THOMASVILLE — Southwestern State Hospital in Thomasville will close during a four-year plan designed to improve mental health services statewide, according to people in the communications office of the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR).

District 173 state Rep. Mike Keown said Tuesday the hospital is scheduled to close by 2012.

The buck was passed Wednesday from Thomasville to Atlanta as the Times-Enterprise sought information about the situation.

Southwestern, which employs 800 to 900 people, is Thomas County’s third-largest employer, after Archbold Memorial Hospital and Thomas County Schools.

Through a spokesman in her office, Hillary Hoo-you, Southwestern administrator, referred questions Wednesday morning to an individual in the governor’s office.

The individual did not return a phone call from the newspaper. Instead, Mallie McCord, deputy press secretary in the governor’s office, returned the call several hours later and referred questions to DHR.

Late Wednesday afternoon, DHR spokesmen said the Southwestern closing is part of a four-year plan to put day-to-day operation of state-owned facilities in private management.

“This would include revamping facilities and building new hospitals in the state,” said David Noel, DHR spokesman.

A plan for community-based services is being put together. Services previously offered at state hospitals would provided by mental health providers who specialize in the services. Providers might be in Thomasville or in an adjoining community.

“You’re not putting people in facilities for long periods of time,” Noel explained about the change in treatment of the mentally ill.

“There’s no reason to panic,” said Dena Smith, DHR public information officer.

The decision to close a hospital would be made when the updated care plan is in place in a community, Smith said.

She said state hospitals are outdated. “This is not a death sentence,” Smith added. “It’s good news.”

Officials said none of Georgia’s state mental hospitals are designed for today’s mental health issues.

No hospitals will close until needed and better services are in place.

Noel said employment opportunities will exist for hospital staff in new, expanded services. Plans consider current employees, according to Smith.

Smith said she did not know what would be done with buildings remaining when hospitals closed nor did she know how many Southwestern employees would be able to find jobs in new services.

Smith said it was unfair for a Times-Enterprise reporter to ask her about buildings and employment possibilities in a four-year plan.

“They all need people, and there is no way to say how many right now,” she added.

Other state mental hospital closings would depend on services available in a region.

Two new state-of-the-art hospitals would be built, Smith said, but she did not know where. Neither did she know how many counties the Thomasville hospital serves.

Officials said the plan would result in more community-based mental health services than are currently available.