
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 6, 1990                   TAG: 9004060946
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MENTAL-HEALTH FUNDS WERE SQUANDERED

THE ASSOCIATED Press reported March 24 that a federal program to provide community mental-health services to the poor and uninsured is an "abysmal failure" because up to $100 million was squandered providing for-profit hospitals with such things as swimming pools and tennis courts.

I believe this is a national scandal. The most vunerable citizens of our country will be denied the vital health care that these services could provide. I am concerned and shocked that the funding for this federal program was not sufficiently monitored. I believe that we, as citizens, are entitled to an explanation and restitution from the abusers of this program.

\ MRS. JEAN FORREST\ ROANOKE

by CNB