Proposal to Close Lakeshore Mental Health Institute
Broadcast Date: November 20, 2011
After a week of public debate, there are still more questions than answers in the Haslam administration's announcement that Lakeshore Mental Health Institute is being recommended for closing.
State Mental Health Commissioner Doug Varney says the action would continue the trend of moving mental health services to the private sector.
In the first segment of this week's program Gene Patterson's guests explain what Lakeshore's closing would mean. They are Ben Harrington, who is executive director of the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee, and Rev. George Doebler, who worked at Lakeshore from 1972 to 1985 and is the former chief of chaplins for the Department of Mental Health.
Later in the Pundits Panel segments, Gene is joined by 6 News political analyst George Korda, Cortney Piper of Piper Communications, and Metropulse Managing Editor Jesse Mayshark. They talk about the proposal to close Lakeshore, as well as Mayor-elect Madeline Rogero's selection of two key members of her administration and remarks made by a Tennessee legislator about Muslims serving in the U.S. military.
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#1 Mental Hospitals
So, the anticipation is to close another Mental Health Facility; Well Ronald Regan did it in '82. What did we get? Government cost increased, while we obtained, homeless, mentally ill patients. No work, no place for shelter; just more burden for the private citizen. Now, to pay both, the public over sight, and the private care giver. Oh, if karma is your belief; I ask, how did President Regan die? Without a mind. Dave Hancock
#2 Lakeshore Mental Health Institute
I am sorry to see Lakeshore close.
I always found the staff to be very kind, helpful and dedicated.
Dr. Leela B. Sud is a very compassionate physician who worked there for many years. She provided excellent care to her patients.
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