Senate Passes Bill to Close Southbury Training School

Southbury Training School, as well as five regional centers for residents with intellectual disabilities, will now close because of a bill passed by the Senate Wednesday, according to the Hartford Courant. The plan for closing affects a total of over 450 people at Southbury and the regional centers.

High costs to maintain the facilities and residents, as well as the dwindling adult population in Southbury, called for this course of action, according to the Courant. The 1,600-acre campus costs the state about $262,000 per year per resident in Southbury.

The Bill was passed on a 25-10 vote and was presumed as a “done deal,” the Courant reported. Lawmakers approved a measure that is supposed to provide an outline for future plans.

The plan is supposed to be carried out by Dec. 15, according to the Courant. The ten members who voted against the bill questioned it being a “done deal” and how this will affect current workers in the facilities.

For a story that covers the complete history of the Southbury Training School please click here.

Read the full Hartford Courant story here.