City to close four mental health centers

January 21, 2009 (CHICAGO) "We're consolidating services as the result of budget cuts at the state and city level. The combination of the two are requiring us to consolidate to provide services in a more efficient way," said Dr. Terry Mason, department of Public Health commissioner. "Eight remaining; four will be folding."

The city plans to close:

Back Of The Yards Clinic, 4313 south Ashland

Greater Grand, 4314 South Cottage Grove

Beverly-Morgan Park, 1987 West 111th Street

and Woodlawn Clinic, 6337 S. Woodlawn

The North River facility may also be closed, according to officials. However, eight sites will remain open.

"We will sending individual notices alerting them where they currently go and if it going to change where they can go... they will be able to go anywhere in the city. We are not restricting them," said Dr. Mason.

"Every person that comes to us will continue to receive services. We have implemented electronic medical records so no matter where we deliver the services the records will follow," said Sylvia Riperton-Lewis, deputy health commissioner. "They will be able to go to any of our seven or eight locations throughout the city."

The consolidation will take another three or four months, but Dr. Mason said patients should be notified of the plans by February.

According to Dr. Mason, Mayor Richard Daley is committed to funding mental health in Chicago and will continue to contribute $6 billion.