said the census and waiting list had been declining for the facility before the recent budget cuts. 

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) overall faces a $19.7 million cut, with EMSH accounting for around 25 percent, or $5 million, of that cut. 

Because of these cuts, the DMH has stopped admissions to nursing homes at EMSH and Mississippi State Hospital. Carlisle said the hospital had about 180 nursing home residents and said he hopes the DMH will lift the hold soon.

Carlisle said he didn’t anticipate closing any other services to absorb the cuts. 

“We’re going to be looking at ways to save money across the board and do our best to be more fiscally responsible with our tax dollars,” Carlisle said. 

In Newton, Central Mississippi Residential Center, the only facility of its kind in Mississippi, expects to take a $1.1 million cut in funding, according to the DMH. The center provides temporary, voluntary treatment to individuals facing a mental health crisis. Law enforcement utilizes the 16-bed facility to get individuals treatment and divert them from incarceration. When no beds are available for immediate, short-term care, law enforcement may send someone experiencing a mental health crisis to jail instead.