From the [Nashville] Tennessean:

Tennessee state officials have announced plans to eliminate nearly 1,400 positions over the next 13 months – primarily from state agencies that serve people with intellectual disabilities and mental health issues.

Eighteen agencies will see their payrolls reduced, but the vast majority will come in two areas: the Department of Mental Health, which will lay off as many as 254 workers, and the Division of Mental Retardation Services, which will lose 298 workers.

… “We just have to cut everything in sight,” Finance Commissioner Dave Goetz said. “It’s the sign in the window at the closing-business sales, ‘Everything must go.’”

Most of the job losses are expected to come from state institutions which have been gradually shifting residents to state-funded community and home-care programs. Advocates say they will not oppose the reduction as long as the state continues to invest in community programs.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 11:11 am and is filed under budget, institutionalization, intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.