MENTAL HOSPITALS: Mission Viejo System to Close Doors This Month

      Charter Behavioral Health System of Mission Viejo, "Orange County's only free-standing psychiatric hospital," will close on Oct. 27, the Orange County Register reports. Crescent Operating Inc., which in 1997 spent $400 million to purchase Charter's 88 mental health facilities, "has been struggling since to meet leasing and other financial obligations" and announced in July that it would close or consolidate some of its hospitals. Although Crescent treats 1,500 patients a year, the hospital expects "little patient disruption" as it is one of 17 county facilities "equipped to handle psychiatric emergencies." South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach now is accepting some of Charter's patients. Some of Charter's 90 staff members have been offered jobs at Charter facilities in Los Angeles or Riverside counties, Charter spokesperson Karen Jenkins said (Crabtree, 9/30).