en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/678582 Comments by Kerbchek http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/09/28/state-looks-to-close-one-of-four-mental-health-institutions-in-iowa#IDComment37404772 The Kirbride is a huge building... probably not necessary for less than 100 patients! Sell the Kirkbride to a casino developer (imagine the grand building all fixed up to is original glory), move the MHI to a smaller facility, and triple the available jobs in the area!! Whatever happens, shrinking the number of mental health hospital beds in Iowa will be a mistake. Cutting services should absolutely NOT be an option, however abandoning a huge buildging will cost the state millions in the long run to dispose of, so a reuse plan for those structures is a must, whatever it would be, if closing becomes and option (which I really hope doesn't happen right now) Tue, 6 Oct 2009 02:19:30 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2009/09/28/state-looks-to-close-one-of-four-mental-health-institutions-in-iowa#IDComment37404772