Strickland also vetoed an allocation of $6.3 million to the facility to create a crisis care center at Twin Valley.

Earlier this year, Strickland announced plans to close the mental hospital July 1 and move patient care to other state facilities.

The move came in a wave of budget cuts across every state agency, including mental health.

House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, had attempted to keep the facility open for six additional months.

He inserted an amendment in the state capitol budget bill, but Tuesday Strickland vetoed the budget language pertaining to Twin Valley.

In an interview with WHIOTV.COM, Husted said the governor had told him of his intention to veto the plan.

“I thought it was a fair compromise that we placed in the bill and I was really disappointed that he decided to veto it. Frankly, now the burden lies on the governor to come up with another solution that is acceptable to the community,” Husted said.

Husted said if the governor does not come up with a solution that is acceptable; the issue will be revisited by the legislature in an effort to solve the problem.

The closure of Twin Valley will mean the loss of 110 mental hospital beds and 210 jobs.

Final shutdown of the facility has been slated for July 1.

Bryan Bucklew, President and CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, was equally disappointed with the governor’s action.

“While this was critically important for our community, it was one of a number of things that we need to do to continue to provide quality mental health services in our area. We must figure out how to replace the 110 psychiatric beds that we are losing,” Bucklew said.

Bucklew said community leaders need to pull together and reinvent how they provide mental health services in the community.

In his veto message, Strickland repeated his pledge to work towards a solution.

“The state will continue working with local communities to explore alternative uses for facilities,” Strickland said.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com