Sen. Vince Illuzzi
Editor’s note: Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, R-Essex-Orleans, made the following comments about S.220, the bill he is introducing this legislative session that would require the Vermont State Hospital to re-open the Canteen, a snack bar that was available for patient use.
Of all the cuts at the Vermont State Hospital, this has generated a lot of opposition on several fronts.
One, there’s a serious dispute as to whether it’s a cost to the General Fund. A lot of folks believe that if they were allowed to charge the prices that they wanted to charge it would have been revenue neutral.
Number two, and probably more important is the therapeutic effect of allowing patients with privileges to go to a store which resembles normal life somewhat detached from the confines of the state hospital.
One thing to be clear here, we’re not talking about the criminally insane. We’re not talking about people who are axe murderers or who have been committed to the hospital for having committed crimes. Many of these people have been there for most of their lives. They’re people who because of a birth defect or a traumatic injury of some type have been consigned to the care of the state hospital. For those who are able to earn privileges and are able to go there it seems as though it’s as therapeutic as anything that you can offer at that institution.
If we can figure out a revenue neutral way to keep it open that’s what I’m going to try to do.
The (administration’s) premise for (closing) it was that it was costing money. So obviously, if we pass a bill that says we’re going to open the canteen, and it’s not going to cost the General Fund any money, I can’t imagine that there’s going to be continued resistance. The arguments from the people who are running it were that they weren’t allowed to charge market prices and therefore it was running in the red.
We have to uncover more facts, but … if there’s a way we can get this thing re-opened we should do it.
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The canteen managed to average over $200,000 in revenues even with very low prices. That should be plenty of money to pay for the cost of running the operation if it is managed properly.
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One wonders whether the closure decision is an indicator of some basic incompetence of the VT mental health adminsitratation.
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It is obvious that the administration was not thinking of the patients when they made this decision.
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The administration NEVER thinks of clients….They ONLY think about looking good for the Department of Justice!
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Sometimes heros come in unlikely packages. It appears that Curtis has overcome incredible odds to care for and advocate for a small minority of our population. The information he has provided and that VT Digger was able to unearth (!) certainly seems to indicate that the decision to close the Canteen was more for show than to really make a budgetary difference. Meanwhile, the people most effected by the closure — the VSH patients — lose again. The VSH looks less and less like a therapeutic environment and more and more like a medieval dungeon. Even the Corrections facilities, where convicted criminals are housed, have canteens and cafeterias for their inmates.
I commend Curtis, the VSH/Canteen staff, and VT Digger for their articulate and well-researched advocacy.
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It would be wonderful for the clients and State employees if the canteen could be re-opened. I was the assistant coordinator for 6 months there before it closed. I think the hospital is really looking forward to downsizing and moving to new locations. There would be no need for a canteen in Waterbury since the hospital proposes having a 15 bed only there with elderly folks who cannot get around so well. I do not see the canteen being re-opened but it is worth a shot. Good luck to you!
Erin
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Curtis,
Do you really think they care about money???!!! They wanted it to go because they are downsizing the hospital…that is it and that is all!
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The department has been trying to downsize the hospital for over a decade. I remember back in 1996 the plan was to downsize to two wards, but they couldn’t do it. I don’t believe their plan to downsize now is adequate either. If they really thought they could close the hospital they would not have spent millions of dollars renovating it so that it would pass inspection by CMS and get certified. That looks like good taxpayer money flushed down the toilet. After all these years they still have not been able to get certified.