WBRZ - Baton Rouge

PINEVILLE - State health officials have completed the transfer of psychiatric patients from a south Louisiana facility to Central Louisiana State Hospital in Pineville.

The process began in early October with the transfer of 23 female patients from Southeast Louisiana Hospital, located in Mandeville.

The transition was completed Tuesday with the transfer of 22 men to Central.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Hospitals says the moves have increased the number of patients at Central, and doubled from 60 to 120 the number of "intermediate beds," a classification that accommodates patients whose stays at facilities run for a month or more.

DHH is closing the Mandeville facility and increasing bed capacity at Central and at Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson.