Photo provided. (Photo provided)
KINGSTON, N.Y. — Ulster County is considering opening a pediatric mental health clinic at Broadway and Ellenville Village that could serve about 1,200 children a year. The clinic could open as early as later this year.
Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger told the Freeman on Thursday, April 4, “Today we are experiencing unprecedented anxiety and mental distress among young people across our country and county.” “We’re responding. They really need additional help and mental health support.” To truly thrive.
Metzger said there is a lack of such services in Ulster County, adding that the county’s Department of Mental Health has recommended that the county expand services to fill those gaps.
Metzger said the two locations will be the new Ulster County Human Services Center at 368 Broadway and the Trudy Resnick Faber Building at 50 Center Street in Ellenville.
“We are building a crisis stabilization center for youth and adults,” Metzger said. “This is a one-stop for people in crisis. People need support and services for young people.”
Children’s and adult services will be completely separated, she added.
Metzger’s office said the new pediatric clinic will be initially funded with $700,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act. Metzger added that the program will now be sustained by health insurance payments from Medicaid and private insurance companies.
The County Council is scheduled to vote on the use of ARPA funds for the center at its Tuesday, April 16th meeting. This would pave the way for a request for proposals to be submitted to a nonprofit vendor to operate the center and hire providers, she said.
Metzger said the RFP process will take several months. Still, she expressed confidence that the store could open before the end of the year.
Planned services include diagnostic evaluations, individual and family therapy, medication management and crisis intervention, Metzger said. The program would be able to serve at least 100 children a month, or about 1,200 children a year, she added.
She said anxiety and depression are both very common among young people.
“It’s hard to concentrate in school when you’re dealing with stressors like this at a young age,” she said. Teachers have been telling authorities for years that these are the biggest challenges they face in the classroom, she added.
This can hold young people back unless they get the support they need, she says.
Metzger said the program builds on the county’s School Mental Health Program, which provides clinical support to middle school students in every school district in the county, and the program is also funded by ARPA funds.
“We’re getting positive feedback from educators, school administrators as well as school administrators,” she said.
But she acknowledged the need is much greater, which led her to consider two new clinics for the county.
Metzger said the center’s operating hours need to be flexible so children and families can take advantage of the services. “Having flexibility is very important, especially for young people,” she added.
Services at the two centers will be available year-round, not just during school hours, she said.
Metzger acknowledged that COVID-19 is a major factor in the increased need for mental health services for children and youth. Lockdowns and restrictions have disrupted daily life and young people have experienced long periods of social isolation along with fear of illness, she said. She suspects other factors, such as social media, may also be contributing to the stress children are experiencing.
“We are very excited to be able to offer these additional services to our youth,” Metzger said. “Addressing the mental health needs of our youth and families is a true priority of my administration for our county.”
