Missouri Governor Closes Bellefontaine Habilitation Center
February 7, 2005 Missouri Governor Closes Bellefontaine Habilitation Center On January 26, 2005, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt announced that as part of the state's budget agenda, the Bellefontaine Habilitation Center, which houses mentally retarded and developmentally disabled individuals, is to be closed by July 1, 2005. All residents are to be moved into private and community-based residential facilities. The facility was recommended for closure in order to decrease state expenditures and due to reports of resident abuse. Nineteen million dollars in state funds is to be saved by the closure. The facility currently houses 430 individuals.The savings . . .