Gov. Healey pauses plan to close rehabilitation hospital for children in Canton
The state has paused plans to close Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children in Canton, and the Pocasset Mental Health Center in Bourne following outcry from the community.
Gov. Maura Healey said she wants to hear from patients, families and workers before a final decision is made.
Built more than a century ago to aid disabled children and young adults, Pappas has a school with classrooms, a handicapped accessible pool and therapies like horseback riding. Last month, as part of budget cuts, Governor Maura Healey put Pappas on the chopping block, claiming closing it would save millions.
The Healey administration was planning to relocate the kids at Pappas to a hospital in the western part of the state. Families and staff say they were never consulted about the plan and fought back.
In a statement Monday night, Gov. Maura Healey said the plans to close the facilities are paused.
Statement from Gov. Healey
"Over the past few weeks, I have heard directly from patients, families and staff about the important role that Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children and Pocasset Mental Health Center play in their communities.
I'm deeply grateful for their feedback, as well as for the hard work of our teams at the Department of Public Health and Department of Mental Health, who are focused on ensuring that all patients receive the high-quality, modernized, specialized care they need and deserve.
At this time, I've directed them to pause their plans to close Pappas and Pocasset so that we can bring together a diverse group of stakeholders - including patients, families, labor, local officials, and medical professionals- to conduct a further review of the care offered at these facilities and make recommendations on the best path forward to ensure we are providing the highest quality of care with the resources at hand."
Staff, families fight back
Teachers, nurses and patients' families told the WBZ I-Team they were blindsided by the proposal to close Pappas.
"To think they're just a budget issue will never sit well with me," nurse Maureen Arnstein said. "They're more than a line on a budget. They are human beings that just do things in a different way."
"A huge mistake"
At the State House on Tuesday, families, residents and caregivers protested the proposed shutdown of Pappas, saying they will keep the pressure on state leaders.
Parents Joe and Traci Connors told WBZ Pappas has been a wonderful, safe space for their son to thrive. "It's a chance for these kids to be kids," Joe Connors said. "He has his friends; he has his peers that he does things with."
Families say the sprawling property was more valuable to the state than the needs of a vulnerable population of children. Families told the I-Team there are other ways to save money.
"Closing the facility is a huge mistake," Joe Connors said. "It's a regular community. It's not just a facility this is children trying to be children."
