02.07.12 State Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce Greenstein, in a Monday letter to Mayor Mitch Landrieu, pledged that his agency will work to mitigate the effects of cuts to mental health services at Louisiana State University's New Orleans hospital. Greenstein also blamed LSU administrators for bed closures and impending layoffs in the statewide hospital system, denying that Gov. Bobby Jindal's budget priorities - and his administration's maneuvers after a drop in projected state tax revenue late last year - are responsible.

"LSU is not making these cuts in response to a midyear deficit," he wrote. The secretary charged LSU administrators with a "lack of thoughtful planning . regarding the reductions themselves and their implementation."