New York State Office of Mental Health

The meeting agenda included discussions on several applications and projects. Key discussions involved the merger of Brooks Memorial Hospital with TLC Health Network, where Brooks Memorial Hospital proposed becoming the sponsor following the bankruptcy and restructuring of the current sponsor. This merger required two votes, one for the OMH project and one for the Oasis project, with recommendations for approval pending final approvals from the Department of State and Department of Health. Another significant item concerned a capital project application from Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council of Schenectady County (DBA New Choices Recovery Center) for a $6.27 million acquisition of a new facility at 724 State Street to house outpatient chemical dependence services and administrative offices, necessitated by the current 120-year-old facility being inadequate. Additionally, Ocean Recovery East requested approval to become a new provider of outpatient chemical dependence treatment services and medically supervised withdrawal services at 113 East 60th Street in New York, focusing on treating older professionals addicted to prescription medications, with approval contingent on facility inspection and receipt of relevant documentation.

The meeting focused on several applications requiring approval. Key discussions included a capital project from Horizon Village for a new 25-bed intensive residential facility for young adults, approved with contingencies regarding operational funding details. Another major item involved Fairview Recovery Services seeking approval for a capital project to replace their women and children's community residence, which will increase capacity from twelve to sixteen adults and add administrative offices. Additionally, the committee reviewed and provided positive recommendations for changes of sponsor. This included NYU Langone Health System becoming the sole corporate member and article 31 sponsor of Lutheran Medical Center to provide financial stability, and a reorganization of Housing Works' licensing structure to bring article 31 clinic operations under their FQHC arm. The committee also reviewed and accepted terminations for three providers: Alcohol Services Incorporated (closure due to low census), Loyola Foundation (closure after losing VA contract), and Vocational Instruction Project (closure due to lack of fiscal viability).

The meeting covered several agenda items related to facility and service modifications requiring review and recommendation. Key discussions included an administrative action regarding a change in ownership status for Child and Family Guidance Center Addiction Services, proposing Lillian Spool become the sole owner while Roger Spool remains executive director. Another significant agenda item involved Renaissance Addiction Services assuming operations for a youth chemical dependency residential rehab service, which was supported by various regional offices. The council reviewed and provided a favorable recommendation for Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center's proposal to increase its inpatient psychiatric unit capacity by ten beds through the conversion of existing medical-surgical and rehabilitation beds, noting high utilization rates and diversion events. Similarly, a favorable recommendation was forwarded for Samaritan Medical Center's request to increase its inpatient psych unit by fourteen beds via conversion of medical-surgical beds, referencing high utilization in their service area. Old business included discussion on a deferred application from the Center for Discovery regarding an eight-bed community residence for adolescents with eating disorders, focusing on medical oversight and physician hours, where changes were noted in staffing patterns.

The meeting addressed several agenda items related to mental health services. The first topic involved a request for a change in sponsor for Eating Disorder Treatment of New York LLC, including a transfer of stock interest to a new member, Candice Henderson, and a resulting increase in stock interest for David Warner. This change required approval due to regulations regarding significant changes in ownership. The second major discussion concerned an application by Olien General Hospital for an increase in capacity by converting a sub-acute unit into a 15-bed Geriatric Psychiatric Unit, increasing total licensed psychiatric beds from 14 to 29 to address a perceived service gap in the region. The OMH recommended approval with conditions related to service agreements. The final item discussed was River Hospital's request to become an Article 31 sponsor to establish an outpatient mental health clinic, addressing long wait times previously experienced for both adult and child services by leveraging existing capacity and telemedicine collaboration.

The meeting covered several agenda items presented as capital projects and requests for approval. Discussions included a capital project for constructing a new 20-bed facility in Western Mills, resulting in a total capacity of 36 beds, funded under the New York State Oasis rapid treatment expansion capital RFA. Another item involved Safe Harbor Retreat LLC d/b/a The Dunes seeking approval to change ownership structure via a debt for Equity Conversion to address low fiscal viability. Additionally, a capital project for Outreach Development Corporation involved the new construction of a 25-bed residential treatment facility for part 820 services for young adults. Further discussions included a request by Olien General Hospital to convert a 15-bed sub-acute unit into a 15-bed Geriatric Psychiatric Unit, increasing capacity from 14 to 29 beds, and a request from River Hospital to establish an outpatient mental health clinic treatment program. Finally, Northwell Health / South Oaks Hospital sought approval to reconfigure bed capacity by decertifying 56 beds, which results in an increase of functional capacity from 145 to 150 beds by making more adult beds available and creating swing/flex capability from the geriatric unit. Coney Island Hospital requested approval for the construction of a new inpatient psychiatric unit as part of a larger hospital replacement project due to Superstorm Sandy damage.