Prince George's ready to give funds to Dimensions Healthcare System - Washington Business Journal:

Prince George's County leaders said they see no reason to continue withholding funds from the ailing Dimensions Healthcare System, which one month ago was locked in a bitter battle with the county that reached the state appeals court.

"We just have to sit down and figure out a timeframe for when we will transfer money," said County Executive Jack Johnson to Prince George's Hospital Center staffers in a joint meeting Friday morning with Dimensions Chairman Bill Williams. "Then we will come up with a blueprint for long-term success and work on it together."

Since June, the county had suppressed $14 million in funding allocated to Dimensions to keep it operational until June 2008, when a long-term solution could come in effect. The county's decision to ultimately unfreeze the funds lays to rest fears that the cash-poor system might close its six facilities, which serve a total 180,000 people a year.

The newly coordinated efforts between the county and Dimensions is a reversal of their relationship from even one month ago....