Templeton Area Advisory Group discusses plan for mental health hospital.
Below you will find a letter Dr. Castellanos sent to the Templeton Area Advisory Group and County of San Luis Obispo, Planning and Building Department voicing his concerns regarding the proposed psychiatric facility here in our community.
Dear Sir and Madams,
To reiterate my concerns I stated at the meeting held at Vineyard Elementary School, Thursday, November 20, 2014, I strongly do not see the benefit of the proposed psychiatric hospital and services for our community and surrounding areas.
Apparently, this project has been ongoing for two to three years, yet there have not been any physicians interviewed about the possible need for such a facility in our community.
I strongly disapprove of having such a facility in our community. I would recommend that our medical establishments concentrate on options that bring trained health providers into our counties. What we need are counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and family physicians, like myself, who are trained in psychiatry. Outpatient services are much needed.
My training at Stanford University included training at Menlo Park Hospital (One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest Film site) and has familiarized me very well with various psychiatric conditions and services. Throughout my 37 years of practicing medicine, including 7000 medical trauma center hours, I have found it to be a rare occasion that I would need to have a patient hospitalized in a locked facility.
I hope this will assist the county in making the proper decisions regarding the above proposal and the negative impact it would have on our community.
For Better Health,
Alexander F. Castellanos M.D.
cs/ AC
