THERE IS A population that must not be ignored as the state government moves to sell the State Hospital property off Columbia’s Bull Street. That is the 70 mentally ill children now residing at the facility’s Hall Institute.

Hall Institute is the only hospital in South Carolina that accepts children who are committed for mental health treatment by the courts — children who become wards of the state. These aren’t the type of patients private psychiatric facilities seek. They can be violent, aggressive or prone to set fires. They may be sex offenders or pose a danger to themselves or others.

The state Mental Health Commission has proposed using money from the sale of the 178-acre State Hospital grounds to pay for a new, $18 million children’s psychiatric hospital to treat these patients. It says the facility would take 28 months to build, once the project is approved. The state Mental Health Department is slated to get half the proceeds from the sale of the property. The property is estimated to bring in $16 million to $32 million.

Caring for the children involved while any new facility is built would be an issue. Proposals that they remain at Bull Street while the project moves ahead may not be workable. The Mental Health Department, its commissioners and state leaders, including the governor and members of the Budget and Control Board, must act responsibly with several goals in mind, including the safe treatment of these children and the best outcome for this unique property.

Long-term, the commission’s plan to build a new, comprehensive treatment facility for these patients may be the best plan. However, the execution of this plan must be carefully scrutinized. The Mental Health Department will still own a good deal of property, even with the loss of its Bull Street campus. Placement of the youth hospital — particularly if state funds go to build a brand-new facility, or to extensively renovate an old one — must be executed carefully and in the context of full planning for all of the department’s property. There is no sense renovating or building on any state property that could become more surplus acreage in the near future.

Mr. Sanford has pushed for the state to divest itself of property it does not need. He has won support for that position, this large sale being the best example. Members of the Mental Health Commission and the department’s administration should ensure they adequately consult with the governor and other elected leaders about their plans and priorities.

The sale of this property is crucial for the state and for the improvement of Columbia’s city center. The long-term stewardship of all state property is important — the days of agencies holding onto acreage for vague future needs are gone. And the mission of ensuring high-quality mental health care for all our citizens is no less important than it ever was. These are many priorities for the state to balance as it moves forward with this project and its repercussions. But that balancing must be done, and no need stands out any more than ensuring that young people whose mental condition makes them wards of our state get high-quality, helpful treatment in a safe and effective facility.