Fulton State Hospital, built in 1851, houses Missouri’s only maximum security psychiatric facility and is the oldest state psychiatric hospital west of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, this facility has long been underfunded and is in such a state of disrepair that it poses safety threats to patients and staff.
Governor Jay Nixon recently announced that he is making $11 million available for planning and designing a new maximum and intermediate security psychiatric facility in Fulton. His fiscal year (FY) 2015 budget recommendations will include a plan to fund the remainder of the $211 million construction project through a bond issuance.
The legislature actually appropriated the $11 million for the new facility in the FY 2014 budget, and this funding was supposed to be available months ago. Unfortunately, this money was part of the $400 million Nixon withheld earlier this year to convince lawmakers to uphold his veto of a historic tax cut bill. I am encouraged, however, that the Governor has realized the need for a new facility and finally decided to release the appropriated funds.
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The legislature has long recognized the need for a new psychiatric hospital in Fulton. Last February, members of the Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services committee toured the crumbling facility, and we were appalled by the conditions. Machinery from the World War II era is still in use, and some buildings are left unused because they are beyond repair. After this tour, I released a statement expressing my support for including the funds needed to construct the new facility in a bonding package.
The Fulton State Hospital provides critical services to Missourians with the greatest mental health needs, and I look forward to working with Governor Nixon to secure the funding for a new psychiatric hospital. By dedicating additional resources to mental health services, we can ensure that staff members have a safe work environment and are able to care for patients in a high-quality facility.