New mental health services have been developed in St. Lawrence County and communities across New York State.

They include what a press release from the governor’s office calls “cost-effective and innovative mobile mental health teams, home-like residential programs, and early intervention services.”

The programs are available to children and adults alike and are intended to increase the accessibility of mental health care, enabling New Yorkers to find help closer to their homes and communities.

The state ran into stiff resistance in 2013 when they announced a cost-cutting plan to eliminate services and consolidate some mental health care facilities.

In St. Lawrence County, the issue centered around facilities at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in Ogdensburg that were to be closed, leaving people here with no alternative to traveling hundreds of miles to other facilities for care.

It appears they made their point.

“By helping more New Yorkers find mental health treatment in more convenient locations, we will help our communities become stronger and healthier," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the latest announcement. "Immediate access to care is essential for families in need of assistance and these new programs are available when and where they are needed most."

The announcement included the formation of a North Country Mobile Integration Team covering St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties including the Ogdensburg center.

According to a brochure explaining the North Country Mobile Integration Team, individuals participating in services can expect support in their efforts to stay in their home and community, immediate access to treatment services designed to stabilize crisis situations, enhanced skills and knowledge to reduce environmental and social stressors, and connection to programs and services to reduce demand on emergency departments and inpatient hospital services.

These services include brief therapeutic support, skill building, crisis assessment and intervention, consultation and information, peer support groups and skills training, family and caregiver support and skills building and behavioral support and consultation, and in-home and community-based respite.

For 24/7 crisis services in St. Lawrence County provided by the North Country MIT, call Reachout at (315) 265-2422.