Sagamore Children’s Psych Center in Dix Hills could remain open, but with limited beds

A psychiatric center in Dix Hills that planned to close this summer could remain open, but with only half of its beds. A plan to completely close Sagamore Children's Psych Center this summer was first

News 12 Staff

Feb 19, 2014, 4:10 AM

Updated 4,085 days ago

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A psychiatric center in Dix Hills that planned to close this summer could remain open, but with only half of its beds.
A plan to completely close Sagamore Children's Psych Center this summer was first announced by the state last year. The plan did not go over well with parents or former patients, who said the intensive inpatient services are crucial and lifesaving to troubled Long Island children.
A revised plan would keep the center open at least through next March, but with 27 beds instead of its current 54.
The state says it is focused on expanding on what they call "community-based services," which is designed to shorten inpatient hospital stays.
Parents and some Long Island lawmakers are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reconsider.
The state's Office of Mental Health says local hospitals offering children's inpatient services, including Sagamore, operated below capacity in 2013.
A spokesman told News 12, a multimillion-dollar investment into community-based services will ultimately allow more people to access mental health services.