The Douglas administration wants to replace the aging Vermont State Hospital with a new, 15-bed unit in Waterbury and regional facilities in Rutland and White River Junction.

A leading mental health advocate says the state has failed to make progress on treating mentally ill people at regional hospitals. So he says the state should replace the aging state hospital in Waterbury with a new facility.

The Vermont House has voted to give the canteen at the Vermont State Hospital a reprieve.

Senator Bernie Sanders says he's hopeful the federal government will recertify the Vermont State Hospital and restore its funding.

State officials hope that regional hospitals and a new state institution will ultimately replace the Vermont state hospital in Waterbury. Vermont has been under pressure for years to close its century-old mental health facility. But finding a solution has been difficult and expensive.

For the second time in a year, the Vermont State Hospital was denied federal certification.  We talk about what's next for the facility with the state's Mental Health Commissioner Michael Hartman and Rep. Anne Donahue.  Also, catalytic converters create a rise in a rare element, and we stop by Beansie's snack bus.

The federal government is denying certification for the Vermont State Hospital, citing physical problems and patient care lapses at the aging Waterbury psychiatric hospital.

The future of the antiquated Vermont State Hospital is among the decisions facing lawmakers this year as they address a capital projects bill that will have ramifications for the handling of the mentally ill.

Some Vermont state employees are upset by a new requirement that all workers have their pay deposited directly into their banks.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: The Douglas Administration may have to fill a seven million dollar hole in the budget next year because the federal government says it will not pay for patient care at the Vermont State Hospital; Consumer advocate and presidential candidate Ralph Nader is visiting Vermont and New Hampshire...

Federal regulators have denied the Vermont State Hospital's application to regain certification and Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Architects say replacing the Vermont State Hospital with a new building would cost between $14 million and $21 million.

Some state lawmakers are concerned that progress has all but stalled in the state's efforts to close the Vermont State Hospital. Lawmakers say the hospital has shown improvement in the day-to-day care and management at the existing hospital and the development of new long-term rehabilitation options.

Some steps are being taken toward closing and replacing the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury; an energy efficiency measure that became a major political fight between the governor and the Legislature last year is becoming law today; Vermont's faltering economy is being blamed by Democratic legislators who have abandoned a plan to change the state's capital gains tax; senior centers in six Vermont communities are sharing in federal money that will pay for renovations and improvements.

Here are the top stories at 7:30 a.m.: On the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the commander of the Vermont National Guard says the force is preparing for a "large-scale deployment'' to the Middle East within the next two years; After several hours of debate, the Vermont House gave its preliminary approval late Tuesday afternoon to legislation that backers say will create additional affordable housing units throughout the state...

A new wing may be built at Rutland Regional Medical Center to house an expanded psychiatric program. As VPR's Ross Sneyd reports, the plan is part of a larger effort to replace the Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury.