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A Montgomery County community could be losing behavioral health care services aimed at older residents.
Unionized staff at Suburban Community Hospital in Norristown said the facility’s behavioral health unit serving people 55 and older stopped admitting new patients about two weeks ago. More than a dozen nurses and therapy professionals who staffed the unit have been laid off.
Carrie Walz, a registered nurse at the hospital for 15 years, is among those who lost their jobs. She said she worries about the patients, who need specialized care.
“Some people may find other places to go to, but some may not,” she said. “Some people may call and they’re not getting an answer, not getting an answer, not getting an answer, leaving messages and nobody is calling back because nobody is checking it, and so they might just give up.”