Mo. Senate OKs sale of mental health facility

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Senate has approved the sale of the Nevada Habilitation Center and plans to have a developer build up to nine group homes on the current site.

The center uses dormitories to house 95 people with developmental disabilities, including autism, Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy. The group homes are expected to cut administrative and medical costs.

Senators approved the bill 32-0 on Wednesday. It must be approved by the House. Families had voiced concern that selling the habilitation center would cause developmentally disabled residents to be sent to facilities around the state.

The bill also authorizes the sale of several other unused pieces of land such as the Central Missouri Correctional Center and a closed state school in Marshfield.

Land sale bill is HB2317.