The Mental Health Institute in Mount Pleasant will remain open and state run until December. State Representative Dave Heaton and another legislator announced Friday that they had reached an agreement with Governor Terry Branstad’s office and the Department of Human Services.

Heaton says under the agreement, the state will continue to operate the substance abuse services at the Mount Pleasant facility through December 15^th. After January 1^st of 2016, the Department of Human Services will identify a substance abuse treatment provider in the private sector to operate the facility and provide mental health and substance abuse dual diagnosis services.

The Mental Health Institute was set to close by June 30^th. Some staff has already been laid off, but Heaton says the staff needed to continue the substance abuse services remain employed.

Listen to our conversation with Representative Heaton during today’s In Touch with Southeast Iowa.