OGDENSBURG -- Assemblywoman Addie Russell says she will fight to keep inpatient services at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, despite the state’s plans to transfer those operations to new Regional Centers of Excellence in Utica and Syracuse.

Russell, who represents several St. Lawrence County municipalities along the river, said the plan should have made Ogdensburg’s psychiatric center a Regional Center and she will continue to push for that as more details are released.

“The Office of Mental Health’s decision to no longer provide inpatient services at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center will have a detrimental impact on not only the patients and families who utilize the facility, but also the hardworking staff who provide these critical services. These few regional centers of excellence in Syracuse and Utica are not sufficiently close to the local populations that need them here.

Russell said the disruption in care is bad enough, but also raised concerns about the impact on the community and economy.

“I’m also very concerned about any potential job losses not directly related to treatment. That’s why I will be advocating vigorously to try to retain the services that are currently at the psychiatric center. We should be maintaining the service levels here, if not expanding them. That will continue to be my push.”

According to the OMH release, downsizing of the facility will begin with the closure of an adult inpatient ward in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, according to a plan released this afternoon by the state Office of Mental Health.

St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center inpatient care will "merge" with the Empire Upstate Regional Center of Excellence, which will have facilities located in Utica and Syracuse.

In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the state will close five additional wards at SLPC.

According to the release, outpatient and community services currently operated by SLPC will be continued as a community hub of the Empire Upstate RCE, and will expand outpatient care in Ogdensburg and other hubs throughout the region.

The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center sexual offender program will continue in Ogdensburg but will be operated by the Central New York Forensic Center of Excellence.