For comments Those seeking to comment are asked to register by contacting Dorothy Owens at 412-257-6200 or dowens@state.pa.us. Written testimony also is being accepted.

State and local officials fielded a steady stream of questions yesterday about plans to close Mayview State Hospital and provide care for most patients in community settings.

About 100 people with mental illnesses, their family members, service providers and others attended a meeting at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South. The meeting in Bethel Park was hosted by Allegheny HealthChoices, which is developing a plan to improve behavioral health care in the Mayview service area.

Though the South Fayette hospital has been closing beds for months, state officials only announced last week that they planned to close the hospital, which has more than 200 patients, by the end of next year.

Most of the questions at yesterday's meeting focused not on why, but how officials planned to close the hospital.

Officials emphasized that most patients would be sent to group homes or other community settings after a detailed planning process.

"We definitely won't discharge anyone who's not ready to go," said Joan Erney, deputy director for the state Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Some could be sent to other state facilities such as Torrance State Hospital in Westmoreland County, though officials emphasized that they hoped to place most residents in the community.

Some had questions about a proposal by Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, to earmark all revenue from the sale of a state mental health facility to a trust fund for community mental health services.

Ms. Erney said she has favored similar proposals before. While prior closings have not targeted all those revenues to community needs, she echoed earlier statements that adequate funds would be made available.

She also said state employment would be offered to more than 500 employees at Mayview. Some could be in new community mental health services offered by the state, she said.

Tentative plans suggest that referrals to the hospital could end next May, though that proposal has yet to receive state approval, said Mary Fleming, HealthChoices' executive director.

Patients and their families with questions can call 1-877-514-6349.

Officials noted that the give-and-take of yesterday's session would not be repeated Sept. 10, when an all-day public hearing will be held on the Mayview closure, beginning at 9 a.m.

Testimony will be accepted but questions will not be taken, Ms. Erney said, adding that officials may use the input to make plan modifications as the hospital is closed.