More patients are moving from Mayview State Hospital as part of an effort to maintain people with serious mental illnesses in community settings.

The state shut one of Mayview's wards in August after 30 people were discharged from the South Fayette hospital. Beds were reduced from 285 to 255.

Officials said yesterday that seven other patients have since moved out and that plans call for 23 more to move by June 30.

Bed capacity at the hospital is being reduced as patients leave, said Mary Jeanne Serafin, the hospital's chief executive officer, noting 249 beds are currently available. Once those 30 people have moved, another ward at the hospital will be closed, she said.

After that happens, officials will continue efforts to move "as many patients as possible to the community," she said.

At a meeting yesterday in Bethel Park, Linda Zelch, director of operations for the state Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, noted that the efforts at Mayview and other state hospitals are driven in part by court decisions directing that people with mental illnesses be served, when possible, in community settings.

She said that currently there are no specific plans to close any of those hospitals.

Officials reiterated that the downsizing efforts do not involve a forensic unit at Mayview that provides evaluation and treatment for people in the criminal justice system.

They spoke at a meeting at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South that updated plans to improve community mental health services in the counties served by Mayview. The hospital accepts patients from community hospitals in Allegheny, Beaver, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties.

Since they have moved, only a few patients have been hospitalized for mental health care, nearly all of them for short periods, and none has returned to Mayview for treatment, said Mary Fleming, chief executive officer for Allegheny HealthChoices, which is developing a plan to improve behavioral health care in the area served by Mayview.

In addition, none of those patients has been in jail or become homeless, she said.

At the meeting, officials presented data indicating that most people who have moved are living in housing that provides varying degrees of support and supervision.

About 6 percent live with relatives, but more than 80 percent have support from family members.

Assessments of patients who had been at Mayview for more than two years indicated that nearly three out of four felt ready to live outside the hospital.

Still, 35 percent said they wanted daily support from staff members. Many indicated they may need help with various tasks, including preparing meals, grocery shopping, keeping appointments and taking their medication.

More than half said they would like help "finding things to do." But many said they would like to work or pursue educational opportunities.