Group gathers at Missouri state Capitol to protest 300 jobs eliminated at state psychiatric hospital

From KBAI radio in Missouri:

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- About 20 people gathered on the south steps of the Capitol building in Jefferson City today to protest the elimination of more jobs at Fulton State Hospital. Nearly 300 people will lose their jobs. This will result in the elimination of services for over 4,000 people suffering from mental illness.

Nurse Karen Morts says all these patients will have nowhere to receive treatment or care. She says that none of the proposed alternative facilities for mental illness patients will work.

"But, you know, we already have clients on the waiting list to go those facilities, and they are on waiting lists because there are no beds."

Morts also took 2500 signed petition cards and presented them to Governor Nixon's office. She says the Department of Mental Health plans these cuts despite a series of budget reforms presented to Nixon's administration by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME.

"In this economy, I'm sorry, you don't kick your baby to the curb and build a new house. And that's kind of what they are doing."

AFSCME says state service contracts, corporate tax credits and special tax breaks all have been untouched by budget cuts and could save the hospital with minimal reduction.