Mental‑health agency seeks planning funds for Whiting Forensic replacement, sprinkler projects and facility repairs

Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) Commissioner Nancy Navarrete told the bonding subcommittee the agency’s capital priorities include planning and design for a replacement maximum‑security psychiatric hospital, systemwide facility repairs and upgrades to sprinklers and fire‑suppression systems at inpatient facilities.

Why it matters: DMHAS operates inpatient hospitals and a network of community providers that serve tens of thousands of Connecticut residents each year. The department said some campus buildings date from the mid‑20th century, and aging infrastructure has created care and safety challenges that require targeted capital investment.

Major points from testimony - Whiting Forensic Hospital: DMHAS requested $50 million in FY26 for planning and design to replace Whiting, described as the state’s only maximum‑security psychiatric hospital; the current facility dates to 1966 and, the commissioner said, is not conducive to modern care and recovery. - Sprinkler and fire‑safety work: The governor’s proposed capital budget included $25 million for design and installation of sprinkler and fire suppression systems with primary focus on inpatient units in Bridgeport; DMHAS said other hospitals and inpatient wings also have antiquated systems. - Facility repairs: The agency requested $60 million across the biennium for repairs that include roofs, HVAC upgrades, electrical overhauls, generator replacement and other infrastructure work across more than 70 state‑owned buildings and inpatient units. - Grants to nonprofits: DMHAS has unallocated balances in provider grants that are used for urgent repairs at community residential and outpatient facilities; the department said ARPA and other funds have been used in recent years but grant authority remains important for community providers.

Questions from lawmakers and follow‑up Lawmakers asked about timetables for Bridgeport sprinkler work; DMHAS staff said design contracts had been recently awarded and that design work would take roughly a year before installation could begin. Several legislators suggested federal or philanthropic opportunities may supplement state capital funds for big renovation projects.

Ending Commissioner Navarrete asked the subcommittee to consider the requested planning and construction funds as essential to patient and staff safety and to enable modern rehabilitation and treatment environments, and offered to provide more project‑level details to the committee as designs progress.