Lafayette psychiatric hospital plans to reopen

The psychiatric unit of Home Hospital in Lafayette is expected to reopen in the next week after being closed for the past 14 months, according to the Journal & Courier of Lafayette.

Home Hospital, which is operated by Lafayette-based St. Elizabeth Regional Health, closed in January 2007 when three psychiatrists stopped providing inpatient services at the hospital. At the time, St. Elizabeth officials said a shortage of psychiatric doctors, particularly those willing to provide inpatient care, which pays less than outpatient care, led to the closing of the 20-bed unit.

The new unit could have fewer beds, the newspaper reported.