Groundbreaking Held For New Mental Health Facility

VINITA, Okla. (AP) _ Construction is expected to begin next month on a new 20 million-dollar Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita. <br/><br/>The facility will provide therapy for as many as 200 residents

Saturday, July 15th 2006, 12:52 pm

By: News On 6

VINITA, Okla. (AP) _ Construction is expected to begin next month on a new 20 million-dollar Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita.

The facility will provide therapy for as many as 200 residents who are incompetent to stand trial or judged not guilty by reason of insanity.

More than 80 people turned out yesterday to celebrate the plans for the new center, formerly known as Eastern State Hospital.

The single-story, 100,000 square-foot facility will be organized into eight 25-bed units.

Construction is scheduled to start in late August, with completion to take 15 to 16 months.

Under the direction of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, the project is being financed by bond issues through the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority, an action approved by the Legislature in 2004.