State Rep. Mary Whiteford, chair of the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the governor’s announcement to halt the Caro Psychiatric Hospital development project:

“The lives and well-being of Michigan residents are on the line. Our state’s mental health care system is failing, this is no time to halt the development of this beautiful, clean and safe facility.

“As a former nurse, I’ve seen the need for better care in our state. We simply cannot wait any longer to get this project started. People are in desperate need of treatment and our prisons continue to be filled with individuals who require mental health care intervention.

“I would love for us to continue the Caro project to get the facility open, and finally provide the mental health solutions our state desperately needs.”