7/28/2019 Letter to Senator Patty Ritchie July 2013

1/1

July12,2013

TheHonorable

Patty

Ritchie

NewYorkStateSenate

DullesStateOfficeBuilding,Room418

Watertown,NY13601

DearSenatorRitchie:

IwritetoyoutodaybecauseitappearsakeymisinterpretationhassurfacedasNorthCountryresidentshavehad

theopportunitytoreviewtheOfficeofMentalHealthsRegionalCentersofExcellence(RCE)Plan. Asyoucontinue

toadvocateonbehalfofallofyourconstituents,Ihopethisinformationishelpful.

Thisplanwillprovidethenearly520currentemployeesofSt.LawrencePsychiatricCentertoremainintheNorth

Country

if

they

choose.

The

Regional

Centers

of

Excellence

Plan

will

maintain

community

services

and

the

sex

offendertreatmentprogramcurrentlyprovidedbySt.LawrencePsychiatricCenter. Nearlyhalf(260)ofthe

currentemployeesworkintheseservicestodayandwillcontinueundertheRCEPlan.

TheremainingstaffofSt.LawrencewillhavetheopportunitytoworkfortheRCEintheNorthCountrywiththe

expansionintostateoperatedcommunitymentalhealthservices. IfemployeeschoosenottojointheOMHRCE

CommunityServicesexpansion,theywillhaveotherchoices. OMHwillworkwiththeDepartmentofCivilService

andotherStateagenciestoexploreopportunitiesforemployeeswhowishtoexploreNorthCountryoptionsfor

employment.Wewilloffervoluntaryreassignmenttoopenupopportunitiesforcurrentemployeestovoluntarily

takeapositionwithanotherOMHfacilitywithouthiringfreezeorCivilServiceclearancerestrictions. OMHwill

alsoexploreopportunitiestoretrainourworkforceforpositionswhichareindemandintheirhomecommunities.

IwouldalsoliketoreiteratemycommitmentthatImadetoyouwhenwespokeWednesday. Theentire

leadershipteam

at

the

Office

of

Mental

Health

will

work

very

closely

with

you

and

the

very

dedicated

citizenry

of

theNorthCountrytoensurethatimplementationoftheRCEPlanissuccessfulinimprovingthelivesofpeople

withamentalillness.

Pleasecontactmeat(518)4747056ifthereareadditionalquestionsorconcernsthatIcanaddress.

Sincerely,

KristinM.Woodlock,RN,MPA

ActingCommissioner