MONTROSE -- A substance-abuse program for the mentally ill at the veterans hospital will close its doors today.

Hospital administrators at the FDR campus of the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System last week said the unit has repeatedly failed to meet its goals and that they were shutting it down in accordance with union guidelines.

Administrators could not be reached yesterday to elaborate on the unit's shortcomings. The last two patients in the unit have completed their program but will remain in the hospital, moving to the next phase of treatment, a hospital spokeswoman said. Between January 2001 and February 2002, the unit for the mentally ill and chemically addicted served 262 patients.

[continues 677 words]