Layoffs at Brookhaven’s Mississippi Adolescent Center wereconfirmed Thursday morning when officials there said 16 employeeswould be released as part of a move to bring the facility underbudget for the coming fiscal year.

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is promising to helpthose 16 employees find other work within the agency by July 16 -when their positions at MAC will end – but new positions aren’tguaranteed.

Additionally, MAC will close one of its three 16-bed dormitoriesand combine its 30 remaining clients into the remaining twofacilities. The move is already under way.

The adolescent center’s troubles are rooted in a fiscal year 2011funding cut of more than $880,000, bringing the facility’s annualbudget down from $4.8 million to $3.9. The facility has lost morethan $1 million in funding over the last two years, when it wasfunded above $5 million annually.

MAC treats adolescent males, age 13-21, for intellectual anddevelopmental disabilities.