The Shumlin administration says it intends to build a replacement for the Vermont State Hospital adjacent to the Central Vermont Medical Center.
That’s the site that is preferred by mental health advocates and officials in the town of Berlin.
Governor Peter Shumlin chose the location near the hospital over another site a short distance away.
Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding says that unless some unforeseen problem develops, the state will buy the site and apply for the permits needed to build the 25-bed hospital.
Last summer, Tropical Storm Irene flooded the antiquated 54-bed State Hospital in Waterbury, forcing state officials to confront the long-running problems at the hospital and replace it