To the Editor:

For as long as I can remember, the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center has been one of the greatest assets for the people of northern New York.

It has been and continues to be a facility where we here in the most northern part of the state have been able to bring our family members and neighbors who are in need of the specialized care and treatment provided at the facility. For over 120 years this facility has not only served this region with distinction, it has been a valuable and needed part of the overall mental health services delivery system of New York State.

In light of its importance and performance, the proposed closing of this facility by the New York State Office of Mental Health is absolutely baffling. Days, months and even years of building relationships and supporting individuals and families will come to an end, to the detriment of those who most need these services in our region.

The counties served by the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center already have the lowest per capita income and highest unemployment in New York State. There is no public transportation available, we have limited access to interstate highways, severe weather in winter months is the norm, and the price of gasoline continues to drain the finances of everyone who can afford a vehicle. Forcing people to travel hours away and burdening their families and caregivers with additional costs for travel, meals and lodging directly contradicts the OMH vision of “a future when every New Yorker experiences hope and recovery and when people across New York have access to and choice among the supports and services that fosters self­ determination for living, working, learning and participating fully in their communities.”

The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center is now, and has been for decades, staffed by qualified, well-trained and caring individuals. The clinical services that they provide may have changed over the years, but the quality and dedication of the workers have not. To remove this asset from the North Country will result in more vacant and abandoned buildings, fewer employment opportunities for residents, and most importantly the disruption and possible discontinuance of treatment for those patients and families most in need of these services in the region.

I would like to close with a brief story about my time working for the New York State Police. Many years ago I was assigned to work on a security detail accompanying then Governor Mario Cuomo while he was visiting northern New York. Part of that visit included a tour of the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center with then Director Doctor Lee Hanes.

While on that tour I can clearly recall the governor pointing out that this was a facility that was needed by our population, if for no other reason because of the size and rural nature of the region. I have to ask, has our region become smaller? Are we less rural? Or are we just less important than we used to be?

Please continue to support the efforts of the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center Task Force as we work toward overcoming the ridiculous idea that facilities in Utica and Syracuse can provide the same or better services for our population than we can here, the place where those in need call home.

Joseph R. Lightfoot

St. Lawrence County Legislator, district 3

Ogdensburg