Activists decry reduced mental health services at San Jose's Good Samaritan Hospital
SAN JOSE -- Mental health advocates were rallying Monday morning in the South Bay against the closure of acute psychiatric beds at Good Samaritan Hospital.
The San Jose hospital announced the closure in May. The move will lead to the elimination of psychiatric beds. The hospital says they will continue to offer emergency behavioral health services. The inpatient unit is scheduled to close on August 20th.
"We need to have more beds. If we don't have more beds and we have a reduction in beds, it just means more people will not be served in our community and their conditions will get worse," said former State Senator Jim Beall, who was protesting alongside activists.
The hospital is also shutting down their pediatric intensive care unit. In a statement released to KPIX, hospital officials said they "will continue to coordinate a smooth transition for the care of our patients and those care providers impacted by this closure."